The merry month of May can certainly be described as lush and green. Green is the color of nature and it surrounds us mid-spring. Enjoy the healing power of nature as you go outdoors to connect with the herbs, the flowers and the trees. It’s the time of year when you love to find a soft, emerald-colored patch of velvet moss upon which to tiptoe gently in bare feet. A fragrant green meadow is another nice place to appreciate the springtime. Take your shoes off and go barefoot in the grass. Feel the healing power of green. In May, it’s about renewal. Renewing the body, mind and spirit is a good thing to do mid-spring. I’d like to share some tips that may help you to renew your body, mind and spirit. They are simple, inexpensive and completely natural.

For the physical body it’s lots of vigorous exercise. Regular exercise stimulates all of the body systems, making them healthy and vigorous. Important as well, is a diet with lots of vegetables and green herbs. To renew the body you really must remember that, “we are what we eat.” Make good food choices so that you body has the building blocks for healthy cells. You will feel the vitality.

The power of scent can help us to renew ourselves mentally. Aromatherapists often describe therapeutic essential oils by comparing them to colors. Scent colors reflect the chakra system. Some scents that are considered “green” are clary sage, benzoin and ginger. They are helpful for proper function of the heart chakra (which resonates to the color green). The scent of freshly mowed hay or grass is a classic “green” scent so go ahead and enjoy the aromatic experience as you do your outdoor chores this spring. The green odors are good for renewal of the mind and emotions and promote health and vitality.

Color therapy involves eating foods that contain the chakra colors. Green herbs, such as those in our tea recipe below, resonate green and gives our body more of that healing, balancing vibration. For vitality of the physical body, eat green. Green herbs fall into this category so enjoy lots of herbal teas and culinary herbs in your diet. Fresh parsley, cilantro, green onions and your leafy vegetables are green foods. Enjoy them to bring the vibration of green into your body.

A mid-spring picnic is a wonderful way to take in the color green. Experience the lovely fair weather. Gather with friends and experience the lovely weather as you share a walk. Afterwards, enjoy a “pot luck” picnic. Pleasant interactions with other people make the spirit feel renewed. With nature providing a wonderful healing green setting, share some simple, healthful food and enjoy a refreshing herbal brew like the one in the recipe below. These herbs are packed with vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll and other natural substances that promote the healthy growth of cells and balancing of the body. They have also been shown to be helpful in relieving seasonal allergy symptoms. Safe and non-toxic, these herbs make a pleasant beverage to enjoy daily. You can make a batch to fill a thermos or allow the tea to cool and serve iced. Here’s a little more scoop on these herbs.

Nettle leaf (Urtica dioica) makes a pleasant, mild-tasting tea and has a long history of use as a healing food. It has a high mineral salt content, especially calcium and potassium. A nice fresh batch of dried nettle leaf is brilliant emerald in color and it’s a good herb to use when you are trying to increase the nutritional quality of your diet. Nettle leaf is rich in vitamins A, B2 C, K and folic acid. I use nettles as a remedy for my numerous respiratory allergies. Nettles can help to relieve the itchy eyes, runny nose and congestion of airborne allergies. To make an 8 oz. cup of tea use 3 teaspoons of dried herb. Allow it to infuse for 10 to 15 minutes to get the most active principles out of your herbs. Enjoy this healthful drink three times a day if you like. When making tea is inconvenient, I use nettle leaf capsules. Capsules are very convenient for those “on the go” kind of people.

Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis) is a tiny purple-veined flower that likes to grow in dry pastures and meadows. Like nettles, eyebright contains valuable nutrients for renewal of the body. This herb has a long time reputation for healing and strengthening the eyes all the way back to the times of the Roman Empire. Teas, ales and conserves of eyebright flower were consumed to strengthen the eyes and the memory during the middle ages. Nettles leaf and eyebright aerial parts make a brilliant combination for the relief of allergy symptoms.

The elder (Sambucus nigra) is one of the most popular medicinal plants in Europe. The flower contains health-promoting flavinoids and anti-oxidants. A tea of this flower is effective for relieving the runny nose and the itchy eyes that occur as a result allergies. Elder flowers are collected in spring and early summer. They also make a comforting tea for colds and flu.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), is soothing to the body and relaxing to the mind. Some herbalists believe that lemon balm tea intensifies our sense of intuition and psychic ability when sipped upon. Its citrus aroma is pleasant to the taste and uplifting to the emotions. Try some before meditation. Lemon balm is nice for renewing the spirit.

Renewal Tea

(Also Helpful for Seasonal Allergies)

Ingredients:

Three parts nettle leaf

Two parts eyebright herb

One part elder flower

One part lemon balm

Combine the above dried herbs and store in a glass jar away from light and heat. To make one cup of tea measure 3 teaspoons of the blend into a cup and pour eight ounces of boiling water onto it. Allow to steep for at least ten minutes. With all of the trees in blossom in May, I drink a lot of this tasty tea to keep those annoying allergy symptoms under control. It’s safe to enjoy a cup as a beverage, at least three times a day. Experience the healing power of green!

Karen Stokes, RN Herbalist is a member of the American Botanical Council and the Michigan Holistic Nurses Association. (248) 515-9863, email karen.stokes@yahoo.com.