Catnip Tea

If you are looking for a mild herbal sedative, Catnip Tea is the perfect answer for you and your loved ones.

Is your mind racing at night, leaving you exhausted during the day? Are you under pressure at work and your nerves are causing you stress?

Have a cup of a catnip infusion. This mild herbal sedative is perfect to drink at any time and is a great natural sedative for your children as well.

What is Catnip?

Catnip herbal tea is made from the leaves and flowers of the common catnip plant (nepeta cataria), also known as catmint, catswort, field balm, catrup, catnep and cat s-play.

This member of the mint family is a perennial herb that reaches 1 meter in height and has many branches. There are over 250 varieties of catnip, but the most common one has gray-green heart-shaped leaves and hairy stems.

It grows in the mild climates of the northern hemisphere, blooming in the summer, white small flowers with red spots.

Catnip Varieties

Among the many varieties of catnip, two stand out for being the most usual:

- Common catnip: with heart shaped leaves and white flowers; has a minty smell and is best loved by cats.

- Lemon catnip: very similar to common catnip, but smells like lemon; it is less attractive to cats and also gives you a lovely lemony tea.

Native to Europe and parts of Asia, it has been used in medicine for more than 2000 years, as far back as the early Romans.

It was brought to North America by colonists, having then spread throughout the continent. In England, catnip herbal tea was a very popular drink before the Chinese tea trade began.

Catnip makes a great tea, but it can also be used to flavour your dishes, such as stews, salads and sauces, and sprinkled into soups.

Catnip Tea Benefits

The best way to take catnip is to drink it as a tea. In doing so, you will ingest all the fabulous components that catnip contains: vitamins A, B and C, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and sodium.

But how can all this help you?

Herbal Sedative

• The main benefit of catnip infusion is its calming action. It is able to relax you, relieve stress, sooth nerves and calm your anxiety without sedating. Like most herbal teas, tea made with catnip is caffeine free.


• This tea may be used as a treatment for insomnia, since it helps to bring on a restful sleep by relaxing the mind.
  
  It is nepetalactone, the substance produced by catnip, that causes it to act as a sedative and produce a soothing action against migraines and headaches.


• If you are going through nicotine or drug withdrawal, catnip herbal tea is great to help you calm down and sooth the stress that you may suffer during this period or even after you have undergone long periods of treatment with prescription medication.

Digestive Disorders

• Catnip herbal tea relieves stomach complaints, as it is a natural anti-acid and can help to reduce acid reflux, thus soothing indigestion.


• This tea can help with colic, diarrhea, cramps and flatulence. It is an antispasmodic, so it may sooth your stomach muscles and help to cure stomach ulcers.


• With your digestive system back on track, this tea will stimulate your appetite. Have a cup to help digestion, if you go a bit overboard during your next big family meal.

Colds, Flus and Fevers!

• Apart from being a great natural sedative, catnip is also anti-bacterial, which means it is also a great tea to take when you have a cold or when allergies set in.


• Hot catnip tea helps to bring down fevers, through sweating, and also acts as a decongestant as it loosens phlegm and soothes respiratory distress.
  
  Take this tea as soon as you feel the first flu or cold symptoms. It will alleviate your fever and nausea. It is helpful with bronchitis, serves as a good inhalant for coughs and sore throats.


• Among other things, it is a great relaxant for asthma and also helps if you suffer from sinusitis.

Other Great Uses for Catnip

• Catnip tea can help sooth menstrual cramps and help with premenstrual tension (PMS).
  
  At the same time, it is an emmenagogue, so it may increase your menstrual flow and stimulate the uterus. This may be helpful when you need help to regulate your cycle.


• It comes in great aid after an intense workout, as it may relax your muscles.


• If you suffer from cystitis or bladder inflammations, catnip tea can also ease your pain.


• A catnip infusion acts as a detoxing agent, by eliminating toxins in your body. Its anti-fungal, antibiotic and astringent properties protect your body from viruses and bacteria.


• It may help with the treatment of measles and chicken pox.

External Uses

• If you let your catnip cool down, it may be used as a wash or soak to disinfect skin. This may help with tissue repair and heal abrasions, burns, cuts and insect bites. It will clean and clear the wounds.


