by Tara Gregorio | Jan 12, 2022 | DIY Herbal Recipes
Are you wondering how to add herbs to your child’s diet?
A simple and easy way is to start offering herbal teas in their diet and stop offering juice and/or soda.
- Astragalus {astragalus membranaceus} apple juice was one way I did this when my son was very sick.
- Astragalus Membranaceus apple juice is super mild and sweet so they may love the taste.
But, wait Chinese medicine suggests you only use Astragalus when you feel well.
Astragalus Membranaceus Benefits
- the herb is sweet, slightly warming, and moist making it great for a dry cough
- it’s a mild adaptogen, antibacterial, antioxidant, and immune tonic
- that relieves weakness and is good for hundreds of diseases in children {David Winston}
- prevents colds, flu, bronchitis, mononucleosis, pneumonia, and Coxsackie B virus
Dosing
- tincture based on weight 2-3x day
- or as a decoction added to soup and/or juice
. Ingredients
- 2 tbs. of cut and dried root or 2-3 slices of root
- 4 cups of water
- apple juice as needed
Instructions
- Take 2tbs. of cut root or 2-3 sliced root from @mountainroseherbs to 4 cups of boiling water.
- Cover and turn down the heat for 30 min.
- Strain and cool. Add juice or add this liquid to soups- the taste is very mild and sweet;)
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https://taragregorio.com/astragalus-apple-juice/
Where to buy Astragalus?
I like Mountain rose herbs. Buy it as root cut or sliced.
—
Is it safe to take every day?
This is a well-tolerated herb and works best when you take it daily during the fall and winter seasons.
It has been said… if you take astragalus daily in the fall and winter, you will not get sick!
When should you avoid astragalus?
- It’s considered likely safe but used with caution.- particularly if you have auto-immune disorders you may want to avoid astragalus
- Caution if you have diabetes, or are on anticoagulant therapy due to the increased risk of bleeding
- Traditionally it is NOT used during acute infections<<
Watch how I make the decoction on IG >>https://www.instagram.com/reel/CYofVXvpI_u/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
The best way to use astragalus is in your soup as the taste is very mild.
But..because kids love juice, I started blending this in my son’s apple juice to start, boosting his immunity.
I hope you like it!
xo
Tara
by Tara Gregorio | Jun 29, 2021 | DIY Herbal Recipes
Feeling overwhelmed with motherhood?
Your body needs deep nourishment and this ONE daily tea blend can provide that healing; along with soothing your nervous system each day.
Recipe below
First, what are the benefits of Stinging nettles?
Stinging Nettles Benefits
- filled with vitamins and minerals, there is no other botanical to meet its deep nourishment. Check this image out..
- Additional benefits;
- antiallergic – helps reduce allergies when taken as a freeze-dried supplement
- mild diuretic – helps with bloating and constipation
- It’s considered safe while breastfeeding with a Category C; compatible
- And safe during pregnancy with a category B2; no harmful effects found
- As a busy mom, I’d drink the ONE daily tea to help fill your nutrient gaps, soothe the nervous system, and aid digestion.
Milky Oat Benefits {Avena sativa}
- nerve tonic when taken for a long period of time
- ease fragile nerves, for PMS, postpartum, or menopause
- great for withdrawal of addictions as well
- for the most benefit, steep the herb for 8 hours overnight, then strain and drink
Postpartum Tea Blend
Ingredients
- 1 part dried stinging nettles
- 1 part dried milky oat tops
Instructions
- Purchase 4 oz. of each botanical.
- Place all of the dried tea in one container.
- Take 1 tbs. of the blended herbs to 3 cups of boiling water in a mason jar.
- Cover and steep for 8 hrs - overnight.
- Strain and add honey if you desire.
- Store in the refrigerator. Drink cool.
- Safe while breastfeeding {see references below}
- Enjoy!
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https://taragregorio.com/postpartum-tea-blend/
Where do I purchase my dried herbs?
I like
When you purchase the botanicals, make sure you get
xo
Tara
references
-Hales; Medications and Mother’s Milk: https://amzn.to/35XZFq5 -American Herbal Products Associations; Botanical safety handbook -Bone & Mills: Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy -Aviva Romm: Botanical Medicine of Women’s Health Brinker, Francis: Herbal Contraindications and drug interactions
by Tara Gregorio | Jul 1, 2020 | DIY Herbal Recipes, Recipes
It’s getting hot out there.
Do you have little kids at home that love popsicles?
This recipe is great for the hot summer months, but also if your little one gets sick this fall or winter because it’s made with Lemon Balm or Melissa Officinalis.
Lemon Balm Benefits
- antiviral – known to reduce viral illnesses
- calms the mind and promotes sleep
- improves digestion
- fights the herpes virus
- soothes kids with ADD and ADHD
- reduces PMS for mom!
Other benefits to the Lemon Balm pop. It’s great for …
- teething
- fever
- hot summer day
- and it soothes anxiety
The main ingredient Lemon Balm is safe for kids and is known as the “gladdening herb”. You may notice after these pops that your kiddos are very happy:)
Echinacea Benefits
It’s optional to add a tincture of Echinacea. I would do this in the winter months or for kids aged 2-6, as they are most prone to catching viral infections.
