SLC S21 Week 2 - Basic Herbal Remedies for Daily Health.
Herbal tea for digestion or stress is easy to prepare if we properly know proportion of ingredients that we have to add in our herbal tea. Before knowing proportions of ingredients you are using for making any remedies or any day you should know that what is the composition of ingredients which you are using so today I am here for making herbal tea for digestion that's why first of all I want to highlight the ingredients that I am going to use and composition of these ingredients.
 |  |
|---|
Above are only 2 ingredients I am going to use for making tea for digestion and these two ingredients are cumin and cardamon so let's have a look briefly on benefits of both ingredients;
| Cumin |
|---|
• Acts as a digestive aid.
• Have an antioxidant property.
• Boosts immune system.
• Promotes respiratory health.
• Acts as anti inflammation in body.
| Cardamon |
|---|
• Acts as digestive aid by treating bloating,gas etc.
• Regulates blood sugar levels.
• Contains anti oxidants so helps in detoxification.
• Good for oral health.
From above benefits now you can understand that ingredients I have choosed for preparing my herbal tea for digestion purpose is going to be perfect so let's have a look at step by step procedure.
| Ingredients | Proportion |
|---|---|
| Cumin | 1 tea spoon |
| Cardamon | 2 pods |
 |  |
|---|
• First I take cumin 1 teaspoon and add it into water.
• After that I take two cardamon and separate its seeds from outer shell and I only add seeds in water.
 |  |
|---|
• Above is the illustration of above procedure explained.
• I on the stove and at medium flame I let it cook for 10 minutes because this is enough time to get all the nutrients of these herbs into water.
 |  |
|---|
• Now this is a process of straining in which you can see that I am separating these herbs from well cooked water which is my herbal tea or kahwa effective for digestion purpose.
| Effects after drinking them |
|---|
• Before drinking I was feeling aroma of this herbal tea and it was not at all bad because cardamon flavour I already like.
• When I have first sip of this herbal tea then taste was not much good but I was feeling that my airways are getting clean due to drinking this hot tea as heat is good for your airways and as nowadays in my area there is too much smoke that's why I was feeling good after drinking it.
• I was feeling bloating in my stomach already that's why I prepare this tea especially so I was feeling that as I am finishing this tea I am feeling a lot of relief from bloating.
• After half hour of drinking I properly felt that now my digestive health is good after taking just a cup of this herbal tea.
Storing herbs at home is a little bit challenge for those that don't have an idea about it because when you have to store herbs at home then you have to follow a step by step procedure so I will highlight all steps of storing herbs at home.
| Washing herbs |
|---|
• First of all you should wash fresh herbs.
| Drying herbs |
|---|
• After washing fresh herbs you should focus on drying them naturally.
 |  |
|---|
• above is a practical illustration in which I take fresh coriander herb.
• After that I wash this herb and let it dry at a clean cloth by spreading coriander leaves so that it may get dry easily and naturally.
 |  |
|---|
• That was a two step process of storing herbs at home but it is ideal to dry herbs for minimum of 2 weeks so that no moisture and humidity remains in them.
| Places used to store herbs |
|---|
• You can store your herbs in air tight jars made up of plastic or glass.
• You can use paper bags or Muslin bags for storing your herbs at home.
• You can use Mason jars as well as special containers with lids that are particularly made for storing herbs.
• You should always try to store them at those places which are cool as well as dry so that herbs may remains safe from heat and moisture.
• You should not keep your herbs at that places at which direct sunlight comes or at which there is moisture like in kitchen there can be moisture.
• You should label your herb containers.
• You should store herbs where temperature don't exceed from 25 degree Celsius.
• It is always an ideal way to store herbs in small quantities for the purpose of maintenance of potancy.
• You can also use silica gel or bay leaves for the purpose of absorbing moisture if it is present.
• You should always check your herbs at regular basis for molding or spoilage.
In my storage method, I have stored them in plastic jars that are airtight with a good quantity for maintaining their potency.
| Why these methods works |
|---|
• Washing herbs is good for maintaining freshness of herbs before storing them.
• When you dry your herbs after washing for at least 2 weeks then spoilage chances will reduce because excess moisture will remove after drying.
• When you store your herbs in dry jars made up of glass or plastic then they will prevent any kind of contamination and helps in absorption of moisture.
• When you label your jars then you can identify stored herbs quickly and easily.
Now I am preparing herbal remedy for common cold and documenting ingredients, their steps of preparation and my personal experience step by step.
