Holiday Tea Blend

Holiday Tea Blend

Recipe created by Lisa Purdy

Are you looking for a nice tea blend for the holidays? This blend is a favorite in my family and I have customers who request it every year. You can package this in a pretty jar with raffia ribbon and a cute label for the perfect gift. It is also wonderful to serve on those cold winter evenings, because it has no caffeine.

Mix together: ¼ cup cinnamon sticks (broken), ¼ cup fennel seeds, heaping ¼ cup crystallized ginger root (chopped), and 3 cups dried peppermint leaves. To make a cup of tea, use 1 heaping tsp. of the herbal blend to 1 cup of hot water. Steep 5 minutes, strain, and enjoy!

Cinnamon is antibacterial and anti-fungal. It helps to settle an upset stomach, comforting nausea and diarrhea. Also helpful for menstrual discomfort.

Fennel seeds improve digestion, expel gas, quiet hiccups, and prevents nausea. Useful for cancer patients after radiation or chemotherapy.  Fennel is a rich source of vitamin A, helping alleviate light sensitivity and improving night vision.

Ginger is most often used to stop abdominal, intestinal, and menstrual cramping. It is very effective to combat nausea from motion sickness or due to pregnancy. Ginger increases the circulation in the hands and feet...a cup of tea is a wonderful way to warm up!

Peppermint increases the oxygen supply to the blood, strengthening the whole body. It is a digestion stimulant, relieves gas and bloating, and aids bowel elimination. Peppermint is one of the oldest household remedies and forms the basis of many herbal tea blends.

Enjoy a cup of tea today! Better yet, find someone to share it with...Happy Holidays!

Women's Herbal Tea Recipe

This herbal tea has traditionally been used worldwide for its toning and nourishing qualities during pregnancy, breastfeeding, PMS and menopause.

To prepare tea: Mix the following herbs together and store in an airtight jar. Use ¼ cup of the herbs in a quart jar, cover with boiling water. Cover the jar and leave overnight. In the morning, strain tea, discarding the used herbs. You may dilute or sweeten tea if you like. Drink the quart of tea throughout the day.

Use 1 cup each: alfalfa, nettles, oatstraw, red raspberry leaves and ½ cup rose hips. My good friend likes to add peppermint leaves and stevia leaves to her tea mix, so you might want to try that variation too.

Alfalfa: one of the richest mineral foods in the world, contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, chlorophyll, biotin, chlorine, inositol, iron, PABA, sodium, sulfur, tryptophan, vitamins A, B complex, C E, and K. Restorative tonic which promotes pituitary gland function. It alkalizes the body, helping with arthritis, gout, and kidney function. It tones the intestines. Alfalfa is high in tryptophan, inducing better sleep. It is also antifungal.

Nettles: rich in chlorophyll, it contains iodine, magnesium, potassium, silicon, sodium, sulfur, vitamins A and C, facilitates absorption of vitamin D from the sun, proteins, iron and copper. Nettles tone and rebuild the adrenals. They help with energy levels, allergies, and kidneys. Nettles also improve muscle tone, reducing post-partum hemorrhage and vaginal tears. It promotes abundant breast milk. Nettles improve liver function, reducing jaundice, stabilizing blood sugar, and strengthening the nervous and immune systems.

Oatstraw: builds a strong resilient body, it contains calcium, high in vitamins A, C, B complex, phosphorus, potassium, and proteins. Oatstraw contains Avenin, an alkaloid which is highly nutritive to cells, improving reproduction. It is a premier food for the brain and nervous system, reducing anxiety, epilepsy, and assists addiction recovery. Oatstraw improves muscle tone, digestion, uterine function, back weakness, reducing leg cramps, and heart palpatations.

Red Raspberry: the most well-known pregnancy herb, it contains citric and malic acid, silicon, vitamins C, B, niacin, carotene, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and improves vitamin D absorption. Red raspberry tones the muscles, especially in the uterus, reducing spasms and improving labor contractions. It tones and nourishes the ovaries and is beneficial to the pituitary gland, helping to reduce nausea and morning sickness. It is also useful for menstrual cramps and hot flashes. Due to its astringent qualities, it is used for mouth ulcers, bleeding gums, hemorrhage, hemorrhoids and cold sores. Its high mineral content promotes healthy nails, bones, teeth, and skin. Red raspberry is an excellent tea for children with a natural source of vitamin C to help fight off a cold.

Rose Hips: a good all-around tonic, specifically used for the blood, nerves, and heart. Rose hips are excellent for nervous and stressful situations. It contains vitamins A, C, E, rutin and sodium. With high amounts of calcium, iron, selenium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, sulphur, and silicon. Trace amounts of vitamin D and zinc.