What a lovely workshop the other week with medical students and colleagues from work in the very interesting art room at Penny Brohn. It was a nice and bright spot which created the right ambience.
The purpose of the workshop was to share my ideas on how to blend herbal teas, and to focus on herbs that are useful to students – mainly to help with their brain power. I selected herbs to help them think and be more alert, and others to help them relax.
We spent two hours blending and tasting, and using herbs like rosemary, sage, turmeric, ginger for wakey-upy, and herbs like chamomile, marigold, linden for relaxation.
I try and encourage people to grow, forage or raid their kitchen cupboards for herbs and spices. As long as something is edible, it can be used in a herbal tea. Herbs with bright colours – including fruits, flowers like marigold or borage, turmeric and many more, mean they contain polyphenols that we know are good for our health. Drink a rainbow!! Other herbs that are used more medicinally bring active compounds like essential oils that have health-promoting properties. The workshops are useful for delving into traditional uses, modern day herbal uses, plant chemistry right through to botany and sustainability.