Turmeric and cayenne pepper do more than make your food tasty. When applied topically, they can have major anti-inflammatory and warming properties that can help to ease pain and sore, achy muscles. Make this turmeric and cayenne pain-relief balm to keep handy for days when you need a little reprieve.
My chiropractor always says that spring is his favourite time of the year. Not because he enjoys the warmer weather, but because he gets to see all of his gardening clients!
Yes, I’m one of them, one of those gardeners who gets so excited about spring that I do way too much and end up feeling pretty darn sore and achy at the end of the day. To be totally honest, today is one of those days.
My back is aching, my wrists are sore, and even the bottom of my feet hurt. Despite proper stretching, this happens to me pretty regularly throughout gardening season, which is part of the course when you have fibromyalgia.
At the end of the day, I will often have a soak in warm water and bath salts to help with the aches. But mid-day, I just don’t have the time, so I like to use a topical warming balm for sore muscles. Which I’m going to share with you today!
Turmeric has natural anti-inflammatory properties.
Topical Pain Relief Using Herbs
Many years ago, I picked up a warming balm at a farmers’ market while on vacation. That balm worked like a dream to ease muscle pain and aches. So after I scooped out every last little bit, I headed out to my studio to formulate something that would work as well.
I’ve tried a number of different recipes that contain arnica, ginger, St John’s wort, and peppermint for pain, but I have found the most relief for sore muscles in the combination of turmeric and cayenne pepper. The turmeric works to help ease inflammation, while the cayenne pepper warms the tissue and combats pain. A winning combination!
Turmeric Applied Topically
Turmeric is quite on-trend right now, and so you may be aware of its popular anti-inflammatory properties when taken internally. As it is metabolized quickly, it’s recommended that black pepper and fat be added to your body to use the constituents.
Internally, this would take the form of a yummy Golden Milk Chai. Topically, adding a pinch of black pepper and infusing turmeric and pepper in oil over heat helps to make the most effective balm.
Cayenne Applied Topically
Cayenne may be too spicy for your palette, but it’s famed for its topical pain-relieving powers. Capsaicin is the active ingredient that, when applied to the skin, helps to block the neurotransmitters that signal pain. This has been shown to be very helpful with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis pain, herpes zoster, shingles, and back pain.
We’ll be weighing our ingredients to make everything as accurate as possible.
Warming Turmeric and Cayenne Pain-Relief Balm Recipe
In this recipe, I’ve combined anti-inflammatory turmeric with pain-relieving cayenne in coconut oil with a pinch of black pepper. Beeswax helps to firm up the balm, and organic cacao butter gives it a nice slip on the skin and leaves the skin moisturized.
Ingredients
Makes 2 x 80g jars of balm
Materials
Double boiler
Kitchen scale
Pyrex glass measuring cup
Mesh strainer
Cheesecloth
2 small glass jelly jars with lids
Spatula
Rubber gloves
Make It!
First, go get some gloves. Most of my recipes are for home use, so I usually feel confident handling the ingredients with well-washed hands. In this case, the turmeric stains the skin, and the cayenne can warm it up too much. (I use gloves when making this balm, but not when I apply the balm to my skin.)
Weigh all your ingredients ahead of time.
Weigh all of the ingredients on a kitchen scale.
If you are using the Nature’s Way Cayenne capsules that I linked to in the ingredients, then you can empty 15 capsules for the 8 g.
Infuse the turmeric, cayenne, black pepper, and coconut oil in the top of the double boiler over the lowest heat setting for 1 hour.
Set up a Pyrex glass measuring cup with a mesh strainer and cheesecloth set inside to filter the oil.
Strain the oil through cheesecloth.
Squeeze the cheesecloth to extract all of the goodness.
Now, add the beeswax and cocoa butter to the double boiler and pour in the infused oil. Stir constantly and keep a watchful eye on the oils. You want them to just reach the melting point and not overheat.
