Warming Demulcent Tea for snow time

Last night, at 3 am or so, small tiny hard snow fell. Granular snow. Dry snow. The kind people like to ski on. But, it wasn't that much. When I woke up it really only just glazed the roof tops with a white icing, and fills the indentations of fallen brown leaves in white spots across the lawn. The day was cold and crisp, slightly overcast, with a breeze clearing the sky by mid-afternoon. What a November day should feel like. Last night one of my roomates complained about the weather upon returning from dinner. He said it was disgusting that it was november and he was wearing just a sweater. He thought it was too warm for November. I agree. We've had one 70 degree day afer another for most of November, and yesterday we had a very blustery day. I sat out in the wind on the curb and felt it blow around me and through my hair, as I cried my frustration at the state of my life. A cold wind. It felt good in constrast with my hot anger, frustration and tears. And it blew in some cold weather and a little snow. Finally, some November weather....cold and dry, full of Vata, blowing up and stirring up emotions and imbalances in the body.

Rebecca at Crabapple herbs wrote about flax seed tea a few weeks ago, and in light of that post, I devised a warming demulcent tea for cold and blustery days, in which the wind sucks every ounce of moisture and warmth from your body. Marshmallow is a nice demulcent, slightly cooling and very moistening, ideal for summer dryness and yin deficiency. But cold weather calls for something more warming. Warming to the core, and a gentle stimulant to Pitta digestive fires. Especially with the heavier foods winter diets are rich in, stews, meats, fats, root vegetables. And a warm inner fire helps keep the body warm overall, even during cold weather.

This is a yummy concoction, especially with a little honey or molasses added, but I think it is sweet enough as is, warming, soothing, and hydrating to dry tissues. Mix the following herbs ( suggested proportions, but you could adjust according to taste and constitution) and use 2 tsp per 8 oz of water. Simmer gently for 10 min. Strain while hot and sip.

2 pt Flax seeds
2 pt Fennel seeds
2 pt Burdock Root
1 pt Licorice Root
1 pt Ginger root
1/2 pt Orange peel
1/2 pt cinnamon chips
1/2 cardamom seeds

I think it would also be quite lovely with the addition of eluethero or astragalus roots, or fenugreek or clove, or anise.