How to Make Chamomile Tea
I can still remember when I lived in Northern Wisconsin almost 20 years ago, after the snow had melted, spring was in the air, and plants were blooming. It was a most wonderful time of year, because winters in Wisconsin were long!! As I walked in my driveway I remember noticing a beautiful, distinctive aroma in the air. I later discovered it was a very similar plant to Chamomile; Pineapple weed (Matricaria discoidea) that was under my feet. Every time I stepped on the herb it released its amazing scent, smelling like the wonderful Chamomile. Now that I live in a warmer climate, I grow and use Chamomile to make tea and other natural remedies with it while enjoying it's fragrance.
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Chamomile is known for its calming effects on the nervous system, and its ability to restore. It helps people suffering with anxiety, helps to alleviate headaches, helps with insomnia, corrects digestive disorders, reduces inflammation, and calms coughs. Chamomile is also used for children who are irritable, and helps to calm colic in infants. It is has a very mild flavor that children will not resist.
Recipe
- 1 tablespoon dried chamomile flowers
- 1-1/2 cup of distilled or filtered water
- honey to taste (optional)
- Boil 1-1/2 cup of distilled or purified water.
- Add 1 tablespoon dried chamomile flowers to a jar with a lid, tea press, or tea cup with a strainer.
- Pour your boiling water over your herb.
- Cover and let steep for 15-20 minutes.
- Strain. Add honey if you desire.
- Drink and enjoy.
- For insomnia - drink 1 cup of tea 30 minutes prior to bed on an empty stomach.
- For anxiety - drink 1 cup of tea at the time of anxiety, or 2-3 cups per day as needed.
- For coughs - drink 1/4 to 1/2 cup of tea at the onset of a cough, and then as needed.
If you have allergies and are sensitive to ragweed, you may be sensitive to plants in the Asteraceae (Daisy Family), so either avoid or proceed with caution. In some cases, chamomile is used to treat allergies by introducing small amounts until able to take a normal dose. In some cases it can cause contact dermatitis. Otherwise the herb is known to be safe.