Making delicious herbal Chai Tea at home is quite straight forward, you will only need some basic ingredients and creativity. Ensure that the herbs you are using are potent and relatively fresh, they should possess their characteristic aromatic scent before blending them into the tea and not be faded in color.

In a sauce pan with a tight fitting lid combine the following:

• 4 cups water
• 6-8 slices of fresh ginger root or 1 heaping teaspoon of dried ginger root
• 1/3 tsp dried cardamom seeds
• 1 tsp dried cinnamon bark chopped
• A dash of nutmeg powder
• 1 teaspoon of dried fennel seeds (or/and anise seeds)
• 6-9 dried cloves
• 1 teaspoon of dried orange peel
• 1 teaspoon of chopped licorice root
• 4-5 black peppercorns

Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat, to a low temperature. Add all ingredients and simmer, covered for at least 20 minutes. The herbs can be simmered longer for a stronger, more spicy flavor. This tea can be sweetened with stevia or honey.

Options: For a creamy smooth drink you can also add in almond milk or coconut milk. Adding in 1 teaspoon of green tea to the mixture will produce a stronger variation.   Or for a completely different spicy fruit flavor, add in hibiscus flowers.

 ~ written by Katolen Yardley, MNIMH, Medical Herbalist

So you are interested in incorporating plant medicine into your lifestyle and are wondering where to begin…

For individuals who are just beginning to use herbs medicinally; preparing and drinking herbal teas are excellent first steps in familiarizing oneself with plant medicine.

When preparing an herbal tea for medicinal use, there are two types of preparations: infusions and decoctions.

Herbal Infusions

Herbal Infusions are similar to preparing a pot of earl grey tea. Simply pour boiling water over the herbs and steep, strain and drink. This process is used for preparing the more delicate and aromatic parts of a plant, such as the flowers, leaves, fruit, and aromatic seeds. An infusion is best when preparing an herbal tea for its high nutritional (mineral and vitamin) content.

General Adult Dosage: The general measurement for an adult when preparing herbal teas is 1 tsp. of the herb for every cup of water, steep for 15 minutes, strain then drink 3-4 cups of the tea daily.

Method 1. Place the herbs in a container with a tight fitting lid and pour freshly boiled water over the herbs. Cover the container and allow it to steep for 10-20 minutes. The length of sitting time depends upon the chemical constituents in the plant.

Method 2. Let the tea steep overnight and reheat in the morning. Never use a microwave to heat the water or reheat a tea, instead gently reheat on the stove. Storing the tea in the fridge and reheating or storing in a thermos in a convenient way of keeping the tea hot for hours.

Herbal Decoctions

Decoctions are generally used for the extraction of chemicals from heavier plant material (roots, barks, nuts, and non-aromatic seeds). A decoction is more concentrated than an infusion and used to pull out mineral salts and bitter principles of the plants.

Method 1. Bring the water to a boil, add the herbs, cover and simmer gently over low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, strain and drink.

Method 2. Add the herbs to cold water, place over low heat and slowly bring to a boil. Simmer gently over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, keeping the lid on. These herbs can be reused 2 or 3 times before discarding.

Important Tip: Always use glass or enamel containers and do not use microwaves, aluminum or cast iron pots as they will affect the quality and effectiveness of the prepared medicine.

For more information on herbal medicine, preparation and home use visit my website by clicking here and for ongoing encouragement, health tips, recipes and up to date information on herbal medicine, sign up for my newsletter Taking Charge of Your Health.

 ~ written by Katolen Yardley, MNIMH, Medical Herbalist

• Snack on protein throughout the day. High protein foods can increase the sensation of “feeling full” and helps to curb those sugar cravings.

• Chew foods well before swallowing to bring out the natural sweetness of the food. Complex carbohydrates often taste sweeter when chewed.

• Integrate sweet tasting vegetables into your diet. Jerusalem artichokes, beets, sugar peas, carrots, winter squash and sweet potatoes can all be healthy sweet substitutes to manage cravings.

• Increase your water intake between meals to increase the sensation of feeling full. Sometimes feelings of hunger are actually misinterpreted for signals that the body is dehydrated.

• Consume at least 3 meals per day and do not skip meals. Begin each day with breakfast. Missing meals during the day can lead to overeating at night, and often the overeating of junk food. The body requires most of its fuel (calories) during the day to fuel physical activity and support mental capacities. Infrequent eating can lead to blood sugar fluctuations and sugar cravings.

