Herbal Tea for Deep Sleep
guest post by p. d.
What happened in February to cause my deep sleep to Skyrocket?
NOURISHING HERBAL INFUSIONS!
A nourishing herbal infusion (NHI) is one ounce of an NHI-approved herb in a quart jar. Boiling water is poured over the herb. It’s left to steep from 4 hours to overnight. The goal is to drink
one whole quart of NHI daily.
I believe that drinking a quart of NHI daily since around January is the reason my deep sleep has improved and keeps on climbing! The dip in February was due to illness, I was extremely sick from Feb. 10-21. Not sure if it was COVID or not, I’ll update when I get antibody testing!
Top Five Nourishing Herbal Infusions:
Nettle • Oatstraw • Red Clover • Linden • Comfrey
I assume this is because they have the absolute highest levels of minerals and vitamins.
(Some herbs are not NHI-approved because if you drink a ton it will make you sick.
So don’t make an NHI with any herb in your cabinet! Only use NHI-approved herbs).
Nettle is the Queen of Nourishing Herbal Infusions, so it is the top recommendation. Alas, it gives me tinnitus!!! Waaaah. So I absolutely can not drink it. (Peppermint also does that to me, double waaaah). So I can’t tell you much about nettle since I am prohibited by my right ear from taking it. (Only my right ear has the problem).
Oatstraw…well, it tastes like it sounds. It tastes like straw to me. Am I a horse? No, so I don’t drink oatstraw. But it’s too bad for me since I am missing out on one of the top NHI. That’s how it goes though, because there are so many herbs in the world, and the most important thing when it comes to herbal tea is
DOES IT GIVE YOU JOY?
If it gives you joy, drink it. If it doesn’t, forget it!! YOU and your joy are the path to determining which herbs you bring into your life and which ones you give away after trying them once. For instance, you don’t see Blue Vervain in my house. However that’s not an NHI herb so I digress. But just so you know, it left a bitter, metallic aftertaste on the SIDES of the back of my tongue, which is a unique horror proposition I have never encountered in any other tea.
Red Clover is SO GREAT! I am the biggest fan of red clover in the universe. It is actual little clover heads and leafy stuff. Actual clovers from the ground! They are so friendly and fun. It has a mild taste with no aftertaste, which is the most important thing to me because I hate an aftertaste. I’m running low right now and very sad about it.
Linden is a syrupy, golden delight that could be mistaken for ambrosia. I have to admit that most herbalists say to use only half an ounce of linden instead of the usual one ounce. I do not follow that advice because I like it syrupy and thicker, so I do what I want. I have to admit also that linden smells and looks amazing, but it is less tasty to me than it appears, which is why I double the recipe. I know doubling recipes can be a very bad thing, such as when I doubled the elderberry syrup recipe and got a violent stomachache and now I’m afraid to ever use elderberry again. But so far doubling the linden hasn’t killed me so I’m sticking with it.
Comfrey LEAF not root is an aftertaste-free herbal infusion that has become my favorite one. I know there are internet rumors about comfrey having liver repercussions, but the internet has rumors about unadulterated borax which I use in my laundry, and honestly after researching this I have concluded I feel safe drinking it as often as I want, which is about five days a week. It’s a mild, mildy-mint-smelling tea-tasting tea. It’s kinda neither here nor there, but it’s just right for me.
* Update: after further research I have decided to quit drinking comfrey leaf due to concerns about PA’s, elements in the comfrey that can harm the liver.
Other Approved Nourishing Herbal Infusions
Chickweed • Mullein • Raspberry Leaf • Hawthorn Berries
Elder Berries or Flowers • Burdock Root • Violet Leaves
Plantain Leaves • marshmallow root • slippery elm bark
Chickweed I can’t drink it by itself, it’s similar to oatstraw for me, too much like drinking hay. However, I do drink chickweed in my special hibiscus elixir, which is equal parts of dandelion, burdock root, chickweed and hibiscus. Hibiscus is too sharp and sweet for me, and the chickweed mellows it out nicely.
Mullein Well, I know it’s supposed to be very good for lungs, a good thing to take right now, but ladies and gentlemen, this furry herb is not for me.
Raspberry leaf Aaaaahhhhh…I wanted to like it. It tastes good and the dried herb does have a raspberry smell. But it has an aftertaste. So I prefer red clover, which is similar but without the aftertaste.
