Chamomile: A Tea for the Ages

Getting to Know Chamomile

I was introduced to chamomile in college. After senior seminar (anthropological theories), several of us gathered at our friend’s house for a cup of herbal tea, toast and talk. Steve’s bamboo filter held delicate dried flowers that released an earthy, sweet smell when he rubbed them between his fingers.  While we discussed Clifford Geertz, the chamomile flowers steeped in hot water, creating an aromatic steam. Steve added a bit of honey and voila! – the brew was transformed into a golden elixir. Our relaxed conversation led to a better understanding of complex theories and a deep appreciation of one another. That afternoon tea proved to be a pivotal point in my life. I pursued graduate studies in anthropology and was fortunate enough to attend a lecture presented by Clifford Geertz.  Chamomile tea soothed my jangled nerves after exams and all-night study sessions. Calm nerves foster clear thoughts. 

To make your own chamomile tea (infusion), use 1 tablespoon dried chamomile flowers for each cup of tea. After the water has boiled, steep in hot water for 7 – 10 minutes. (Do not boil chamomile tea.) Strain and add honey if desired.

Later I learned to diffuse chamomile, creating a soft, sweet smell and calm ambience in my home. Steaming herbs freshens stale air like a summer breeze. I also added chamomile essential oil and dried flowers to my bath and homemade soaps and lotions. When we put our house on the market, I added chamomile and lemon to my floor cleaner to elevate the mood of potential buyers (and us). To this day, I keep dried chamomile in a little bowl in our guest room for a good night’s sleep. To freshen the dried herbs, I periodically add a few drops of chamomile essential oil.

Understanding Chamomile

Chamomile plants are native to Western Europe and Northern Africa. Today it is grown all around the world in temperate regions. Chamomile is primarily cultivated in England, France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Egypt, and Argentina.

Chamomile, a member of the Aster Family (Asteraeae) is a sweet, delicate flower with white florets and yellow centers – like small happy faces. The scent is reminiscent of apple or pineapple. Chamomile is derived from the Greek words kamai (on the ground) and melon (apple). There are many varieties; the most widely used are German (Matricaria recutita) and Roman (Chamaemelum nobile).

Roman Chamomile is a low-growing perennial that grows to approximately 10 inches high. It has one flower on each hairy stem.

German Chamomile is an annual that grows up to 24 inches with fern-like foliage and branching stems with several flowers on each stem.

Both varieties are used interchangeably, although there are subtle differences in taste and action. Some claim that Roman Chamomile is milder, making it more suitable for those that have more sensitive skin or easily upset digestive systems. German Chamomile is more commonly used in herbal teas. Many products containing chamomile use a combination of both varieties.

Chamomile was cultivated in ancient Egypt where it was used both medicinally and cosmetically. Egyptian noblewomen crushed chamomile flowers and applied them to their skin to maintain a youthful glow. Offerings of the flower were made to the powerful sun god Ra and the plant’s oil was used to anoint the dead. Just as we do, the ancient Greeks and Romans drank chamomile tea and used the herb to treat skin conditions and other ailments.

In the 10^th century, the Anglo-Saxons recorded 200 treatments in Lacnunga (Remedies). This precious document is still housed in the British Library! They held nine herbs to be most sacred: mugwort, plantain, watercress, chamomile, nettle, crab apple, chervil and fennel. To create a salve, all nine herbs were powdered, mixed with old soap, made into a paste with lye, and mixed with boiled fennel. The sterile salve was used to treat geblæd, a skin infection or inflammation.

To this day, people around the globe value chamomile for its therapeutic properties. Chamomile promotes restful sleep, relieves pain and elevates one’s mood. It is gentle enough for babies, yet strong enough for adults. It is one of the more popular herbal teas; people drink over a million cups of chamomile tea a day, often in the evenings before bed. Because of its popularity and uses in traditional medicine, chamomile has been studied more than other herbs. According to Janmejai K. Srivastava and Sanjay Gupta, the dry flower of chamomile contains approximately 120 secondary metabolites, comprising terpenoids and flavonoids, which contribute to its medicinal properties.

