Oatstraw (Avena sativa) is the stem and the milky grain of the oat plant (the same one you get oatmeal from). It is packed with calcium, potassium, and vitamins A and C. In fact, your body can assimilate the calcium easier from herbs than it can from many of the calcium pills on the market. If you want a calcium supplement, just drink a cup of tea a day. Oatstraw can be taken any time of your life. It is a gentle herb and can be blended with other herbal teas.
This herb is favored by herbalists for building and maintaining strong healthy bones. It mends the bones and makes them more pliable. Drink a quart of oatstraw infusion a day and take an oatstraw bath a couple of times a week to help your bones heal from breaks, cancer, osteoporosis and rickets. It improves bone density while nourishing your nervous system.
You can make a tea or an infusion from oatstraw. A tea is made with boiling water poured over the herb and steeped for about 5-10 minutes. Infusions are made like tea, but they set for a longer time to extract more of the vitamins and minerals from the herb for healing.
Here’s how I make an Oatstraw Infusion:
1 oz oatstraw
1 quart canning jar
Put 1 oz of oatstraw in a quart canning jar. Pour boiling water to fill the jar. Put the lid on and let it set out overnight or about 8-10 hours.
Strain off the herb and you can drink right away, or drink it iced or blended with other teas like raspberry. To make a bath, simply pour a quart of infusion in your bath water and soak in it 1-2 times a week.
©2009 Shanna Ohmes
