Used as an herbal remedy for thousands of years, Chamomile is used to treat an extensive list of ailments, including fever, headaches, kidney, liver, and bladder problems, digestive upset, muscle spasms, anxiety, insomnia, skin irritations, bruises, gout, ulcers, rheumatic pain, hay fever, inflammation, hemorrhoids, colic, and menstrual disorders. The generic name, Matricaria, comes from the Latin matrix, meaning womb, because chamomile was widely used historically to treat disorders of the female reproductive system. Chamomile contains the antioxidant apigenin, which has been shown to fight cancer cells, especially those of the breast, digestive tract, skin, prostate, thyroid, and uterus.
Chamomile has the magical ability to attract money. Gamblers used to wash their hands in chamomile tea before playing cards or throwing dice. Among practitioners of Wicca, Chamomile was considered a preventative and the sole certain remedy for nightmares. Another old English folk custom was to plant chamomile around your home to ward against psychic or magical attack. In Egypt, chamomile was associated with the god Ra (the heads of the flowers look like little golden suns) and used in the mummification process. It is believed that a number of other cultures used Chamomile similarly, including the ancient Romans, the Vikings, and the Greeks. Interestingly, the healing properties of chamomile don’t apply only to people. If a plant was withering and failing to thrive, planting chamomile nearby could improve the health of the ailing plant.
Chamomile is perfectly safe to use. It must be noted that since it is used to treat insomnia, it can cause drowsiness. It also has the potential to trigger allergic reactions in people who are allergic to related plants in the daisy family. Avoid if you are allergic to chamomile, ragweed, daisies, marigolds, or chrysanthemums. Such reactions include hives, inflammation and redness of the skin, and in rare instances respiratory distress, though such reactions are very rare.
To make Chamomile Tea, follow these steps:
- Boil water.
- Place chopped dried chamomile flowers in a new empty tea bag or a tea infuser.
- Place tea bag/infuser in a large cup and pour hot water over it. Move the infuser up and down in the water a few times to diffuse the tea, then let it sit.
- Steep for 5 minutes – 10 minutes, depending on the desired strength of the tea.
- Enjoy your hot tea. Add raw honey as a sweetener if desired.
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