PART 1: Top Formulating Tips

There’s something magical about a really good herbal tea blend. If you know, you know. But if you haven’t experienced one yet, imagine waking up in the morning and reaching for your first mug of tea. You take a sip, and with that first taste, something in your body already feels better, already feels like it has what it needs to start the day. At first you thought you might get sick of it after a number of days, but over time your body starts to crave it–but not in the way it might crave caffeine or sugar. More like you might crave a heart to heart with an old friend.

It may sound daunting to think about coming up with your own herbal formula that could have that effect on someone. And ok, sometimes it is really hard to nail it (especially for folks with extreme sensitivities). And yes, it can take a number of years and perhaps a certain knack for coming up with consistently good herbal formulations (tea or tincture) that both taste good and are potent medicinally. 

But it can also be very rewarding to hone those skills over time. And just like a good chocolate chip recipe, it doesn’t always have to be rocket science to really hit the spot and help someone feel nourished and loved. So here’s my first top tip to help you get started:

TIP #1: Have a Clear Intention - The first thing you want to consider with an herbal formulation is what the intention of the blend is. It should be clear and focused–one formulation should not attempt to do all things. Some examples of a clear intention are:

• A relaxation blend

• A winter spice blend

• An anti-inflammatory blend

• A cycle-support blend

• A vitality boosting blend

• A blend for sustained energy and focus

• An immunity-boosting blend

I’m guessing many of you have tried one or more similar blends in the past, perhaps with mixed results. If one stood out to you, it was likely because it tasted really yummy. And that’s important to keep in mind.  Because no matter how medicinally potent a blend is, if it doesn’t taste good, most people won’t drink it more than once.

But how about the medicinal part? Very few people have had substantial benefit from a truly potent medicinal blend, unfortunately. There are many reasons for this–because herbs are so ubiquitous, for one, most people are not taking them in doses that will do much. Dipping a tea bag into some hot water for a few minutes is not going to get you there. 

And also, it’s a bit unrealistic to expect a mass produced blend to work wonders on everyone. This is where clinical herbalism shines–a one-of-a-kind blend formulated for someone’s individual presentation can be so powerful. You just can’t expect that kind of laserlike focus with something that’s trying to appeal to everyone. And what’s trendy at the moment may not actually be what your body needs.

But don’t let that keep you from experimenting! There are still some amazing blends out there for the general public–you just can’t have the same level of expectation regarding medicinal potency. Just look for ones that are tasty and gently supportive. 

I’ll keep sending my top tips over the coming weeks to ‘amend the soil’ for some upcoming formulation classes this fall for anyone looking for hands-on practice customizing their own herbal blends. 

Warmly,

Arika