When melted, immediately pour the balm into glass jam jars and allow to set untouched for 3-4 hours.
Let the turmeric and cayenne balm set untouched for 3-4 hours.
Use It!
Always spot test home recipes before diving in and covering your whole body with any salve or balm! To spot test, apply a little of this balm to the inside of your arm and wait 24 hours for a reaction.
To use this balm to help with sore muscles, rub a little on the affected areas and massage it in well. Apply as needed up to 4 times each day. Do not apply to open wounds, burned skin, or rashes.
The turmeric will stain your skin, but if you rub it in well, it will just look like a golden glow (as opposed to a spray tan gone wrong!). It does wash off your hands easily with some soap and a gentle nail brush, but it will also fade from your skin naturally within a few hours.
Turmeric can stain clothing, so wear like-coloured clothes when you are using this balm.
More Healing Recipes Made From Plants
Warming Turmeric and Cayenne Pain-Relief Balm
With anti-inflammatory and warming properties, this pain relief balm naturally helps to ease and soothe sore muscles, aches, and pains.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr10 minutesmins
Resting Time4 hourshrs
Total Time5 hourshrs25 minutesmins
Keyword: after sun lip balm, cayenne pepper, pain-relief, turmeric
Servings: 280g jars
Wear gloves to prevent your skin from warming and staining.
Weigh your ingredients on a kitchen scale.
Infuse the turmeric, cayenne, black pepper, and coconut oil in a double boiler over the lowest heat setting for one hour.
Use a mesh strainer and cheesecloth to filter the oil into a Pyrex measuring glass. Squeeze the cheesecloth to extract everything.
Add the beeswax and cocoa butter to the double boiler. Add the infused oils, stirring constantly. Allow them to just melt, not overheat.
Once melted, pour balm into glass jars and let sit untouched for 3-4 hours.
Spot test the balm. Apply to sore muscles and the affected area by massaging it in well. Apply up to 4 times a day. Note that turmeric can stain clothing.
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
For centuries, lilies have captivated the hearts of gardeners. A cultivated plant as old and versatile as the lily means there are so many types of lilies to choose from. Today, I’m breaking down the many types of lilies out there so you can find the perfect lily flower for your garden.Plus, don’t miss my amazing giveaway at the end of the post!
Once upon a time, I had the most magnificent lily. The gorgeous ‘Black Beauty’ (shown below) was given to me as bulbs by a dear friend. She was so happy in my garden that she grew into a mammoth that must have neared ten feet high in her prime.
But unfortunately, I had to dig them all up.
Lilium ‘Black Beauty’
But why, you ask? Well, it’s because my family expanded to include this guy.
If you haven’t my handsomely dressed cat yet, that’s Magic. And lilies are extremely toxic to cats. Even just a lick of the pollen on their fur can make them severely ill.
So, as much as I loved those beautiful lilies, I love Magic more. It was time to say goodbye to my lily arch. Just look at how much pollen can be on lilies!
Since I couldn’t transplant her until the end of the growing season, I had to go out every day and hand-cut the pollen from the stems the first year I had Magic. I admired my lily every day knowing she wouldn’t be in the garden next year.
While she’s now long gone and has a new home, I still hold an affinity for lilies. Any time I see them in a passing garden, I always stop to admire them. I will grow them again in my garden just as I did for the 10 years before I had a cat.
Today, I want to celebrate these lovelies and show you the many types of lily flowers out there to enjoy! Plus, I’ll have a very exciting giveaway for you to enter at the end of the post. Here’s what I’ll be covering today:
Special Note: a HUGE thanks to flowerbulb.eu for sponsoring this post. They are one of my favourite partners to work with because they have the simple goal of spreading the love of flower bulbs. Go to Flowerbulb.eu for inspiration and education!
Meet the Lily Flower
Few flowers come as bold and versatile as the lily. Summer bulbs have a tendency to provide brilliant splashes of colour and lilies do not disappoint. They come in any colour you can think of, sometimes with spotted patterns and contrasting colours.
