As we have passed the Winter solstice and are peeping into the lovely lighter days of Imbolc, I wonder what herbs are resonating with you?
Teas for renewal
As many people tend to have rested, feasted and recuperated over the
winter, the New Year could be where we want to focus in on better habits.
Pine
I’ve reached for the Pine Tea which is a source of flavonoids similar to what
you find in Green Tea. These are needles from the tree Pinus sylvestris or Scot’s Pine which take quite a long brew but make a delicious and aromatic tea.
When selecting plants to try in teas, always buy the herb from a reputable
supplier, and don’t try out your old Christmas tree or pines you have not
identified, as these may upset your tummy.
In Eastern Europe they use their local pines for coughs as the essential oils are anti-microbial, and I suspect the Scot’s pine is very similar. You can read more about the identification and use of pine on Robin Harford’s website here. The tea is so uplifting and great first thing in the morning.
Rose
The other plant I seem to be drinking and drenching myself in abundance now is rose. I think that sometimes herbs reach out to us. Drying rose petals over the summer is easy and you can keep yourself stocked all through the winter.
In the summer you can make rose petal honey, or rose water to cool your face.
In these winter months I blend a black tea with rose, dried orange and
cinnamon, and it is amazing. You can use ordinary black teabags in a pot and pile in rose petals and a grate of orange zest if you like. The flavour is fragrant and creamy, and I don’t like the bitterness of green and black tea, so it works well to mask that.
Old herbal records would probably tell me it cures the dropsy or fluxes or something.
Rose oil was used in remedies for fever, headache and to help sleep in the past. Rose petals from all manner of sub-species were potent healers of the
heart and soothers emotions. So I’m finding a rosy-black tea the perfect pick-me-up.
Flex
The other thing that has hit me hard is going back to yoga classes. There was no gentle easing in there, and in fact I did two classes in one week.
With exercise it is important that you help your muscles recover and I certainly found I was not as strong on day two.
Your lovely firey spices come in here like ginger and turmeric. There is science showing both of these can help muscle recovery – I’m not so sure that a cup of tea would do the job, but it must help a little to get the blood flowing and to sooth any inflammation. You can easily make a brew by chopping ginger and apple together, or turmeric and orange are divine. Ginger can be a bit strong on the tummy for some people so you won’t need much. Both also can combine with black tea. You can also drink it
cold and take along to your exercise session.
I hope 2026 brings you lots of happiness, and I look forward to seeing you
around Cam or Dursley to talk all things herbal.
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