Cold & Flu Buster Tea Blends
The healing powers of herbal teas is simply amazing! Aside from the numerous medicinal benefits of herbal teas, the ritual of brewing a cup of tea and taking a moment to yourself to sip on it is like giving yourself a great big hug.
Throughout the years our family has trusted herbal teas to get us through many colds and flus. I am always experimenting with my herbs and developing different blends based on the medicinal use of each herb.
Below are a few of the tea blends that we have used for years. I always stock up on my teabags so I'm not caught without these specific teas when a cold sneaks up on someone in my family. I encourage you to stock up and start building your own well stocked apothecary.
Please be aware that these are medicinal blends so they may not taste like your favorite Starbucks tea. These teas are chosen and combined for their medicinal properties and steeped longer (infused) than a traditional tea. The longer steep time brings out more of the medicinal properties and can cause some herbs to taste a little bitter. This is something you will get used to. Feel free to add a little honey or squeeze of lemon to help with the taste.
Immune Strong Tea - You know when you start to feel a little "off" and you know you are starting to come down with something. Maybe you're feeling little achy, a little tired, a little scratchy throat? That is the time to whip up my Immune Strong Tea. This herbal blend is formulated to give your immune system a jumpstart at getting to work at fighting off any invaders. It really works best when taken at the first sign of any illness.
Sore Throat Be Gone Tea - This is the perfect tea for when you start to feel the point of no return with a sore throat. It is even more effective if you start to drink it in the early stages of throat discomfort. This herbal formula uses herbs that soothe, coat and protect your throat. Add a little honey for even more throat healing power.
Full Throttle Cold Blend - This blend was formulated to get you sweating and get your body heated up by gently raising your body temperature. This blend is also a great anti-viral and powerful antimicrobial. You'll want to reach for this tea when you are in full blown cold & flu mode.
Night Quell Tea - This isn't the awful tasting NyQuil we all grew up with. Truth be told, it isn't really a good tasting tea but it is extremely effective. Drink this blend when you are a coughing, wheezing and a stuffy head mess and you just want to get some sleep. You may not like the taste of this one so feel free to add a little honey to sweeten it up. Pinch your nose and swallow it down for a good night's sleep.
Cough Buster Tea - This is a great tea for when you are at the end of a cold and you have that nagging cough that just won't go away. This blend is full of anti-spasmodic expectorants—meaning these herbs help you clear out the gunk while quelling your coughing fits.
Echinacea & Elderberry Teas - Although these two teas are not part of any of the recipes below, they are amazing teas to have in your arsenal. They can be enjoyed as a tea or added to a smoothie (my favorite way). You can read all about them by CLICKING HERE.
INGREDIENTS: (click on each one to see the brand I personally use)
Immune Strong Tea Blend
Sore Throat Be Gone Tea Blend
Full Throttle Cold Blend
Night Quell Tea Blend
1 teaspoon whiskey or bourbon (optional)
Cough Buster Tea Blend
1 wild cherry tree bark tea bag
DIRECTIONS:
For each tea blend above please do the following -
Combine all the tea bags and place in a quart size mason jar.
If using honey add it to the jar.
Pour boiling water into the mason jar up to fill line.
Place lid on top but DO NOT secure the lid tightly. This could cause the glass to shatter.
Let this sit and steep for 30-40 minutes. You will want to extract as much of the medicinal properties from each herb so be sure to steep for a minimum of 30 minutes. Do not steep for more than 40 minutes because many herbs become very bitter when they steep that long.
Remove tea bags and compost.
Sip and enjoy tea!
NOTES:
Feel free to omit honey if you want but remember it does have many health benefits too. You can add more to any of the tea blends if you like a sweeter tea.
Try and drink the tea while it is warm. It will help with chest and head congestion and will feel good on your throat. If it cools too much while steeping you can always top it off with hot water to warm it back up again.
Be sure to stock up on all of these teas so you are ready when sickness hits your household. Don't wait until you need them.
If you want to add my Herbal Cough Syrup to any of these teas you can find the recipe HERE.
The teas listed above are great medicinal blends and perfect for when you start to feel something coming on or when you have a full blown illness. It is just as important to drink tea daily to help prevent even getting sick in the first place. The two teas that we use regularly to help prevent getting sick are HERE and HERE. These are great to drink everyday during cold and flu season and can be made just like you would any regular tea. No need to steep for longer times (infuse).
Not all herbs taste great. You must remember that many of their strong flavors come from the very phytochemicals that naturally occur in the plant and make it a medicinal powerhouse. Be open to new tastes and always remember that you can add some honey or a squeeze of lemon to make the taste more pleasant.
If you are interested in learning more about nutrition and herbs for women in midlife then I invite you to come join us for any of our virtual programs. We'd love to have you join us.
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LIABILITY DISCLAIMER: The information provided in our classes, online courses and on our website is a guide only and not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure any disease. Any health concerns you may have should be discussed with a holistic health practitioner. The information or data contained herein has been prepared by Thrive4Mom, LLC using only reputable sources, current evidence based research, and/or highly regarded institutions. Every effort has been made to ensure that information is accurate, however Thrive4Mom, LLC accepts no liability for any act or omission, done or omitted in reliance, in whole or part, on the information or data being accurate. Always discuss with your health practitioner before taking any herbs.
