Here is the mason jar of medicine that Vida and I are drinking daily.
It's a re-used jar from the honey guy at the farmer's market (who has some resilient labels for his jars!). It's sweating a bit because I keep it in the fridge - I find the cold drink preferable because it quiets down the plant flavor (which isn't gross, just not inherently appealing to me, the spoiled human).
Yes, the dog and I are taking the same tea. I pour it into a small bowl, drink my share, then pass it down to her to finish the two tablespoons or so I've left her. And yes, she likes it. Twice a day.
So here's the recipe:
Equal parts: dried dandelion root, dried burdock root, dried nettle leaf, dried red clover flower, and whatever extra item I choose to add (rosehips this batch, for example).
To make this jar I use 2 tablespoons of each, with water measured by filling the jar to the brim.
To make it a proper medicine... put in the dandelion and burdock (the water is in a pan by now, right), bring to a boil and then simmer gently with the lid on for 20 minutes. Then turn the heat off and add the nettle and red clover, put the lid back on and let it sit until it cools down. Strain it (I use a mesh strainer, plus a piece of cheesecloth so I can squeeze out the goodness).
Please remember to let it cool before offering it to your dog. Vida is wary of a warm bowl as her whiskers descend into it, and will pull back if she suspects the liquid it contains might be too hot.
It's important to cook the roots well, but not overcook the leaves and flowers. That's the difference between a decoction (for the roots) and an infusion (for the leaves and flowers).
Where do I buy my herbs? I buy them online from Mountain Rose Herbs. Be aware that when you order it's by weight - 4 oz of dried dandelion fills about one measuring cup, 4 oz of red clover fills about 8 cups. I will need to order dandelion and burdock again soon, for instance, while I still have plenty of the others.
We're drinking this consistently unless I turn useless and don't make it. We did skip a couple of days last week because I didn't make it, but I plan on using it for several months.
It's important to know that yours (and your dogs) liver is the center of the universe, healthwise, in the body. If there are chronic problems, look to the liver. This tea is designed to tone the liver and improve it's function. It's not an "etched in stone" recipe, but it's one that I'm comfortable with for long-term liver care.
Drink up!
6 comments:
I am curious what the healing properties are of your tea and how you came to decide on the proportions of each ingredient.
Very interesting.
I'll check back for the answer...
I take it it's good for the liver, but any more info than that?
Hi Astrid,
Thanks for the questions.
As to proportions, I don't have a really good answer for that. Recipes vary in that regard when it comes to tonic herbs like these, and often they're in equal, or near-equal amounts. There is rarely an explanation, and that's something I've been curious about myself. Because I'm not concerned about toxicity at this level of use, or interaction (these herbs are so often used together) that I just kept it simple. I hope to learn more soon about about the nuances of proportionality.
As to the healing properties of the tea, each ingredient has a long list of properties that are probably best explored through reading various books (Gladstar, Tierra, Moore, Tilford, are some good authors). Here is a quick rundown though, of the aspects that relate to my use:
Burdock is an alterative (blood purifyer, eliminates waste), diuretic, hepatic, & nutritive. In TCM it removes toxins & counteracts Heat and Damp. It's high in minerals, cleanses the blood in a way that is particularly good for the skin, good for the kidneys.
Dandelion is an alterative, hepatic, cholagogue (moves bile), diuretic, and tonic. In TCM it promotes qi, is bitter, counteracts Heat and Damp. It's high in minerals.
Nettle is an anti-inflammatory, tonic, nutritive, antiallergenic, astringent, diuretic, (etc, etc). In TCM it's Cool and Bitter, and good for Excess Damp Heat. High in flavenoids and trace minerals.
Red Clover is an alterative, antitumor, diuretic, tonic, and nutritive. In TCM it removes toxins, promotes qi. Cancer-fighting properties.
Rosehips, which I'm using currently, are high in vitamins and flavenoids.
So you can get an idea, by looking at these together, the aim of the blend: remove toxins through improved waste removal (through liver and kidneys), support through naturally available vitamins and minerals, and reducing excess damp heat and inflammation.
I hope this answers your questions. I welcome the dialogue, especially since I consider myself a moderate novice in herb preparations. I would especially look forward to feedback on the question of proportion.
[I took a break from writing this to polish off some tea, we hadn't partaken yet this morning]
thanks for the recipe, looks great. Do you think a teaspoon or a tablespoon of the tea would be sufficient for a 50lb dog daily? Also, I was looking at the Green Mush and its expensive, do you think it would be too difficult to put together a similar recipe? I also like mountainroseherbs btw, great resource. Have you tried Honest Kitchen dehydrated for your dog? I usually feed raw but have been using it at one meal.
Hi Annette,
My dog weighs just over 40 pounds and I give her about two tablespoons a day.
I use Honest Kitchen occasionally. I usually add some meat or egg to it lower the veggie amount and to improve the stool (my dog's is a little soft on 100% HK). I use the Embark, and plan to bring it on our road trip. Dehydrated foods are great travel foods. I'm going to combine it will Stella & Chewy's freezedried patties.
Enjoy the tea, comment again after you've tried it.
Hi Annette,
I forgot your question about Green Mush.
Yes, it's pricey! You could certainly do a good homemade green food supplement, but if you look at the ingredients there is a lot in there. You might consider going in with someone to share the initial purchase of ingredients.
That said, you don't really need to use that fancy a mix. You can get good health with a simpler one. I started using it after my dog's cancer diagnosis. I don't use as much as they recommend, that's my way of making it go farther, and I recommend that tactic all the time.
If you do make your own please post here about it!
thanks for responding Margaret. I am very excited because I found a very reasonable source for Green Mush at thecraftyrat.com and I ordered today :)
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