Herbal Teas And Their Benefits

Herbal teas are a great way to relax and calm yourself. If you have trouble sleeping, drink a cup of herbal tea. Some herbs, such as Chamomile, contain natural sedative properties, so falling asleep after a cup of hot tea is very common.

Herbal teas or tisanes, to give them their proper name, are made by infusing herbs in boiling water.

Herbal teas are made with fresh or dried herbs, flowers, fruit, roots, berries, hips and spices. They can be prepared from one type of herb or plant, or a combination of several, depending on the desired result and flavor. Since herbal infusions do not contain actual leaves from the tea bush, they are totally caffeine free.

For generations, herbal tea have been used in the Eastern world as a preventative measure and as a significant contribution to good health.

Avoid over steeping your herbs as some flavors such as peppermint can intensify and become rather medicinal instead of pleasant. Herbal teas can be enhanced with a little honey or natural sugar such as gur.

With a wide variety of health benefits, such as soothing effects, anti-viral aid, and detoxification, herbal tea has health benefits that go beyond mere hydration.

Apart from relaxing the body, most are high in vitamin C and rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants protect the human body from damage by free radicals, providing some protection against cancer, heart disease and stroke.

Herbal teas nourish our nervous systems and strengthen our immune systems. They ease cold symptoms, calm the nerves and relieve nausea, motion sickness, and dizziness.

It should be noted however that some herbal teas are not safe to drink during pregnancy. Chamomile tea, for instance, has been reported to have adverse effects on the uterus. Therefore avoid chamomile tea during pregnancy. Those that are safe to drink during pregnancy include citrus peel, ginger, lemon balm, orange peel and rose hip. Ginger, it should be noted, is known to ease morning sickness.

Sometimes, an infant with colic can be soothed by the mothers consumtion of chamomile tea. The chamomile enters the mother's milk and when the child drinks her milk it soothes his stomach.

Regular consumtion of these herbal tea beverages is proven to generate fresh breathe, rejuvenate skin tone and cool body temperature.

So remember, herbal tea is totally caffeine free, it is 100% natural without any chemical additions and it is a traditional health drink that is invigorating in itself and offers many medical benefits to health. Not only that but it leaves you with a lingering and wonderfully warm feeling of well being. Whether to warm you after a cold winters day or to soothe frazzled nerves, herbal tea is a calming way to go for many.

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Fighting the Flu with Chinese Herbal Remedies

There is no cure for the cold or flu; there are, however, various herbal remedies that can help to alleviate the symptoms so you feel better faster. It can be difficult to tell the difference between the cold and the flu. Some herbal remedies are good for either the cold or the flu symptoms.

There are many remedies for the flu using herbs. These herbs help to relax muscles, calm nerves, and expedite the healing process by helping the immune system to function more effectively.

The Psyllium - Boneset Flu Remedy is not only very good for relieving the symptoms of the flu; it can be used to bring relief to those who suffer from backaches and headaches as well.

The remedy includes 1 tablespoon each of boneset, skullcap and white yarrow and 1 teaspoon of psyllium seed. You will also need honey or corn syrup and distilled water. Put the boneset, skullcap and white yarrow into a pint of water. Simmer for 30 minutes and then strain. Add 1 tablespoon of this liquid to 1 teaspoon of psyllium seed added to one cup of boiling water. You can sweeten with corn syrup. This drink should be consumed within 30 minutes of making it.

Echinacea is a Chinese traditional remedy for both cold and flu. Echinacea stimulates the immune system. It is recommended by herbalist to take 3 - 5 ml of tincture or if using root powder, take 300 mg 3 times each day.

Elderberry can also benefit those suffering from flu. This herb helps to keep the virus that causes flu from spreading to the respiratory tract. If allowed to spread to the respiratory tract, this is when patients become more severely ill. You can make a tea from the herb by steeping 3 to 5 g of dried flowers in one cup of boiling water (10 to 15 minutes). Drink one cup of elderberry-flower tea 3 times each day until the symptoms of flu are gone.