Most lilies bloom from June to August, but you can get flowers as early as May and as late as September for some varieties.
Lilies have been cultivated for thousands of years. Some of the first mentions of lilies date back to 4,000 years ago. The Greeks particularly loved lilies, including pictures of them on their ceramics.
Artifacts with lilies have been found from the ancient Minoan culture of Crete. Also popular in China and Japan, they’ve been used as a dining room centrepiece flower for centuries.
Photo courtesy of flowerbulb.eu
Types of Lilies
Below, you might not see some of your favourite “lilies”. While many flowers have lily in the title, they are not actually considered lilies. This includes cannas, Callas, daylilies, water lilies, and lily of the valley. True lilies are those belonging to the Lilium family.
Of the true lilies, there are nine divisions, each with its own subdivisions. Every lily falls under one of these divisions. In fact, certain lilies can fall under multiple divisions. To say it can get confusing is an understatement. As you can imagine, there are an incredible number of lilies. This means you can get pretty much any colour of lily under the sun in all sizes and shapes.
In many cases, a lily looks like a lily to the eye, and that’s not a bad thing. You don’t need to know the horticultural division classifications set out by the North American Lily Society or the Royal Horticultural Society to be successful.
In all groups, there are differences in growing height, bloom times, and planting instructions. With your lilies, the best bet is to read the info that comes with the bulbs. But keep reading to get started learning about the main types of lilies you might encounter as a gardener.
Photo courtesy of flowerbulb.eu
Asiatic Lily Flower
Lilium asiatica
Many gardeners add Asiatic lilies to their gardens as they’re one of the easier lilies to grow and find. They’re known for having lots of bright colours, ranging from pastels all the way to deep reds. Oftentimes with spotted petals, the flowers really stand out in your garden. The flowers vary in shapes, from simple to curved.
Their straight stems do feature lots of flowers, with 3-6 per stem. The plants range 2-5 ft high and can usually stand on their own without any stakes. Asiatic lilies are one of the first lilies to bloom, sprouting flowers in late spring and early summer. They live long and are vigorous growers, enjoying a long bloom season of around one month.
Unlike most of the other lilies, you won’t get any fragrance from Asiatic lilies. They’re also a favourite for deer and rabbits, so make sure to keep them in an area of the garden they can’t get to.
Plant your Asiatic lilies in spring or fall in full sun or part shade. They do well in most soil types, preferring well-drained soil with plenty of nutrients.
For low-growing cultivars, look at the ‘Horizon’ (orange), ‘India’ (red), ‘Paulus Potter’ (white with red center), and ‘Admiration’ (cream-white). Other notable cultivars include ‘Connecticut King’ (yellow), ‘Monta Rosa’ (pink), ‘Roma’ (creamy-white), ‘Enchantment’ (orange), ‘Alaska’ (white), and ‘Gran Paradiso’ (red).
Oriental Lily Flower
Lilium orientalis
Out of all the lilies, oriental lilies have the most to say. These dramatic flowers can be as large as a dinner plate and have ruffled edges. The flower petals are much larger than Asiatic lilies and open up completely, showing off spots and other vibrant patterns.
They grow tall, 2-5 feet and often need stakes to support their large blooms. These lilies are the last to bloom, emerging in late summer from August to September.
Everything about them is bold. Their rich colours typically include red, purple, pink, and white. They produce heavy amounts of pollen that need clipping if brought inside. And their delightful fragrance goes unmatched!
Oriental cultivars are more tolerant and even thrive in cooler regions. They can handle most soil conditions.
One of the most popular cultivars of lilies ever, the ‘Star Gazer,’ has pink flowers with white edges and dark spots. A popular cut flower, it lasts long, has an amazing fragrance, and faces upwards for easy admiring.
