Way back in July I harvested--sustainably of course--a bunch of yarrow (Achillea millefolium) from the meadows above the Ranch. I dried it by placing it in a brown paper bag until it became brittle. Even after drying it, it kept it's characteristic smell. It's important for the dried to plant to smell strong, similar to that of the fresh plant, if it doesn't there's a good chance that it has lost quite a bit of it's medicinal properties and has become relatively useless.
Over the past couple of weeks I have developed irritation in my digestive tract. Yarrow has many medicinal properties, one property being a digestive remedy. Its bitter taste can help stimulate digestion. In addition, it can help reduce inflammation in the lining of the digestive tract.
To make the tea I placed a few of the dried flower heads and a few of the dried leaves into my tea ball. I brought a small pot of water to a boil, then lowered it to a simmer. I then added my tea ball and let it simmer for five minutes. As the yarrow infused with the water the aroma became wonderful and soothing. It smelled so good, taking me back to that summer day when I harvested the plants from the high meadow. Once the infusion was complete, the tea had a beautiful golden color, with a pleasant, yet bitter scent. The tea did taste bitter, but adding a bit of honey can help the bitter taste immensely. I did, however, find that the tea was not as bitter as I had thought it would be, it tasted quite agreeable, even without the honey.
Not long after drinking my cup of yarrow tea I noticed a calming sensation in my digestive tract, the irritation that had been there seemed to relax and I was much more comfortable than I had been earlier. The tea appears to work rather well. This is only the second herbal remedy I have tried, my first being ginger tea, which I tend to use for menstrual cramps. I love learning about plants and how they can help keep us healthy.
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