N.O.R.A. tea is a classic everyone should be aware of. During my first pregnancy, my midwife only mentioned drinking Raspberry leaf tea, not a peep about N.O.R.A. tea. The awesome thing about this tea is that its good during late pregnancy and postpartum.
So what is NORA tea and why should you drink it? It stands for Nettles, Oatstraw, Red Raspberry leaf, and Alfafa. Below, I will explain what each herb is good for.
Nettles – Nettles (Urtica Urens. Urtica Diotica. Stinging Nettle. ) are good for the following conditions:
- Anemia (low iron) and fatigue (due to low iron) – They have a high amount of iron and minerals that make it an excellent energy booster
- Hemorrhoids – May help to lessen the swelling of hemorrhoids. It’s also an astringent that can help shrink and tighten the top layers of skin or mucous membranes which helps relieve irritation and improving tissue firmness.
- Bleeding – They’ve historically been used to stop various types of bleeding, external and internal. While being a blood purifier, it can help stop excess bleeding during and after childbirth and assist in wound recovery. It can also protect against bleeding and strengthens the fetus.
- Blood pressure – As a diuretic, it is used to lower high blood pressure
- Breast milk – It helps milk production in humans (and cows)
- Hormones – As an excellent tonic, it can help tone the reproductive system at every stage of a woman’s life.
- Pain – As it contains serotonin and histamine, it can relieve pain
There are some important considerations to note in that, they are also known as stinging nettles. Fresh Nettles have fine hairs that can sting if rubbed against your skin.
Oatstraw (Avena Sativa) – This herb is popular for its positive effects on addiction. However in the case of a postpartum mother, it’s best used for anxiety and nervousness.
Raspberry leaf – Often referred to as a “Woman’s herb,” Raspberry leaf is a uterine tonic and trophorestorative meaning that it increases tone and functionality of the uterine system. It can support regulation of the menstrual cycle, decrease cramping, excess bleeding and/or excess clotting. Traditionally, in pregnancy the herb has been used to reduce morning sickness, reduce false labor pains, normalize uterine contractions, ease the birthing process, decrease bleeding after birth, return the uterus to its normal tone and increase the quality of breast milk while nursing. (source: clinicalherbalism.com)
Alfafa (Medicago Sativa) – Alfafa is an amazing superfood that was first used by the Arabs to keep their horses swift and strong. The word “Alfafa” is an Arabic word which means “father of plants”. The Chinese later adopted it and used it to combat a variety of illnesses. Overall, it can help with malnutrition and improve indigestion – both of which are crucial in the postpartum period. It can also be used as a diuretic. Specifically it can influence the following:
- Alkalinity – Being a high alkaline food, it can help reduce acidic conditions.
- Blood – It can help detoxify the blood.
- Nutrition – it contains vitamins and minerals that can help with anorexia nervosa and malnutrition. It acts as a fat producer, corrects tissue waste while improving digestion and appetite
- Sidenote – Alfafa sprouts are a very powerful and are considered one of the best sources of vitamin K.
How do you make it? Buy each herb. Measure equal amounts and put it in an airtight jar, shake well and voila! You have your own NORA tea. I’ve found that Azurestandard has pretty good prices when it comes to herbs and healthy foods in general.
Sources:
Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism
Nature’s Materia Medica, 4th edition by Robin Murphy