Herb Spotlight: Chamomile

Chamomile is an herb I did not appreciate when younger. I just never cared for the taste of it. But maybe that is more from the way I tried it. The whole chamomile flowers are added into my Lavender Mint Dream tisane. With the blend of chamomile, lavender, and mint, it is a more enjoyable beverage for me. I enjoy the taste while getting the benefits of chamomile.

Our tisane incorporates German chamomile (Matricaria recutita). It is native to Europe, Eastern Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia. The plant reaches to 3 feet although some wild varieties are low growing. German chamomile is an annual, grows up to 3’. Flowers are harvested between May and August.

Energetically, chamomile is bitter, spicy, but also a little neutral.(1)  The herb is a nervine, sedative, and mildly astringent. It is most often used to calm nervous tension in the stomach, anxiety, insomnia, menstrual disorders, headaches, hay fever, Crohn’s disease and other gastrointestinal disorders. (1, 2, 3)

If using this herb to help with digestive problems, drink a cup after meals. The herb helps to increase intestinal peristalsis while relaxing the central nervous system. (2) Chamomile is frequently used to lessen an allergic reaction. The volatile oil, chamazulene, in the flowers can help to inhibit allergic responses. (4, 5)

It is recommended you avoid chamomile if you have asthma or are allergic to asters, daisies, chrysanthemums, or ragweed. There may also be an increased risk of miscarriage if pregnant. Chamomile may also interact with medications, increasing the risk of bleeding and may increase the effects of medications such as sedatives. If you have questions about herb-drug interactions, contact your physician.

While I love the herb in my Lavender Mint Dream tisane, you can also try chamomile in your bath to help relieve stress and sore muscles. Using it in this way, you can breathe the scent to ease anxious feelings as well. (6)

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1. Hoffmann, David (2013). The Complete Herbs Sourcebook. China: Harper Collins.

2. Srivastava, Janmejai K., Shankar, Eswar, Gupta, Sanjay. Chamomile: A Herbal Medicine of the Past with Bright Future. Published November 1, 2010. Retrieved fromhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/

3. Chamomile (Matricaria recutita). Herbwisdom.com. Retrieved on November 8, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-chamomile.html

4. Balch, Phyllis A. CNC (2012). Prescription for Herbal Healing 2nd edition. New York: Avery, Penguin Publishing Group.

5. Stuart, Armando Gonzalez, Ph.D. Chamomile. Published 2004. Retrieved from http://www.herbalsafety.utep.edu/herbs-pdfs/chamomile.pdf

6. Gladstar, Rosemary (2012). Rosesmary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.

3 Ways to Relax & Enjoy

Summer. As kids, it was all about fun, relaxing, and staying out until dark. All the neighborhood dads would whistle or call out to us as we ran around or biked the streets to call us home. There is a laziness to summer and an openness that can be tempting to fill. It can be hard to slow down. Here three ways I like to take things slow.  Summer is a great time of year to do this but these relaxation habits work well year-round.

Create a morning habit that enhances your sense of calm and well-being.

In a Facebook group I belong to, there has been some discussion around the book The Miracle Morning. Who’s doing it and what their experiences are. Just starting to read the book and I have not incorporated it into my mornings yet. What I do in the mornings varies yet it contains some meditation, exercise, journaling, and reading. Sundays are favorites with nowhere to be and able to sit on the porch or favorite chair with tea and cats for a relaxing start to the week.

Learn to allow space

Once in the habit of being on the go, it can be hard to slow down. There is the feeling that something has been forgotten. I have been working on saying no and taking the time to decide what works best personally and professionally. I find more peace when my schedule is a bit open.

Do something every day that lights up your soul

Creativity lights me up. I have been making a conscious effort to do something creative daily. For me this includes a variety of things- creating new teas, new recipes, drawing, crafting, sculpting, or just surrounding myself with the creativity of others. Find the things that light you up and make it a priority to spend some time every day experiencing that.

