Beyond making tea.
There are many ways you can use herbal blends aside from making teas. Read along for some ideas.
Rosemary and white sage from the garden. Cut and ready to dry in paper bags.
Here are a few ideas:
1. As seasoning for food
You can use dried herbs to season dishes such as roasted vegetables, homemade salad dressing, or make a delicious honey cordial to sweeten your coffee or tea and give it a healing boost. I make one with honey, cinnamon, cardamom, ashwaghanda and shatavari that I use with my morning chai in the cold months when I need extra warmth.
A fall squash soup with ayurvedic herbs great at supporting the body during the transition from warm to cold months.
2. As a natural remedy
Some herbs have medicinal properties that can be used to treat a variety of ailments. For example, chamomile can be used to help with anxiety and sleep and you can find it in our Calming Blend. While ginger is often used to treat colds and you can find it in our Antiviral Blend. You can use the blends to make infusions, which are like a tea but more potent because you let the plants steep in water overnight, instead of just 15 minutes. This longer steeping period allows thicker herbs like barks, berries and mushrooms, to extract more medicine into the water.
Beyond infusions, you can make more potent remedies by using alcohol to extract plant medicine, these are called tinctures. Tinctures are usually a mix of water and alcohol, used to infuse plants for at least a week, extracting all kinds of plant components that wouldn’t be soluble in just water. We call our tinctures extracts and offer an Antiviral, Calming and a Digestive extract. All powerful medicine to help you heal naturally and without side effects.
Alcohol based tincture with antimicrobial properties with white sage, echinacea and calendula.
3. As healing skincare
Some herbs can be used in homemade beauty products like serums and hair masks. For example, lavender can be used to help with acne and aloe vera can be used to soothe sunburned skin. We make a healing salve with calendula, yarrow and chickweed that helps the skin heal from eczema, sun burn, bug bites, and other similar ailments.
A powerful healing salve with calendula, yarrow and chickweed.
4. As a natural insect repellent
Some herbs, such as citronella and lemongrass, can be used to naturally repel insects. You can make your own insect repellent by combining dried herbs with a carrier oil and applying it to your skin.
5. As air freshener
You can use dried herbs to make natural air fresheners by placing them in a small sachet or by simmering them in water on the stove. Eucalyptus, spearmint and mullein are a great combination to cleanse the air after viruses in the house. Herbs like cinnamon and cloves give the house a lovely and warming aroma of fall.
6. As herbal steam inhalations
This is a great use of antimicrobial herbs, specially those that support lung health. Steam inhalations can help deal with colds, congestion and allergies by allowing plant medicine into your respiratory system. All you have to do is boil some water in a pot with herbs and inhale the herbal steam.
A blend of medicinal herbs ready for tea.
