Headache Herbal Teas

Headaches are a huge problem for me. I have almost daily headaches and they often alter my lifestyle and my daily living in a negative way. I went to a doctor about my constant headaches. Some X-rays, MRI's, blood tests, etc., later, they discovered no serious reasons why I get headaches and simply put me on some pills. These pills had terrible side-effects such as mood swings, irritability, fatigue, etc. I am trying to get myself off of the pills and instead, I am going to try most of these Headache Herbal Teas to find the right recipe to help me have a Life again. These herbal teas don't have side effects and they are way healthier for me than mystery pills filled with who-knows-what.

Ramblings aside, here are a few Headache Herbal Tea recipes:


Headache Tea #1
*3 parts chamomile
*3 parts lemon balm
*1 part passion flower
*1 part skullcap

Slowly boil water, pour over the herbs and let it steep for 20-ish minutes. Strain and drink 1/2 cup every hour until the symptoms subside. 1-3 tbsp. fresh herbs OR 1-3 tsp. dried herbs per cup of water.


Headache Tea #2
*2 parts lemon balm
*2 parts skullcap
*1 part chamomile
*1 part feverfew

Slowly boil water, pour over the herbs and let it steep for 20-ish minutes. Strain and drink 1/4 cup every 30 minutes until the symptoms subside.  1-3 tbsp. fresh herbs OR 1-3 tsp. dried herbs per cup of water.


Headache Tea #3
*2 parts lemon balm
*1 part feverfew
*1 part lavender

Slowly boil water, pour over the herbs and let it steep for 20-ish minutes. Strain and drink 1/4 cup every 30 minutes until the symptoms subside.  1-3 tbsp. fresh herbs OR 1-3 tsp. dried herbs per cup of water. This one is particularly good if you also have a hot bath with a few drops of lavender essential oil added to it.


Migraine/Headache Tea #4
*1 part feverfew
*1 part lavender

This tea is good for those really bad headaches AKA migraines.  Slowly boil water, pour over the herbs and let it steep for 20-ish minutes. Strain and drink 1/4 cup every 30 minutes until the symptoms subside.  1-3 tbsp. fresh herbs OR 1-3 tsp. dried herbs per cup of water.


For additional information, see: references and warnings

Feverfew

Name:
*Feverfew (Tanecetum parthenium)


Description:
*an easygoing perennial
*can be grown in containers
*plant remains evergreen in the winter and is frost hardy
*a famous headache remedy

Parts Used:
*leaves and flowers (mainly leaves), fresh or dried

Position:
*enjoys a sunny position best
*needs good soil with good drainage
*give it regular watering

Propagation:
*it self seeds regularly, so you can let it grow on its own if you want
*you can also propagate from seed. It is best to do cold stratification for 1 week before sowing
*you can propagate by cuttings
*you can propagate by root division

Maintenance:
*after the flowering is finished, cut back the tall flowering stalks
*it might have a problem with aphids, so look for the signs of aphid activity near your plant
*if you plant it in the shade, it is unlikely to flower

Harvesting:
*harvest fresh leaves at any time

Medicinal:
*a famous remedy for migraines and headaches
*also good for a restful sleep, stress reduction, and relief from arthritis
*Europeans often eat 3-5 leaves between buttered slices of bread every day to reduce the chance of getting migraines. You can eat the leaves raw as well, but it can produce canker sores that way.

Misc:
*the dried flowers are often added to give color to potpourri
*this plant has moth-repellant qualities

For more information, see: references and warnings