Why not try adding in warm mugs of herbal tea to your daily ritual?! This will not only help crowd out the coffee urges, but it will provide you with additional menopausal benefits as well. We recommend nettles for strong bones, to help prevent osteoporosis.
Nettles are at the top of our menopausal list because they are full of the minerals necessary for bone and heart health, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. In perimenopause, our calcium needs increase. Happily, there is as much calcium (~300mg) in a cup of nettle tea (infusion) as in a glass of milk! And it turns out that a diet rich in leafy greens, cruciferous veggies and herbal infusions can provide us with more bioavailable and efficient ways to get bone and heart-supportive minerals into our bodies.
Nettles can also help us keep our estrogen production up, so that we feel (and look) supple. The vitamins in nettles, such as B vitamins, carotenes (vitamin A) and vitamin C, also support our immune and nervous systems. Nettles can help prevent illness and bolster our mood.
An herbal infusion is a large amount of dried herb (leaves or flowers) brewed for a long time. Infusions are an inexpensive and effective way of getting tons of vitamins and minerals into our diets. Herbal infusions may sound complicated, but as you will see in this recipe, it’s very simple. Once you establish the ritual, you may find you cannot live without it, like Eliza has!
One of our favorite sources for dried nettles (and other menopause-supportive herbs like Red Clover) is Mountain Rose Herbs.
To read about diet for menopause, what else to eat and drink, click here.
For other inspired and healthy drinks, go to Little Green’s site.
Ingredients
- 2-3 tsp. dried chopped nettle leaves, or small handful
- 1 quart water
Instructions
- Combine nettle leaves in a one quart Mason jar.
- Fill the jar with boiling water. Lightly cover with jar lid until it cools, then fully put the lid on and refrigerate. Let steep for 4-12 hours in the fridge.
