Soothing Herbal Drink

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Tornadofire-Sylva
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Soothing Herbal Drink

Post by Tornadofire-Sylva »

Hello! I don't quite know the technical term for what's basically a cold-brewed decoction. But this is fantastic for mild anxiety, sleep issues, and anything where you should be calm but aren't. Even without sweetener, the taste is sweet and floral.
Disclaimer: Ask your doctor before ingesting valerian! It's a sedative, and will interact with antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics. It'll cause severe dizziness, drowsiness, and loss of coordination in some cases. It can also exacerbate any medication's side effects like the ones listed prior. Please be safe and smart!

You'll need:
-16oz of drinking water, cold
-a sterile glass bowl or cup that can hold at least 250 ml (a little over 1 cup)
-a spoon, mortar and pestle, and a strainer
-a storage vessel, like a clean glass jar or bottle
Herbs:
-1 tsp of Valerian root, diced
-3 tsp food-grade lavender buds
-2 tsp chamomile flowers

1. Grind your herbs in the mortar and pestle, occasionally tapping firmly to crush the diced root. You can imbue a bit of magic into this process by going clockwise and saying a chant about what you want the brew to do.
2. Add the herbs when they are mostly powdered to the glass bowl or cup and mix in just enough cold water to make a paste. Gradually add in more water, stirring. This hydrates the plant matter so it doesn't just float at the top.
3. Cover the container with plastic wrap, and let sit overnight in a cool, dark place. I let mine sit for about 13 hours.
4. Strain the liquid several times, removing all of the fibers and whatnot. Store in sterile containers, preferably glass, in the fridge.
Notes: This has to be cold! Heat kills a lot of what makes Valerian work. I say 16oz because that's the size of an unopened bottle of Aquafina. For dosage, I'd recommend starting out with a tablespoon of the liquid in a glass of water. Use common sense, and know your body. And again, please talk to your doctor before using an herbal remedy like this. The chamomile and lavender are therapeutic, but the valerian really does the footwork, and if you aren't smart you could get footwork'd right into the hospital.
If I've missed anything, or you have any changes to recommend, please let me know! Also, anyone is welcome to put this in their BOS or grimoire.
Reference: Healing Remedies by C. Norman Shealy
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” -Winston Churchill
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Crazy Cat Lady
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Re: Soothing Herbal Drink

Post by Crazy Cat Lady »

Just a warning- valarian root does have some side effects for some people, including a possibility of inducing paranoia/psychosis temporarily, so use some caution when you first try it, and maybe make sure you have a few days recovery time in case you need it. In my case it took 3 days to get back to fully normal, but I was semi functional on the second, just....twitchy
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