Herb Spotlight: Lavender

Lavender is one of those herbs that people love or hate (similar to cilantro in reaction) and we are so glad that many of our customers love our Lavender Mint Dream tisane. We have found that in the right ratio, lavender goes well in teas, cookies, baths, and more. We use Lavendula angustifolia flowers in our recipes.

Lavender is a bushy, branching shrub about 3 feet in height. It is native to the Mediterranean area but naturalized to other areas. We have success growing it in our Southwestern PA garden and within a short drive from Pittsburgh is a beautiful lavender farm. Give growing it a try if you do not already have it in your garden. The flowers are small lavender purple whorls of 6-10 flowers at the end of 6-8 inch long stalks.(1) They flower at the end of June and beginning of July. (2) Leaves are silvery grey lanceolate, smooth edged and somewhat hairy. (1) The narrow opposite leaves are fuzzy grey when young but turn green as they mature. (3) The mature stems become dense and woody.

The draw for using Lavender is its sedative and relaxing effects. (1) The herb is considered tonifying for your nervous system (4) and also has antidepressant effects. (5) Many people use lavender for headaches (1) and stress headaches (6), mild anxiety, insomnia and other sleep problems, minor digestive problems (7), fatigue, and mild depression (8) among other uses.

Using Lavender essential oils added to your bath or inhaled as they evaporate is a very popular way to use lavender as linalool can help increase your pain threshold (8) and the essential oils irritate the olfactory nerves to stimulate the diencephalon region of your brain. (3) This area of the brain relays sensory information and connects to your nervous and endocrine systems to help manage emotions. (9)

As with many herbs, there are some situations to use caution with lavender or to avoid use. Lavender is considered a uterine stimulant and it is advised to avoid high doses when pregnant. (4) It is recommended that those with gallstones or obstructions of biliary tract avoid lavender. Also, use with caution or avoid if already taking sleeping pills. (8) Also be aware that using lavender while breastfeeding may pass through the milk and may provide carminative effect on the baby. (5)

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(1) Kowalchik, Claire & Hylton, William H.  Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs.  Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania. 1987. P. 350-353

(2) Culpeper, Nicholas. Culpeper’s Complete Herbal. Wordsworth Reference. 2007. P.159

(3) Weiss, Rudolf Fritz, M.D. Weiss’s Herbal Medicine Classic Edition. Thieme. 1985. P.302

(4) Ody, Penelope. The Complete Medicinal Herbal. DK Publishing, Inc. 1993. P.73

(5) Mills, Simon & Bone, Kerry. The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety.  Elsevier Inc. 2005. P. 493-494

(6) Hoffman, David. An Elder’s Herbal. Healing Arts Press. 1993. P.232

(7) Meletis, Chris D., N.D. Complete Guide to Safe Herbs. DK Publishing, Inc. 2002. P.40

(8) Balch, Phyllis A. (2012) Prescription for Herbal Healing, 2nd Edition. Avery. p. 93-94

(9) http://biology.about.com/od/anatomy/p/diencephalon.htm

3 Habits for a Better Night’s Sleep

A common complaint is not sleeping. Whether that is not sleeping, not sleeping well or not feeling rested upon waking. There are many habits to incorporate daily to help you sleep better. Here are three habits we enjoy.

1.       Enjoy our Lavender Mint Dream tisane.

The three herbs in our Lavender Mint Dream tisane are all known for encouraging relaxation and can help support better sleep. Enjoy a cup in the evening or make a bath “tea” (placing Lavender Mint Dream in a large reusable tea bag in the tub as you run water over it and enjoy the aroma while you soak).

2.       Settle in with a good book and low lighting.

Dimming the lights help your body slow down and get ready for sleep. Reading an actual book rather than an electronic one also helps by removing the glare of the electronic screen. Research has shown that electronics encourage wakefulness at night and can disrupt your body’s production of melatonin.(1) We also like how curling up with a good book just feels good too.

