Echinacea Tea

Echinacea, also known as coneflower is the most popular plant in America, thanks for its disease curing properties, helping people escape from flu, sore throat symptoms, cough and even fever. Also, Echinacea is highly recommended for boosting body’s immune system and help it fight infections.

This traditional herbal treatment has been used since the American Indians for the same reasons as it is used today, but also as a cure-all plant. Researches revealed that people used the herb through history also for curing more dangerous diseases like syphilis, malaria or blood poisoning. Even though its usage has decreased significantly since the introduction of antibiotics, Echinacea still remains a great plant to use when you wish for a natural remedy. It is good to know that both the roots and the Echinacea flowers own curing properties, so both parts can be used to form tea or tinctures.

Echinacea

There are two main ways you can brew a tea; either by infusion or decoction. When you wish to prepare a tea from leaves, flowers and seeds use the infusion method. On the other hand, use decoction when brewing tea out of roots. Most people prefer to infuse the flowers of Echinacea in order to get a pleasant cup of tea, but also because decoctions are very strong.

Echinacea Tea recipe:

In order to make in infusion, place one, two teaspoons of dried Echinacea, or two, four teaspoons of the fresh plant in a teapot. On top of the herb, pour one coup of boiling water and let it heat up for 15-20 minutes. Finally filter out the plant leftovers and enjoy the tea.

For a decoction you will need to mix two teaspoons of dried Echinacea and one cup of water inside a saucepan. Cover the saucepan and heat up until it boils, reduce the heat, and then simmer between 20 minutes and an hour. Filter the herbs and use the result.

Take care while either infusing or decocting Echinacea, not to use large quantities. Specialists recommend drinking no more than 3 cups of tea per day. Echinacea hasn’t got the best taste out of all teas, so some people might reject it. Still, remember that decoctions are way stronger, and if you can’t drink the tea, you won’t be able to take the decoction.

If you are undergoing any treatment, make sure to read the prospect for any side effects that Echinacea tea might provide when being consumed along with the medicine.
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Elderberry Tea

If you are looking for a natural and healthy method of losing weight and purifying your body, then you should really consider the Elderberry tea. Its natural properties make it one of the best choices in matter of natural weight loss treatments.

The Elderberry, on its Latin name Sambucus nigra, is a plant with strong therapeutic effects that can prevent and cure a large number of affections. Its leaves and fruits can be used for rheumatic problems or respiratory inflammations. Also, the Elderberry tree has a diuretic effect, being very effective in detoxifying the human organism, this leading to weight loss.
Sambucus
Using Elderberry flowers will help on treating flu, fever, and respiratory problems. The fruits will help on reducing the pain, but they also have a laxative effect, being very efficient in treating constipation states. Also, the Elderberry fruits help on diminishing the effects of rheumatic affections and arthritis.

The tea made of Elderberry flowers and fruits will act against degenerative diseases and also will help preventing cancer and keeping benign tumors under control. When using externally, the tea can heal minor burns. The flowers can be used to reduce inflammation around the eyes, furuncles, eczemas or ulcerations around the mouth.

Elderberry Tea recipe:

In order to prepare a classic Elderberry infusion you must add a spoon of Elderberry flowers in 250 ml of boiling water. Keep the recipient covered for about 5 minutes. Filter it and then add some honey to make it sweeter, if you feel the need. You can drink 3 cups per day, but if you got flu or fever, you can drink up to 6 cups per day, but only for a few days in a row.

Cautions

When using Elderberry tea make sure that you are not using green leaves or fruits as they contain toxic glycosides. Do not drink Elderberry tea continuously, no matter the quantity. Use it for as most as 10 days in a row, followed by 5 days of break. Also, remember that when using plant remedies, these can be really strong, sometimes causing side effects. If you consume Elderberry tea and notice any side effects like allergies, heartburns, or convulsions, stop using plant remedies right away and go to the medic.



Nettle tea

Nettles, or on their Latin name, Urtica dioica, are perennial plants found all over the Europe, and partly in the United States. These plants have been used for centuries thanks to their health-enhancing properties. Both the leaves and the roots can be infused into tea and drunk in order to improve the medical state of a person.

The herb has a high nutrient density and contains a lot of vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, C, E, and K, along with calcium, potassium and zinc. Nettles also contain lycopene, beta-carotene, acetic acid and betaine. As you probably figured out already, nettles are full of healthy elements and really worth to be taken in consideration when looking for a natural alternative to vitamin pills or calcium.

The nettles have anti-inflammatory properties, but also diuretic and analgesic properties. TNettle Teahey can even dissolve and clear the mucus stored in excess in your lungs when you get a cold, for example. Furthermore, many natural treatment users take nettles as a remedy for anemia, asthma and a large variety of allergies. Individuals are known to use nettles to also treat urinary tract inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, but also osteoarthritis.

Harvesting and brewing

Some call nettle tea springtime’s natural elixir, because they are some of the first green plants to get out of the soil every spring. Before you can brew a tea from nettles, you must firstly harvest them; use gloves and cut them from the base, making sure you keep the leaves intact. Then, everything is very simple. Place the leaves in a recipient and add water over them. Dosage is two cups of water for every cup of nettle leaves. There isn’t any strict dosage, so you can make the tea stronger by stepping for longer, or you can add more water to weaken it.