• Snack throughout the day. Overeating at one meal leads to a sensation of bloating and fullness, then a feeling of emptiness a few hours later. Keeping food in your stomach throughout the day will create a slightly full sensation in your stomach, when slightly full one is less likely to overeat and crave sugar.

• Eat a piece of fruit, before indulging in a chocolate bar or sugary sweet. Fruit sugars do not affect blood sugar fluctuations like sucrose (white sugar) and the fiber content will help to fill you up.

• Introduce variety to your taste buds. Cultivate an appreciation for slightly bitter foods and cut down the amount of sugar and sweeteners used in baking. Over time ones taste buds will become accustomed to less sweet flavors.

• Substitute an alternative pleasure. The best way to break any habit, including a food craving, is to substitute a healthier option. If emotions trigger overeating or eating of sweets, then identify what conditions trigger your cravings, such as boredom, loneliness, anxiety, depression, and commit to other ways to perk yourself up. Try exercise, a hobby, music, or just close your eyes for a few minutes and visualize something that relaxes you before going back to your every day tasks.

• Weekend treats. If you mentally resists giving up certain foods, eventually you will eventually give in and fall back into past habits. Instead, just cut down on how frequently and how much you eat and explore substituting some alternatives, such as low fat sorbet and dried fruit. Eventually, as your body learns to identify the difference between super sweet foods and foods containing less sugar, you will begin to crave what’s good for you and many sweet foods will seem far too rich.

• When your taste buds need a sweet fix, try adding Stevia Leaf into a brewing herbal tea. Or alternatively Stevia can be purchased in a concentrate powder or liquid form and used in baking instead of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Stevia does not cause blood sugar fluctuations and it does not carry any of the health concerns that surround artificial sweeteners. For more information on artificial sweeteners click on the link!

The least processed of all teas, the flavor of white tea is the closest to fresh, pure tea leaves. The leaves undergo two steps during processing. First, the leaves are withered and then they are immediately baked in the sun. Like black and green teas, white tea contains numerous antioxidant compounds called polyphenols (flavonoids and catechins specifically).

Catechins provide protective antioxidant action against harmful free radicals in the body. Research shows that these free radicals are involved in heart disease, some kinds of cancer and increase the risk of strokes. Due to its high antioxidant components, drinking white tea may potentially help to protect against cardiovascular disease, supports immune system function, may help to lower elevated cholesterol levels, promotes strength and integrity of blood vessels and helps to promote healthy teeth and bones.

In addition, white tea is a source of nutrients containing magnesium, managanese, potassium, calcium, and the vitamins C and K all in trace amounts.

White teas contain the least amount of caffeine of all teas, generally ranging in the cup from 5-15 milligrams.

White Narcissus Peony, also known as Pai Mu Tan (Pai means “white” and Mu Tan “peony”)-is a high quality, elegant White Tea. White Narcissus Peony tea is produced in China’s Fujian province during the early spring, by carefully selecting only the finest tender buds of the white tea plant. This results in a unique nutty, bamboo fragrance and a sweet, savory taste.

In the evening, sip white teas before or after a light meal or enjoy on its own to savor its subtle taste. To truly appreciate the delicate flavor avoid drinking with strong flavors or spicy foods and makes an excellent drink for those seeking the health benefits of Green Tea, but who prefer a more subtle flavor and aroma.

Rooibos, is pronounced “roy-boss” (the latin name is Aspalathus linearis), a South African flowering shrub. Rooibos contains numerous polyphenol anti-oxidants and trace amounts of the minerals: copper, iron and potassium, calcium, fluoride, zinc, manganese and magnesium. - this tea contains almost no oxalic acid, making it a good beverage for people prone to kidney stones. -it is caffeine-free, free from additives and preservatives.

Rooibos has numerous health enhancement benefits, high in antioxidants and nourishing to immune system, supportive to the nervous system, used to alleviate nervous tension, headaches, insomnia, mild depression, and an elevated blood pressure.

My favorite rooibos tea is a Belgian Chocolate Rooibos blend. Delicious hot or cold, this tea contains the health benefits of Rooibos, which flavored with cacao pieces for a smooth, velvety chocolate-like experience. Stevia can be added in during the steeping process to create a sweeter tea, and adding rice dream or soy milk creates a delicious creamy chocolate beverage.

For an informative article on Rooibos, the antioxidant and nutritional composition and health benefits visit the American Botanical Council:

 ~ written by Katolen Yardley, MNIMH, Medical Herbalist

You have heard about herbal medicine and are wondering how to begin furthering your learning?? How does one gain experience with the ancient concept of the using herbal medicine to nourish and support the bodies internal healing mechanisms.

