If you are not a huge fan of Tea for its plethora of health benefits and its myriad of tasty receipes, now is a great time to become acquainted with my favorite Winter go to for staving off viral and bacterial infections, reduce inflammation, boost the immune system and reduce the duration and symptoms of colds and flu as well as the dreaded Covid and now RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) a reemerging respiratory virus, as the Astrological aspects for November 2022 (as of this publication) are showing a heightened alert to these infections once again with Mars in Gemini showing inflammation of the lungs Squaring phlemmy Neptune and Jupiter in Pisces; we become prone and susceptible picking up something that we do not want. In addition, the Full Moon and Total Lunar Eclipse in Taurus and Sun in Scorpio we could see an increase in Ear, Nose and Throat issues and the inhalation of a virus.
Read more: Teas -How to Stay Healthy During Flu Season
During Covid I relied on Theives Essential Oil in my teas and for cleaning the house as it has high antimicrobial properties, it is antibacterial and antiviral. It can be ingested in small doses as it is made from my Grandmother’s go to spice – Cloves. My Grandmother used Oil of Cloves for everything from toothaches and abscesses to sore throats and coughs to cleaning out wounds. Oil of Cloves was always readily available at the pharmacy and in our home. It works wonders in a pot of simmering water or a difuser for cleaning the air as well. Theives is a commercially sold blend of Cloves, Rosemary, Cinnamon, Lemon and Eucalyptus Oils, but can easily be made at home using herbs and spices that are easily accessible.
Truly anything can be made into a tea, but my go to recipe is similar to a non-milk based Chai Spiced Tea. Many Chai teas do use some sort of milk and a lot of sugar in their base and I recommend staying away from that as milk or creamy based, even if nut based, can cause mucus and sugar feeds and promotes inflammation in the body.
The most important ingredient will be Whole Cloves. If you only have ground Cloves on hand, that is fine too. You can easily throw a few Whole Cloves in to your cup with your favorite tea bag or into a tea infuser and allow the Cloves to steep along with the tea. I like a black, green or orange tea during the day as that contains caffeine, or a red rooibos tea at night as it is naturally decaffeinated. Truly, anything works. You can make your own blend of teas using Cloves, Thyme, Rosemary, Cinnamon, Sage, Raw Ginger, Oregano, and Lavender as they all have the antiviral benefits. It tastes like Christmas in a Cup! Add some raw or pure Honey and Lemon or Orange to increase the health benefits of the tea. The Honey is also antibacterial and the Citrus adds vital vitamin C. Tea infusers can be purchased for $2-$5 and are relatively inexpensive. Get creative and mix different herbs and spices until you have found your favorites. There are well over 100 different herbs and spices that all have an incredible health benefits to avoid illness. I like to keep it very simple.
THE BASIC RECIPE:
- Select a base – Black, Green, Orange Pekoe, Red Rooibos – you choose
- 4 Whole Cloves or 3/4 teaspoon or ground Cloves
- 1 teaspoon of Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Sage or Cinnamon – pick as many as desired
- A slice or 2 of fresh Ginger (optional) great for throat and sinus
- Honey for taste and soothing – use only high quality pure or raw honey
- Elderberry syrup is a nice change from Honey if you prefer- I like Zarbees
- Citrus – Lemon, Lime, or Orange – squeeze in and drop into cup –be sure to wash first
- Pour boiling water over the combination and allow to steep for 5-7 minutes
There are so many medicinal and health benefits to herbs and spices, let your imagination, creativity and palate guide you. Drink at least one cup of the Health Tea each day to prevent illness. If you find yourself already under the weather make that tea and start drinking it to reduce and improve symptoms and possible reduce the duration of the illness. Prevention is the best medicine so be smart and limit exposure, make sure you are still washing your hands when out in public or using a hand santizer or wipes and masks are still on the table for prevention and the possible spread should you find yourself ill and in need to venture outside of the home. Get plenty of rest and sleep during these colder months and eat highly nutritious foods. If you find yourself with a nasty, uncontrollable cough, a spoon full of honey with a squeeze of lemon will really soothe and quiet it down.
**As always, if you are ill, it is always best to seek professional medical advice. Also, if you currently have a medical condition, you may want to check with your health care provider before using certain herbs and spices as they may have an interaction with certain conditions and or medicines**