Healing home brews
In need of a pick-me-up? Whether you want to sleep soundly or beat the bloat, the answer may lie in your cup of tea
Need a boost? Whether you want to relax, sleep well or de-bloat, there’s a tea that will do the trick. “Healing teas only take minutes to prepare, but can have longlasting benefits,” explains herbalist Cerridwen Greenleaf, author of Natural Cures and Remedies.
And they couldn’t be easier to make.
“You don’t need any special equipment – just a kettle, pan, mug and the ingredients,” she says.
When it comes to ingredients, from soothing catnip to sleepinducing lavender, the fresher the better.
“All the herbs in these recipes you can buy online from herbal suppliers or Etsy,” says Cerridwen. “It’s best to use fresh ingredients for your home brews as the medicinal properties are stronger.
“That said, it’s okay to use dried ingredients or teabags if that’s what you have to hand.”
Which teas will you choose?
SOOTHE ANXIETY
CATNIP
The tea…
Not just for kittens, catnip tea can ease symptoms of anxiety, stress and nervous tension.
A cup or two of catnip tea per day will boost a sense of relaxation.
It tastes great with honey too. Indeed, adding honey to natural teas can help them to become more palatable, especially if you have a sweet tooth.
TRY:
1 Take a palmful of dried catnip leaves and steep in a cup of boiling water (240ml) for 5 mins.
2 Strain the mixture as you would any loose tea before drinking.
3 If using, add a teaspoon of honey to sweeten.
BEAT BLOATING
The tea… PEPPERMINT, CHAMOMILE, WORMWOOD & CARAWAY
This peppermint mix will settle a bloated, painful stomach, especially if you’ve overindulged on a night out with friends you haven’t seen in a while. If you don’t have any wormwood, use the other ingredients on their own. However, wormwood is a great herb because it helps all types of digestive issues from an upset stomach to cramps. TRY:
1 Mix together 50g dried peppermint, 50g dried chamomile, 20g dried wormwood and a pinch of caraway seeds.
2 Use three pinches of the mixture to make a large cup of tea; infuse in boiling water and strain off the herbs before drinking.
ENERGY BOOST
The tea… GINGER, JASMINE & PEPPERMINT
Try this restorative, warming drink to boost your energy levels. The zingy taste will perk you up and leave you feeling great.
TRY:
1 Measure out 1 inch sliced fresh ginger, 1tsp jasmine tea leaves and 1tsp peppermint tea leaves.
2 Place the ginger, jasmine and peppermint in a pan (or teapot) and add 2 cups (480ml) of boiled water.
3 Let the mixture brew for 5 mins, then strain and pour into a mug.
MORNING CLEANSE
LEMON, GINGER & HONEY
The tea…
This tea should be drunk first thing in the morning to remove toxins and promote digestion.
TRY:
1 Take 1 lemon and squeeze the juice into a large mug. Add the rest of the lemon, sliced.
2 Grate 1/2 inch of fresh ginger into a small pan, add a mug of warm water and heat until bubbles form at the bottom of the pan – do not boil.
3 Pour the ginger water into the mug with the lemon. Add raw honey once the drink has cooled to a warm temperature.
SILKY SKIN
SAFFRON, GINGER & Lemon
The tea…
Not just for kittens, catnip tea can ease anxiety
Saffron is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine for its ability to beautify the skin, boost mood, and combat PMS. This recipe makes a lot, so feel free to pour the liquid into a thermos and enjoy the tea throughout the day. TRY:
1 Peel and grate 1/2tsp of saffron threads, chop 1/2 inch of fresh ginger and juice 1 lemon.
2 Add the ingredients to a small pan with 2tbsp of any non-processed sugar (monk fruit sugar etc). Add 4–5 cups (950ml–1.2l) of water.
3 Let the liquid slowly come to a boil, remove from the heat, cover and stand for 15-20 mins before drinking. There’s no need to strain this tea.
SLEEP TIGHT
The tea… LAVENDER
For centuries, lavender has been a popular ingredient to treat sleep issues. But the herb can be used for so much more than bath salts – a lavender tea is the ideal way to ingest its calming properties to combat insomnia.
TRY:
1 For lavender tea, the rule of thumb is 1tsp of dried lavender flowers to 1 cup (240 ml) of boiling water.
2 Place the flowers in a pot for a few minutes, then strain before drinking. ■■Natural Cures and Remedies is out now.
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