Other popular cultivars include ‘Mr. Ed’ (white with red speckles), ‘Miss America’ (light pink), ‘Miss Germany’ (pink with a light red star), and ‘My Romance’ (dark pink). Other notable cultivars include ‘Marco Polo’ (white with a light pink edge), ‘Mona Lisa’ (pink), and ‘Casa Blanca’ (white), and the ‘Roselily Felicia’ pictured below.
Oriental Lily, ‘Roselily Felicia’. Photo courtesy of flowerbulb.eu
Martagon Lily
Lilium martagon
If bountiful numbers are your thing, try growing martagon lilies! More commonly known as Turk’s cap lilies, these flowers can grow up to 6 feet tall and contain a dozen or more blooms per stem. In fact, you may see upwards of 50 flowers per stem if you’re lucky.
One of the most difficult lilies to grow, they are well worth the effort. You’ll often find them in yellow, orange, dark red, white, pink, and light purple with spots. They have much smaller flowers that face downward with curved petals.
Turk’s cap lilies bloom in early to mid-summer from May to June. They work as wonderful border plants. With slender stems, they grow 3-6 ft tall.
Plant them in the fall for May or June flowers. Out of all the lilies, these are the most shade-tolerant. They enjoy slightly alkaline and well-drained soil. It may take them a year or so to adjust to your garden, but they will thrive for many years once established.
Popular cultivars include ‘Arabian Knight’ (fragrant, golden with mahogany spots), ‘Manitoba Morning’ (pinkish-red with mahogany spots), and ‘Scarlet Morning’ (orange blossoms with mahogany spots).
Trumpet Lily
Also known as Aurelian lilies, these flowers never fail to produce a multitude of flowers. On each stem, you can get anywhere from 12-15 blooms on average. The flowers are quite fragrant with a heavy, sweet smell, so you’ll surely get enjoyment every time you pass by these beauties.
Most of the flowers will have contrasting colours in white, yellow, orange, and pink shades. The waxy, trumpet-shaped flowers are 6-10 inches long and either face upward or form a bowl shape.
Unlike most of the other lilies, they are not frost-hardy and should be planted once the threat of frost has passed. But they’re fairly easy to grow as long as they’re planted in a sunny location and kept moist.
Because of their later planting, you can expect blooms in mid to late summer. They have a long flowering period thanks to second or third buds.
Common trumpet lilies include the Lilium longiflorum (known as the Easter lily with pure white flowers), Lilium regale (pink outside, white inside, and yellow throats), and the Lilium leucanthum (curved petals and noticeable stamens).
Orienpet Lily
When you cross oriental and trumpet lilies, you get orienpet lilies! As with any good crossover, you get the best traits of each of the parents. Orienpet lilies are brilliant and bold like oriental lilies yet have the colour and abundance of trumpet lilies. This makes them one of the all-time favourites for home gardeners.
You’ll find orienpet lilies in white, red, yellow, orange, and pink. The flowers are waxy and slightly curved and bloom towards the end of the gardening season. Orienpet lily flowers are also heavily fragranced.
As a hybrid, they are much more drought, heat, cold, and disease tolerant than their parent plants. With heavy stems, they are quite sturdy and up to 3-8 ft tall.
Popular orienpet lilies include my beloved ‘Black Beauty’, ‘Flashpoint (bright pink flowers with white edges and bold fragrance), ‘Gluhwein’ (soft peach with red and pink tones and a golden throat), ‘Belladonna’ (cheerful yellow with large bowl-shaped flowers).
Orienpet Lily. Lilium ‘Solange’. Photo courtesy of flowerbulb.eu.
Wild and Species Lily
These lilies are the start of it all so they’re worth a mention! These lilies are any native species found in the temperate areas of North America, Europe, and Asia. All cultivars are bred from these flowers.
In the wild, they propagate from seed. However, species lilies can be difficult for home gardeners to grow despite flourishing on their own without human help. If you’re lucky to live where they are native, then they’ll feel right at home and will easily grow. It’s quite a treat to have such gorgeous native plants!
