My family and I were hit with COVID early January, so we’ve been taking time to recover and heal. Today is my last day of quarantine, and I certainly feel stronger than those first few days when the virus was just beginning to move through my body.
I am exhausted as I am sure you are, too. This reality has taken a toll not only on our physical bodies, but also emotional and spiritual beings.
On day 8 of quarantine, I felt the heaviness in my mind and spirit. I was at home caring for myself while also caring for my son. Even though I was blessed to have community support around us, after 8 days of trying to recover, while caring for another being, and not leaving my apartment, my body began to send me reminders to pay extra attention to my mental health.
There was one herb that spoke to me that morning, and that was oatstraw! This herb is one of my favorite, mainly due to the many healing properties it provides. Oatstraw is truly a master healer. This magical plant physically replenishes and nourishes us when feeling low energy, exhausted, or depleted. Oatstraw is an antidepressant, nervine, stimulant, tonic, and it is highly nutritious due to its source of calcium, zinc, vitamins A and B, magnesium, and iron. Oatstraw is also a demulcent, which means that it relieves inflammation and replenishes a taxed nervous system with its gelatinous substance. This gelatinous substance, which you will see when you prepare a cold infusion with the plant, is what will restore depleted myelin sheath, which is that insulating layer that forms around the nerves in our nervous system.
Emotionally and energetically, oatstraw replenishes an exhausted and grieving soul. She comes to lift us up after feeling like we have very little to give, or feel like we can not keep going. Spiritually, oatstraw symbolizes abundance and prosperity, and reminds us that we deserve an abundance of care, joy, fulfillment and vitality.
An herb that has zero contraindications, it is perfectly safe for anyone to take and in the quantities that may be needed. On day 8, I began to prepare a big jug of oatstraw every day, and have been adding it to my morning smoothies, immune teas, or just drinking it alone for complete and deep restoration. When thinking of the sadness, depression, anxiety, or stress that may come up while experiencing COVID, quarantining, or simply having to navigate the world through this third COVID wave, I recommend oatstraw for support.
Here’s a simple and favorite recipe of mine:
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon of organic oatstraw
- 1 Tablespoon of organic rose petals or rose buds
- 1 teaspoon of raw honey
- 1 cup of room temperature filtered water
- 1 cup of hot filtered water
Preparation:
- Prepare a “cold” infusion with oatstraw by letting the herb steep in 1 cup of room temperature water for at least 15-20 minutes. You can also steep overnight for a stronger infusion.
- Prepare a hot infusion with rose by letting the herb steep in 1 cup of hot boiled water for at least 15-20 minutes. You can also steep overnight for a stronger infusion.
- Strain and mix both infusions and add raw honey for extra healing sweetness!
- Feel free to drink 3-4 cups a day during and post COVID healing for deep nervous system restoration.
Invite gentleness and sweetness into your life as much as you can, and allow yourself to be held through these times. We are not here to do this alone.