Benefits of Chamomile

Over the centuries, chamomile has been a popular home remedy and recent studies have reaffirmed its efficacy for a number of common ailments. Follow the links below to learn more.

• Promotes sleep and reduces stress, depression and anxiety.
• Eases digestive issues, including indigestion, diarrhea, nausea and gas.
• Heals wounds including ulcers and sores.
• Relieves pain related to osteoporosis, arthritis, headaches, back pain and neuralgia.
• Modulates inflammation.
• Soothes skin irritation and promotes skin health.
• Reduces symptoms of common cold.
• Promotes oral health.

Beyond Tea

Chamomile can be used as a bulk dried or fresh herb, essential oil, dry powder, tincture, bath or massage oil. It is used commercially in soaps, lotions, shampoos and more. According to a recent New York Times Style Magazine article, chamomile is more popular than ever and for an even wider variety of uses –  from wedding cake decorations to cocktails and mocktails to savory and sweet dishes to natural dyes. Chamomile’s delicate flowers and fern-like foliage are favored in whimsical, nostalgic bouquets.  

The flower heads of chamomile are steam distilled into a concentrated essential oil with a pleasant, sweet yet warm odor. Roman Chamomile oil has a very pleasant, soothing, apple-like aroma and is milder than German Chamomile. German Chamomile has a high content of azulene, the active organic compound of chamomile, which creates an inky blue color with a strong sweet and warm fragrance. Both Roman and German Chamomile essential oils blend well with geranium, lavender, rose, bergamot, jasmine and clary sage.

When you purchase chamomile essential oil, check the Latin name to make sure you are buying the type you want. You can learn by buying a small amount of each or sample them at an herbal store. Check for purity standards and make sure they are stored in dark bottles. Because essential oils are concentrated, use with a carrier oil (olive, coconut, almond, etc.).

Enjoy making your own products like my recipe below:

Chamie’s Kisses Facial Toner

Combine ¾ cup aloe vera gel, ¾ cup ground chamomile flowers infused in apricot oil then strained, essential oils of chamomile & grapefruit to make a nourishing and refreshing facial toner. Dab a bit on your face with a cotton ball.

To learn more about essential oils, read my post, Ayurvedic Aromatherapy.

Please note: Chamomile is not for everyone. Some people who are sensitive to the Aster Family will also be sensitive to chamomile. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Chamomile in the Garden

Chamomile is a lovely addition to any garden. As companion plants, chamomile can prevent fungal and bacterial infections in the plants around them. They also repel many insect pests. I have grown German Chamomile for a number of years. This variety grows three feet tall so is lovely in a wildflower meadow. The delicate leaves are fern-like light green, and the cheerful flowers make a lovely bouquet in my planter. Today I picked some fresh flowers for a smell test. I think they smell earthy yet fruity; my husband smelled the fresh air of the ocean.

Roman Chamomile is the best choice for an eco-friendly lawn substitute. It grows in zones 4 – 9 and blooms from June to September. Plant it after all danger of frost has passed and ensure the area is weed-free. The seeds have a slow germination period, so are best started indoors then transplanted outside.

Roman Chamomile can flourish in full sun or dappled shade in well-drained or sandy soil. It is moderately drought tolerant with a low risk of disease or pests. This perennial grows 3 – 6 inches tall with thicker, flatter leaves. Each plant spreads to 12 inches wide. Imagine walking barefoot and releasing the flowers’ sweet aroma with every step?! For that very reason, chamomile was planted along garden paths as a strewing herb in the Middle Ages. (Avoid walking on your flower lawn until the plants are well-established.)

A chamomile lawn is low maintenance, it only requires dead heading the flowers in late summer. That can be down with a mower on the highest setting. You can buy Treneague, a nonflowering cultivar of Roman Chamomile. It won’t require as much trimming as flowering varieties. Young plants need 1 inch of water every week. As they mature, they require less water. Chamomile not only creates a lovely lawn, but it also controls erosion..

