A Pleasing Herbal Tea

Since early this year, I have been doing correspondent studies from The Herbal Healer Academy on natural methods of healing. I first took their course on homeopathy, seeking a better understanding of the remedies my family has been using for the past several years. I enjoyed every moment of the learning experience.  Homeopathy, the potentization of a particular substance, is truly one of the safest and most effective forms of natural medicine available to us.  It's made a huge difference in the health of each member of my family.  In past years, my dad suffered from severe bronchitis annually, and of course the rest of my family fell victim to colds and flus on a regular basis.  Since using homeopathic remedies, our immune systems have been strengthened and we are far less susceptible to viruses. Additional nutritional adjustments to our diet, such as using whole wheat flour and eliminating junk foods, plus a consistent intake of supplements have yielded further beneficial results. We do not take good health for granted--we thank the Lord!

As I resumed my correspondence Bible college studies (from Landmark Baptist College) this fall, I made the decision to also further my education of natural healing methods.  I am now thoroughly enjoying the process of learning how to use herbs!  I am very excited. =)  There are 22 lessons in this particular course and, much to my delight, each lesson includes a hands-on herbal project.  Project #1 was a hydrotherapeutic bath composed of rosemary, basil, thyme, sage, and lavender (it was wonderful).  I'm currently on the second lesson; its project is four different herbal teas.  The first one I did was Indian Spice. The six ingredients were cinnamon, fennel, anise, cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns.  I think I let it steep too long.  It was STRONG. (gag)  I thought extra honey might help.  Quite the contrary.  I got half of it down, anyway. (chuckle)

My second herbal tea, Forever Fruit, was much better.  In fact, it was delightfully pleasing! As you can see from the photo, the tea contained rosehips, lemongrass, hibiscus, orange peel, and peppermint. Below is a clearer picture of the herbs. The large orange-colored pieces are orange peel and the red pieces are rosehips. The thin herbs are lemongrass and the rosey-hued fragments are hibiscus petals. Finally, the more rounded leaflets are peppermint.
 

I later did some research on the properties of these herbs. I was very amazed by the information I found!

According to Balch's Prescription for Nutritional Healing, lemongrass (p. 115) "acts as an astringent [shrinks or constrics body tissues; helpful for acne and scars (source)], tonic, and digestive aid. Good for skin and nails. Useful for fever, flu, headaches, and intestinal irritations."

Peppermint (p. 119) "increases stomach acidity, aiding digestion. Slightly anesthetizes mucous membranes and gastrointestinal tract. Useful for chills, colic, diarrhea, headache, heart trouble, indigestion, nausea, poor appetite, rheumatism, and spasms." Because peppermint acts as an anesthetic, which prevents  the transmission of nerve impulses, it relieves pain by decreasing stress responses of a myriad of stomach disorders (source). Simply put, it soothes tummy pain. Knowing that peppermint is helpful for such ailments, I recently began putting a few drops of peppermint extract into hot tea whenever my own or a family member's stomach has been suffering. Not only does it work quickly but, with a bit of honey, the tea tastes very refreshing.

Orange peel is high in vitamin C (source) and pectin (source), which promotes intestinal health and protects against cardiovascular disease. It also reduces heartburn (source).

Rosehips  are very high in vitamin C, containing more than citrus fruit by dry weight, as well as antioxidant flavonoids and pectin. Its anti-inflammatory properties are helpful in degenerative joint conditions, such as osteoarthritis, because it reduces joint stiffness and pain. Protects against cancer and cardiovascular disease. Helpful in treating flus, diarrhea, and urinary tract disorders. The taste of rosehip teas are improved by blending with hibiscus flowers (which explains why they were included in this blend). (source)

Hibiscus effectively reduces blood pressure. It has astringent properties and is helpful in lowering fevers, especially in children. Other herbs are often combined with hibiscus to make a cough syrup to treat catarrh of the respiratory tract. (source)

First in the order of events was to place my herbal blend into a tea infuser, that into a teacup, and pour my hot water. Here the herbs begin to release and blend their distinct flavors and healing properties.

You can see that the lemongrass was small enough to wriggle through the holes of the infuser.

The rosehips in the tea were what caused the red color. After two to three minutes of steeping, the tea was done.

First, however, I found it quite necessary to strain my tea of floating lemongrass. Isn't my handy-dandy little strainer cute? (chuckle)

A bit of golden honey, and then my first sip of this delicious, fruity, perfectly tart tea. I enjoyed it ever so much!

The soggy remains.

And below is an edited image which could serve as a desktop background. Feel free to use it if you so desire. =)