If you want to get into using herbs for healing with your family I recommend buying just a couple basic herbs and launching off from there. I buy all my herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs. They have great prices and amazing quality.
If you are just getting started here is what I recommend:
- chamomile: gas, colic, indigestion, anxiety, insomnia
- catnip: restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, stomach upset
- mint: any stomach issue
- elder flower: fever, colds, flu, excess heat
- lemon balm: anxiety, stomach issues, headaches
- hibiscus flowers: makes tea taste good and is red and pretty
- slippery elm or licorice root: sore throats, coughs
Making tea is one of my daughter's favorite "adult" things to do. Start saving all your glass jars (pickles, salsa, jelly, etc). You are going to need a lot! Get a big mixing bowl and a scoop. Scoop equal parts of different herbs into the bowl and mix them together. Pour the mix into a new jar and label it.
Why do I really love making my own tea?
- My daughter practices measuring, stirring, pouring and labeling and she thinks its all great fun.
- I am teaching her knowledge of medicinal plants.
- When she doesn't "feel good" she asks to make a cup of tea and it always helps.
- It's so much cheaper than buying prepackaged tea.
- Hand blended tea makes great gifts.
Making tea blends:
Now you have all your herbs in the jars and ready to go. Here are some of my blends or experiments with your own. I added some extra herbs in green if you decide to go all out.
Nighty Night: Catnip, Chamomile, Lemon Balm, rose, lavender, passion flower
Tummy Soother: Mint, chamomile, lemon balm, catnip, fennel/anise for gas, blackberry leaves for diarrhea, cinnamon for diarrhea
Rise the Sun Tea: (as named by Zoe and I don't know why) 2 parts Hibiscus flower, 1 part mint-- drink iced instead of juice
Stuffy Head: mint, lemon balm, elder flower, thyme, eucalyptus, sage, rosemary, echinacea
Sore Throat: slippery elm, licorice, mint, sage, eucalyptus, thyme, echinacea
Having herbs readily available is such a relief to me when I know my child is suffering and I don't want to give her over the counter medicine. If you want to rely on herbs for most of your "I don't feel good" moments I recommend adding the following books to your library:
- Anything by Dr James Duke, especially The Green Pharmacy
- Naturally Healthy Babies and Children by Aviva Jill Romm
- Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child by Janet Zand
If you read the post on leftover smoothies and you are wondering the answer to what else I put in my popsicle tray, it's leftover tea. Trust me, when your child has a fever or sore throat, an ice cold licorice root and mint popsicle will REALLY help. Just be sure to sweeten it with raw honey.
RAW HONEY? Okay, we will tackle that another time.
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