• It may be used as a rinse for an irritated scalp or as a natural remedy for dandruff.


• Strong catnip tea may be used as eyewash for allergies and inflammation relief. For swollen eyes you may use a towel soaked in a catnip infusion or just previously soaked tea bags placed over the eye for about 30 minutes.


• If you feel a toothache coming, you may apply it to relieve your pain.


• It can also be a helpful friend if you suffer from arthritis, hemorrhoids or soft tissue injuries.

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Is Catnip tea Safe for Children?

As long as your child s pediatrician approves, your children may drink catnip tea. He or she will know if your child has any condition that may bring on an allergy.

For babies and toddlers:

• Don t you just hate to see your little one suffering with colic? Well, put a small dose of catnip tea in your baby s bottle to hide the flavour and let it relax your baby s digestive system, reducing gas and colic.


• It doesn t harm your baby but make sure you always give him or her small doses to protect his stomach.


• Teething! Catnip will reduce the pain and bring down fevers caused by teething. You can also apply a bit to the baby s gums in order to calm and numb the pain.


• Here s a tip: make a cup of catnip tea for yourself. This will reduce your anxiety and help you offer your baby a more calming and soothing environment during those restless teething days and nights.

Older children:

• It helps children who suffer from hyperactivity or restlessness. As it is a mild sedative, it is perfect and safe for children.


• When preparing your tea, use half the amount for your children, as they need less than you to stay calm and enjoy its benefits.

Catnip Tea Side Effects

Although catnip tea is a natural sedative with no serious side effects, if you happen to be pregnant or breastfeeding, it is best not to take this tea.

Catnip may cause contractions in the uterus and stimulate menstruation, so avoid it if you have menstrual disorders. Always consult your doctor first.

Try not to go to bed with a full bladder, as catnip tea is a diuretic, it may disturb your much wanted sleep.

This herbal tea does not knock you out. However, it will make you feel drowsy if you have been missing some needed sleep. In this case, it is best not to drive, instead, get comfortable and rest.

Drinking Catnip Tea

Relaxing, minty and fresh, doesn t it sound just perfect?

So let s learn how to make catnip tea:

First, place 1-2 teaspoons of dried catnip leaves and flowers in your cup, then pour a cup of hot water (about 250ml) over the catnip and cover. The water should be hot, but not boiling, as it will cause your catnip to lose its flavour and active ingredients.

Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes and then strain your tea. Sweeten it with honey and lemon to taste, particularly if you are using this tea at the first signs of cold symptoms and to take away a bit of bitterness and its slightly woodsy smell.

You will end up with a nice light yellow-green tea ready to drink 2 to 3 times a day.

If you use fresh catnip leaves, instead of dried ones, make sure you double the amount of catnip per cup of tea and cut the leaves in order to release their properties into the water.

Here s a tip: mix your catnip herbal tea with chamomile or mint for a better yet relaxing taste.

If you chose to make iced catnip, double the amount of herbs as the melted ice will dilute the strength of the tea. Why not make iced catnip popsicles to give to your kids? It s a great way for them to take this herbal tea without fuss.

Growing Catnip in Your Garden

This herb is great because it grows back easily even when you cut away leaves and flowers to make tea. Just avoid using chemicals on your plant.

Pick fresh leaves in the summer. The taste of catnip tea will be milder if the leaves are picked before plant blooms and pick in the morning after dew evaporates to avoid molding.

To dry catnip, make sure to collect the whole stem (5 cm from the ground) with flowering head and leaves. Then just hang a whole bunch upside down in the shade.

Once dried, crumble the catnip leaves and store in an airtight jar and out of the light. Throw away the stems. Dried catnip may last for months but it will lose quality over time.

You can even store your fresh catnip in the refrigerator for a few of days to keep it fresh.

It seems so easy, doesn't it? Catnip tea is quite a great herbal remedy. Why not give it a try?

Click on the image or on the link below to purchase from Starwest Botanicals your Catnip herbal tea.

This tea will not only relax you, but help you with other health issues such as cholesterol, balancing body and mind.

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”While there's tea there's hope.” - Sir Arthur Wing Pinero (1855-1934), British actor

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