It is well known all over the world that in Eastern Asia, especially in Japan and some parts of China there are a large number of people who live beyond 100 years of age. Only in Japan, according to a survey performed in 2014, over 67500 men and women were centenarians. It seems that besides a healthy lifestyle based on a moderate consumption of food, mostly consisting of vegetables and fish, another important factor is drinking chrysanthemum tea, a drink much appreciated in China and Japan.
Few know that the lovely chrysanthemum flower isn’t only a beautiful decoration, but also a medicinal plant. Chinese women, for example, drink tea made from the blossoms of this plant instead of coffee to cleanse their body from toxins. Ancient Chinese believed that this noble flower, capable to endure cold weather, has attracted the spirit of the sky and the earth, thus gaining magical healing properties.
Experts believe that chrysanthemum tea has powerful healing properties, and, if consumed at least 1-2 times a week, it lengthens life with as much as 8 years thanks to its substances that strengthen and protect the immune system. Consumed often, chrysanthemum tea ameliorates the functioning of the lungs, the liver and the kidneys, helps detoxifying the body, cools the blood and is very useful in treating eye diseases.
During summer, this tea has a cooling effect. If you don’t like its taste, add a teaspoon of brown sugar.
Chrysanthemum tea is available in specialized organic stores and it has to be used according to the instructions: a teaspoon of dried flowers added to a cup of hot water. For an enhanced therapeutic effect and an incredible flavour, add a dash of rosemary. The resulting drink is guaranteed to be a delight to the taste buds and to the body.
Having been used for thousands of years by the Chinese and the Japanese in traditional medicine, chrysanthemum positively influences the immune system, the heart, the nervous system, the metabolism, the skin and the respiratory system.
Even though chrysanthemum has many therapeutic uses, we will now present three important remedies that are based on chrysanthemum.
- Low immunity, and kidney diseases – one teaspoon of petals is added to a cup of boiling water and allowed to boil for 10 minutes. Then, the heat is turned off and the tea left to infuse for 30 minutes. Consume one cup per day, divided into two half servings. You can add honey to the tea if you prefer.
- Detoxifying – add half a teaspoon of chrysanthemum petals and half a teaspoon of lime flowers to two cups of boiling water. Allow the tea to infuse for 20 minutes, then strain it and consume it throughout the day, dividing it in two half servings.
- Rheumatism, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis – crush a handful of petals, add a teaspoon of olive oil and mix. Spread the mixture onto the affected area, cover the area with plastic food wrap and secure with an elastic bandage. Leave it on overnight.
Consumption of products containing chrysanthemums is not recommended to people who have autoimmune diseases, immune, tuberculosis, sclerosis, or are under medical treatment for cancer, anxiety and drugs showing liver toxicity.