A tea I make myself when the weather gets cold, the sky stays dark, and my mood gets low.
Don’t know about you, but winter, COVID, and the lockdown is getting to me. Regardless of the pandemic, during this time of year I get fever blister, aka, cold sores. But stress, anxiety, and more time indoors causes them to come out more frequently. I’ve been lucky this winter to not have a big break out. The one I did get this winter was like a pimple and lasted only a couple of days. People who get cold sores know they can last for a week+ and look like you were mauled by a street cat.
I drink Lemon Balm Tea with a few other ingredients in the winter to fight off cold sores and the blues.
| Lemon Balm Tea |
|---|
| 1 Tbs Dry Lemon Balm Leaves |
| 1 Tsp Oat Straw |
| 1 Tsp Nettle Tea |
| Pinch of Licorice Root Powder |
| 2 Drops of St.John’s Wort Infused Oil |
| Black Forest (Honeycomb) Honey to Taste |
A Couple of Benefits of Each Ingredient:
- Lemon Balm: Helps treat cold sores, reduce stress and anxiety
- Oat Straw: Mood booster, reduce inflammation
- Nettle Tea: Reduce inflammatory, acts as an antihistamine
- Licorice Root: Treats ulcers, fights infections
- St. John’s Wort: Mood booster, fights seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
- Black Forest Honey: Boost immune system, energy
The above ingredients have many more reasons to include them in your cup of tea. I play around with my tea and add cinnamon, turmeric, lemon, or ginger to change up the flavor and add more benefits like antioxidants.
Tell me what’s your go to tea when you’re feeling down.
Shanyka Lock-Alcordo, MBA
Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant
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