One can easily enter into the plant/human relationship by selecting  an herb to study indepth, and get to know the personality of that plant, just like you would a close friend.

1. Select 1 herb to become familiar with and use for non-emergency situations, such as indigestion, sleep support or relaxation and continue to expand your knowledge and personal experience with each plant. Humans tend to learn through personal experience and being creatures of habit, we often reach for what is most familiar; begin incorporating herbal choices into your daily living and over time, these plants may be more likely to be used in acute situations.
2. Spend time reading about the plant, (ideally from more then one author) and ensure that the author has in-depth training and clinical experience with plant medicine, rather than being an expert in another field and simply providing “opinions”, without personal clinical experience.
3. Identify both the main action and secondary or supporting action of each plant. Traditionally plants, being complex be-ings, have more than one use in the body. When used in combination they can become supportive catalysts for a stronger herb,  or help to restore the overall function of a specific organ. Some herbs are tonics in nature, others have sedative properties, are astringent, stimulating, or nourishing and taken like a food.
4. Decide on the method of use for your selected herb, are you preparing a herbal tea by infusion or decoction, making an infused oil or using a cream or tincture?
5. More is not necessarily better, once reading on the use and dosage of a plant, follow the instructions and stay within the recommended dosage.
6. Give yourself time to use the plant on a daily basis and notice any subtle effects in the body. Develop a relationship with the plant. Identify the taste, subtle flavor and scent of the plant as well as take in the appearance, visuals can tell much about the personality of the herb; is the plant delicate in nature, or appears robust and solid, are you using a hard seed or a fragile stem or flower?
7. Remember that herbs have consistently fewer side effects than conventional medicine yet herbal medicine does need to be respected and used mindfully.
8. Plant medicine is subtle yet can be powerful. Tune into your body and respect the plant medicine you are using. Visualise the plant working in the body. For any chronic condition and especially when one is using medication, booking a consultation with a herbalist trained in-depth with the use of herbal medicine is always recommended.

Both Black and Green Tea originate from the same plant, Cameilla sinensis, however due to differences in harvesting and processing -where black tea is fermented and fully oxidized and green tea is prepared through steaming or pan frying techniques, the teas vary widely in flavor, aroma, nutrient content and each impacts our body in separate ways.

A key difference between Black tea and Green tea is the amount of caffeine contained in a serving. Black tea contains significantly higher amounts and can aggravate health concerns that are caffeine sensitive such as anxiety, depression and high blood pressure… Although the caffeine content found in Green Tea is much lower, I do not recommend high amounts of any product containing caffeine for individuals who are caffeine sensitive or who have conditions whose symptoms can be worsened by the consumption of caffeine.

Green Tea contains a variety of nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, Vitamin C, flavonoids, polysaccharides and theanine in trace amounts.

The largest health benefits of Green Tea are due to the high amounts of antioxidant properties called Polyphenols. Two subcategories of polyphenols include the classes of flavonoids and catechins. Catechins are plant chemicals that provide antioxidant protection against free radical damage in the body. Of the green tea catechins, the primary compounds include: catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin and eipgallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the last two flavanol compounds are the most predominant and appear to be the most powerful antioxidants.

Free radical damage can contribute to heart disease, elevated cholesterol, increase the risk of strokes and are involved in some types of cancer. Research indicates that the antioxidant activity is due to the inhibition of lipid peroxidation in the body. Lipid peroxidation is the oxygen breakdown of polyunsaturated fatty acids and is implicated in inflammatory conditions, speeding up the aging process, liver and heart disease.

The flavonol compounds in Green Tea provide excellent health enhancement benefits, they are anti inflammatory in nature and have a positive effect on the heart, help to strengthen capillaries and can support individuals with circulatory insufficiency.

In addition, Green Tea offers protection from environmental stress, both physical stress and through supporting immune system function. Catechins also offer some antiviral and antimicrobial properties. Daily consumption of green tea can certainly be used as part of a larger health program to enhance the immune system.

Green Tea contains theanine, an amino acid. Recent studies have shown that theanine is a derivative of glutamic acid, a neurotransmittor located in the brain and may help to enhance concentration and focus while producing overall calming effects on the body.

My favorite type of Organic Green Tea is one containing the subtle flavors of cherry and rose. Delicious! The tea leaves can be reused more than once, simply add more water and steep. You can view it by clicking here:

Here are a couple of pub med abstracts commenting on the health enhancement benefits of green tea:

Lung Health 

Prostate Health