I enjoy blending my own herbs for different purposes. It is part intuition, part alchemy and part healing work, that helps me to foster a relationship with the plants and my own body.

Lately, I have been wanting something refreshing to drink, that also offers health and healing benefits and so I have been making this tart tea (and using it as a hair rinse as well!)

This tea blend has multiple benefits, is easy to make and adjust based on taste, and cools and hydrates the whole body!

BENEFITS OF THE TEA BLEND

The main benefits of this tea include:

• Supporting hair, skin, and nails through the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that each of the herbs contains! This is also why I am drinking it as well as using it as a hair rinse to support my thinning and greying hair naturally!

• Provides 10x more nutrition than cooked oatmeal! One of the herbs of this blend is oatstraw which contains a powerhouse of iron, calcium, protein, magnesium, many B vitamins, and vitamins C, K, and E. When combining the other herbs with oatstraw, one cup of this tea is supporting the entire body. Bones, skin, hair, heart, and the nervous system (just to name a few!)

• This also means the tea is naturally mood-elevating, or mood-lifting, and drinking it multiple times a week is very supportive during times of stress, unease, anxiety, or general fatigue

• Hibiscus is known to benefit the heart, and blood sugar, lower inflammation, and support the liver. Similar properties are seen in horsetail and butterfly pea flowers, which are also used to promote the health of hair, skin, and nails.

• Spiritually and energetically the tea supports the heart, building self-love and setting a supportive foundation for healing. Hibiscus and Butterfly Pea Flower bring in feminine balance with the masculine, while oatstraw and horsetail encourage abundance, harvesting, and seeding.

HOW TO MAKE IT

I am grateful to have a few cupboards full of loose, dried herbs. While store-bought tea bags are convenient, loose herbs are more economical in the long run. I purchase bags of herbs and then mix and match them for my own needs. Many health food stores or online shops sell reasonably priced bags of dried herbs.

For this blend, I start with:

• 1-2tsp of each herb (hibiscus, butterfly pea flower, oatstraw, and horsetail), and then increase slightly based on my taste or how I am feeling

• I get a big jar and pour boiling water over the herbs and let sit for a minimum of 20 minutes

• Can be drunk warm, or cooled. Because I make such a big jar full, I will leave some in the fridge for a refreshing drink when it’s hot, and keep a small bottle in my shower for the hair rinse.

The flavor of the tea is tart and earthy, but can easily be adjusted with honey or sweetener if you prefer, or you can add lemon juice to increase the tartness and the cleansing properties of the herbs, while also amping up the vitamins! One cup a day, which is only 8 ounces, is plenty!

Plants are medicine and incorporating them in our daily lives can help to bring us closer to our Spirit, bodies, and the beautiful earth around us. Always check that you are not allergic to any herbs before you use them or consume them. Start with lower doses to see how they feel in your body, as some people are sensitive to certain plants. Offering gratitude for the nourishment they provide, while also sipping on this tea intentionally and mindfully will further support their healing benefits in your body and spirit.

Enjoy!