Again I am making a herbal tea for common cold in which first of all I want to discuss ingredients which I am using along with their health benefits and proportions.
| Ingredients | Proportions |
|---|---|
| Cinnamon | 2 medium sticks |
| Ginger | 2 small slices |
• Spices containing black pepper,cumin are optional in amount of one to two pinch.
| Cinnamon benefits |
|---|
• Helpful in reduction of congestion and inflammation.
• Have anti microbial properties.
• Gives warmth to throat and body.
• Helps in thining of mucus.
| Ginger benefits |
|---|
• Helps in reduction of congestion and inflammation in body.
• Have antiviral properties.
• Have analgesic properties.
• Helps in digestion.
From all about properties of both ingredients that I am using for making this remedy for cold, it is clear that both chosen ingredients are suitable.
 |  |
|---|
• I take two sticks of cinnamon and add them into water.
• After that it was optional to add spice made up of cumin and black pepper powder so I just add pinch of this spice.
 |  |
|---|
• After that I on the stove and I add two thin slices of Ginger in water which was about to boil.
• Above you can see while my remedy was about to ready after 10 minutes of boiling with all ingredients.
 |  |
|---|
• Now this is I have shown you the process of straining cinnamon and Ginger from water or from my herbal tea specifically made for cold.
| My experience |
|---|
• When I talk about preparation process then it was not a new experience for me because I always prepare this herbal tea for me in case of sore throat cough or flu.
• When I talk about drinking process then it was challenging from me because I don't like taste of cinnamon especially.
• I drink it but it refreshes my airways because their effects are really strong and quick.
• As there is not too much cold nowadays that's why I was feeling little heat in my body because both of these ingredients also have warmth effects.
Before in fusing two different herbs for digestion or relief of anxiety or stress in water I would like to explain that what actually infusion is all about....
So, Infusion is basically a process of extracting all bioactive compounds flavours or oils from a particular plant or herb into water.
| Infusion for digestion |
|---|
• I take coriander leaves for making infusion for digestion.
• Coriander leaves have property of making digestion healthy by giving relief from bloating gas or any kind of stomach upset due to its soothing and digestion process accelerating benefits or properties.
 |  |
|---|
• About you can see that I take one glass of water in which I have added crushed leaves of coriander in a quantity of 1 tablespoon and it was first step of preparation.
• After that there was process of steeping in which I let coriander leaves to steep in water.
 |  |
|---|
• I let this process to be occurred for 40 minutes so that all essential compounds of coriander leaves or herbs add into the water by the process of extraction.
• After that last process was of straining in which I strain herb from water and this is final look of my digestion infusion.
Duration of infusion was of 40 minutes
| Infusion for anxiety |
|---|
• For preparation of infusion for anxiety or stress I have used lemon grass herb because this is a herb containing natural sedation , antidepressants and anxiolytic effects so making infusion for anxiety was ideal with this herb.
 |  |
|---|
• About you can see that I take one glass of water in which I have added leaves of lemon grass in a quantity of 1 tablespoon and it was first step of preparation.
• After that there was process of steeping in which I let lemon grass leaves to steep in water.
 |  |
|---|
• I let this process to be occurred for 2 hours so that all essential compounds of lemon grass leaves or herbs add into the water by the process of extraction.
• After that last process was of straining in which I strain herb from water and this is final look of my anxiety infusion.
| Final thoughts |
|---|
• Personally I taste infusion for digestion I made and it's taste was little salty but not bad.
• I thought to try this digestion infusion in case of bloating to experiment on me that how it results in case of bloating.
• Lemongrass infusion I don't taste but I thought to try it must once in a life in case of mood swings.
• Finally I thought that making infusions for treating different problems is a good idea without passing through a complex preparation process.
Special invitations to;
People always turn to natural cures and health has always been a thing that is easily and naturally maintained. One of the best things that people can try with herbs is tea, here are some of the most preferred types. Here is one easy and healthy infusion for you: Chamomile, peppermint and ginger. Chamomile is good for the stomach and encourages relaxation, peppermint is useful in digestion and to combat headache while ginger has immunity and anti-inflammatory benefits. Just dissolve one teaspoon of chamomile, several fresh peppermint leaves, and a piece of ginger in hot water for 5 to 10 min.
On the subject of storing herbs for later use, nothing beats the use of fresh herbs. To retain the potency dried herbs should be stored in airtight containers preferably glass jars the proper storage place is cool and dry. This activity should therefore be done under close and avoid direct sunlight and humidity which causes the quality of the herbs to deteriorate. Perishable herbs should be lightly soaked in water or wrapped in damp cloth and placed in the refrigerator.
This article reveals that consuming the herbal tea increases digestion, lower stress, and improve the general well being due to its immune boosting nutrients. Like any other remedy, practice confirms that the more herbal tea consumed on a regular basis, the more beneficial outcome it will have on your overall health.