Echinacea Benefits:
- reduce cold & flu symptoms
- controls blood sugar
- increases the number of white blood cells that fight infection
Homemade Popsicle Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbs. of Dried Lemon Balm
- 1 cup of Fruit- we like strawberries and banana or frozen mango
- Small Can of Pineapple juice or raw honey if you prefer
- 2 tbs. Echinacea (optional)
Instructions
- Make 2 cups of lemon balm tea (a handful of fresh or dried lemon balm leaves steep in 2 cups of water.)
- Strain.
- Add 1 cup of chopped fruit & the pineapple juice to a blender and blend.
- Mix in 2 TBS echinacea tincture (optional)
- Mix all the ingredients super well and distribute evenly into a popsicle mold.
- Freeze, serve. Make sure to try one yourself! Yum!!!
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https://taragregorio.com/herbal-popsicles/
DIY Popsicle Molds
Here are some popsicle molds we love!
I purchase lemon balm from mountainroseherbs.com
xoxo
Tara
Certified women’s herbal educator, Tara Gregorio is helping moms all around the world build an apothecary of remedies to reduce medications all year. See her online courses: https://taragregorio.com/online-courses/ 
by Tara Gregorio | Feb 1, 2020 | DIY Herbal Recipes
Elderberry syrup is filled with lots of Vitamin C. Known to reduce colds and flu, take this syrup daily during the winter months.
Elderberry Syrup For Kids
Ingredients
- 1 cup of dried black elderberries
- 4 cups of water
- 2 Tablespoons fresh or dried ginger root
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 cup raw honey or maple syrup for children under 1 year
Instructions
- Pour water into a medium saucepan and add elderberries, ginger, and cinnamon. Do not add honey.
- Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour until the liquid has reduced by almost half.
- At that point, remove from heat and let cool enough to be handled. Mash the berries carefully using a spoon or other flat utensil.
- Pour through a strainer into a glass jar or bowl.
- Discard the elderberries (or compost them!) and let the liquid cool to lukewarm. When it is no longer hot, add 1 cup of honey and stir well.
- When honey is well mixed into the elderberry mixture, pour the syrup into a pint-sized mason jar or 16-ounce glass bottle of some kind.
- Store in the refrigerator.
- The standard dose is ½ tsp to 1 tsp for kids and ½ Tbsp to 1 Tbsp for adults. If the flu does strike, take the normal dose every 2-3 hours instead of once a day until symptoms disappear.
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https://taragregorio.com/elderberry-syrup-for-kids/
**Please note: Do not use honey with children under one year of age. You can substitute maple syrup.
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by Tara Gregorio | Dec 28, 2019 | Allergy-Free Kids, Herbs for Kids, Recipes
Crying, belly aches, and bloating.
Try this soothing tea blend to aid your baby’s digestion and yours for years to come.
If you are worried about your breastmilk taste, skip the lemon balm and sip on chamomile and fennel tea.
What’s in the blend?
Ingredients
- Dried Chamomile Flowers
- Dried Fennel Seed
- Dried Lemon Balm {skip if breastfeeding}
Instructions
- Combine all three herbs in one container
- Take 1 tbs. of herbs to 1 cup of boiling water
- Cover and steep for 10 minutes
- Strain and add honey ONLY if mom is drinking the tea
- Drink the tea before breastfeeding
- If you are offering the tea to your baby, strain and cool the tea. Add the cool tea by dropperful to the baby while feeding or add to bottle if bottle fed.
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https://taragregorio.com/colic-tea-for-babies/
Chamomile
Matricaria recutita (German Chamomile) or Asteraceae Anthemis nobiles (Roman Chamomile)
Chamomile calms the spirit and is the number one botanical for both mom and baby. As a nervine, it will soothe anxiety and restlessness. It calms digestion and soothes nervous stomachs. It also can treat fevers, colds, flu, and headaches and relieve cramps from birth or menses. This botanical is safe and calming and one of the best herbs for crying, restless babies. Use it in the baby’s bathwater to clear up diaper rash, heal wounds or cuts.
Fennel
Foeniculum vulgare
Fennel seeds are warming and a little spicy; aiding gas and bloating for both mom and baby. Mom can eat them directly, if feeling bloated, and make a cup of colic tea to feed to the baby by dropperful throughout the day. This after-meal tea can ease gas, indigestion, abdominal pain, and spasms.
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
Known as the gladdening herb, Lemon balm lifts the spirits, and as a carminative; it aids digestion and relieves gas. The yummy lemony taste is well-loved by both women and children and when your little one is old; make a cup of Lemon balm tea with milk and honey. It is also antiviral, so it is very effective for breaking fevers and treating colds and flu.
The slight minty taste may lower the mom’s breastmilk, but will certainly do no harm to the baby. And, as a combined tea blend, it may relieve moms’ anxiety and restlessness and lift their spirits.
xo
Tara
