Herbal Guide

Herbs are fascinating. Our bodies crave them even if we don't realize it. Our ancestors all ate a diverse range of herbs, as food and as medicine. We have forgotten how to nourish ourselves as we get wrapped up in the quick and easy way to get through the day, eating packaged foods and less of the nutrient-dense foods that our bodies crave.

At Exclusivitea, we aim to make things easy for you. We provide quick easy blends to add to your daily diet as a tea, to spice up a meal or to add to a smoothie. Herbs can give an overall boost to your system and provide immune support which, we hope, will assist you with some of life's challenges.

Check back here often as we will continue to add new Herbs, Teas, Flowers and Mushroom information! 

Lemon Balm, Mélisse, Melissa Officinalis, from the Lamiaceae (Mint) Family, is one of my Favorite herbs. Lemon balm is fragrant & cooling, calming and balancing. A great nervine tonic to nourish the nervous system. You can brew tea from fresh or dried leaves. I love it as a potent iced tea. I pour 85ºC - 95ºC/185º - 200ºF water over the dried leaves in a mason jar then steep for 15 mins to 30 mins until cool then stored overnight in the fridge to get a healing blend. I find it calms my anxiety, settles my stomach & balances out my mood. (For Food Safety reasons, boil water to 100ºC/212ºF and let it cool down to desired temperature.)

Lemon Balm has been used traditionally for thousands of years to improve cognitive function, as a mood booster, anxiety, stress, sleep quality, and for digestive health.

Hot tea or cold infusion: 1 – 4 cups a day 237ml – 946ml per day. 

Lemon Balm can be used as a tincture, supplement, tea or infusion.

Although generally deemed as a safe herb, Lemon Balm in large doses can affect people on medication for hypothyroid, hyperthyroid or Hashimoto's thyroiditis please consult with your healthcare practitioner as it may effect thyroid hormone medications. Stop using lemon balm at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery as it can increase the sedative effects of the medications used during and after surgery.

Always seek the guidance of a healthcare practitioner before mixing herbs with medications or if pregnant or breastfeeding.

Stinging Nettle, Grande Ortie, Ortie Piquante, Common Nettle, Urtica dioica, from the Urticaceae (nettle) Family, is such a nutritious herb but watch out for her bite! The stinging hairs called trichomes on the leaves and stems, act like little needles, injecting histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation upon contact. This effect is removed when blanched or dried. Some people do find the sting soothing for arthritis or may understand how to handle it without getting stung but most people wear gloves when handling fresh Stinging Nettle! 

Full of Vitamins & minerals it is great for nourishing the whole body & your blood. You can drink or eat it every day. I make myself about 946ml (1 quart) a day of an intense infusion to boost my iron, vitamins, A, C, E, K & Magnesium (It has many more great minerals in it too). It eases my fatigue in the late afternoon, helped with my previously constant battle with hives & balances me. It's also great as a pesto or a replacement for spinach in soups.

Infusion: Steep 1 tsp (2g to 5g) to 1 TBSP (15g) of loose tea for each 1 cup (237ml) of water.
1 - 4 times a day.

Ideal Brewing Temp: 50ºC - 60ºC/122ºF - 140ºF for nutrient extraction (Vitamin C  and minerals) or 100ºC/212ºF for best flavor and a strong infusion. For Food Safety reasons, boil water to 100ºC/212ºF and let it cool down to desired temperature.

Nettle should only be taken by diabetics under supervision of a qualified health practitioner as it may modify glucose regulation. It can also decrease the efficacy of anticoagulant drugs.

Always seek the guidance of a healthcare practitioner before mixing herbs with medications or if pregnant or breastfeeding.

Dandelion, Pissenlit, Taraxacum Officinale, from the Asteraceae (Aster) Family, is a symbol of hope, healing, dreams, wishes and resilience to many cultures around the world. Once looked down on, dandelion has a history too deep to go into here but I encourage you to read more about dandelion and its ties to black history. It is resilient & never gives up.

