Winter Blahs - Quick cures

Now that the holiday season is over, but the days are still so short, it is easy to feel a bit lackluster in energy.  I thought I would share a few quick and easy recipes that will help you improve your mood and energy as the winter months drag on.  I did a post last winter about this same time detailing some of the herbs that will lift spirits in winter.  Check it out with this link.

Enjoying the Cold

This recipe I found in the Essential Herbal Magazine December 2012 edition.  Michael Blackmore wrote an article about making herbal ice pops.  One of his suggestions was a blend of heart healthy and uplifting herbs he called Happy Heart.  Here is how he made it.

1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 ounces of lavender buds
2 ounces rose hips
1 ounce hawthorn berries
1/2 cup honey

In a pint-sized mason jar combine the herbs and berries and allow to steep for several hours.  Filter out the herbs from the water, placing the liquid in a measuring cup.  Add the honey and stir until dissolved.  Pour the result into molds, leaving head space for expansion.  Freeze for several hours (between 2 and 6 depending on the freezer.)

Using Aromatherapy

Another way to lift spirits is with scents.  This combination of essential oils can be used in salves, lotions, room sprays or scent infusers.  Combine the following oils in a jar and shake well.  Then add by drop to terra cotta infusers or other scent holding items.  This is may favorite blend as it citrus base adds a ray of sunshine:

5 drops of Lemon Essential Oil
5 drops of Orange Essential Oil
3 drops of Geranium Essential Oil (I use Lemon geranium)
2 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil

Roses in the Bath

 

Rose petals add an element of softness to the skin when used in bath mixtures.  Either in Bath Bags or in salves, vinegar and other mediums, the softening as well as mildly astringent qualitiesalso reducing puffiness, edema and has a slight tightening effect (which means it reduced wrinkles!) The oil is most effective for moisturizing and hydrating the skin while having a general stimulant and antiseptic action which is good for all skin types, but especially so for dry, mature and irritated skin. It is used to repair broken capillaries, inflammation, as well as skin redness.

Today I thought it would be fun to share a few recipes using roses that are just for the bath.  But if you do not want to make your own and like roses in your bath items, the Backyard Patch makes two popular rose products.  My fun and simple Bath Tub Tea that is a combation of many herbs including rose petals and my rose petal infused Rose Hair Rinse which uses rose petals in vinegar and water to soften hair and help remove product build up from shampoo, conditioners and treatments.

 Here are recipes to try on your own:

Bath Bag

2 t. each

lemon verbena

 peppermint

 dried roses

 hibiscus

nettle

rosehips (for color)

Place the herbs in a cotton draw string bag or wrap up in a cotton wash cloth.  To use steep the bag in 2 cups water warm water for 15 minutes are pour into bath water.

Rose Vinegar Bath

A toner and fresher that brings skin back to normal pH after cleaning; this product is very good for your skin, especially if it is oily.  Apply after washing with a cotton ball or soft cloth.

1 cup apple cider vinegar

5 T. rose petals

4 T. sage leaves

3 T. raspberry leaves

2 T. rosemary

¾ cup rosewater (reserved)

Heat the vinegar and pour over the herbs.  Place the mixture in a quart jar and cap it.  (Do not use a metal lid).  Shake daily for 10 days.  Strain.  Add rosewater to vinegar.  Store, covered, in jars with nonmetallic lids.

(This recipe was by Linda Gannon, the Magick Garden  McFarland, WI – excerpted from Herbal Treasures by Phyllis Shaudys, 1990)

Basic Baby Powder

8 oz. arrowroot or cornstarch or a blend of both

4 oz. baking soda

1 Tbls. Ground Cloves

1 Tbls. slippery elm

1 Tbls. rose petals

1 Tbls. Lavender

Blend ingredients in a glass or ceramic bowl.  Store in a large glass jar, covered, for two weeks, allowing scents to blend.  Shake jar well every other day.  You can boost the scent with 10 to 15 drops of rose absolute or rose geranium essntial oil.

Dust on body as a perfume or a way to stay dry in warm summer months.

Rose Bath Oil

Rose Petals (about 1/2 to 1 cup)
2 oz grapeseed oil
5 drops jasmine oil
5 drops ylang-ylang oil

Place rose petals in a glass jar and cover with the oils. Shake and allow to infuse overnight. I liked it best when it infused about 3 days. 

Add 1/4 oz. of the oil to your bath or sprkile over the tips of your fingers and work into your skin when wet fromt he shower.

Rose Hips & Rose Hip Tea

Here is a little extra for you, you can also make Rose Hip Wine. This wine concoction will aid circulation.  It is also known to stimulate the appetite. Steep 3 ounces of dried rose hips in 1 quart of strong, dry red wine for 2 weeks. Filter the wine. Drink 2 small glasses per day. Who can beat that prescription!

