Theres been a lot of congestion and head colds going around. Just a bit of advice from your friendly master herbalist (I have been studying herbs for about 10 years and have completed indepth master herbalism classes for medicinal and other uses): Catnip. Thats for cats! you say. Well....yes, catnip has a very good reaction on cats, but its also extremely good for your children when they are under the weather - and for YOU...if you find online schooling a bit over whelming at times: wellnessmama/4525/catnip-herb-profile/ Below is a recipe that you can use for catnip tea: Step 1 – Prepare Catnip Catnip tea can be made from fresh catnip or dried catnip. Home grown, organic catnip is the best option, though there are places where you can buy dried catnip for your tea. If grown at home, be sure to avoid spraying chemicals on your plant. To dry catnip, cut stems from your plant and hang them in bunches in a cool, dark area. When the leaves are fully dried, separate them from the stems and crumple them into a bag. Dispose of the stems. Seal the bag and store it in a cool, dark place. Fresh catnip leaves can be used whole to make tea, or cut to release more of the oils into the water. Step 2 – Mix Tea Place 3 teaspoons of fresh catnip or 1 teaspoon of dried catnip in a mug. Take the water off the heat and add it only after it has stopped boiling. Boiling water is believed to destroy some of the positive effects of catnip. Step 3 – Let Steep How long you should let catnip tea steep varies depending on who you ask. Steep longer if you are trying to get the most out of your catnip, shorter if you are just after the flavor. Steeping time should range between 5 to 20 minutes. Step 4 – Add Flavors You can add other herbs to your catnip tea, such as other mint varieties or lemon grass. Also, you can add honey, sugar, or lemon juice. Just add a bit to make the flavor to fit your tastes. Alternate Ways to Drink Catnip Tea If hot liquids are not appealing to you, try making your tea double strength then putting it over ice. Or try placing the cool tea in an ice cube tray and freezing it, or in a popsicle mold. Catnip tea is safe for children and babies, and frozen is a great way to feed it to them. Alternate Ways to Use Catnip Tea Catnip is good for soothing irritation, outside as well as within. It can be used as an eye wash for allergy irritation and red eyes caused by hangovers. It can also be used as a scalp rinse for irritated scalps. Other Ways to Eat Catnip Catnip can be used as a flavoring for various foods. Try cutting up leaves and adding them to your salads. Also, you can sprinkle dried leaves into soups or over meats. Read more: doityourself/stry/how-to-make-catnip-tea#b#ixzz3DPO3cYpY
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 18:05:02 +0000
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