How would you like to squeeze mood-boosting, negative feelings-busting, and spiritual uplifting properties all in one cup of tea? Whether hot or cold, brewed on the stove, infused under the moonlight or sunlight, pause for a moment, take a deep breath, and let go of what is stifling your soul. You deserve it.
We are increasingly living under constant stress factors juggling family responsibilities, work drama, a pandemic threat to our health and livelihoods that make us feel increasingly isolated from our social safety net. The sympathetic system—the part of the nervous system that makes us fight, flight, or freeze when we encounter a threat—keeps pumping a cocktail of stress hormones (including adrenaline) to allow us to fend off the “threat” of the day. When that state of constant “emergency response” persists, the parasympathetic system—the part of the nervous system that regulates digestion and rest—does not kick in to slow us down and recharge our body (as we are still running away from the lion!). That’s when chronic stress—a persistent state of physiological and emotional tension—settles into your body and starts “poisoning” you.
To reduce my own stress level, I love growing medicinal herbs that can help my body and soul adapt, flourish, and fight back. Some of my favorite herbs that do the magic with their super-powers and keep the blues at bay are Calendula (Calendula officinalis), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rose (Rosa spp.), Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), Mint (Mentha piperita and M. spicata), and Lemon verbena (Aloysia citriodora). I always grow them in my garden and they actually do well even in my hot, semi-tropical climate when I add a little extra shade!
Calendula: I love planting Calendula in the winter here in South Texas to have beautiful orange and yellow blooms to brighten up dreary, cloudy days. The flowers were used to color food, cosmetics, and fabric in Ancient Greece, while in Medieval England the edible petals were added to stews, syrups, and baked bread. I actually add Calendula petals to my corn bread muffins! The whole flower is primarily known for its anti-inflammatory and vulnerary (wound healing) properties in skin preparations but this herb has many more super-powers, including digestive help, immune building qualities, and emotional support to overcome sorrow—especially when combined with lavender and rose. Please do not use internally if you are pregnant as it stimulates the uterus.
Lavender: This herb has a long history of medicinal uses documented by Ancient Greek and Roman physicians, who recommended the plant for healing a wide range of ailments, from digestion and pulmonary congestion to nervousness and insomnia. Indeed, lavender has gentle relaxant properties and is used to calm anxious feelings, restlessness, and grief. Its main components (the essential oil is rich of linalool and linalyl acetate) are restorative to the entire body and mind with pain relieving, antioxidant, and immune boosting properties too.
Rose: The ancient Chinese, Persian, Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, and Native American civilizations used rose as medicine and perfume. In Homer's Iliad, Hector's body was anointed with roses before burial, while according to Islam, when Mohammad went to heaven some of his sweat fell to the ground from which a rose grew. Herbalists use rose to cleanse inflammation, tonify the liver and gastrointestinal tract. Infusions bolster the body’s resistance against respiratory infections and support the immune system. Rose nourishes and opens up the heart to love and friendship; it is useful to treat palpitations, irritability, anxiety, depression and insomnia. The essential oil is used in serums, masks, and creams to smooth wrinkles and soften the skin. It actually takes about 50 roses to distill one drop of essential oil!
Anise Hyssop: Commonly known as Mint Licorice, this plant is the tastiest to sip in a tea— whether cold or hot—with a minty flavor with a slight touch of licorice and anise. I love using it to "mask" some other medicinal herbs' less pleasant flavors! Both Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners and Native American tribes use this herb as a gentle remedy for coughs, colds, and indigestion, but also to ease anxiety, mild depression, and insomnia. It is very easy to grow and a major magnet for pollinators—my bees feast on Anise Hyssop and Tulsi for weeks!
Peppermint: Peppermint and its relative spearmint have a long history of medicinal use, especially in support of the digestive system. The Egyptians used to bury pharos with the plant’s leaves and included jars of its essential oil in the burial chamber, which were often stolen by grave robbers. Pliny—author, naturalist, philosopher, and military commander in Ancient Rome— reported the Romans used to crown themselves with peppermint to support the mind and spirit. In the Middle Ages, peppermint was used to help digestion. In folk medicine, peppermint leaves were used to treat bronchitis, fevers, hypertension, nausea, diarrhea, pain, and sleep disorders. There are over 25 species that tend to hybridize naturally. The plant is considered a mild nervine; can help calm a tension headache or gently relax; promotes self-confidence and alertness.
Lemon Verbena: The plant and its essential oil have also a long history of use for indigestion, stress, and sleep issues. The lemony taste makes it a yummier option than the bitter relative Vervain (Verbena officinalis). It is uplifting to the spirit, brightens up to the soul, helps overcome feelings of apathy and tiredness; it calms “the nerves” without making you feel groggy. It is also safe for children and the elderly like chamomile or mint.
If you want to try to grow these herbs from seed, some of them will just need a little bit of prep work. Lavender, peppermint, and lemon verbena are "light dependent germinators" and that means they require more light to sprout so you can sow them on the surface, tamp them securely, and keep misting until germination. Lavender seeds also benefit from scarification-the process of rubbing the seed with sandpaper to scrape the outer shell or gently nick it with a sharp knife (it's easier to do after soaking the seed in warm water for a few hours!). Rose is the most "labor-intensive" of them all as the seeds require 3 months of warm, moist stratification followed by 3 months of cold, moist stratification. Stratification is basically the process of tricking seeds into thinking winter has passed. I usually place the seeds in a zip log bag with moist sand or peat moss and keep them in a drawer when warmth is required or the refrigerator when cold is needed. If you wanna skip the work and enjoy the tea immediately, my tea blend "Happiness" includes all these herbs. Click on the hyperlink to check it out!
References: David Hoffman "Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine" and Salvatore Battaglia "The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy - Vol 1 Foundations & Materia Medica".
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