Spring allergy season has arrived in full force, and while I love to throw open all the windows in the house to enjoy the warming temperatures, I find myself coughing and sneezing as well.
Since I’m not willing to give up spring in all her glory, I keep this herbal tea recipe on hand. Most of the ingredients you’ll probably have in your cabinet already, and in just a few minutes you can be sipping a marvelous cure from your kitchen.
Bring fresh water almost to a boil and pour it into your cup over the following ingredients:
- A clove or two: Cloves have antibacterial and antiviral properties, are good for digestion and wonderful for soothing a sinus headache. (In Persia they are even considered an aphrodesiac!)
- A few shakes of powdered ginger root: When I was little, my mother always gave me ginger ale for an upset stomach. Ginger is widely used not only for good digestion, but it also reduces inflammation, which is wonderful for headaches and stuffy noses. I like to keep fresh ginger root on hand during allergy season; just pare the outer skin off and slice a few thin rounds into your cup. You can also get ginger slices in jars that will keep nicely in your refrigerator.
- Drizzle of honey: Honey is a marvelous soother of a sore throat. Treat yourself to a trip to your local whole foods store and buy two or three special varieties to last you through spring.
- Lemon wedge: Fresh lemon just can’t be beat, and you may already have lemon juice in your fridge. Lemon is wonderful for fighting infection and it helps the body get rid of toxins. Be sure to wash your fresh lemons well to remove waxes and germs common on produce surfaces, especially if you plan to drop the wedge into your tea.
- Cinnamon stick to stir with: You can use a shake or two of ground cinnamon if you don’t have cinnamon sticks handy. Cinnamon not only clears your head by supporting healthy cognitive function, it also relieves inflammation and swelling.
Image credit: globevisions on Flickr
