The 4 Best Herbs to Help Your Body Through the Holiday Season
The holidays are hard for everyone. They can be wonderfully fun and full of laughter, family, and great food. But, they can also bring expanding waste lines, stress about getting everything done and tightening of the budget. For all this I say, herbs are your best friends! They are cheap, easy to come by and can get a world of things done.
Trust me, your body will thank you for keep these on hand!
1. FOR WHEN YOU EAT HOLIDAY GOODIES
SAGE - Sage is your best friend when carving into that Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas ham or that cheesecake that Aunt Edith makes that you wait for ALL. YEAR. LONG. Now, it may be put on meat quite easily but you may be curious how to slip in some sage for desserts. The answer is simple, chew it up in your mouth after or before and let it sit in there for five to ten minutes. You can then swallow or spit it out.
You're probably now wondering why you'd want to do this in the first place. Well, let me let you in on a secret I've recently discovered. Sage helps to digest fats and leads to increased oxygenation which can actually help you lose weight! Wouldn't that be great if you didn't gain any weight during the holidays and still got to eat what you wanted?!
2. FOR HOLIDAY STRESS
LAVENDER - Lavender has been known for ages to be de-stressing and calming to the nerves. Lavender is also known for its anti-aging abilities hence it is in many make-up products and perfumes. This is great, especially as an oil, for you to have on hand and be able to smell periodically, drink as a tea, or wear as perfume.
Smelling lavender or ingesting it (if you have a reliably safe and healthy source) is a great way to keep yourself calm when you have a million things to get done and just need a moment to collect yourself.
Lastly, lavender also has been known to improve sleep for some people. Which a huge benefit because stress around the holidays can often keep us from the full nights rest that is most needed for sanity!
3. FOR UPSET STOMACHS AND HOT COCOA
PEPPERMINT - Peppermint is also quite versatile much like sage and lavender. Peppermint is a tried and true aid for upset stomachs. Taken every way from tea to chewing on the leave.
Essential oils tend to be the strongest as they are concentrated, next in line being tea and lastly chewing on the leaves tends to be the slowest to absorb. Chewing the leaves can be quite pleasant though and gives your breath a nice minty smell. Whatever way you choose to take it, peppermint is definitely something to have on hand in case you get in over your head with desserts and need some stomach help.
If you have a stomach of steel, you still may want to keep it on hand. Peppermint is great in many desserts from peppermint cocoa to peppermint and chocolate bark. It can spice up just about any dessert recipe or add some decorative flourish to the tops of desserts if you are less of a fan of the taste.
4. FOR YOUR HEALTH
GARLIC - Garlic is one of the best herbs for fighting infections, sicknesses, and keeping your health up. Garlic made the list for its antibacterial and broad spectrum ability to take your health to the next level. It helps prevent cancer and the common cold making it just what we need over the holidays.
With everything you have to do in a few short months, sickness is something that, if it can be avoided, should be. More than not getting sick, you body will thank you in the long run for the boost of antioxidants and other marvelous compounds that garlic contains.
The best part about herbs is they are easy and cheap to find, good quality in relatively cheap prices is easy obtained, and they have significantly less side effects than medication. In fact most of the side effects are actually benefits of good food and health that our bodies crave.
I pray these help you stay healthy this holiday season and that the help your love of God's creation grow as you learn more about how it can help you be the best you!
Blessings!
Kelsie
(The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.)