I volunteered at the Fall Health Fest in Highland at The MLK Center and Pharmacy last Saturday morning! While there, I shared one of the first medicinal herbal teas I learned as an Apprentice. In fact…I think it was even before I entered my apprenticeship! I had first dipped my toe into the herbal waters when my teacher, Robin Rose Bennett, held a class series titled, The Art of Herbal Medicine Making at The Open Center in New York City. I had begun getting emails about this course and a little voice inside my head kept prompting me to pay the $125 and dive in. It ended up changing the course of my life.
Sassafras & Mullein Tea
In the interest of using what I had…I put about 1 cup of mullein leaves in a half gallon jar, sprinkled some gumbo file powder in with it, added a few chunks of Sassafras bark, topped it with boiling water and steeped, covered, for about 8 hours.
I figured, being in Louisiana, most people would have gumbo file in their cupboard. You just want to make sure that the gumbo file is only sassafras leaves. I was also taught to buy the best that you can afford, as an apprentice.
I turn to Sassafras a lot. It is delicious (tastes sort of root beer-esque) and has spirit lifting qualities. It helps keep your mood happy during the change in season or during difficult times in your life (even the tree is amusing to look at with it’s charming goofiness of having 3 different shaped leaves…). Some other health benefits of Sassafras include: Improved urinary tract health, Reduced symptoms of arthritis, Clearer skin and eyes, and Improved Digestion.
Mullein is a wonderful herb for supporting the lungs! I used to make a tea blend with Nettles, Red Clover and Oat straw, in which I would sometimes add various respiratory supporting herbs for my slight asthma….mullein being one of them. You can even inhale the smoke to help with asthma attacks. It has expectorant and astringent properties and contains mucilage which coats and soothes irritated mucus membranes. Mullein also has anti inflammatory and antibacterial properties…you can even make an oil from it, combined with garlic, to treat ear infections!
This is a wonderful infusion to enjoy during the change of season due to its support of the respiratory system, as well as its mood boosting properties.
Of course, is all just the tip of the iceberg with Sassafras and Mullein, but I hope you are intrigued enough to dive in deeper and or try them out yourself!