Around our yard in sandy, disturbed soil Wild Chamomile or Mayweed (Matricaria discoidea) grows in the spaces between gravel. In an attempt to create a wild groundcover, I have been moving plants one by one with mixed success. Wild Chamomile has a small yellow flower head but lacks white petals. To me, it smells like pineapple.

Caution: avoid planting too much chamomile where dogs and cats can munch on it, since in excess it can be toxic.

Healthy Gut Happy Life

Healthy digestion is critical to wellness and is a major emphasis of both Ayurveda and Yoga. (To learn more, read, Ayurveda and Yoga for Digestion.) Recently, the nutrition world has been abuzz with new discoveries related to gut health. In this article, I will introduce you to the world of the human microbiome and how it relates to digestion and overall wellness.

Ecology Basics

To understand the human microbiome, let us begin with a quick review of ecology. The first Earth Day held on April 22^nd, 1970, was a game changer – by December the Environmental Protection Agency was created. My high school offered an ecology class less than two years later. I seized the opportunity to learn about this exciting new and burgeoning field. I learned the following key concepts:  

An ecosystem or biome describes a single environment and every living (biotic) organism and non-living (abiotic) factor that is contained within it and characterizes it. An ecosystem embodies every aspect of a single habitat, including all interactions between different elements.

Symbiosis is an evolved interaction or close living relationship between organisms from different species, usually with benefits to one or both of the individuals involved.

Biodiversity

The higher the number of species that can be supported in an ecosystem, the higher the rate of survival for every organism inside that ecosystem. Including the human species.

Sarah Knapp

(Definitions are from the Biology Dictionary).

Cultural Ecology

One of my favorite Anthropology courses in college was Cultural Ecology.  We explored the relationship between socio-cultural systems and physical-biological environments. Ecosystems vary in climate, terrain, access to potable water, flora and fauna, shelter and biodiversity. Carrying capacity is a tool to understand the population a given environment can support. Yet humans are ingenious and highly adaptive. Throughout human history, cultures developed strategies to live in diverse environments. Not only does the caloric intake vary around the world, but health conditions prevalent in one environment do not necessarily exist in another. Nor does nature’s medicine chest.

Microbiomes

Beneath our feet, the soil contains approximately one-fourth of all known species – bacteria, fungi, earthworms, moles and more. We rely upon the biodiversity within the soil to grow food crops, nourish forests, and transform compost into nutrient rich earth for future generations.

On and within the human body is an equally rich and complex ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses and archaea, collectively known as microbiota. We have been aware of bacteria since at least 1676 when Antonie van Leeuwenhoek reported his discovery to the Royal Society. Many lives have been saved by the use of antibiotics. Humans have also created and consumed foods with beneficial bacteria for thousands of years. We tended to divide microorganisms into good “bugs” and bad “bugs.”  Our relationship with our microbiota is much more complex. In fact, humans, along with other animals and even plants have evolved to live with microbes. Miraculously, newborns lack microbes until they pass through the birth canal. Due to recent attention, including the Human Microbiome Project and the Microsetta Initiative, our understanding of microbiota has advanced rapidly in the 21^st century. In 2001, Dr. Joshua Lederberg, coined the term “microbiome” to describe an ecological system of commensal, symbiotic, and perhaps pathogenic microorganisms that reside in the human body.

Various communities of microbes inhabit the human body, each making up its own microbiome, including skin, mouth, reproductive and gut (intestinal tract). Microbiomes are unique to each individual – no two ecosystems are exactly the same.

Talk about biodiversity! Trillions of microbes and over 1,000 species inhabit our gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This is referred to as the gut biome and contributes to vital metabolic, immune and nutritional functions. Most of the gut microbes are located in the cecum at the entrance of the large intestine. Although the gut biome includes bacteria, fungi (including yeasts), viruses and protozoa, bacteria are the most studied and understood microbiota. The gut biome includes both beneficial biota, including probiotics and harmful (pathogenic) biota. And they are constantly coming and going into and out of the GI tract.

