In 2011 I started my journey learning about herbal support for the body with Susun Weed who calls it the Wise Women’s Way.
The first thing I learned, was the huge benefits of drinking herbal infusions on a regular basis. The main herbs she uses for infusions and rotates throughout her days are Oatstraw, Nettle, Red Clover, and Comfrey. The use of these herbs will provide the body with many of the vitamins and minerals it needs to maintain optimum health and vitality. I will be providing you with a link for you to explore each herb more closely if you wish but first, let’s look at what an infusion is and how it is made.
“An infusion is alarge amount of herb brewed for a long time. Typically, one ounce by weight (about a cup by volume) of dried herb is placed in a quart jar which is then filled to the top with boiling water, tightly lidded and allowed to steep for 4-10 hours. After straining, a cup or more is consumed, and the remainderchilled to slow spoilage. Drinking 2-4 cups a day is usual. Since the minerals and other phytochemicals in nourishing herbs are made more accessible by
drying, dried herbs are considered best for infusions.”
Susun Weed believes these nourishing herbal infusions contribute greatly to vibrant health especially for those in their elder years. And, they can make menopause easier because “they provide protein, minerals, phytoestrogens, and special fats needed by menopausal women.”
I have to admit that it hasn’t been easy for me to be consistent with drinking herbal infusions. Oatstraw has been a difficult one for me to drink but I have of late, introduced a slice or two of dried lemon to the mix and that has made a world of difference. It is my goal to drink 5 quarts of herbal infusions a week.
Making herbal infusions and drinking them on a regular basis will provide the body with the nourishment it requires for energy and good health. These drinks will increase the amount of protein, vitamins and minerals and micronutrients into a daily diet without increasing calories. And, they don’t cost very much to make.
I make mine either in the morning or at night. 4 hours is the minimum amount of time to get the most extraction of the nutrients. They can be left overnight and that is a very convenient way of doing it. In the morning the liquid is strained out and stored in the fridge or somewhere cool. I used to put an ounce of dried herb in a quart jar with boiling hot water and a lid to seal it, but now I use a tea pot that has an internal strainer.
Best to drink theherbal infusion within 36 hours as it is prone to spoil after that, and if that happens, the house plants will love to receive the liquid, or, it can be used as a final hair rinse. Either way, it is still nourishing something.
Drinking herbal infusions is my answer to vitamin supplements which are more costly than I want to put out for and I am not always certain what other things are in them. With herbal infusions, I know it’s the whole plant giving off it’s particular blend of vitamins and minerals. Susun Weed suggests we think of herbal infusions as food, and she believes it is best to drink these on a regular basis for best results.
She writes: “I have seen regular use of nourishing herbal infusions benefit newborns, pregnant and lactating women, menopausal women, diabetic men and women, both scintillating and demented oldsters, those with osteoporosis, infertility, exhaustion, allergies, environmental illness, Krone's disease, colitis, cancer, and immune system problems. Drinking nourishing herbal infusions regularly has helped thousands of people reduce and eliminate their need to take medications including those for blood pressure, mood disorders, pain, insomnia, and GERD (acid reflux).”
The herbs I use are some of Susun Weeds favorites and they are Nettle, Oatstraw, Red Clover and Comfrey Leaf. I buy them bulk online from Mountain Rose Herbs. I believe the health food store in the Adelaide shopping centre sells bulk herbs as well and that would be a great start.
These herbs are full of many vitamins and minerals that Susun Weed has already documented so I will provide the link here to the page where you can read more right from the source.
I believe in the power of herbs to support good health and vitality and I wanted to share this with you here to provide you with an inexpensive and natural option to bring healthy goodness into your daily diet.
Take good care and let mother nature support you as she is so capable of doing.
Warmly, Dora