Sunday, May 6, 2012

Magic feel-better tea

Confession: There will be no original photography featured in this post because I can't figure out why my camera hates me. Yeah. To be fair, I lost the charger almost three years ago and just replaced it this week, so it really probably has a right to be mad.  :P I just need to figure out how to, y'know, do things with it.  So uh... Stock Photo Sundays? It could be a thing!

Sidebar: This is not a post about herbal medicine, homeopathy, or even alternative vs mainstream medicine.  I'm talking about controversy-free, safe, relatively common knowledge home remedies here. While I'm very interested in holistic medicine, I feel compelled to mention that natural does not equal safe, and education is extremely important on this topic. Which, again, I have no intention of tackling on my ramble-y DIY blog. ;) 

Anyway. I'm not any kind of expert in the world of herbal teas. I've read up a little on a few things I use, but I don't hunt down specialty ingredients, or even hit up the Whole Foods bulk section. I use what's around, inexpensive, and easily obtained. 
My first concoctions were made in high school in Bangkok, when I started making solo trips to the fresh markets. I learned the words for 'ginger root' and 'mint' and 'lime' - all very cheap and easy to find. 
Wikipedia says this is in China...apparently markets have better lighting there? :P

Most of the time, though, I kept it to a potent, nearly instantly-attainable brew made with three ingredients: Ginger tea packets (available at 7-11), limes (always already cut up in the fridge) and honey. It was the tea equivalent of Boom Pow, and I used it to wake up if I was sleepy or foggy-headed while studying...or for anything else really. I don't even like ginger all that much in sweet applications (Mom: I know, I know, I'msorryaboutthebrowniesokay?!) but  somehow that mixture did it for me.  I proceeded to make it for friends, telling them that it would help their cold, headache, insomnia, brain fog, cramps, upset stomach, etc. And for the most part, it did help, but not for any particular reason other than that a hot cup of tea is almost always a good idea when you're under the weather, whether or not it contains [m]any actually healing ingredients.


Yeah, that's right. Found at Halcyon Tea.