Tasteful Magic

It's been a little while, but a lot of great things have happened in my life. One of the most amazing things is that I moved into an apartment with an elderly room mate. When I first met her, she told me she was a Christian woman who's mother was a strong White Witch. One of my room mates issues was her sever arthritis. I offered her a solution and we went to work.

Herbal remedies are one of my favorite topics to look up. We did a lot of research on herbs that could help her arthritis as well as a few other aches she had. Our main herb that we found was Nettle.

Nettle can clear the skin of rashes and exema, help sooth nervous stress. It was first used in Germany for it's effects on arthritis. Nettle can also be found in shampoo, it keeps dandruff down and hair glossy. It helps boost testosterone and encourages healthy lactating for nursing women.

With all the health benefits, I wanted to experiment. Being an avid tea drinker, I wanted to try some mixes of my own. As well as my room mate who's arthritis had her hands swollen very much out of proportion. Our first mix was rather simple.

Nettle

Chamomile

Lavender

Star Anise

The Chamomile and Lavender I had grown in my garden last year. The Nettle and Anise I bought from a very trustworthy source. The Nettle had the healing element for arthritis. Chamomile and Lavender both calm the stomach and relax the body. And Star Anise is helpful for digestion. After boiling and straining the herbs, we had our first cups of tea.

Now this doesn't seem all that important, but this first cup of tea was. Deb (my room mate) and I sat down and drank. She enjoyed the taste, and we talked about our beliefs. Being a Christian woman, we agreed to respect our different views and help each other as a family. That first cup of tea brought us together more than I could have imagined.

The next morning, Deb showed me her hand. The swelling had already gone down considerably and she was quite happy that she didn't have to take her sleeping medication. The Chamomile and Lavender did it's job. After a few days go Nettle tea every morning and every evening, we did some more research and went shopping.

We learned Devils Claw and Comfrey could help her pains as well. We invested in Dandelion root, Echinacea, White Willow Bark, and Cramp Bark.

Devils Claw

 Arthritis, inflamed joints, gout, lumbago, sciatica, rheumatism, gallbladder inflammation, hemorrhoids, and itchy skin. Properties include: bitter tonic, anti-inflammatory, and mild analgesic

Dandelion

 Fresh sap can be used on warts. Roots can be used for liver problems, gallstones, mild jaundice, indigestion, loss of appetite, and constipation. Use with other herbs for arthritis and skin diseases. Use with horsetail for degenerative arthritis. Regular use of dandelion helps with blood cholesterol. 

Echinacea

A versatile remedy for a weak immune system. Decoctions or tinctures used for boils, acne, food poisoning, ulcers, flu, tonsillitis  shingles, herpes, and infections. Use with sage for infections in the mouth. Use with thistle for hepatitis and tiredness following fever. 

White Willow Bark

 Useful for gout and all types of arthritis, especially with inflamed joints. Use with fennel seed for multiple painful joints; cramp bark for inflammatory back pains; and rosemary for headaches. It helps will low grade fevers, and the feeling of being overheated. 

Cramp Bark

 Helps with any cramping pains due to leg cramps, colic, period pains, muscle spasms, and shoulder and neck tension. It also helps with back pains due to muscle spasms. 

Comfrey

 Provides rapid healing for cuts, wounds, sprains, bruises, and broken bones. Comfrey cream is good for cracked, dry skin. Use with chamomile and meadow-sweet for stomach ulcers. Add black pepper essential oil for arthritis, bunions, and aches from old injuries. Add lavender oil for slow-healing wounds and bed sores. 

With all of these herbs, we started mixing our teas. I usually make peppermint or spearmint teas, so expanding into new herbs has been an adventure for me. Learning about each property of these plants have been amazing, and I can't wait for spring so I can grow my own. here are a few more tea recipes feel free to try. 

Nettle

Lavender

Star Anise

Devils Claw

Echinacea 

Peppermint

Star Anise

Comfrey

Spearmint

Peppermint

Star Anise

Cloves

Upset Stomach

Lavender

Chamomile

Star Anise

Cinnamon

Honey

Get Your Sweetheart to Bed

White Willow Bark

Comfrey

Damiana

Peppermint

Morning Pains

Green Tea Leaves

Nettle

Devils Claw

Comfrey

White Willow Bark