(MORNING GLORY POST)

Hello everyone,

I grow Ipomoeas every year - they're by far my favorite flower, and the conditions where I live are great for them. Just recently, though, I had decided to use their blooms to color my morning teas. I honestly thought the deep rich purples of the Grandpa Otts and the reds of the Quamoclits were just nice to look at it.

I had no idea it would improve things for me during my workday in the way that it has. I typically pair them with other herbals, like peppermint and black tea.

Mood stability and general positivity improved. I was less achy. Less irritable. My stomach hurt less. I didn't put two and two together until a particularly stressful pair of weeks when I stopped drinking them in the morning and noticed an almost immediate change in quality of life. Those stressors wouldn't have been as intense had I been drinking the teas.

Morning Glories contain high amounts of anthocyanins - the chemical components that color the blooms. It's where they get the rich blues, purples, reds, etc that Ipomoea can exhibit.

I had my suspicions about the anthocyanins being anti-inflammatory, and after a bit of research, found that was indeed the case. For anyone suffering from chronic inflammation, Morning Glory teas might be a great form of adjunct therapy with other medications. It has also been studied for treatment of Ulcerative Colitis.

My vines are high producers, so I will regularly use 7-10 whole flowers in my strainer, plus the other ingredients. With Quamoclit being so small, you'll probably need double that, but both have pollen in them that makes them naturally sweet, and they're very tasty.

Just wanted to put this out here for people who think Morning Glories are just for tripping; they're most certainly not, and as I continue to grow them, I will report back with anything else I become familiar with.