3.       Have a consistent bedtime.

This one can be one of the hardest habits to implement. It is not always possible to have the exact same bedtime each night. Yet our experience is that we feel better keeping a regular bedtime.

(1) https://sleep.org/articles/ways-technology-affects-sleep/

Herb Spotlight: Lemon Balm

This lovely herb is part of our Citrus Joy blend. We love how fragrant it is both in the garden and in our tea. Its botanical name is Melissa officinalis and in addition to Lemon Balm, you may see it called bee balm or balm. It is similar to mint in growing habit- meaning it will take over your garden!

Lemon Balm is considered to be a calming, soothing, tonifying, and adaptogenic herb. While these qualities may make it seem odd to include Lemon Balm in a tea that helps to pick you up during the day, it is also a cerebral stimulant.(1) Often this herb is recommended for people experiencing indigestion(2), headache(3), chronic fatigue(1), anxiety, both hyperthyroid(6) and hypothyroid(1), and difficulties with concentration, memory, or mental focus.(4)

There are many plant compounds in Lemon Balm. One of the more widely known is Vitamin C.5 This vitamin along with rosmarinic acid, essential oils, and other constituents help to support your wellness by bringing support to your immune system. Many of the constituents also relax the muscles in your digestive tract.(1,5)

As clinical research continues on herbs, we will learn more about why a plant is able to enhance our well-being more fully. Until then, know that there are some contraindications to be aware of regarding many herbs. For lemon balm, the most common concerns are for those already taking a sedative medication or thyroid medication. There may be drug-herb interactions and you may want to talk to your healthcare provider first.(2,5,6)

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1 Herbwisdom. Lemon Balm/melissa. Retrieved on April 17, 2016. Retrieved from: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-lemon-balm.html

2 Liversidge, Cassie. Homegrown Tea. St. Martin’s Griffin, New York. 2014. p.44-48

3 Gladstar, Rosemary. Herbal Healing for Women. Simon & Schuster. 1993. p.176-177

4 Bove, Mary ND. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) An Overview of its Versatility, Effectiveness, and Indications. Retrieved on April 17, 2016. Retrieved from http://cdn.naturaldispensary.com/downloads/A_Research_Review_of_Lemon_Balm.pdf

5 Gladstar, Rosemary. Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs A Beginner’s Guide. Storey Publishing. 2012. p.156-158

6 University of Michigan Health System. Lemon Balm. Last reviewed on April 14, 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hn-2121004#hn-2121004-uses

Citrus Joy Breakfast Muffins

Have you tried using tea in your recipes? It can turn an OK recipe into something special. For Mother's Day this Sunday, we are making these lovely gluten-free muffins for breakfast. By steeping our Citrus Joy tea in a small amount of water, we get a strong flavor for adding into our recipe.

This is an easy and delicious way to surprise Mom on Sunday or to treat yourself to something out of the ordinary. Be sure to order your own Citrus Joy tea before the weekend sneaks up on you!

Citrus Joy Breakfast Muffins

Makes 12

2 heaping Tablespoons Citrus Joy tea

¼ cup Hot Water

1 Tablespoon ground Flaxseed

3 Tablespoons Water

1 ¼ cups Almond Milk

¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Applesauce

½ teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract

2 ½ cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend (I have used Bob’s Red Mill’s and King Arthur Flour brands in this recipe successfully)

1/3 cup Coconut or Date Sugar

3 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/3 cup Rolled Oats

½ teaspoon (or less) Himalayan Salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• Steep Citrus Joy tea in 1/4 cup hot water for 10-15 minutes

• Combine flaxseed and water in a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes

• In a large bowl, combine almond milk, applesauce, and vanilla extract with a whisk

• Add in the flaxseed mixture and the tea (including the tea itself)

• With a wooden spoon, stir in the dry ingredients

• LIghtly grease muffin tin with a small amount of coconut oil

• Divide batter between muffin tins

• Bake for 20 minutes of until a toothpick comes out clean

• Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes

• Remove from tins and place on a paper towel, plate, or wire rack to cool before serving