Our dear friend Dandelion is always on our doorstep in spring, here in our area (zone 4 - 5a). After a nice winter, I look forward to seeing them pop up in my yard where I know it is safe to harvest them pesticide free. The first green spring leaves are always the least bitter and are often preferred. I love the leaves in a salad or sandwich, made into a pesto or soups. I use the flowers with the bracts removed for jellies.

Dandelion is a perennial in the Aster family. You can find it throughout the northern hemisphere in all sorts of places, like along sidewalks, yards, meadows and fields, dandelion is always around!

Dandelion is great as a food and is amazing medicinally. Dandelion is rich in vitamins A, B, C, and K, as well as minerals like iron, calcium, folate, zinc and potassium. 

One of the most common uses of dandelion is for liver health. Dandelion root is believed to support liver function by aiding in detoxification and promoting the production of bile. It can help stabilize insulin levels, help with gout, arthritis, and rheumatism. Dandelion has diuretic properties, which means it can help increase urine production and promote flushing out toxins from the body.

It can be used as a tea, leaf tincture, root decoction, root tincture & eaten steamed or raw.

It is generally safe but anyone with gallbladder or kidney issues should ask their doctor before taking dandelion. Those on blood thinners or diuretics should avoid dandelion. Dandelion stimulates stomach acids thus is contraindicated in the case of acute gastric inflammation.

Always seek the guidance of a healthcare practitioner before mixing herbs with medications or if pregnant or breastfeeding.

Echinacea, Échinacée, Echinacea Angustifolia, E. purpurea and E. pallida are in the Asteraceae (Aster) Family. Some common names are coneflower, comb flower or Missouri snakeroot.

I love growing it in my garden. It's so useful as well as beautiful. It adds color and texture to your landscape, it loves the sun (who doesn't) and is great for the pollinators.

You can harvest the flower heads, leaves and roots. With Echinacea it's ideal to grow your own or purchase from a reputable company as this amazing North America native is on the United Plant Savers "At-Risk" list. Therefore, it is best NOT to harvest wild Echinacea. 

We all know it as a cold and flu herb, but it is so much more than that!

Echinacea is a cooling and drying herb, the taste is acrid and pungent (which is actually a good thing). It is an alterative herb, it modulates inflammation, is antimicrobial, an immunomodulator and is a circulatory stimulant. 

It's effective in healing skin conditions like burns, eczema, infected wounds, boils, sores, toothaches, abscesses and inflammation. Bites from snakes and stings from venomous insects (for example: the brown recluse) are also among some of the many amazing uses for echinacea.

In these instances, I would use it internally and externally at the same time.

Generally Echinacea is safe to use while pregnant.

Some medications can be affected by Echinacea and people with autoimmune conditions may be adversely affected. 

Always seek the guidance of a healthcare practitioner before mixing herbs with medications or if pregnant or breastfeeding.

Rosemary, Romarin, Salvia rosmarinus is such a versatile herb with an incredible fragrance & great flavor. It's great for getting some relief from chest congestion or a stuffed up nose.

You can use it as a steam by stirring 2 Tbs into a heatproof bowl of boiling water, (let cool a bit to not burn your face with the steam) drape a towel over your head & lean over the bowl. Breathe in the vapors for about 5 to 10 minutes.

It is also a great food preservative to inhibit food spoilage. Rosemary is warming & great for memory, depression, anxiety, headaches & can even help to get a relaxing sleep. I use it often to help with digestion, joint pain & externally for scalp & hair health. What a useful antioxidant!

Tea/Infusion: 14g – 28g dried herb in 237ml of boiling water, steep covered for 10 – 15 mins
(1 - 2 tsp dried herb in 1 cup boiling water, steep covered for 10 - 15 mins).

Pregnant or breastfeeding parents may use a small culinary amount but should not drink the tea or use the essential oil. Always seek the guidance of a healthcare practitioner before mixing herbs with medications.

Mint, Mentha, is actually the name for over a dozen plant species, like peppermint & spearmint, Mojito mint & even Canada mint, that are in the Lamiaceae family. So I'll be mainly talking about Peppermint in the following text.

