Waiter, there’s a horse’s tail in my tea!  Relax, that is not an actual horse’s tail in the detoxifying tea blends that we carry.  It is actually an herb called horsetail, known in scientific terms as Equisetum Arvense.  It is also known as horse willow, toad pipe, bottle brush, Dutch rushes, and Shavegrass.  This herb comes from a family of plants that actually date back three hundred million years.  No wonder it is good for your health.  Anything that can last three hundred million years must be doing something right.

The ancient Romans used this herb to cure kidney and bladder infections, bleeding ulcers, arthritis, and tuberculosis.  The Chinese have used this herb for centuries to alleviate fever and inflammations of the eyes and other areas such as hemorrhoids.   It is also very beneficial in strengthening bones because it contains silica which helps the body store more calcium and calcium builds stronger bones and tendons.  Horsetail also can be used to treat tuberculosis and emphysema.

Horsetail is included in our detox teas because it is one of the best diuretics found in nature.  Because it is a wonderful diuretic, it has the ability to eliminate a lot of water from the body so care must be taken when ingesting it.  It will increase urination and is often found in many weight loss products.  Horsetail can eradicate bacterial and inflammatory diseases out of the lower urinary tract and help get rid of kidney and bladder stones.  It provides nourishment to the hair, nails, skin, bones and connective tissue.

Russian researchers have recently done studies suggesting that horsetail can be helpful in removing harmful lead accumulation in the body.  Using horsetail to gargle with can relieve mouth ulcers, bleeding gums, and sore throats.  Taken internally, it can stop bleeding from ulcers and help reduce heavy menstrual flow.  It contains an acid called equisetic acid which has been found to be a heart and nerve sedative which becomes poisonous when abnormally high amounts of this acid are introduced into your system.

(To Be Continued)