Deciding to bring herbs into your life is an exciting and empowering endeavor. Many plants are full of incredible qualities that complement, nourish and catalyze the human body, mind and spirit into its own remembering and healing. Like any relationship, whether it be with a human, animal, plant or otherwise, take your time to understand what it is about for you. Often we get excited when we hear someone else raving about the benefits they are experiencing from an herb, or we have read about a particular plant and its action and we feel ignited. We simply encourage you to give yourself the space to feel and trust your own intuition, do your research, and ask questions. In fact, ask LOTS of questions!
HERB SPOTLIGHT
Chamomile
Having a hard time sleeping? Feeling the pinch of too many things to do and the anxiety is buildling? No fear, Chamomile is here!
The word Chamomile comes from Greek origins and can be translated as “earth-apple,” probably because of the apple-like scent of the plant. This lovely plant grows very well in all types of growing regions— including zone 4 in the mountains of Colorado! When drunk as a tea, Chamomile has a wonderful calming effect on the nervous system, aids in digestion and is mildly pain relieving. Chamomile is so flavorful you can drink it alone or try Spirit Horse Herbals Dreamtime blend, which includes lemon balm, lavender and oat straw.
There are two different types of Chamomile: German (Common) and Roman (English). Roman Chamomile is a perennial ground cover that grows up to one-foot tall. German Chamomile, which we grow here in the Spirit Horse garden, is also known as Common Chamomile. It is an annual that has the potential to grow up to 2-3 feet. Both varieties are used medicinally. Chamomile appreciates full-sun and it is very hardy, not to mention beautiful!
Chamomile has been known to be a great companion plant to have in your garden and is said to help the growth and health of other plants. Chamomile tea sprayed on other plants can help suppress fungal growth and it is said that by misting it over seedlings it may prevent damping off—a deadly disease to young seedlings.
Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis)
Lemon Balm is a delicious culinary and medicinal herb generally used to calm and relax the nervous system. Drink a cup of Lemon Balm tea combined with other herbs, like Chamomile and Oat Straw, and feel the stress of the day fade away. Lemon Balm aids in gastrointestinal relief and can be used as a remedy for headaches, depression, and insomnia. Lemon Balm is also a delightful flavoring agent that can be used to enhance the taste of anything that might require a zing of lemon flavor! It is a great addition to salads, soups, chicken, and fish dishes.
Lemon Balm is a perennial that grows in many different types of gardens, including the high-altitude (8,300 feet!) gardens of Spirit Horse Herbals. Throughout the winter our lemon balm lives under 6 feet of snow which provides the spring moisture the Lemon Balm loves. It is an easy-to-care-for herb similar to mint. It likes some shade and we try to grow it next to taller plants that eventually will shield it from the late afternoon sun. You can harvest your Lemon Balm throughout the growing season and it will grow back with vigor! Clip down and leave 2-3 inches of stem and leaves on the plant. You can dry it or use it fresh. Because of its high level of essential oils, Lemon Balm stores well.
Calendula (Calendula Officinalis)
OUCH! Do you have a cut, burn, scrape or any other weird unidentifiable skin ailment?
Calendula Officinalis, also known as Pot Marigold, is the medicinal variety of marigolds. (Side note: when you see the word officinalis, it generally means that the plant is “used in the practice of medicine.”) Calendula is one of the best allies for our skin. Topically it has many healing applications and helps soften, soothe, and rejuvenate the skin. It is often brewed into wound salves, balms, and body and facial oils such as seen with Spirit Horse Herbals products. Calendula is an exceptional ally for those with sensitive, traumatized, or over-worked skin. Calendula is supportive for eczema, cuts, burns, chapped or chaffed skin, has incredible anti-bacterial and wound-healing capabilities and is safe for animals and children! Internally calendula may be used as a tincture, steeped into tea or even sprinkled atop your wild salad. The petals are vibrant and beautiful! For the inside in herbal format (also is used homeopathically) calendula is a wonderful ally to women and supports amenorrhea (delayed menstruation) and painful menstruation.
