Maybe you don’t know that, but I studied Nutritional Therapy. I decided to follow an Italian program because it was the only one that allowed me to work in my country, but my first choice was completely different – I was even considering moving to Toronto to study there. I’ll be short: I hated it. I don’t feel enriched or competent. I learned something, but not enough to worth the price I paid. Luckily I have some free time now, and I still have some “optional” books I haven’t read and studied yet. I don’t know if I’ll ever work as Nutritional Therapist, but anyway, I have this strong desire to learn more, just for myself.
In that program, we also studied herbs – we studied more herbs and supplements than nutrition, to be honest – and I really loved that part. But this passion was hiding somewhere in my mind until I found a wonderful spot in San Francisco: The Scarlet Sage Herb. They have a wall of jars filled with any kind of herbal remedies. It’s incredible! You simply pick your jar, fill a little plastic bag, put a label over and that’s it. During my first visit, I bought some beet powder – I still have to cook something with it, ahem – and calendula flowers, because I was sure I had something in my Pinterest with calendula flowers as ingredients. Unfortunately, yes, I had something, but with fresh flowers! After weeks I decided to embrace my put-aside-passion and work on a couple of herbal remedies using it.
Since fall is coming and my weak point is surely my throat, the first herbal tea I share is for pharyngitis or simply sore throat. The second one is more specific, but I’m sure so many girls and women could find it useful. The third doesn’t require calendula but uses some of the herbs you need for the second remedy, so if you buy too much of them as someone else did… I also thought to give a more immediate name to each herbal, because dyspepsia herbal tea sounded just a tad too medical!
THE RECIPE
I suggest using a precision scale: I use mine to weight agar powder or other ingredients that I need in a precise amount under 100g.
[ for a few mug of herbal teas ]
for the “Calm your throat herbal tea” (pharyngitis)
5 g of calendula (Calendula officinalis)
10 g of echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) – root
3 g of sage (Salvia officinalis)
Mix the herbs in a jar.
Bring to boil 1 cup of water, steep 1 tbsp of the mix for 30 minutes, strain, and drink. Add a pinch of stevia if desired – don’t use honey or other sugar-rich sweetener.
for the “Soothe your lower belly” herbal tea (dysmenorrhea)
5 g of black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)
5 g of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) – fruit
8 g of angelica (Angelica arcangelica) – root
5 g of yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
8 g of vitex (Vitex agnus castus)
5 g of witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) – leaf
5 g of chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
5 g of calendula (Calendula officinalis)
3 g of sage (Salvia officinalis)
3 g of thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Mix the first and the second group of ingredients in two separate jars.
Add 1 teaspoon of the first mix in a saucepan with 1 cup of water. Bring to boil and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of the second mixture, steep for 30 minutes and strain. Add a pinch of stevia if desired.
for the “Improve your digestion” herbal tea (dyspepsia)
5 g of yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
5 g of chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
1 g of turmeric powder (Curcuma longa)
2 g of sage (Salvia officinalis)
1 g of ginger powder (Zingiber officinale)
Mix all the herbs in a jar.
Bring 1 cup of water to boil, steep 1 tbsp of the mix for 30 minutes and strain. Add a pinch of stevia if desired.
I am really attracted by herbalism, looks like a bit of feminine magic, and I am def in need of these recipes! I understand you on the course matter. So many out there with big prices and it is challenging to find something that gives real informations and not just a bit of everything (aka nothing).
Love S
Yes, it’s frustrating, especially when you already spent so much money for almost zero improvements and you moved to a country where your diploma means nothing :/