Tranquili-Tea Background
Jamaican Dogwood is native to Central America and the northern regions of South America. It is a powerful sedative that is considered to be a very effective remedy for insomnia, migraine headaches and neuralgia. Its nickname "fish poison tree" comes from the West Indian practice of using it to debilitate fish to make them easier to catch. The would permeate the water of a lagoon with branches from the Dogwood tree. As the water became infused with isoflavins from the tree passing fish would "fall asleep" and could be easily caught. Dogwood is in no way poisonous—at least not to humans—but its sedative qualities cannot be denied./p>
Scutellaria, also known as Skullcap, is native to North America and Asia. It was traditionally used by North American Indians as a nerve tonic, diuretic and as a female medicinal herb. Common uses of Scutellaria today include insomnia, nervous tension, stress, and headache (especially the dull frontal headache with sensitivity to noise, light and odors.) Studies have shown that it effectively lowers blood pressure by dilating blood vessels, potentially lowering the risk of heart attack and stroke. Research has shown that it is an effective sedative and antispasmodic and it has been used for neurological diseases such as epilepsy and chorea. Scutellaria should not be used by pregnant women inasmuch as it has historically been used in expelling the afterbirth.
Rooibos is a South African herb from the wild Aspalathus Linearis plant. It is super-rich in antioxidants (50 times greater than green or white tea!) that boosts the body's immune system and help slow the aging process. It is known to have antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, antiviral, anti-mutagenic and anti-allergic properties, and those who consume it claim that it has a soothing effect on headaches, disturbed sleeping patterns and digestive problems.
Ginger root is the most widely used and most available herbal remedy in the world. It is used to lower cholesterol, and for relief of nausea, colds, arthritis, allergies and asthma. It is also known to protect the digestive tract and liver against parasites and toxins.
Licorice Root is one of the most widely used medicinal herb in the world today and it is the single most used herb in Chinese medicine. Today it is primarily used to treat coughs and colds and historically it has been used alleviate thirst and hunger and to improve stamina.