Herbal teas

Herbs are drugs — often powerful ones. In some cultures, women take herbal potions to terminate pregnancies. Taking any drug during pregnancy or while breastfeeding is potentially harmful — no matter how natural its origin — so check with your healthcare provider and see what she recommends.

Herbal tea for coughs #1

1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried hyssop
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1 cup water, barely boiled

Place the herbs in a teapot. Pour the boiling water over them, cover and steep 10 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey. Cool a bit and sip slowly in 1-ounce doses as needed (up to 2 cups a day for no more than a few successive days). Do not use excessively. The tea can be gargled an ounce at a time for topical relief of a scratchy throat. For sipping, combine with plenty of honey for its throat-coating action..

Herbal tea for coughs #2

1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon chopped dried licorice root
2 teaspoons dried linden flowers

Bring water to a boil in a glass or stainless steel pan. Add licorice root, reduce heat to medium-high, and simmer 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the linden flowers in a teapot. Pour the unstrained licorice decoction over the linden, cover and steep 10 minutes. Sweeten with honey, if desired. Take in 1/2 cup doses, as needed.

This tea is also good lung medicine. It can be drunk as often as desired during the course of a respiratory illness. NOTE: Licorice tea is not recommended for people prone to high blood pressure, pregnant women, or women with fibroids.

Herbal tea for Asthma/Bronchitis #1

1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon dried aniseed
1 teaspoon dried mullein leaves

Bring water to a boil in a glass or stainless steel pan. Add the aniseed, reduce heat to medium-high, and simmer, uncovered 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the mullein in a teapot. Without straining, pour the anise decoction over the mullein leaves, cover, and steep 10 minutes. Strain, sweeten with honey, and sip slowly while warm.

Herbal tea for Asthma/Bronchitis #2

1 tablespoon dried peppermint
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups water, barely boiled

Place the herbs in a teapot. Pour the boiling water over them, cover and steep 5 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey. Sip slowly while still warm. This is good for times when you want relief from bronchial symptoms but cannot stay home and rest. Carry the warm tea in a thermos and sip in 1/2-cup doses a few times throughout the day.

Herbal tea for Fever #1

2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon dried peppermint
1 cup water, barely boiled

Place the herbs in a teapot. Pour the boiling water over them. Cover, and steep 15 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey, if desired. Sip SLOWLY while warm, up to 3 cups a day. Certain Native American tribes treated fever with sage. The peppermint has an overall cooling influence.

Herbal tea for Fever #2

1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon powdered cayenne

Bring the water to a boil in a glass or stainless steel pan. Add the fenugreek seeds, reduce heat to medium-high, and simmer 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the thyme in a teapot. Pour the unstrained fenugreek decoction over the thyme, cover, and steep 10 minutes. Strain, stir in the cayenne, and sweeten with honey, if desired. Sip slowly while warm.

Herbal tea for Colds and Flu #1

1 1/2 cups water
3 (1/4-inch) slices fresh ginger root, bruised
1/2 of a fresh lemon
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon powdered cayenne pepper

Bring water to a boil in a glass or stainless steel pan. Hit each ginger root slice gently with the broad side of a knife to break up the pulp a bit. Put the ginger in the boiling water and simmer uncovered 5 minutes. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a cup. Add the honey and cayenne. Strain the ginger tea in to the cup, stir and sip slowly while hot.
NOTE: You may add an ounce of brandy to your bedtime dose to help ease you into sleep.

Herbal tea for Colds and Flu #2

1 teaspoon crushed dried rose hips
1 teaspoon dried peppermint leaves
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1 cup water, barely boiled

Place the herbs in a teapot. Pour the boiling water over the herbs, cover and steep 10 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey to taste. Sip slowly while warm. The rose hips deliver a large dose of vitamin C, while peppermint and sage have a cooling effect on the system. This tea is particularly helpful with feverish colds.

Herbal tea for Fatigue #1

1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seed, crushed
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

Bring water to a boil. Add the fennel seed, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 10 minutes. Pour the hot fennel water over the rosemary leaves, cover, and steep 5 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey, if desired. Allow to cool a bit and sip slowly while warm.

This is a mildly stimulating tea, useful in increasing mental alertness. If you have fresh rosemary, you may substitute 1 tablespoon of bruised, fresh rosemary leaves for the dried amount shown.

Herbal tea for Fatigue #2

1 cup water, barely boiled
1 large clove garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
Pinch of cayenne

Combine all ingredients in a cup and pour boiling water over the mixture. Stir to dissolve the honey and allow to steep 5 minutes. Do not strain. Sip while warm. This is a wonderful all-purpose tonic, good for boosting immune function as well as energy level.