In this week of celebrating Roses I thought I should also speak about Rose Hips.  Roses, traditional non-hybrid roses, develop a seed pod just at the base of the flower.  These red balls are known as "hips" and yes the seeds are in them.  Rose Hips make a wonderful tea.  They are high in Vitamin C, also contain vitamins A, B, D, K, E, and flavinoids (antioxidants), and prevent bladder infections, ease headaches and dizziness. 

You can grow the non-hybrid roses and harvest your own hips, or you can obtain hips from local growers or freinds.  I usually wait until frost before I harvest my rose hips. I find the best way to let them dry is on the plant, rather than indoors on a screen. So many times they would mold indoors which made me decide to let mother nature do her thing and gather the dried hips instead.

To prepare Rose Hips:  

1. Collect hips from only wild roses or untreated roses that have not been sprayed. Leave the flowers on the rose bush.

2. Clip off the red fruits at the end of the blossom and spread rose hips out to dry. As the rose petals dry, the fruit of the flower matures to a red or orange bulb. 

4. After the petals are completely dry, store them in an airtight container.

To make Rose Hip Tea:  

1. You can use fresh or dried rose hips for tea. If you're using fresh hips, you’ll need about twice as many. The seeds inside the hip have an irritating, hairy covering. Trust me—you must remove those aggravating little hairs inside the hip. To do so, hold the hip securely, slice it in half, and remove the inner seeds. Use a knife or a pair of little herb scissors to do this.

2. For fresh rose hip tea, steep about 12 to 16 hips in a cup of boiling water for about 10 to 15 minutes. For dried rose hip tea, steep about 6 to 8 hips in a cup of boiling water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the tea.

3. Sweeten to taste using stevia, sugar or sweetener. The flavor of honey may overpower this astringent rosy tea.

Note: Do not use aluminum pansor tea pots to craft rose hip tea. The tea will react to the aluminum and destroy the vitamin C.

Using Rose Hips in Winter

Everyone tends to go with the old remedy of increased vitamin C as a way to stave off seasonal illnesses and colds.  I believe in this as well, but what you may not know is that citrus is nice but Rose hips are the largest source of Vitamin C by volume and are simple and easy to use in your seasonal cures.

Roses, traditional non-hybrid roses, develop a seed pod just at the base of the flower.  These red balls are known as "hips" and yes the seeds are in them.  Rose Hips make a wonderful tea.  They are high in Vitamin C, also contain vitamins A, B, D, K, E, and flavinoids (antioxidants), and prevent bladder infections, ease headaches and dizziness. 

I usually wait until frost before I harvest my rose hips, so with frost not coming until 11/11/11 this year, I am still out cutting hips in December.  I find the best way to let them dry is on the plant, rather than indoors on a screen. To many times they mold which made me decide to let mother nature do her thing and gather the dried hips instead.

Once you gather the hips you need to crush them. And sift out the prickly bits that exist inside with the seeds.  I find they irritate my skin and they float to the top of my tea so I prefer to remove them.  You can buy sifted rose hips if you do not wish to do this rather labor intensive job yourself.

Many of the medicinal herbs listed here I grow only for personal consumption because I do not try to diagnose or treat illnesses for anyone but myself.  However, these are tried recipes and certain can assist you with seasonal ailments when taken in moderation and in consultation with a professional.

Basic Rose Hip Tea

Pour 1 cup of boiling water

Rosy Bite Tea Leaves

over 2 heaping teaspoons of chopped rose hips

You can use rose hips with or without their seeds. Steep the herbal tea, covered, for 15 minutes and strain. Sweeten the refreshing, slightly sour tea with honey, if desired. Drink the tea lukewarm at bedtime for maximum effectiveness. The tea can be also be added to soups and stews to boost their tartness and vitamin C content.

I use rose hips in two of my favorite iced tea and hot tea blends.  With rose petals, hibiscus and sage I make a rose hip tea called Rose Blush that is good hot or cold and when mixed with honey and a bit of whiskey is great for seasonal ailments.  The other I call Rosy Bite because the tart nature of the rose hips is blended with Hibiscus.

Rose Hip Wine Helps Circulation

Rose hip wine stimulates the appetite and increases blood flow. Steep 3 ounces of dried rose hips in 1 quart of strong, dry red wine for 2 weeks. Filter the wine. Drink 2 small glasses per day. Who can beat that prescription!

