The Thirsty Homesteader, Part 2-Trini-Tea

Like I said in my last post, I'm a creature of habit. The last thing I do every night before rubbing a bit of calming herbal salve on my temples (a heavenly gift made by my dear buddy Wendy that smells like every sweet thing you've ever smelled) is make sure Dexter (my wild 1 1/2 year-old Black Lab mix) is on the bed with me, gift him a good belly rub, and a kiss on the head, and then turn out the light. Each and every night, this is what goes down before I shut down. 

Come daybreak, after I've downed the cranberry/kombucha/mineral water tonic, I fire up the gas stove and put on a kettle of water. When it spits and sputters and whistles its merry tune, I pour the boiling water into a large, ceramic mug into which I have placed a tea ball containing dried red clover, red raspberry, and nettle leaves. Two tablespoons of each of the herbs are left to steep, covered by a lid (I use a little ceramic Japanese dish turned upside down), for 2-4 hours. 

Red clover, red raspberry leaf, and nettles have long and storied reputations as balancing herbs for women. Having experienced a long and storied history of my own with women's health issues, I've found this blend to be highly efficacious in terms of regulating cycles, supplying iron, and just relaxing me overall. Also, since I began this regimen (over one year ago), the mid-day crash I used to experience almost every afternoon has completely disappeared. Unless I actually had a poor night's sleep the night prior, I never get tired during the day anymore. I also suffer very few of the seasonal allergy symptoms I used to fall victim to, thanks to the inclusion of nettles, nature's anti-histamine. Pretty potent stuff. 

Admittedly, it tastes a bit like  drinking grass. At least it did in the beginning to me. Now it tastes fresh and green and clean and slightly sweet. I love it. It's my mid-day go-to thirst quencher. I sip on it throughout the day, after I've finished my morning tea (more on that forthcoming...). If you're interested in trying it out, consult your health care provider for any possible contraindications first, especially if you are pregnant. 

Since I knew I wanted to drink this for some time, I ordered 1-lb. bags of each of the three herbs. If you'd like to just try it out before committing to three full pounds, pick up about 1-2 ounces of each from a local herb supplier or from Mountain Rose Herbs. Oh, and, of course, I'm no medical professional. Just a lady who loves the power of plants, coupled with the power of healthy routines!