Growing Calendula
As an annual, Calendula is a hardy and vigorous plant offering many blooms throughout the spring and summer. Germination is spotty, so if starting from seed, sow heavily…REAL heavy! Seed packets generally say about 40% germination rate.
Calendula is also a wonderful companion plant in the garden. Plant Calendula near tomatoes and roses to detour the aphids. The aphids will go to the calendula so if you want to grow Calendula medicinally, you may want to plant it AWAY from those particular plants. You don’t want disease-infested herbs!
Calendula looks beautiful in borders or planted in the odd corner of a bed or pot. Or, do as we do and plant a whole bed of calendula for an abundant harvest! Okay, we grow a lot more than just a bed, but you get the idea!
TEA-LICIOUS!
“Remember the tea kettle – it is always up to its neck in hot water, yet it still sings!” -Author Unknown
Taking time for tea is truly taking time for you. The act of drinking tea is as calming to the mind and body as the action of the herbs themselves. Enjoying a cup of tea, whether alone or with friends, can not only be an enjoyable experience, but a healing one, too!
Herbal Tea
Herbal teas, such as those available by Spirit Horse Herbals, do not come from the Camellia sinensis plant like green and black teas. They are in fact combinations of leaves, roots, bark, seeds or flowers of other plants consumed traditionally for their medicinal benefits. Technically, herbal teas are considered ‘tisanes,’ which is simply a fancy word for herbal tea with origins from the Greek language. Because tisanes do not contain any tea leaves, they do not contain any caffeine. For centuries herbal tea has been one of the main delivery systems for medicine from treating colds and sore throats to helping soothe upset stomachs and so much more.
Herbal tea can include just one plant such as chamomile blossoms, or by combining multiple plants for various flavor, nutritional or healing value. Herbal tea can be served hot or cold and can also be enjoyed with a dash of milk, sugar, stevia, or honey, depending upon your flavor preferences.
A few common plants found in herbal tea include:
- Chamomile: aids in digestion, calming, and mildly pain-relieving.
- Spearmint: not only delicious, but spearmint is good for digestion.
- Rose Petals: in addition to their delightful smell, rose petals are sedative, laxative, and anti-inflammatory.
- Lavender: calming and soothing, wonderful for relaxing.
- Lemon Balm: wonderful for headaches, stomach upset, and insomnia.
Brewing Loose Leaf Tea
Spirit Horse Herbals only offers loose leaf teas. We don’t like the hassle or the waste of tea bags and prefer the ability to engage with loose leaf tea. That way we can decide how much or how little of the herbs we want on each occasion!
There are lots of ways to brew loose leaf herbal tea. Here are a few of our favorite methods and ‘devices’.
Coffee press designated just for tea: This is a great way to drink our Immune Booster or Achy Breaky tea when you need to drink 1-2 cups, 3 times a day. You can make your brew, strain off the herbs, and store for up to one or two days. We keep presses designated just for herbs and do not brew coffee in the same device. We don’t like the flavor of coffee in our herbs!
Tea ball: These handy little mesh tea balls come in small and large sizes. Very inexpensive and easy to wash, you can brew a cup of tea very simply with this little gadget! Some have handles and others have chains that clip on to the edge of your cup.
Tea pot: The most traditional way to enjoy tea, tea pots are great to use when you are making tea for two! They are attractive and offer the best ‘environment’ for your herbs to steep within. Be sure to only use ceramic and other safe materials as you don’t want any toxic chemicals leaching into your healthy tea!
Muslin Tea Bag: An easy and inexpensive method of brewing tea. Just spoon in your desired amount of herbs and place the bag directly in your tea cup.
Suggested infusion times for Spirit Horse Herbals tea:
(Use approximately 1 teaspoon of dried herbs per 1 cup of water)
- Morning Boost Herbal Tea: 5 – 10 minutes
- Dreamtime Herbal Tea: 10 minutes
- Achy Breaky Herbal Tea: 10 – 15 minutes
- Immune Booster Herbal Tea: 15 minutes
