Teatime The Herbal Way

The Chinese are well known for their tea, they even have a ritual when it comes to making teas and have tea houses especially for the drinking and brewing of tea. Along with this they introduced the world to herbal tea, herbal teas is perhaps best known as a remedy for sleep problems but it also is used for many other small ailments.

There are several teas that are readily available in the supermarket and health store or you can choose to use one of the many plants and herbs that grow in most gardens. Making your own herbal tea is simple, use 1 teaspoon of dry herb or 2 of fresh with 1 cup of water. Always use hot not boiling water, but boil the water first and allow to stand for a minute or so before pouring the water onto the herbs and let stand for a further 5 to 15 minutes.

For those who want to pick their own and brew their own here are some of the most popular forms of plant and herb material that are readily available for picking.

Persimmon tea is made from finely crushed leaves and which makes a strong tea that can be used at anytime, it is particularly rich in vitamin C and as such is useful when used as a tonic.

Sassafras tea is made from fresh washed roots, it is important to wash until the water turns to a reddish brown color and then it can be sliced and dried. It is thought to be particularly helpful for those who suffer from bronchitis, used regularly as a tonic and a blood purifier and thinner.

Birch tea can be taken from yellow or white birch and the leaves when dried and stored can be used all year round. 1 or 2 cups a day is thought to be a great cure for headaches and rheumatism. It is very effective when brewed and left to go cold as a mouthwash and said to be an excellent form of pain reliever.

Blackberry or raspberry tea is made from matured leaves of the brambles and makes a tea that can be used to successfully control diarrhea. It is also drunk to help purify the blood and used as a tonic.

Alfalfa tea is made from the flower heads and dried powdered leaves. It is a nutritious tea that is thought to help arthritis although the taste is a little bland.
Strawberry leaf tea is useful for a number of ailments including eczema, stomach problems and diarrhea. The best way to brew this tea is to pout boiling water on a handful of leaves at night then cover and allow to steep overnight. This tea should then be drunk cold.

Rose hip tea although having a very tart taste can be used all year round and is thought to be very successful in reducing the symptoms associated with colds, flu and a sore throat. The tea should be steeped for roughly ten minutes then strained or can be placed in cool water overnight then left to steep, strained and then reheated in the morning.