Herbal infusions are not all created equal.

The infusion we brew primarily for medicinal use is generally a 15 minute endeavor. A Nourishing Herbal Infusion is used when we want to use herbs for replacing our daily vitamins, and the steeping time is greatly increased. Different herbs hold a variety of vitamins and minerals, and when we allow for a long steep those gems are passed into the water giving our bodies access to them.

I’ve been enjoying drinking my daily Nourishing Herbal Infusion (NHI). I usually make it using Stinging Nettle (and add a little marshmallow root to decrease the drying effect it has on me). But a couple of times a week I use different herbs (horsetail, oat straw, and comfrey being the primary runners up) There are several herbs that make great NHI for instance:

Oatstraw – which is great for bones, teeth, nails and the nerves
Red Clover – hormone balancing
Linden – high blood pressure and nervous tension
Alfalfa – inflammation, osteoporosis

Traditional uses of nettle

Helps build blood & increase circulation
Regulates blood sugar
Normalizes metabolism to aid in weight loss
Decreases profuse bleeding (including menses)
Can help decrease allergies
Reduces inflammation
Encourages milk production & quality in lactating mothers
Vitamins A, C, Iron, Manganese, Selenium, Calcium, Magnesium
Externally helps with insect bites, burns, and wounds

Other types of infusions

These instructions are for a Nourishing Herbal Infusion made from the leafy part of a plant, if you are brewing:

Roots/barks use 1 oz in one pint jar and infuse a MINIMUM of 8 hours

Flowers use a quart sized jar, 1 oz flowers and infuse a MAXIMUM of 1 hour.

Seeds/berries will be 1 oz in a one pint jar for a MAXIMUM of 30 minutes.

How to Make Nourishing Herbal Infusions

Ingredients

2 quart-sized jars and 1 lid - plastic or metal is fine
kitchen scale (just a basic one is fine)
dried stinging nettle (preferably organic or wildcrafted for optimum nutritional benefit)
boiling water
small ladle
small towel, potholder, or trivet
nut milk bag

Instructions

Preheat your jar. I fill it with hot water and let it sit for a minute then pour the water out
Set preheated jar on the trivet on the scale and make sure the scale reads zero
Using your ladle, carefully measure out 1 oz of the dried herb
Fill the jar with water "just off the boil"
Stir well and cover with lid
Let it sit on your counter for a minimum of 4 hours
Strain through the nut milk bag into a second jar and drink or store in the refrigerator.