Jimmy T's Magical Tea Recipe for Healing Digestive Issues

When you're ill, nothing feels better than a warming cup of tea. You breathe in the vapors, let the heat sink into your bones, enjoy the soothing trickle down your throat.

This is not that tea.

Come on in, if you're brave. Bring scissors. Am I kidding? We shall see.

The story of the tea: Several decades ago, my partner suffered from a severe bout with ulcers. The physicians he visited repeatedly prescribed medicines which caused diarrhea, serving only to worsen one of his existing symptoms. He lost a significant amount of weight and wasn't getting any better. His intestines were irritated to the point where he couldn't absorb nutrients from the food he could manage to eat.

He began to try to find something on his own which would treat his ulcers without the accompanying upset to his system. He already had an interest in traditional Asian medicines and had a base of knowledge concerning plants and nutrition. He combined these ideas, developed a recipe and began to refine it to make it more potable.

My story: J was reminded of his recipe recently when I experienced a severe illness. I lost weight, developed vitamin deficiencies and severe abdominal pain, and endured horrible bathroom experiences. I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel, although that only seemed to explain part of the story and the medicine and diagnosis didn't help my condition to improve. In fact, I got worse.

We eliminated all sources of gluten in my diet, even though I was not diagnosed with Celiac Disease and J began to give me the tea once or twice daily. We were trying anything that may help. On the days when I didn't drink the tea, we noticed I had far more trouble.

This is all anecdotal evidence. Neither of us is a doctor. We can only tell you what worked for us. Each of our illnesses seemed to have resulted in disruptions to the linings of our digestive tracts, leading to indescribably painful symptoms.

The tea and its mucilaginous consistency seemed to help make up for some of the lack in our mucous membranes, to soothe the sores and to allow food to pass through in a less painful manner. The nutrient content and oils also helped in the healing process.

Ingredient list:

• 1 1/3 cup water (to yield 1 cup boiled water)
  
• 1 Tablespoon Flax seed
• 1 teaspoon Sesame seed (Black sesame seed is preferable)
  
• 1 Lipton tea bag

Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to keep the liquid at a simmer.

Boil the seeds and water together for 6 minutes.

Add the tea bag and simmer for 4 minutes.

Remove the tea bag and allow the brew to sit for 5 minutes.

Pour the tea from the pan into a cup through a strainer. The strainer will catch any floating seed and will help to break up the body of the tea.

This step of the process is crucial. You must allow the tea to cool sufficiently. This tea tends to form a gel, which settles into the bottom of the cup. If you drink it too quickly, before the heat has dissipated, you can cause a painful and lasting burn to your throat and stomach. The gel actually holds in more heat than the liquid, so even if the top layers of the tea are cool, proceed slowly and check the feel of the lower portion of the cup.

You must consume the tea when it has cooled enough that you are beyond the danger of being burned, yet before it is so cool that it congeals overly in the bottom of the pan or cup.

This is a tough remedy for anyone who has a weak stomach.

If you experience trouble, as I do, have a family member strain the concoction for you so you do not have to witness the gel.

The clear gel is essentially flavorless. You don't have to look at it (in fact, I'd advise against it), but you may feel it in your mouth or throat as you drink.

My only way to get around that has been to drink it quickly, keep it off my tongue (by curling my tongue up a bit and hiding it behind my front teeth) and not think about it. Focus instead on the healing it may bring.

Flax seed oil is the same as linseed oil. Flax seed oil has been shown to help with intestinal illnesses, healing the lining of the intestines when they become inflamed. Flax is rich in alpha linolenic acid (a plant version omega three fatty acid).

The black tea helps make the drink more palatable and the tannic acid it contains breaks up some of the jelling.

Black sesame provides another useful oil. Known from Asian herbal medicine, it helps to heal burns.

Anyone considering use of the tea is encouraged to first consult a physician, especially if you are taking a prescription medication. Some contents of the tea may interfere with the absorption or required levels of certain medications and may be contraindicated for certain medical conditions.