Once the mixture is almost boiling, reduce the heat, and then simmer for a few minutes. Filter the result through a small strainer and you got the tea ready to drink. You might want to add a small amount of sugar, but it depends on how you prefer it.

If you have tea bags of nettle, you can put one tea bag in one cup of tea and let infuse for 7 minutes.

I personally drink nettle tea to reduce acne.

Cautions

Every substance must be gradually inserted into your body, no matter if it is a man-made substance or a natural extract. This being said, you should limit the amount of nettle tea to one cup per day. Also, if it is the first time you are trying nettle tea, you should start with even smaller amounts in order to make sure your body doesn’t react badly.

There aren’t mostly any side effects of nettles, but, if you experience any kind of irritations or stomach problems after consuming nettle tea, stop it right away and consult your medic.



Hibiscus Tea

We all know the benefits that herbal teas have for the body, and that they are a natural source of many nutrients, providing a number of benefits for the body, in many cases helping to improve our health.

There are many varieties of teas and aromatic herbs that have been used for centuries to improve our health. A prominent example is the hibiscus tea, prized for its benefits to the body, especially for people with heart or circulatory problems. This variety of tea does not contain exciting substances, so its intake is highly recommended for all types of people.

 The Hibiscus is obtained from the flowers of a plant called Hibiscus Sabdariffa, left to dry and when mixed with hot water, we get the healthy infusion. Its origin is ancient, as this variety has been in use for centuries. Sudan is the place to breed these plants because they require a hot and humid weather to grow.

Hibiscus

Among its many benefits, the hibiscus is a perfect solution to reduce hypertension. Numerous studies of people with high stress levels, have shown that after drinking a daily infusion of this herb, over a few months, they reduced their values as far as tension is concerned. This effect is due to relaxing substances contained by this plant that help reduce our pressure, and improve the blood circulation.

Their properties are not over, because that infusion of hibiscus contains high doses of ascorbic acid and citric acid, two powerful antioxidants that help us protecting cells from the attacks they suffer daily because of the free radicals that cause them to deteriorate and age prematurely. Antioxidants slow down this process, especially for people who suffer and make physical efforts, such as athletes and active people.

The high content of flavonoid in hibiscus tea is what gives it that ability of regulating blood pressure but this substance also has other functions, and is a potent antimicrobial and anticancer. All the contained substances give the hibiscus its high medicinal power and properties, and are protecting us against bacterial attack; it increases our defenses against them.

 The Hibiscus tea is a 100% natural drink because it does not contain any additives. This makes it suitable for all kinds of people, because their effects are anything but harmful to the body. Furthermore, we can find it in any pharmacy, herbal store and even in supermarkets. The Hibiscus Tea is a gift for us from the nature.

The Hibiscus Tea Recipe:

We can serve it hot or cold. Boil 500ml of water and add 2 teaspoons of dried hibiscus flowers and turn the heat off. For taste, you can add 1 cinnamon stick. Cover and let tea to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain the hibiscus tea into cups. You can add lemon juice or honey to taste. For cold tea, you can allow to cool or put some ice cubes.

Chamomile tea

Considered to be the universal remedy for all the disease in the ancient Egypt, the finest chamomile flowers were collected from the Nile River Valley to be used as infusions. Since those ages, the chamomile tea still remains a wonder tea for his benefits, as it helps lots of people having sleep problems or aches.  Chamomile can be combined with peppermint and lemongrass. Peppermint helps the digestion process, while lemongrass relaxes nerves, inducing a state of wellness, and freeing symptoms like headaches.



The scientific name of chamomile flower is Anthemis nobilis; it can be found all over the Europe, as it doesn’t require strict conditions to live. There are two main known varieties of chamomile; firstly is the perennial, the common one, and the Matricaria recutita, a wild German variety of the chamomile. Matricaria recutita is the species most often used for tea. If you are wondering where the name of chamomile comes from, that’s the Greek for “ground apple”; Greeks called it this way because of the smell emanated by the crushed flowers.

ChamomileThere are lots of people infusing chamomile flowers into water, in order to obtain chamomile tea. While some drink only for pleasure and for the sweet taste (which can be even better when honey is mixed up), others use chamomile tea to treat different problems. Insomnia and other sleep disorders, anxiety and panic attacks, muscle twitches, even wounds and burns can be treated by using chamomile tea. It can be either drank or applied on the wound and pressed.

Digestive problems are also avoided or remediated when drinking chamomile tea, as it helps the digestive system, reducing stomach flu and ulcers. Some women use it even to reduce menstrual cramps.

For people interested in buying chamomile, you must know that it is available as dried flower heads, infusion, liquid extract, tinctures (which have a large concentration of alcohol), but also in creams and ointments.

It is important to moderate the quantity of chamomile tea consumed every day, as adverse reactions may appear if consumed in excess. Drowsiness is one of the known side effects of excessive chamomile tea, so you should reconsider drinking if you are going to drive or operate any type of machinery that requires maximum concentration.

If you already have chamomile and want to make a tea, you only need to place it in boiling water for about 5 to 10 minutes to infuse, and then enjoy. For those who prefer a sweeter taste, you can use honey instead of using another teaspoon of sugar.

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