Notable species and wild lilies include the Canada Lily (Lilium canadense), tiger lily (Lilium lancifolium), Henry’s lily (Lilium Henryi), Madonna lily (Lilium candidum), and golden-rayed lily (Lilium auratum).
Tips for Planting Lilies
Lily flowers come from true bulbs and should be planted either in the fall four weeks before the first frost date or early in spring once the ground becomes workable. Space each bulb 12 inches apart and 6 inches deep. To avoid bulb rot, make sure to plant them in well-draining soil.
You can also plant lilies in pots, but they must be a low-growing variety. Make sure the pot is deep enough, around 12-16 inches. Pair with good potting soil for proper drainage.
Lilies can grow in partial shade but prefer full sun. Since they like ‘cold feet,’ try to add plants to shade the lower part of the plant from the afternoon sun. They work well paired with perennials and will provide bursts of summer colour after the spring shrub blooms.
Tall lilies may need staking to stay upright. Consider planting your bulbs in an area sheltered from strong winds. While growing, give them plenty of water and fertilize every two weeks until the flower has finished blooming.
Photo courtesy of flowerbulb.eu
Frequently Asked Questions About Lilies
What does the lily flower symbolize?
Lilies are one of the most popular bouquet flowers and are used to represent many different meanings. For Christians, they are a strong symbol of purity. They’re also very common flowers used in condolence and sympathy bouquets, representing life and remembrance.
That said, they come in many different colours and can be used for all kinds of arrangements.
Do lilies bloom every year?
Lilies are a perennial bulb, with most being hardy in zones 4-9. They need a period of cold where the bulb can recharge and emerge again next summer.
Most lilies will bloom for about 2-3 weeks out of the year. Plant different lilies with early, mid-season, and late bloom times to get lily flowers nearly all summer long.
Do lily flowers multiply?
Most lilies will naturalize and form a large clump of flowers. Lilies should be divided every 2-3 years, where you can split the clump into multiple flowers. Who doesn’t love free plants?!
‘Netty’s Pride’ Photo Courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu
Lily Bulb Giveaway!
If you want to add some beautiful lilies to your garden, be sure to enter my giveaway on Instagram! In partnership with flowerbulb.eu, I’ll be giving away $100 worth of lily bulbs to one lucky winner.
You’ll find all the rules and details on how to enter there. The giveaway closes on May 31st, 2024.
Have you ever tried tea blending? Making your own herbal tea blends is an excellent but gentle way to start experimenting with herbs’ properties. Customize a blend to suit your taste buds and needs, or try out one of my tea blend recipes.
My friends know that I’m most at peace when I have a cup of tea in my hands. I’ve never been much of a coffee drinker, preferring my morning matcha and my herbal teas. And in the afternoon, you’ll find me drinking some iced hibiscus tea.
I’m a tea addict, and I’m very much okay with it.
There’s always a tea for the different times of the day. With the right selection of herbs, you can use tea as a gentle way to control your moods and energy levels. That’s the beauty of herbal tea blending!
If you’re new to making tea mixtures, they’re a fun and gentle way to explore herbs. You can try your hand at making your blends or try a tea from my tea blends list below.
Here’s what we’ll be covering today!
Make a one-size serving first to ensure you like the tea, and it sits well with you.
Dip Your Toes in Drinking Herbal Tea
Many moons ago, I did a herbal tea training with a herbalist, and I want to share one of the biggest tips they gave to the class: start with one herb.
Take the time to really sit with the first herb you want to try. This can be something you already know you like the flavour of, you have in large supply, or it has desirable properties.
Once you’ve chosen your tea, make a big jar of it. Take one big 1-litre Mason jar and pack it about a third full with your herb of choice. This is going to create a very, very strong tea.
Add the hot water, let it steep, and then strain it. Then, drink your strong tea throughout the day.
For a couple of days, you might drink solely motherwort tea. And one another, oat straw tea. But the idea here is that you’re getting a direct feeling of what each of these herbal teas does and how it affects your body.
