How to Brew up a Cup of Medicinal Herbal Tea

    Did you know that herbal teas are ancient remedies?  If you Google peppermint, lemon balm, lavender, sage, or any other herb you will learn how has been used for centuries for different health complaints.   I usually check about four or five sites and write down what they say and then compare them.  I started typing up labels for the teas that I have dried so that when I give them to people they know what they're good for.   Don't forget to  check with your doctor if you are taking prescriptions to make sure there are no interactions. 

    This morning I found a really good site so I could verify some things that I have heard and known for years about brewing a cup of medicinal tea.  I really liked this site http://www.herbal-howto-guide.com/herbal-tea.html.  It had a lot of good  tips and insights, and even a few things that I hadn't heard before.  The cup of tea that most people don't know how to make properly is a good cup of medicinal tea.  Even I learned a few things, because sometimes I have forgotten about my tea and let it sit longer than 10 minutes!  Anyway here's what the site says:   

"Bring your water to a boil, place your herb - loose - in the cup, pour the water over and cover it for 10 minutes - NO longer.  At 10 minutes it's reached peak potency and begins to go back down hill.  Remove the cover and strain the herb out of the water.  It's very important to never add anything else to an herbal tea for medicinal purpose - not even honey."

At the bottom of her site she even has a list of common ailments that you can click on and you can see the types of herbs that would help that.  But what I am going to check out later is her side menu of how to make lotions, soaps, and she even has more information on drying herbs.  Anyway here are some labels  that I made for two of the herbs I grow. 

Health Benefits of Peppermint Tea

Respiratory:                                     Head:

*Asthma                                         Nausea

*Coughs & cold                               Motion sickness           

*Congestion

*Retards growth of many bacteria, fungi, & viruses

Stomach:

*Aids digestion

*Calms upset stomach, abdominal cramps

*Irritable bowel          

*Constipation, diarrhea

Health Benefits of Lemon Balm Tea

Respiratory:                               Head:

*Colds & flu                               *Sedative for depression

*Cold sores                                  *Improves memory

*Fever                                       *Headaches

*Antibacterial, antiviral                *Tension migraines

*Strep, mumps  

                              

Stomach:                                 Muscles:

*Stomach cramps                     *Relaxes spasms

*Indigestion

*Gas        

                                              Entire body:

Circulatory system:                 *Tonic for heart & liver

*Reduces blood pressure         *Fights fatigue

                                              *Insomnia

                                              *Strengthens the gums

                                              *Counteracts Depression          

  

Genesis 1:30 I have given every green herb for food, and it was so.

Psalm 104:14 He causes … herbage for man’s use.

wwww.home-redmedies-guide.com

Other Blogs on Making Herbal or Flower Teas:

How to Dry Herbs to Make Your Own Herbal Teas

How to Brew  a Cup of Medicinal Herb Tea

5 Great Uses for Dried Lavender

Drying Roses & Making Rose Tea

How to Make Calendula Tea, Calendula Oil & Salve

More on How to Make Your Own Herbal Teas

If you'd like to dry your own herbs for spices, check out this blog: How to Dry Herbs to Spice Up Your Cooking!