Maintaining a Healthy Gut Biome

Our body strives to maintain homeostasis, or a state of equilibrium. When we fall out of balance, or equilibrium, our microbiome also becomes unbalanced.

Dysbiosis is a maladaptive imbalance of the microbiome and can make us more susceptible to illness. There are three types of dysbiosis:

• Beneficial bacteria are lost.
• Too many pathogenic bacteria are present.
• Overall gut diversity is lowered.

Numerous factors can affect the balance in the gut biome, including infections, stress, change in diet, and long-term use of antibiotics.

Ayurveda and Yoga provide teachings and tools to cultivate a balanced and healthy lifestyle, throughout the seasons and each stage of life. Wellness includes a balanced and robust gut biome. The food we eat affects the diversity of our gut bacteria. Eat a varied diet, including all six tastes with plenty of fruits and vegetables (plant fiber), nuts and seeds to help maintain a balanced and diverse gut biome.

Probiotics, Prebiotics and Postbiotics

Probiotics are living microorganisms (primarily bacteria and yeasts) present in specific foods and beverages. Once ingested, they help maintain a balanced gut biome, improve nutrient absorption and immune function. Probiotics are most common in fermented foods, including yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, kombucha, kefir, sourdough bread, kimchee and miso. They are also available as a supplement. Humans have been consuming probiotic foods for thousands of years. Yogurt dates to 7,000 years BP and is a very popular source of probiotics today. In 2015, U.S. sales of yogurt were $7.7 billion. And you can make it at home.

Prebiotics are plant fibers that help beneficial bacteria thrive in the gut biome. These carbohydrates are the ideal foods for microbiota. Examples include apples, artichokes, asparagus, bananas, barley, berries, chicory, cocoa, dandelion greens, flaxseed, garlic, green vegetables, leeks, legumes, oats, onions, tomatoes, soybeans and wheat.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, postbiotics refer to the waste left behind after prebiotics and probiotics are digested. They include nutrients including vitamins B and K, amino acids, and substances called antimicrobial peptides that help to slow down the growth of harmful bacteria. Other postbiotic substances called short-chain fatty acids help healthy bacteria flourish.

Say Yes to Yogurt!

I drank copious amounts of Amish buttermilk as a child but had very little exposure to yogurt until I went to college. I bought little cups of yogurt with fruit at the bottom at Kent Natural Foods Coop. It was a perfect snack in between classes. To me, it tasted like food for the gods. I enjoyed yogurt so much that I began making it when I moved into my own apartment. Morning after morning, I enjoyed yogurt and fresh fruit. Or smoothies with yogurt and fruit. Fast forward thirty years. While enrolled in the Ayurveda Wellness Certificate program at Kerala Academy, I rushed into class with my bowl of yogurt and fresh strawberries. My teacher looked at me and said, do not mix sweet fruit with sour yogurt. It is like pouring kerosene on a fire. She taught me to mix yogurt with milk and digestive herbs (cumin, fennel, ajwain) for a soothing and satisfying drink. She advised me to eat yogurt with savory foods, including rice, beans and vegetables. I followed her advice and no longer experienced bloating or digestive distress. Now – I drink my morning yogurt or kefir with herbs and think of her. And I have learned to enjoy yogurt with my savory dinners. Now and then I make a fruit salad with yogurt, honey and mint. It still tastes divine but is no longer a daily habit.

On my way home from the Kent Coop with a loaf of sourdough bread.

The majority of diseases begin in the digestive tract when “good” bacteria are no more able to control “bad” bacteria.

Ellie Metchnikoff, The Father of Probiotics and Nobel Laureate

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Thank you Laura Kraft for illustrations of foods containing probiotics.

Ayurveda and Yoga for Digestion

Cooking is an art, science and a bit of magic.