When you’re reading herbal books and guides on the different herbs, you choose the ones that work for you and really test them out. It’s an ongoing learning process of getting to know the herbs and how your body reacts to them.
Try making a simple sun tea while you’re outside in the garden.
The Basics of Tea Blending
From a more fun standpoint, you can start making tea blends. It’s one of my favourite things to do since I have at least a couple of cups a day. But if you want to make your own blends, training yourself in herbal tea first is a good idea.
At the same time, teas are very gentle. If you mix several different herbs and some don’t resonate for you, you likely won’t have a strong negative reaction.
Most of them should be tolerable unless you have allergies. So, of course, be mindful of your individual aversions, sensitivities, and allergies to different plants.
But if you’re looking at them from a medical standpoint, you might find that different herbs work better for you. Say you’re making a sleepy tea blend like the one below. You may find that you don’t need chamomile but that the rose, hops, and peppermint actually do all the work for you.
Tea blends are a safe way to have fun with herbs and enjoy some really delicious and beautiful tea blends. I also love making custom herbal tea blends as gifts. Often, I make a little note to let them know what the tea is best for.
For instance, you could add wild rose petals or little rose petals from the garden for a romantic partner. Or if you’re giving it to someone who is really active, you can add hibiscus flowers.
Hibiscus tea has a very beautiful, natural red colouring.
My Personal Go-To Tea Mixing Base
I drink A LOT of tea, most of which is actually iced tea. When I’m active, I like to make hibiscus iced tea to keep me hydrated. And when I’m out in the garden, taking a sip feels like I’m instantly revitalizing my body.
I will make one of the blends below and then make a tea mixture that is 1 part the blend, 1 part hibiscus flowers, and 1 part rose hips.
This creates a delicious herbal iced tea blend for the summertime. So, you can try tea blending to make a warm drink when you feel like cozying up, but also in the summer to hydrate and energize you.
Determining Herbal Tea Blend Ratios
Finding the right ratio takes time and a few experiments before you find one you like. Start by making just enough for one cup of tea and noting the ratios you made. Next time, try a different ratio. Keep going until you’ve found one that resonates most with you.
In general, you want…
3 parts of your base ingredient
1-2 parts of your supporting ingredients
¼-1 part of your accent ingredients
Always use the same measuring scoop/set for each part so you get accurate ratios.
Once you feel confident about your ratios and ingredients, you can make a big batch of your tea blend and store it in a Mason jar.
5 of My Favourite Herbal Tea Blend Recipes
If you’re new to tea blending, take inspiration from my list of teas. I rely heavily on these herbal tea blends, from when I have an upset stomach to when I want a boost of energy.
For more of my favourite herbs to grow for a tea garden, check out this post.
Nourishing Vitamin and Mineral Tea
This tea is like taking a multivitamin; it’s full of vitamins and minerals that can boost your meals by drinking as a warm tea. You can also add it as a third of your iced tea blends.
Ingredients
3 parts hibiscus: high in Vitamin C and aids in digestion. Has a fruity and tart taste. Make sure you get the edible variety of hibiscus!
2 parts nettle: nettle is a supergreen that is high in minerals and plant protein. One of the richest sources of minerals from edible plants. Has a salty, umami taste.
1 part alfalfa: incredibly high in important vitamins and minerals. Alfalfa also mimics the chemical and mineral makeup in hemoglobin. Used in TCM for urinary and digestive disorders.
1 part oat straw: the stem of the oat plant when it is still green. Nourishing herb full of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
1 part chickweed: nutrient-rich herb. Clears lymphatic congestion and helps to clear water through the kidneys. Very fibrous and a weight loss folk remedy.
1 part orange peel: there are some bitter herbs on this list, so orange peel provides some nice citrusy flavour.
Feel free to also add stevia to this tea if all the green flavour is overpowering.
Peaceful Heart Tea
This tea helps to calm your heart and encourage a peaceful mind. It’s very flavourful, sweet, and aromatic. It also makes for a great gift for somebody who’s mending a broken heart.
