Feverfew Tea

Feverfew is a perennial plant, mostly grown in wild or uncultivated land. It belongs to the family of daisy, and its white flowers bear a striking resemblance to the daisy flowers. It is a herb and is known for its magnificent health benefits. Feverfew tea in particular, is known to relieve several ailments. This herb is also an insect repellent, hence finds its uses in insect repellent products. This herb is easily available in organic herb stores in the form of dried leaves.

The ingredients are as follows.

• 1 teaspoon of dried organic feverfew herb
• 8 ounces of boiling water

Steep the dried feverfew herb in boiling water for about 8 to 10 minutes to obtain an infusion. Strain the solution to remove solid residues. Alternatively, you may also use fresh feverfew leaves.

Chop them and steep them in boiling water for some time. Reheat the clear liquid when you want to drink it. You may add dollops of honey to sweeten the tea. You may also cool it and apply it on your skin as an insect repellent.

Apart from this tea, you may also prepare feverfew tincture. Take about 200 gm dried or 300 gm fresh feverfew leaves. Chop the leaves if you are using fresh ones and put them in a suitable glass bottle. Take about a liter of 25 % alcohol-water solution and pour it in the glass bottle.

Allow it to steep for at least 2 - 3 weeks before using it. Meanwhile, keep shaking the bottle at least once a week. You are not supposed to use more than 5 to 10 drops of this tincture at one time. You may use distilled water, vinegar, or glycerol for alcohol free tincture.

Feverfew tea is capable of treating an array of medical conditions. Given below are some of its health benefits.

• It is an established remedy for migraine headaches. People who do not respond to prescription medications are found to benefit a great deal by drinking this tea regularly. However, one must drink it for at least 2 - 3 weeks to get desired results.
• It also relieves menstrual cramps and promotes menstruation.

• This herb contains a compound which mimics corticosteroid such as cortisone. Thus, it is very helpful in reducing arthritis pain and inflammation.
• As the name suggests, feverfew is essentially a good remedy for high fever.
• It also helps to treat skin conditions like psoriasis, which otherwise is very difficult to treat. This is mostly due to its cortisone-like properties.

• It successfully relieves the pain associated with tooth problems.
• It is also used for keeping asthma in check.
• It is also known for its sedative and anti-inflammatory properties which can help cure many disorders.

• Since it is very rich in nutrients such as iron, niacin, vitamin A, and vitamin C, it makes for an excellent dietary supplement.
• It is also used as a stress buster, as it somehow relieves tension.

Feverfew tea should be consumed in moderation, owing to the sedative properties of this herb. Moreover, pregnant women should refrain from consuming feverfew in any form, as it encourages menstruation.

Similarly, people who are on blood thinning medications should refrain from using this herb, as it interferes with clotting. Also, its leaves (dried or fresh) should never be consumed directly as it leads to irritation, bleeding of gums, and swelling of tongue.