I have enjoyed cooking and learning about herbs, wellness, food and nutrition for most of my life. I take joy in creating nourishing and pleasing meals for loved ones. I read cook books cover to cover like novels. I first practiced Yoga at twelve. When I discovered Ayurveda, I quickly became enthralled by its wholistic approach to wellness and connection to Yoga. The sister sciences of Ayurveda and Yoga are beneficial to our digestive system and thus, our overall health. A primary focus of Ayurveda is on cooking, nutrition and maintaining a balanced digestive system. Yoga poses aid in digestion by increasing circulation to the stomach and abdominal area and by calming the nervous system.

According to Ayurveda, we are what we absorb, not just what we eat. If digestive fire is erratic, weak or too strong, nutrients are not absorbed. Right diet is a key factor in maintaining vitality, balance and a clear, focused mind. Ayurveda and Yoga reinforce one anther – the more we practice Yoga, the more we seek a healthy lifestyle. And following an Ayurvedic lifestyle often leads one along the path of Yoga. We recognize the energy, vitality and joie de vivre beaming from a healthy person.

To learn the basics about the Ayurvedic approach to nutrition, read Demystifying Nutrition with Ayurveda. Digestion is a complex process. And Ayurveda has a long tradition with deep wisdom. Join me as I delve a little deeper into the wonders of our anamaya kosha (physical body) and digestion – an everyday miracle that enables us to transform ahara (food) into energy.

Key Concepts

Agni (digestive fire) is the energy of transformation. Agni maintains our metabolic balance as well as the tone of each dhatu (tissue) throughout our body. Read Finding the Fire Within to learn more about agni.

Ama (undigested food) can accumulate and along with toxins spread from the gastrointestinal tract to other parts of the body. An accumulation of ama leads to a weakened immune system, fatigue and eventually disease. A healthy lifestyle helps us maintain a robust digestive fire and prevent the buildup of ama.

Dhatus (bodily tissues) are nourished through the process of digestion. The seven dhatu are plasma, bones, muscles, fat, bone marrow, nerves and the reproductive system. Healthy tissues increase longevity, strengthen our immune system, keep us mentally sharp and maintain our skin’s natural luster

Ojas is our prime energy reserve created at the end of the digestive process. Ojas is the essence of all other body tissues and is often referred to as the 8th bodily tissue. Our immunity, strength and resistance depend upon the quality and quantity of ojas. When depleted we are predisposed to low spirits and ill-health.

Tejas is our inner radiance through which we digest food, sunlight, impressions, thoughts – even what we see. Tejas enables our mind to perceive and judge correctly.

Stages of Digestion

Ayurveda describes the digestive process like cooking – complete with a pot (stomach), food (today’s ingested food), water, agni (fire), fireplace, air, and fuel (yesterday’s digested food). As Vasant Lad wrote in Textbook of Ayurveda: Fundamental Principles of Ayurveda, Volume One:

Our food contains life energy that can only be utilized by the body through digestion. Food has to be transformed into absorbable substances that can nourish the tissues. This can occur partly by external cooking, but whether it is cooked or raw food, we still have to digest it inside the body.

Digestion begins the moment we take our first bite of food. Enzymes in our saliva help break down food as we chew. The gross digestive process continues as food moves through our gastrointestinal tract. According to Ayurveda, digestion occurs in six stages, lasting approximately one hour for every stage. Each stage is related to one of the six tastes and the three doshas. Once food is processed into waste (for removal) and ahara rasa (nutrient fluid), a subtle phase of digestion begins. During this phase dhatu are nourished. The subtle digestive process takes up to thirty-six days.

The human digestive system

Ayurvedic Nutritional Guidelines

Consider your constitution (vata, pitta, kapha), time of day and season. Include foods of all six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent.

Vata digestion tends to be variable and delicate. Meal recommendations for vata constitution are: 1/2 carbs with ghee; 1/4 cooked veggies; 1/4 cooked protein and mildly spicy.

Pitta digestion tends to be strong and intense. Meal recommendations for pitta constitution are: 1/3 carbs with ghee; 1/3 veggies; 1/3 protein with mild or no spice.

Kapha digestion tends to be slow and heavy. Meal recommendations for kapha constitution are: 1/2 cooked, spicy veggies; 1/4 carbs; 1/4 light protein with a generous amount of spice.

