An effective and enjoyable way to get the health benefits of herbs is to curl up with a cup of herbal tea. You might even want to try making your own blends, to suit your particular tastes and needs.

If you're blending for specific health reasons, of course the herbs you select will address your specific needs, and you'll want to choose ingredients that work together to enhance the overall effect of the tea. Always choose top-quality herbs — organically grown whenever possible. Learn the primary effects of different herbs, and sample a few to find a good fit.

There are hundreds of herbs suitable for teas. Always consult a reliable herbal reference about the safety of consuming any herb before you include it in your remedy. (Note that even some normally safe herbs are unsafe for consumption during pregnancy.)

And there's no reason you can't blend a tea that improves your health and tastes great. Create a tea you enjoy by finding your favorites from among our list of key herbal flavors.

For most acute health problems, medicinal teas should be brewed properly and drunk throughout the day, in small amounts. For chronic health problems, it's often best to drink several cups a day for several months. Ratios and steeping times depend on the plant and the strength desired. It's not a complicated procedure, and worth the bit of extra effort to get it right. Here's how:

* Start with fresh water—bottled if necessary. Boil until it's fiercely bubbling. Rinse your cup or teapot with the boiling water.

* With a clean, dry spoon, remove the tea or tea blend from its container. Using about one teaspoon of tea per cup, plus one for the pot, add the herbs to the tea strainer or place them directly in the pot.