Saturday, June 14, 2008

Linden tea, anyone?

These are linden tree blossoms, and their heady, sweet fragrance is intoxicating. There are many different species of linden trees, but the flower is the part that is most frequently used in medical preparations. Linden has been used in European folk medicine for centuries for a wide range of health conditions, and is used by some cultures to treat anxiety, although no clinical trials have confirmed its effectiveness. Some trials indicate that linden tea can help people with mild gallbladder problems, upset stomach or dyspepsia, and gastrocardiac syndrome. When taken as a hot tea, linden flowers induce a mild fever, possibly helping to increase the immune system's ability to fight infections. The fever also causes sweating to cool the body off. Tea time!

FOUR WOMEN

 Four women near an outdoor market downtown.