Set a regular schedule with three to six hours between meals.

Eat a light breakfast between 7:00 am – 7:30 am. Eat lunch between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm when digestive fire is at its peak. Enjoy a light dinner between 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Avoid snacking in the evening before bed.

Before eating

Wash your hands and face. Express gratitude before each meal. Create a pleasant environment (clean table and linens, flowers, quiet background music).

Transition to meal time with a short meditation and breath/body awareness.

During meals

Eat with a positive frame of mind. Enjoy meals in the company of family and friends when possible.

Eat as much as you can hold in your two hands. At the end of your meal, your stomach should contain 1/3 food, 1/3 water and the remaining 1/3 should be empty. Eat at a moderate pace. Savor each mouthful before swallowing.

Choose organic, fresh, local, seasonal foods when available. Food should be freshly cooked and warm.

Prepare food with enough oil to moisten without deep frying. Not only does the food taste better but moistened foods helps maintains balanced agni. Ghee contains butyric acid and helps sustain healthy microbes in the GI tract.

Sip a moderate amount of room temperature water or digestive tea with your meal.

After eating

A cup of lassi at the end of the meal helps digestion. (Blend ¼ cup yogurt with 2 pinches ginger and cumin powder in 1 cup water.)

Raw fennel seeds are a wonderful ending to any meal. Fennel tasted good, boosts agni and can relieve cramping, heartburn, bloating, and gas.

Give thanks, rinse your face and mouth, take a walk or do some light stretching. Better yet, stretch and stroll.

Avoid

Stressful conversations, watching TV, checking email, working, driving or reading during meals.

Copious quantities of liquid immediately before, during or after meals. Avoid drinking ice water, coffee, fruit juice or milk around meal time.

Packaged, preserved, processed and leftover food.

Embrace Herbs!

Fennel is one of my very favorite herbs.

Herbs not only make food more flavorful but aid in digestion. Like food, herbs are categorized by the six tastes. These tastes create actions in the body.

Pungent herbs are warming and spicy, they are used to awaken the senses and stimulate movement. Example: cayenne pepper.

Salty herbs are high in minerals and often affect the balance of fluids in our bodies. Example: plantain.

Sour herbs stimulate digestion and build strength, they are often high in antioxidants. Example: elderberry.

Bitter herbs are used as digestive tonics, have a cooling effect that can help modulate inflammation. Examples: gentian, angelica, chamomile.

Sweet herbs nourish and build; they restore energy levels and modulate the immune system. Example: astragalus.

Astringent herbs tighten and tone cells often reducing inflammation. Examples: meadowsweet, sour citrus, black tea.

Three Digestive Herbs, One Magic Elixir (CCF Tea)

Cumin, coriander and fennel are three outstanding digestive herbs. They are mild, yet effective in improving digestion. Here they are combined in an easy to make tea that can be sipped throughout the day.

From the Kripalu kitchen:

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon coriander seeds

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

4 – 5 cups water

Heat the water in a stainless-steel pot over high heat. Add the seeds and boil for 5 – 0 minutes, depending on desired strength. Strain seeds and enjoy warm (not cold).

Yoga for Digestion

Avoid eating a substantial meal before practicing Yoga. A light snack is fine to avoid hunger pangs during practice. Stay hydrated.

Below are several recommended poses:

• Twists – massage organs of digestion, strengthen abdominal muscles and help release toxins. Seated twists in particular target the abdominal region.
• Forward bends, reclined, seated and standing. The dynamic approach practiced in Viniyoga massages abdominal muscles and organs of digestion.
• Uttana Shishosana (extended puppy pose) stretches the front body and can relieve cramps. (From table posture, walk your hands forward and allow your chest to come towards the floor).
• Pawan Mukta (wind release) compresses the ascending colon on the right side and descending colon on the left, stimulating the nerves to aid in elimination.

Sammie patiently waits.

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Human beings consist of a material body built from the food they eat. Those who care for this body are nourished by the universe itself.

From the Taittiriya Upanishad