Elderberry flower is safe to take and side effects are very rare. It safety to use in children, pregnant or nursing women and those who suffer from severe liver or kidney disease has not yet been determined.

Astragalus root has been used in China for thousands of years to help stimulate the immune system against the flu and other viruses. It is recommended to take 500 milligrams of astragalus 4 times a day until the symptoms are gone. Then take one capsule two times a day for another week to prevent the symptoms from returning.

Garlic is especially helpful when fighting those illness that make you wonder if what you have is a cold or a flu. Garlic stimulates the immune system to fight off the symptoms of any virus and is known to be a broad-spectrum antibiotic. It can be effective against any cold virus and scientists have seen it fight off flu virus in test tubes. Practitioners recommend that a person take several cloves of raw garlic each day that you have the infection and products that contain garlic are also good such as hot garlic bread or garlic toast.

It is always important to consult with an herbalist or Chinese medicine practitioner when taking herbal remedies to be sure of dosage and to prevent the occurrence of side effects from other medications you may be taking.

Scott Meyers is a staff writer for http://www.ItsEntirelyNatural.com, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site.

Herbal Medicines What is Old is New Again

Herbal medicine has been used for centuries all around the world. Relegated to the status of folk medicine for years by the medical establishment, herbal medicines are experiencing a resurgence in popularity due to the dangerous side effects of many of today's pharmaceutical drugs.

Herbal medicine has three traditional forms. Western herbalism began in Europe, and crossed over to North America with the European settlers. Some Native American influences can be found in some of its lore. Chinese medicine is herb-based, and breaks everything into yin or yang... cooling herbs or heating herbs are prescribed for illnesses that either cause the body to be cold or hot. Rounding out the herbal medicine trio is Ayurvedic medicine from India. With a history 5,000 years in the making, Ayurvedic medicine is based on balancing any imbalance found in the body.

Today, more people are turning back to herbal medicines, finding them more effective and gentler than pharmaceuticals. The entire pharmaceutical industry is based upon herbs and the medicines derived from them. Most of today's medicines however are made from synthetic compounds rather than those derived directly from plants.

Herbs are also whole foods. They offer nutrition, minerals and vitamins along with medicinal compounds. Herbs can be taken fresh as food, or made into teas, tisanes, tinctures, syrups, drops, poultices, salves, creams or dried and put in capsules. Depending on your illness, some methods of taking the herbs will work better than others.

Still other herbs are taken as supplements. An example would be alfalfa tablets, which can supply you with vitamin K (it helps your blood clot), among other nutrients. Supplements can be found at health food stores both in your local area and online. When buying supplements, look at the herbs for freshness. Any herb that is dried should still be a fresh green color, not brownish. If the color has deteriorated, it means the herb was dried using a method that removed nutrients from the herb.

If you are on pharmaceutical medications, please check with your physician or a certified herbalist before adding herbal medicines or supplements. Some herbs will interact with pharmaceutical medications and cause reactions or will counteract your regular medication. For instance, if you are prescribed blood thinners for a health condition, taking the aforementioned alfalfa supplement would be ill-advised, since vitamin K promotes clotting.

It is important to remember that just because herbal medicine is natural doesn't mean it can't hurt you. If you are not familiar with an herb and its effects, consult with a certified herbalist. Herbs need to be taken appropriately so you don't overdose or end up with an effect you didn't count on. Like any other medicine it is important to follow instructions for any herb.

Herbal medicines are a good way to treat quite a few illnesses and deficiencies. Do your homework and read about an herb and its actions before taking it. And before mixing herbs or adding a new herb, it doesn't hurt to consult an expert. Herbs have a lot to offer and can greatly benefit your health when taken appropriately.

Complementary and alternative medicine is the combined use of medical practices and products that aren't a part of conventional medicine. Many are using the CAM approach in hopes that they can prevent disease and live a more enhanced quality of life.

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