07/31/2021 6:00 AM
Clarín.com
Astrology
Updated 07/31/2021 6:00 AM
"Holy remedy!", The grandmothers would say.
Along with other aromatics -such as oregano, star anise, absinthe-,
rue
is part of the so-called "folk" medicines, deeply rooted in the cultures of northwestern Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile and Peru and which were already consumed by Native peoples of America since ancient times.
The recipe that the shamans treasured - the story goes that the creators were the priests of the Guaraní tribes - was a concoction of liqueurs made with carob, patay or chañar to those who added rue leaves to combat the
"evils
in their communities.
of winter "
.
With some adjustments to the original ingredients,
the ritual
remained intact and the date set to practice it is the first day of the eighth month of the year,
August 1
, when
the Pachamama festival
finds its faithful consuming cane with rue to guarantee themselves. protection and fortune.
But the "magic" of rue also applies to health: there are those who use its fresh leaves to accelerate wound healing and those who add its leaves to salads, soups or other healthy dishes.
Many also ingest rue in
infusion
format
and it is the
tea
that grandmothers recommend, although with some caveats:
it should not be consumed by children or pregnant women
.
Rue leaves - essential for tea - are found in herbalism.
What is rue tea
The leaves of this
shrub -
essential for making tea - are very easy to find in herbalists.
La
Rue
also can grow in any garden and grows in temperate climates or something cold.
In summer it has small yellow flowers that can be incorporated in the preparation of tea.
There are those who choose to locate the plant before the entrance of the house to drive away bad vibes.
Of course: its smell is somewhat strong and unpleasant, so it is not recommended to have it near doors and windows.
To make the tea, you need
two teaspoons of rue leaves
(it can also contain dried flowers) and a cup of water.
Boil the water in a container, remove from the heat and add the rue.
Let it sit for
eight minutes
, strain to serve into a cup and drink.
That is how simple the
rue tea
recipe is
, considered a
natural sedative for the nervous system
and to which positive effects are attributed due to its antispasmodic, relaxing and digestive properties, among many others.
To make the tea you need two teaspoons of rue leaves and a cup of water.
What is rue tea for?
Rue is used for almost "everything"
: cough, flu, upset stomach, anxiety, menstrual pain, insomnia ... Very common ailments for which tea has a therapeutic use.
To treat colic or diarrhea, reduce menstrual discomfort and other pain related to the menstrual period such as headache and irritability.
It is also an excellent
relaxant
to reduce anxiety and control nervous states and is even recommended to tone blood flow and tone the arteries.
But
not all are praise
for rue and rue tea.
The same professionals who are experts in natural therapies who praise its virtues warn that
its excessive consumption can cause dependence and toxicity
.
That is why it is important to supervise a specialist to dose the intake according to the needs of each person.
On the other hand,
rue tea
and any other prepared with this type of herbs are harmful and are
contraindicated in the case of children, pregnant and lactating women and people under medical treatment
for kidney, liver or blood pressure problems .
In children, rue tea can cause stomach upset, nausea and vomiting, as well as damage to the liver and kidneys.
In expectant mothers, increased uterine contractions and blood flow.
And babies who are breastfed - exclusively or partially - may have stomach irritation and spasms.
Bath with rue: how to prepare it
The powers of rue are also associated with other earthly issues, such as
attracting luck
, money and prosperity, as well as
warding off bad vibes
.
To carry out a
spiritual and corporal cleansing,
you can take a bath with rue.
You will only need the leaves of a few freshly cut twigs and four liters of water.
Rue is said to work against coughs, flu, anxiety, and menstrual cramps.
How do you do it?
Mix the leaves with the water in a basin and
crush them
with your hands until the herb
releases its oil
into the water;
let
the liquid rest for an hour
;
strain the preparation to discard the leaves and reserve the water.
There is no specific formula for bathing with rue, that is, the elements that each find most pleasant or iconic can be added: candles, essences, music, prayers.
Once the environment is ready, slowly pour the rue mixture over the body -from the neck down- rubbing the whole body and trying to maintain positive thoughts.
At the end
of the rue bath
, it is important to let the body dry on its own, without a towel, and to choose
light clothing
, preferably white.
Part of the water used for this purifying bath can be discarded in the garden or down the toilet and the rue leaves that were set aside are returned to nature, burying them in a sector where there is earth.
This practice should be
avoided
if you are
menstrual or pregnant
.
There are many other variants of the rue bath. To the preparation you can add, for example,
coarse salt
(increases protection against the evil eye),
sugar
(for love affairs) or
rosemary
(for good luck).