Ingredients
3 parts chamomile: a powerful anti-inflammatory herb and a natural nervine to ease anxiety and tension.
2 parts passionflower: contains nerve-relaxing flavonoids to help calm the nerves and reduce anxiety.
2 parts rose hips: anti-inflammatory with a tart and zesty taste, high in vitamin C and antioxidants.
1 part cinnamon bark: distinct sweet flavour and warming effect. Antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
1 part lavender: notable floral taste, as well as a mild sedative effect. Helps to alleviate stress and anxiety by relaxing the mind.
1 part rose: notable floral taste. Full of Vitamin C to help boost immunity. Eases menstrual cramps.
1 part mint: delicious and comforting flavour. It can help soothe a sore throat.
Stevia leaves are used as a garnish for this iced tea as well as a natural sweetener.
Tummy Tea
If you’re trying to soothe the tummy, tea blending can be risky business if you haven’t explored the herbs first. This herbal tea blend helps to cool and chill. Use it when you have an upset stomach or are experiencing bloating. It helps to improve digestion.
Ingredients
3 parts chamomile: anti-inflammatory herb used to decrease tension and ease anxiety.
2 parts calendula: another natural anti-inflammatory used for upset stomachs and to improve digestion.
1 part rosehip: high in vitamins and minerals. It has natural pectin, which is helpful for gut health and removing toxins from the body.
1 part peppermint: helps to reduce uncomfortable bloating and stomach pain caused by gas.
1 part fennel: helps to aid in digestion as well as menstrual cramps. Has a notable bitter, licorice taste.
½ part ginger: sweet and spicy taste. Warming quality helps to stimulate circulation and energy, which supports digestion and bile secretion. Also acts as an anti-spasmodic to alleviate nausea and morning sickness.
You can also use fresh herbs to make your tea. Bruise the leaves first with a mortar and pestle.
Energy Tea
Mixing herbs to a nice green tea can help build energy that tapers off slowly, as opposed to the caffeine in coffee, which spikes quickly and then drops. The caffeine in green tea is more of a gentle rise, and when supported by other herbs, it can be really energetic.
Ingredients
3 parts green tea: contains caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine, which are all natural stimulants.
2 parts spearmint: notable minty flavour, known to improve alertness and memory recall. Good for a boost of mental or physical energy.
2 parts nettle: has a high nutritional content, which can help boost energy and maintain blood sugar levels.
1 part ashwagandha (optional for extra energy): used to help the body cope with stress. It’s actually quite a calming root and works great to soothe and strengthen the nervous system. It’s known to restore strength and vitality, and can enhance athletic performance.
1 part ginseng (optional for extra energy): natural adaptogen, that boosts the body’s resistance to physical and emotional stress. It’s a mild stimulant, known for improving mental and physical capacities in moments of tiredness.
Most herbal teas will not become bitter if steeped for too long, so you can steep them for 15-30 minutes for lots of flavour.
Sleep Tea
I really love this sleepy tea blend! It takes the same idea of my dream pillow and puts it in a tea form. I don’t drink much hot water and tea before I go to bed, so I tend to sit and sip this a few hours before sleep and just after dinner in a small amount.
Ingredients
4 parts hops: contains methyl butanol, a natural chemical that induces sleep.
1 part chamomile: anti-inflammatory herb known for promoting relaxation and easing anxiety.
1 part catnip: the taste is similar to mint but earthier with slight citrus notes. Helps to promote relaxation.
1 part rose hip: high in Vitamin C to help boost our immune system and stimulate white blood cell production.
1 part raspberry leaf: rich in vitamins and minerals, a rich source of calcium and iron, and helpful in relieving women’s issues. It has an astringent taste similar to black tea.
½ part stevia: hops can be quite bitter, so this adds some natural sweetness.
When using flowering herbs for tea, wait until the flowers are fully formed and then harvest.
