Oatstraw Benefits: Decrease Anxiety with this Affordable Herbal Infusion.

After taking a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis Test, I realized how low I was in various minerals. And it was affecting my thyroid and adrenals. To support my body, I need to add in more minerals like potassium and sodium to keep hydrated and energized.

This led me to stumble upon herbal infusions! Not only are herbs relatively inexpensive. They are packed full of essential minerals and vitamins to support the body. The minerals in them make them more hydrating than water because your cells have something to hold unto. AND herbs are much cheaper way to intake high amounts of vitamins vs. supplements.

There are lots of herbs out there, but specifically we are going to talk about oatstraw’s benefits, and how it can help decrease anxiety, as well as a simple recipe to start your herbal infusion addiction.

Oatstraw Benefits:

Oatstraw is a great herb to add in for those who are depleted, tired, wired, cold all the time, and over drink coffee. It is very calming and nourishing which is why it is so great for those struggling with adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue can look like anxiety, panic attacks, snappiness, low blood sugar, exhaustion, stress, insomnia, and nervous tension. You learn more about adrenal fatigue here, but all these issues are connected to an over-stimulated nervous system.

Oatstraw is packed full of lots of nutrients including:

• Silica which supports hair and nails
• Magnesium which calms the nervous system and supports digestion
• Chromium which helps to balanced blood sugar
• Iron which builds up blood and gives energy
• Calcium which is a mineral that builds strong bones
• Vitamin B which is used for energy
• Vitamin A which support eye health and immunity
• Vitamin C which supports immune system
• Zinc which supports clear skin and hormones

All these nutrients work together to calm and tone the nervous system. And the healing of the nervous system is a trickle effect into healing the whole body. For example, decreased stress and anxiety supports emotional, physical, and mental strength. And overall it fosters resilience to push through difficult days. Trauma can be very taxing on the adrenals and mineral loss can occur. Drinking mineral rich infusion like oatstraw can be supportive through all stages of life.

So now you are excited to add oatstraw in to your diet, but where do you start?!

I prefer to make my oatstraw herbal infusion in bulk so I can consistently drink 2-3 cups a day for at least a couple of days.

Where to purchase your herbs? Here is where you can purchase your oatstraw. Amazon. Frontier Coop, Mountain Rose Herbs. Starwest Botanicals. The large bag will last you a long time and its totally worth it!

Next you want a large glass jar to hold the tea while it is brewing. I suggest 1 gallon jar at minimum.

Now for the recipe….

Oatstraw Herbal Infusion Recipe

What you Need:

1 cup of oatstraw
1 tsp of spearmint
1 gallon glass jar
1 4-quart pot
filtered water
tea strainer
mason jars

Directions:

1. Boil a 4 quart pot of filtered water.
2. While the water is heating, take your gallon jar and add in your herbs.
3. Add in 1 cup of oatstraw.
4. Add in 1 tsp of spearmint or another flavor herb. If you don’t have, you can skip.
5. Once the water starts boiling, shut off the burner and pour the water into the gallon jar.
6. Let the herbs brew for up to 24 hours.
7. Drain the herbal infusion. You will need a strainer. I recommend a tea strainer. (linked above)
8. Hold the tea strainer over an empty glass jar and pour in.
9. You may need several smaller glass jars. I recommend mason jars or any glass pitcher/jug you have available.
10. Drink away! If you cannot handle the bitterness, mix with a tiny bit of organic juice.

If you don’t have access to a large gallon jar or don’t want to make so much, you could also use a French press to hold the brewing infusion. You can brew the herbs for 20 – 30 minutes and then strain the tea. The longer it brews the more minerals and nutrients absorb in the tea.

And that is all there is to it! Another herb I love is nettles tea. I will write up another post about the benefits of nettles in the future. 🙂

What do you think? Ready to dive into the magic of daily herbal infusions? Comment below and let me know!