Hawthorn berries Did I do it wrong? I made an ounce into an NHI. But it tasted like colored water.
Elder berries So delicious I doubled, then tripled the recipe for elderberry syrup. I never tried it as an NHI though. What a good idea! I’ll report back on that.
Elder flowers Didn’t rock my world, I think I need to try it again.
Burdock root ROCKS MY WORLD!! I am an all-time lover of burdock. Some say it tastes like eating dirt. Well, it’s savory dirt in my opinion. I eat fresh steamed burdock root in my lunch (it’s available at Whole Foods). As a tea, it’s also great. Very mild, very friendly, no aftertaste, and kind of earthy and slightly sweet. You may hate it, but I love it.
Plantain leaves I forget why, but I didn’t like it. Someone I know says: “I feel like it sticks to my tongue. It’s just a bitter flavor.” Too earthy, not yummy.
Marshmallow root Wow, what an awesome herb to be able to have a lot of! It’s so yummy, but it’s high in oxalates. I have high oxalates (100) so, I gotta skip it as an NHI. I’ll do a teaspoon in a tea mixture, but a whole ounce is probably not right for me.
Slippery Elm Same as marshmallow root, high in oxalates so I can’t drink it as an infusion. But if you can, lucky you!
Way to go, me! I’ve tried every one except violet leaves. Excited to get some and try it! My philosophy on how to learn about herbs is: “Buy and Try”!
Some herbalists advise to make just one NHI at a time, to really get to know your herb. I agree! However, once you know your herb, go wild! Do what you want!! I do! One herbalist adds these for flavoring: “I sometimes add a little bit of aromatic herb such as peppermint (Mentha pipperata), lemon balm (Melissa off.), or bergamot (Monarda didyma) to change the flavor.”
Final List of Approved Nourishing Herbal Infusions
ALfalfa • amaranth • astragalus • dandelion • fenugreek • flax seeds • honeysuckle • lamb’s quarters • purslane • siberian Ginseng
Alfalfa Well, I really, really hated this. If I boiled grass and drank it, this is what I think it would taste like.
Astragalus I drink 2 teaspoons daily in a mix with cat’s claw and milk thistle. Weird combo, I know, probably making real herbalists horrified. Well, if it’s really terrible email me and I’ll stop! I tried astragalus by itself as an NHI. It was a strange taste I just couldn’t handle, even though I like astragalus a lot, and I think it’s a good immunity herb for the COVID era. Maybe I’ll try it again.
Dandelion Oh all by itself? That sounds so bitter. I haven’t tried it and I doubt I will! I drink a fair amount daily in my special hibiscus elixir, which is equal parts of dandelion, burdock root, chickweed and hibiscus.
Fenugreek Good: fenugreek is spicy tasting and delicious. For me, the bad is: no matter how little fenugreek I drink, I sweat out the smell! ODORIFEROUS!!! I can’t take it. So I don’t drink it.
I haven’t tried any others but when I do I will update! Honeysuckle sounds SO GOOD! But then again so did calendula.
How to Make Nourishing Herbal Infusions? Links below!
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58b680a1c534a5de91312c77/t/5a8bc5d3e4966ba44f71b457/1519109717997/Nourishing-Herbal-Infusions-eBookv2.pdf
http://www.methowvalleyherbs.com/2008/03/nourishing-herbal-infusions-part-2.html
https://redmoonherbs.com/pages/how-to-make-a-nourishing-herbal-infusion
https://www.wildwoodinstitute.com/articles/long-herbal-infusions.html
https://discovercreateinspire.com/nourishing-herbal-infusions/
https://medium.com/@Herbal_Musings/why-i-drink-nourishing-herbal-infusions-and-so-should-you-91dfe6654232
https://mamaeatsplants.wordpress.com/2018/05/29/nourishing-herbal-infusions/
http://nourishingherbalinfusions.com/herbs.html
http://www.methowvalleyherbs.com/2008/03/nourishing-herbal-infusions-part-2.html
https://www.wildwoodinstitute.com/articles/long-herbal-infusions.html
https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/how-to-make-nourishing-herbal-infusions#.XiY9AityzZ0.twitter
https://www.letsbevegan.com/single-post/2017/01/29/Nourishing-Herbal-Infusions
http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/September08/anti-cancer.htm
https://botanical.com/site/column_susun/susun_infusions.html