Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Health Benefits of Chamomile

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I love tea!  My sisters and I grew up drinking English tea with our Gran so every time I brew a cup I think of Granny.  With the start of several new businesses I have found that it's important to take a few minutes to relax and clear my mind so my "tea time" has become very important.

We offer DIY Tincture Kits with organic herbs @ Mary's Heirloom Seeds and Organic Chamomile @ Mary's Herbal Organix

DIY Tincture kits include:
1 - 32 ounce Glass Jar with lid, 1 - 2 ounce Amber Bottle with dropper top,  2 customizable labels, 1 ounce of Organic Herbs (additional herbs available) 
and Detailed Instructions


I Grow Chamomile for DIY recipes and Brew Chamomile tea!  There are many ways to use Chamomile.

Chamomile tea is an excellent way to unwind after a particularly hectic day.  Today I'll share the Health Benefits of Chamomile. Tomorrow I have a great project/gift idea for Chamomile Tea.

What is Chamomile?

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Chamomile is an herb that comes from a flowering plant from the daisy family. Both the fresh and dried flowers of chamomile have been used to create teas for centuries to cure a number of health problems. The active ingredient in chamomile essential oil is known as bisabolol, which has a number of anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties.

What are the Benefits of Chamomile?

Chamomile can be used topically or orally to treat a number of everyday ailments, such as:
Insomnia and other sleep disorders
Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Muscle twitches
Wounds, burns, and scrapes
Skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, chickenpox, and diaper rash
Stomach problems such as menstrual cramps, stomach flu, and ulcers

Uses of Chamomile

Stomach Cramps
Chamomile has been found to contain fairly strong antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory constituents. Therefore, it has been found to be effective in treating stomach and intestinal cramps. Simply prepare a cup of Chamomile tea following the directions on the package and drink it twice a day until while symptoms are present (one cup first thing in the morning, and one in the evening).

Insomnia
Chamomile is wonderful remedy for sleep disorders such as insomnia. Simply make a chamomile tea 30 to 45 minutes before going to bed to treat sleeplessness.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Chamomile reduces cramping and pain in the bowels and also helps to relieve excessive gas and bloating in the intestines. Therefore, a simple remedy is to drink a cup of chamomile tea to help relieve irritable bowel syndrome, nausea, and gastroenteritis or stomach flu.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Menstrual Cramps
Drinking chamomile tea has been found to be beneficial in treating PMS and Menstrual Cramps.

Treat Burns and Scrapes
Chamomile oil is very useful in treating bad burns. Simple rub a small amount of oil gently across the burned area once a day. For scrapes and burns you can also brew a strong concoction by adding 3 tea bags to one cup of boiling water. When the water cools, dip a cloth into it and use it as a compress on the wounded area.

Lightening Skin Using Chamomile
Chamomile has been found to be advantageous for lightening your skin tone. Simply bring two quarts of water to a boil with 2 chamomile tea bags in it. Then place your face above the steaming pot of chamomile tea. A bath in water mixed with chamomile tea works too.

Reducing Dark Circles Around Eyes
Chamomile tea has been found to help relieve eye fatigue and dark circles. A simple remedy is to dip 2 chamomile tea bags in warm water. After 5 minutes, remove the tea bags from the water and let them cool to room temperature. Then place them on your eyes at night as a compress.

What are the Side Effects of Chamomile?
As with all herbal products, moderation is the key to avoiding adverse reactions. Some of the potential side effects of chamomile include drowsiness, so use it with caution if you are driving or operating machinery. High doses of chamomile can also cause vomiting and/or skin reactions in some individuals. If you are allergic to ragweed pollen or have hayfever, you may have difficulty using chamomile.

Using chamomile during pregnancy is not recommended, since it is considered to be an abortifacient (a substance that induces abortion). Chamomile is also not recommended if you are currently taking blood thinners, since chamomile contains a substance called coumarin (which is also a blood thinner).

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I choose to bag my own tea (or use a diffuser) for several reasons.
1. It's cheaper
2. It's fresher
3. A big machine probably bags commercial teas so there might be some sort of contaminants like machine oil.
4.  When I'm done, the bag and leaf go into the compost bin.

Enjoy a cup of organic Chamomile tea with me!

For loose tea:
Infuse by taking 1 teaspoon of herb to 1 cup of boiled water, over tightly; steep for 5-15 minutes.  Strain and enjoy!

21 comments:

Jessi @ Practically Functional said...

Awesome, your timing is perfect because the chamomile we are growing in our windowsill is just starting to flower! I love chamomile tea, but I didn't realize it had so many other uses. Thanks for sharing at The Fun In Functional!

Mary Smith said...

I'm glad you learned something from my post Jessi. Enjoy!

Full Circle Creations said...

Great post. I learned a lot. Thanks for sharing at the All Star Block Party!

Holly

Crystelle said...

I knew there had to health benefits! God made it smell so good!
Thanks for sharing your info!

Heidi@OneCreativeMommy.com said...

Just joined your site.

Tami Von Zalez said...

Thank you for the tip!

Popped in from What-about.co's SOF.

thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com

Becca said...

I like it when I learn natural remedies to things! Now to put them into practice...
Thanks for sharing! Would love to have you share this on my Healthy Tuesday post sometime! ahumblebumble.blogspot.com

Nicole said...

This is such great information! I love the cute little photo. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I have been wanting to post about Chamomile tea too! What a great post. We use it here so often.

Thanks for sharing!

Tamika @ www.notimefortea.com

visiting from Freedom Friday

Rosie said...

So THAT's why my stomach stopped cramping the other day. Great post!

Rosie x
(Visiting from Marvelous Mondays)

Unknown said...

I would love to try it for dark circles! Thanks for sharing at Mom's Library!

Christine said...

I had no idea that Chamomile can from the daisy family!

Thanks so much for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality!

Lisa Sall - Sall's Country Life said...

Thanks for sharing all this great info about chamomile on Farm Fresh Friday! A relaxing moment with a cup of tea sounds wonderful!

Adorned From Above said...

Hi Mary,
Great Information. Thank you so much for sharing with Wednesdays Adorned From Above Link Party last week. This weeks Link Party is opened at http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/08/free-bee-sweet-hat-pattern-crocheted.html
Hope to see you there.
Debi Bolocofsky
Adorned From Above
www.adornedfromabove.com

Cheerios and Lattes said...

Thank you for sharing at Saturday Show and Tell. I hope you'll be back this week to link up again! Have a great weekend!
-Mackenzie
http://www.cheeriosandlattes.com

Rose, DIY Crafts said...

Love chamomile!!!!!!! Thank you for linking it up at our linky party at http://www.fineCraftGuild.com

Gail @ http://biblelovenotes.com said...

Thanks for this helpful info. I have ibs and this sounds like something I should be drinking. I lived in Europe for several years, and it's a very popular tea there. Thanks, Gail

amanda said...

I LOVE chamomile! We use it all the time. Thanks so much for sharing on Natural Living Monday! I cant wait to see what you have going on this week.

Lesly said...

I have been drinking all types of tea including Chamomile Tea for as long as I can remember. Up until recently I have not had success getting my husband to drink tea at all. Now that he is drinking a cup with me every evening I am going to try and introduce him to some of the many varietes available. Wish me luck.
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