We all know its minty taste used in gum, candies, toothpaste & tea but it has so many amazing uses. It's a great aromatherapy to alleviate nausea, works well as a natural insecticide, it's helpful for digestive disorders associated with pain, spasms, gas or cramps. Can be useful to cleanse the liver or used as a muscle relaxant for IBS. The oils in some mints are effective against a range of bacterial, viral, & fugal infections, colds, flu and congestion. The list goes on!

Tea/Infusion: 14g – 28g dried herb in 237ml of boiling water, steep covered for 15 – 20 mins.
U.S. = 1 - 2 tsp dried herb in 1 cup boiling water, steep covered for 15 - 20 mins.

Peppermint’s high essential oil content makes it unsafe to use in high amounts during pregnancy or for babies and young children. Peppermint may reduce milk flow in nursing parents. People with GERD may find that peppermint makes their condition worse. Always seek the guidance of a healthcare practitioner before mixing herbs with medications.

Thyme, Thym, Thymus, Lamiaceae (Mint) Family, Full of vitamins, & a useful antibacterial, it's a great addition to your daily diet or pantry. It has anti-fungal (thymol) properties, helps the digestive system, & it's great for the upper respiratory system.

Thyme can help prevent or resolve colds & boost your mood. It can improve skin health when ingested internally or used externally on the skin*, even on acne. It can be used as a preservative in foods, for oral health in a homemade toothpaste, mouthwash, or for overall glandular health including the thyroid.

I personally use it as an expectorant when I feel stuffed up or I feel any kind of swelling or scratchiness in my throat.

Not only can it help with all of that, it's great for burning as a cleansing stick to purify your home. It can deter insects & was used by the ancient Greeks & Romans to ward off venomous creatures from the home and even used as an antivenom in a warm bath.

Infusion or tea: 1 tsp dried thyme in 1 cup boiling water. 1 to 3 cups a day

Beware of thyme oil directly on the skin, *be sure to use a carrier oil or cream if used externally. Thyme should not be used during pregnancy as it is known to stimulate the uterus. Be sure to do a patch test on your skin as some people have been known to have an allergic reaction. Always seek the guidance of a healthcare practitioner before mixing herbs with medications.

Sage, Sauge, Salvia officinalis from the Lamiaceae Family, is a versatile herb that offers a wide range of benefits, both for health and as a culinary ingredient.

Sage is full of antioxidants which help protect the body from oxidative stress and free radicals. It has traditionally been used to aid digestion, used for inflammatory conditions such as arthritis or inflammatory bowel diseases, fighting off bacterial and viral infections due to its antimicrobial properties and used as a natural remedy for sore throats, mouth ulcers, or used as a mouthwash.

Sage also supports memory and cognitive function, particularly in older adults. It has been shown to aid brain health and may even have protective effects against Alzheimer’s disease by enhancing memory and concentration. Sage helps to build tissue, moisten and rebuild dry skin, ease arthritis and joint pain.

Some people use sage to alleviate symptoms of menopause, like hot flashes and night sweats, due to its ability to balance hormones. It can also help regulate menstruation and reduce symptoms of PMS.

In short, sage is great for many of the things mentioned above including skin health, respiratory health, stress reduction and the immune system.

How to Use Sage:

As a Tea: Fresh or dried sage leaves can be used to make a soothing herbal tea.

In Cooking: Sage is commonly used in cooking, especially in Mediterranean cuisine, to flavor meats, soups, and stews.

Aromatherapy: Sage essential oil is used in diffusers to promote relaxation and clear the air.

Burning sage: Burning sage is great for ritual cleansing as well. Be aware that White Sage is on the United Plant Savers watch list due to overharvesting, so be sure to use common sage or other varieties unless your white sage has been gifted to you from an Indigenous community member or purchased from an ethically farmed variety. It's best, and easy to grow your own!

Topically: Sage infused oils (different from essential oils) can be applied to the skin and can also be made into lotions, salves or creams (essential oils must be diluted in a carrier oil first).

Although Sage offers many potential health benefits, it should be used in moderation, especially when consuming large amounts or using it for medicinal purposes. Always consult a healthcare provider before using sage as a supplement or remedy, particularly if you're pregnant, nursing, or taking medications. This information is for educational purposes only.