Strengthen defenses
In the past, medicinal plants were the only remedies available to people. Their use is probably as old as mankind itself. Knowledge of their effects was recorded in many volumes as early as antiquity, added to in monasteries in the Middle Ages, and has been constantly expanded ever since.
Especially with medicinal plants, usually harmless and very effective for children, nature offers us a gentler therapy, which is also pedagogically valuable.
Fit through the cold season
A tea made from medicinal plants for breakfast is much healthier than milk or cocoa. It supports the body's natural healing powers, stimulates the elimination of toxins or pathogens via the intestines and kidneys, and contains valuable vitamins, trace elements and minerals.
Healthy breakfast drink
For daily use is very good tea from raspberry and blackberry leaves. These two plants contain a lot of vitamin C and the valuable flavonoids (antioxidants) that protect our cells and strengthen immune defenses.
The leaves of the true blackberry (rubus fruticosus) belong to the oldest known medicinal plants, about their effect wrote Theophrastus of Eresos, a famous botanist from the 4th century BC, Pedanios Dioscorides, one of the most famous physicians of antiquity (1st century) and physician and anatomist Galenos of Pergamon (2nd century). Blackberry plants contain astringent, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory substances, which have a beneficial effect on digestion and intestinal flora and regulate blood sugar. The tea from blackberry leaves effectively treats inflammation of the mouth and throat, sore throat, bleeding gums and diarrhea.
The leaves of the raspberry plant (rubus idaeus) are real vitamin bombs (leaves contain more vitamin C than fruits!), have antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects, strengthen the immune system and support the elimination of toxins from the body. Since the raspberry plant contains many tannins, the tea from dried raspberry leaves helps well against diarrhea and inflammation of the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat.
A tea made from blackberry and raspberry leaves tastes like black tea, is very digestible, especially for children, and can be drunk all year round. In winter you can add lime blossoms to the tea mixture to prevent colds, and in summer rose hips (without seeds) to refresh. There are no contraindications, no side effects, and no overdose is possible.
Tea preparation
Tea blend from own production
Raspberry-blackberry mixture is very easy to make yourself and provide for a whole year. The leaves are collected in the spring (May - early June), when they are still very young and tender, but fully ripe.
Fresh raspberry and blackberry leaves are mixed in a ratio of 1:1 and spread out to wilt for c. 3-5 hours. The wilted leaves are then crushed with a rolling pin, knotted in a linen cloth and hung in a warm place for 2-3 days. Then the mixture is spread out and dried either in the air (if it is very warm outside) or in the oven at 35-40 degrees with the door open. The finished tea is stored in well-sealed glass or tin cans.
Sources:
Dr. Marcela Ullmann, Kaur's Great Home Pharmacy: Medicinal Plants, Munich 1988, pp. 51-52, 67.
H.M. Stellmann, M.D., Kinderkrankheiten natürlich behandeln, Munich 1983, pp. 32-33.
Dr. Johannes Gottfried Mayer, Dr. med. Bernhard Uehleke, Father Kilian Saum OSB, Handbuch der Klosterheilkunde, Munich 2003, p.68.
Dr. H.P. Dörfler, Prof. Dr. G. Roselt, Heilpflanzen gestern und heute, Berlin 1989, p. 256.
Image source: Photographs taken by the author.
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