This year I’m in a new environment, which means new pollen and allergens. I generally get blindsided with allergies when they hit. This year I’m prioritizing my seasonal allergies and hoping to get a leg up. I started preparing my herbal medicine cabinet in the fall and I’m still continuing to do so. Today I’ll show you how I make a tea to help with my respiratory system during the winter months.
I’ve made things like fire cider, elderberry honey and ginger oxymel to help me prepare my immune system. Having a strong immune system is essential in protecting myself during cold and flu season. I also want to protect my respiratory system and I do that by keeping my lungs strong and healthy. I made this tea to do that.
The base of my tea blend is peppermint, mullein and chamomile. I also added licorice root and ginger root to compliment the base ingredients. All of these ingredients are naturally caffeine-free.
When I blend tea for myself, I tend to use the folk method. This means that I don’t measure the ingredients per se, instead I measure by parts. I used 3 parts peppermint, mullein and chamomile. And 2 parts licorice root and ginger root.
For herbal tea, I boil a pot of water and use about 1 teaspoon of tea per 8 ounces of boiled water. Then I steep for 5 minutes or so. I find that the longer herbal tea is steeped, the stronger the flavor. I use a heaping teaspoon then I steep for about 5 minutes. I re-use the same discarded brewed tea for another batch. I always try to get two steeps out of every brew.
WINTER RESPIRATORY TEA RECIPE
Ingredients
- Peppermint leaf
- Mullein leaf
- Chamomile flower
- Licorice root
- Ginger root
Directions
- Using a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients until blended.
- Use 1 teaspoon of tea per 8 ounces of boiled water.
- Steep for at least 5 minutes then discard the herbs.
- Enjoy!