There is a specific kind of niggle that often turns up disguised as hunger.
Look closer and it is often just procrastination, your body’s way of avoiding whatever it is you are meant to be doing.
I got caught in one of those states last week and because it was close enough to five o'clock, I contemplated pouring a wine and justifying it.
Instead, I am proud to report, I boiled the kettle and walked outside to pick some lemon balm.
Though it may sound like an insignificant and dull swap, it is not.
Herbal tea works with your nervous system rather than against it, easing tension without the fog or the next-day regret that comes with alcohol.
Here is what I actually use, some grown myself, some kept in the cupboard, and I often blend several together in the one pot.
Grow it or pick it fresh
Lemon balm: Contains rosmarinic acid, which supports the brain’s production of GABA, the neurotransmitter responsible for slowing everything down.
Takes over a garden bed given the chance, so grow it in a pot.
Mint, any variety: Settles digestion, clears a foggy head, and is cooling and antimicrobial through the colder months.
Also uncontainable, so give it its own pot.
Lemon myrtle: Strongly antimicrobial, and tastes like a lemon and eucalyptus had a very good idea together.
Lemon verbena: My mother's favourite. High in antioxidants, soothing on the stomach, with a sleepy quality good for an evening blend.
Feverfew: Useful for headaches and inflammation, but tastes better blended with lemon balm or mint than brewed alone.
Ginger: Warms digestion, settles nausea, and pairs beautifully with lemon and honey for anything cold and flu related.
Lemongrass: Muscle relaxing with mild sleep support and a citrus lift, good alongside ginger or mint.
Gotu kola: Traditionally used across Asia to ease anxiety and support mental clarity.
Keep it in the cupboard
Valerian and passionflower: Both go to the root of anxiety and insomnia rather than just easing tension.
Valerian root has centuries of use for winding down before bed, and passionflower works on GABA in a similar way, which is why the two are so often blended together. Both are strong smelling, so pair them with something sweeter like chamomile.
Elderberry: My most used.
Dried berries, simmered rather than steeped, high in vitamin C and antioxidants.
It can also be cooled and set with gelatin for kids jelly treats.
Tulsi, also known as holy basil: Helps regulate cortisol without knocking you out, so it works morning or night, with genuinely good immune support too.
Hibiscus: Tart, deep red, full of antioxidants, and lovely served cold in summer.
Done for you
The Cottage Herbalist: Caroline Parker hand blends award-winning teas from her studio in the Wombat Forest near Daylesford, using organic, wildcrafted and homegrown botanicals.
Roogenic: Australian, working with Indigenous communities on wild harvested native ingredients.
Love Tea: Australian, and available locally at Bunbartha Beef in Shepparton.
Pukka and Higher Living are great supermarket options.
Look for organic, unbleached or compostable bags, and go loose leaf where possible.
Grow what you can.
Source what you cannot.
Your nervous system will thank you either way.
Gosh, there was a time when a woman who was this interested in herbal magic got burned at the stake … progress.
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