GMG's Friday Find: Mums the Word for Healing Tea

It's that time of year when summer blooms give way to autumn's famous flower, the chrysanthemum, affectionately referred to as 'mums'.

There are many varieties of mums, some hardy, some not, but one thing they have in common is the healing benefit of the petals when steeped for tea.  Chrysanthemum tea has many medicinal uses and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries.  This tea is used as a relaxant,  helps to relieve head congestion and strengthen the lungs.When drunk with meals, especially greasy food, it helps to aid digestion. It can help relieve certain types of headaches, dizziness and blurred vision, with recent studies suggesting it can have a beneficial effect on high blood pressure. It can help increase calcium and even reduce cholesterol. This tea has got some clout!

Now you can easily browse online for pre-packaged Chrysanthemum tea, but I'm thinking of just foraging my neighbors yard.  Pick some petals, heat some water and viola! A tea that sooths, comforts and heals. And if that's not enough, according to feng shui, this flower is believed to bring happiness and laughter to the home, so I intend to make gallons!

So don't just watch your mum bloom and fade, put it to good use.  Drink it!  Bottoms up!



~Peggy
Garden Media Group