Recipe Collection: Calm Mood Tea

Written by Kate Tietje

When I was doing an herb order recently, a friend recommended that I get some blackberry leaves because she said they made delicious herbal tea.  Since we love having cold herbal tea around in the summer, and the price was low (only $6/lb. with a bulk order), I bought some.

I started making tea with blackberry leaves and nettle leaves.  I quickly noticed an unintended effect: it seemed to significantly help my anxiety.  As I have used nettle tea for a few years, I pinpointed blackberry leaf as the culprit.

There’s very little information on the components of blackberry leaf, and I can’t find any record of it being used for anxiety.  But I have experimented with it for weeks and found a definite difference between when I use it and when I don’t.  When I use blackberry leaf, I tend not to feel anxious at all.  I also see the world as positive and the future as hopeful.  When I do not use it, I tend to feel mild to moderate anxiety, and I tend to see the world more negatively.  I like the way I feel when I use it much better!

I can’t promise it would have the same effect on anyone else, but it might.  With no documented side effects and an affordable price, it’s worth a shot, right?

Calm Mood Tea

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. nettle leaf
• 1/2 tsp. blackberry leaf
• 2 cups of water

Directions:

Step 1: Boil the water, then steep the tea leaves for 20 – 30 minutes.

Step 2: Strain and drink as-is, or add a small amount of honey to sweeten.  I almost prefer it plain, but of course, it’s up to you.

I do have to tell you that I originally tried an infusion.  I used 1/4 to 1/2 cup each of nettle and blackberry leaf daily.  Unfortunately, after a few days, I began to have trouble sleeping, and so did my nursing baby.  He could not settle down; he tossed, fought, and woke every 10 – 15 minutes.  I have found no documented cases of insomnia caused by blackberry leaf.  After lots of research, my best theory is that blackberry leaf is high in a mineral that competes with magnesium and that this leads to low magnesium levels, which can lead to insomnia.  I scaled back the amount of blackberry leaf I was using and used extra magnesium lotion, which seemed to help the problem.  I have to make sure to drink the tea every day, sometimes a lot of it, but it definitely still helps.

If I didn’t have a nursing baby (who is getting the ‘dose’ in my milk several hours later), I would probably use the infusion first thing in the morning and put on magnesium lotion at that time and again at bedtime.  But since I do, I stick to the smaller amount.

I encourage you to do your own research about herbs to see if you can find ones that work for you.  Herbs work differently for different people, depending on their body chemistry and needs.  They can be very potent and very effective.  I’m glad that I tried this out, even though there was no research to suggest it would work, and I found it was right for me.  I suspect it will be better for those who have hormone-related depression or anxiety than those who have other issues.

If you are dealing with depression or anxiety, it’s not simple.  It’s not easy.  Please seek the necessary treatments, and never feel guilty for it.  That includes therapy, herbal remedies, or even medication if you feel you need it.  We’re here to share our stories and knowledge with you and support you when you need it.

Have you dealt with depression or anxiety?