Even though I’m currently on summer break, there has rarely been a day where I can take a real break. At this point in my life, I’m an extreme busybody and rarely have even a few minutes to relax. And ironically, when I do have a rare moment of peace, I feel guilty that I’m wasting time instead of doing something productive. As one can probably tell, I am a relatively wound up person. Don’t get me wrong, I love being a workaholic and I wouldn’t be who I am if I weren’t an anxious person, but sometimes even I burnout. For those times, I think about what my mom has always told me, “Everyone will burnout. Those times are inevitable, but whoever is strong enough to cope until the hard times are over will be those who make it to the top.” These words have not only gotten me through many hard times in my life, but also influenced me to constantly find healthy ways to cope.
For example, one of my old best friends from high school would always brew us some Earl Grey tea during our late night study sessions. The smell still calms me down and reminds me of those silent nights of hard work that I only loved so much because my best friend was by my side while going through the same thing. From then on, I’ve loved pairing tea with study sessions and seemingly conditioned my mind to correlate a cup of hot tea to a more focused mood. Recently, I read about and researched a tea I’ve never tried: oat straw tea.
Oatstraw tea uses avena sativa, also known as wild oats, oat straw, or groats. Herbalists claim that this tea works as an herbal diuretic and a stimulant. According to herbalist Michael Tierra, herbal diuretics like oatstraw increase urine flow. This can be useful in treating urinary tract infections (UTI’s) and kidney stones. As a stimulant, oatstraw works to energize and relieve stress. Often made from the stems, seeds, and flowers of the oat plant, this tea contains a high nutritional value that may improve digestion and increase one’s calcium levels.
Although not as common as many other teas, there are still easily accessible ways to purchase oatstraw. Many online herbal and/or brand shops offer packs of oatstraw tea as well as Amazon. One brand, Mountain Rose Herbs, sells 1 pound of organic oatstraw herbs made to make tea from. (Make sure to consult your qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products.)
