Native American - Indigenous Immune Boosting Pine and Cedar Tea

Winter is here... and so is cough and cold season! As teachers, we are exposed to all of the germs our students bring into the classroom. What is a teacher to do? 

In today's guest post, Stevie Rae is sharing her recipe for a traditional, immune-boosting tea that many Indigenous people drink during this time of year. This tea is loaded with vitamins and other nutrients that can help ward off and/or lessen the severity of some illnesses. The ingredients for this tea can be purchased online or at local health food stores. If you are confident in your foraging skills, you may be able to find some of these ingredients in your own backyard. Keep reading to learn more!

Legal Disclaimer: This recipe is for informational or educational purposes only, and does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals. Do not drink this tea if you have known allergies to any of the ingredients. Consult your healthcare professional if you are on prescription medications that may interact with any of these ingredients. Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Guest Post by Stevie Rae

'Tis the season where we all need an immune system boost!

I make this tea for my family all throughout the year whenever we feel a bug trying to creep up. It works, tastes WONDERFUL, and is all-natural!

 Both cedar and white pine are very rich in vitamin A and vitamin C!

We give thanks for the medicines and we harvest them as we need them, with the intention of leaving some for others and leaving room for more to grow.

 
These plants have been harvested and used for millennia. They are considered sacred to Indigenous people.

This tea is very POTENT! Drink ONLY 1-3 Cups a week!

Ingredients

• one cup of white pine or cedar needles (Bark can also be used.)
• one tablespoon of dried elderberries
• one orange or lemon, sliced
• honey to sweeten (Locally harvested honey is best.)

If you are going outside and gathering these ingredients yourself, a good rule is to take only what you need and leave the rest!

Directions

1. Add all ingredients into the saucepan and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes or until you get a nice dark color. That dark color holds all of your vitamins antioxidants and nutrients!
2. Pour the tea through a mesh strainer to take only what you need, as you need it from the pan. Let the remaining ingredients steep in the water.
3. Don't throw the ingredients in the saucepan away. Add more water to them to keep making tea!
4. This tea can be preserved up to 2 days after brewing. Refrigerate what you don't use.

Stevie Rae is the creator and host of the Funtimes Daily Fun and Learning group on Facebook where she regularly shares information about activities, crafts, games, educational resources, and local events related to Native American - Indigenous cultures.

Did you enjoy this recipe for Traditional Pine and Cedar Tea? If so, check out these blog posts about related topics:

• Book + Craft: Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
• Book List: 10 Children's Books About Residential Schools
• Craft: How to Make Earth Day Seed Bombs (also by Stevie Rae)
• Book: Saving Planet Earthly by ClimateScience
• Book: We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

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