Medicinal Tea Mixture for Cold Prevention & Relief

1 1/2 ounces rose hips

3/4 ounce marshmallow root

3/4 ounce mullein flowers and leaves

This tea stimulates the immune system. When you have a cold or flu, the tea loosens bronchial mucus and makes coughs more productive. For a cup of tea, use 1 cup of water and 2 teaspoons of the tea blend.

Herbal Tea Mixture for Abdominal Cramps and Mild Diarrhea

1 ounce rose hips

3/4 ounce peppermint leaves

3/4 ounce lemon balm leaves

3/4 ounce blackberry leaves

This tea regulates bile flow and relieves intestinal cramping and mild diarrhea. It is also a first-aid remedy for queasiness and nausea. Use 1 cup of water to 2 teaspoons of the tea blend.

Medicinal Tea to Relieve Gout & Kidney Gravel

1 1/2 ounces rose hips

3/4 ounce nettle leaves

3/4 ounce goldenrod leaves

3/4 ounce horsetail leaves

This tea flushes gravel from the kidneys, combats chronic urinary-tract infections and helps eliminate uric acid assisting gout patients. For each cup of tea use 1 cup of boiling water and 2 teaspoons of the tea mixture. Strain and enjoy!

Benefits of Herbal Tea

Whether you want to shed some few pounds or simply desire to have good heath, herbal tea is definitely good for you. Herbal tea is a great substitute if you find drinking mineral water plain. My husband has taken to drinking tea every night and as a result says he feels so much better.  I’ll give you a progress report after another month or so of this.  The important thing to remember with herb tea is you need to drink five glasses every day to relish all the benefits. Here are top reasons why you should drink herbal tea.

1. Great for weight loss

Herbal tea has been known to help in losing weight. This is a popular topic, reason being that teas can actually help in weight loss as they increase the body’s metabolism thus improving your blood circulation, cholesterol level and ultimately enhances cardiovascular health. Green tea has an antioxidant referred to as catechins, recent studies show that they significantly help to reduce fat.  Remember Green Tea, like black tea has caffeine.

2. Prevents Cancer

People who drink herbal tea are less susceptible to lung cancer and other common diseases. Believe it or not, research indicates that herbal tea helps to treat stroke, heart ailments and even certain cancers.  Lemon Grass is a good herb for canser as are any that help with nausea.

3. Cures stomach ailments

If you suffer from frequent stomach ailments, try drinking at least a cup of tea every day after your meals. Herbal tea reduces the acids in the stomach and therefore digestion takes place ably. There are specific herbs that are especially good for stomach disorders, like catnip, ginger, peppermint, thyme. 

4. Enhances the immune system
According to recent scientific studies, herbal teal strengthens the body’s immune system to ensure you are not prone to flu and other lung diseases. With a strong immune system, your body now has the ability to repair and regenerate the damage cells rapidly.  A number of herbs work with your body to improve immunity in a number of different ways.  You can increase Vitamin C with rose hips, add anti-viral properties with thyme, and use violets to gently stimulate the immune system.

5. Reduces stress

When your work and lifestyle seems stressful, drink one cup of tea. It is relaxing and therefore very effective at minimizing stress levels.  Certain herbs with also enhance this stress reduction ability, including lavender and chamomile.

On the other hand, herbal tea has been known to interfere with medication. For instance, it prevents proper absorption of iron in the gut.  Rosemary can if overused raist the blood pressure. Herbal tea can also become habit forming.  However, the Backyard Patch can help you with this habit!

Backyard Patch Tea

I began to blend teas back in the late 80s when all you could buy in stores was peppermint or chamomile tea.  I found both rather boring and realized that mixtures of herbs, like those I cooked with, would provide better flavors.  Unable to find all the herbs I wanted to use, like apple mint, pineapple sage and flavored thymes, I planted my first herb garden.  It was a desire for herbal tea that started it all.

Since then, I have designed more than 25 different herbal teas.  All are combined first with taste in mind and medicinal benefits second, because nothing that tastes awful can be taken long enough to cure anything.  All of my teas are available in our E-stores -- eBay Store or Etsy store. 

Check out all my teas at this link:   
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This year I designed two new teas: Holiday Comfort and Joy with several herbs including hibiscus and lemon balm.  It makes a beautiful red tea you can serve hot or iced and the raspberry leaf and lavender in it will give your immune system a boost to help ride out winter colds.  The other tea, Christmas Tidings, is a black loose-leaf tea blended with citrus and spices.  This unique recipe was adapted from one created during coffee shortages in World War II.   My seasonal tea blends are at this link.

There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea.  ~Bernard-Paul Heroux


* Disclaimer: Information within this site is for educational purposes only. Statements about the product efficacy have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. The products mentioned within are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. As always, please consult your Medical Doctor for any medical advice or treatment.