Tea Book Home Cures for January--National Hot Tea Month

 By Cal Orey

Warm Up this Winter—Wellness in a Cup—

Discover the Benefits of Tea for Your Body and Mind!

5 Tea Home Cures from Your Kitchen

January Hot Tea Month

One autumn day I found myself getting up at 2:30 A.M. to catch a 6:00 A.M. plane to Salt Lake City, then to Atlanta Georgia, onward to Montreal, Quebec. Waking up without adequate sleep felt odd and it was the wrong hour to brew coffee. 

So, I made a cup of my own blend: black and white tea. It gave me enough caffeine energy to get on the shuttle bus without acting like a zombie from a sci-fi film. 

But while tea offers home cures, including beating sleepiness, it can also help keep you calmer than java. At the first airport counter café, I ordered a cup of hot water and used my own chamomile tea bag to keep me calm enough for the next fear factor: flying out of the Sierra and into Salt Lake City—two dicey airports known for turbulent flights. And thanks to tea, I survived the flight plan all the way to Canada, my second home...

There is a growing trend of at-home tea cures (like I used to achieve my final destination), that’ll wow you with their potential healing powers. I sprinkled in tea wisdom from tried-and-true folk remedies, scientific studies, medical experts, and my own home tea and tisane cures. It’s tea time! Read on--here's five home cures from more than 50 in The Healing Powers of Tea (Available December 26, 2017).

1. COLDS (Warm Up Baby.) During the fall and winter months, cold season hits more frequently. Also, though, if you are under stress a cold can pay you a visit year-round, especially if traveling or contracting a virus from someone else. If your immune system is under attack—a cold can be prevented or the severity lessened with tea.

What Tea Rx to Use: Drink one 8-ounce cup of black tea (hot or iced) with or without 1 teaspoon honey two to three times per day.

Why You’ll Feel Tea-rrific: Tea researchers believe it’s the compound antigen in black tea that bolsters the body’s immune system and may help guard against colds. Also, the tannins may help to stave off viruses like a cold. I recall one doctor’s story about how he turned to tea for comfort. He was traveling in the Alaskan wilderness. While in a van traveling with a lot of people, one had a cold as he did. The doctor had tea and drank the liquid. And it helped the good doctor heal.

2.  COUGHS (Cease the tickle.) Coping with a cold can be annoying, but coughing which can be caused by seasonal allergies, or linger after a cold, a bout of bronchitis, or other things, can be pesky and make your throat and even chest ache.

What Tea Rx to Use: Opt to brew 1 12-ounce cup of black or white tea. For an extra throat soother, add 1 teaspoon of honey. Repeat as necessary.

Why You’ll Feel Tea-rrific:  Tacking a cough takes a bit of sleuth work to discover why you are coughing—and then it’s time to be proactive and deal with the problem. If allergens are the issue, for instance, it’s time to get an air purifier, vacuum and dust more, and add tea with honey to your diet repertoire—soon you’ll be doing the happy dance without stopping to cough.

3. FLU (Say good-bye to germs.) Catching the flu, which can come on suddenly, drags you down and into bed. Viruses come in all forms and can give you anything from a 24-hour flu bug to a super bug that’ll spook you to the point where images from sci-fi films like Outbreak and Contagion will haunt you as you try and shake it.

What Tea Rx to Use: Take 2 cups of tea and you won’t be calling the doctor in the morning. Mix it up and sip 1 cup of tea (black, green, or white) and 1 cup of your favorite vitamin C-enhanced herbal tea such as hibiscus.

Why You’ll Feel Tea-rrific: It’s no surprise that the functional food tea is chock-full of antioxidants—the good guys that can keep your immune system healthy and stave off germs you could encounter from your local grocery store to a vacation stop. By drinking tea and a vitamin-rich tisane teamed with a nutrient-dense diet, you’ll be keeping your immune system strong.

4. SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (Blast the blues.)  Feeling down and sluggish with SAD, coined by Dr. Norman Rosenthal, is another monster to face. I have tackled the symptoms with an arsenal of remedies—and tea is on the list come late fall through early spring.

What Tea Rx to Use: Brew 1 cup of hot water and use 1 teaspoon green tea leaves or tea bag. Steep for 3 minutes. Repeat 2 times per day.

Why You’ll Feel Tea-rrific: Green tea has 45 milligrams of caffeine (which can give you a physical and mental burst of energy). But also, green tea contains L-theanine—a compound that enhances brain chemicals including serotonin and that can give you a calming sense of well-being. A bonus: It can rev up your metabolism, fill you up and not out. Read: Lose unwanted pounds and body fat.

5. SORE THROAT (Treat the pain.) Before a cold you can get a telltale sore throat. Not to forget allergies and even talking too much. Rather than run to the doctor for an allergy medication, why not take an alternative route and turn to tea?

What Tea Rx to Use:  Dried oolong leaves combined with rose hips or hibiscus can be a perfect pairing. Put 1 teaspoon of tea leaves and 1 teaspoon of the herbal tea of your choice in 1 cup of hot water. Steep for a few minutes, then strain. Add honey to taste.

Why You’ll Feel Tea—rrific: Oolong tea my reduce swelling and inflammation, due to flavonoids. Also, honey boasts anti-inflammatory benefits, too.

Ginger Lemon Honey Tea

Ginger and lemon go together like salt and pepper—two of nature’s finest superfoods with an immunity booster that can keep you healthy this winter and all year-long.

2 cups water

10 thin slices gingerroot, fresh

1 lemon sliced

3 tablespoons honey

1/3 cup lemon juice

Bring water, gingerroot, and lemon slices to a boil for 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from heat, steep 10 minutes, strain. Stir in honey and lemon juice. You can also add apple peel, a piece of onion, and one or two tablespoons of chamomile.

(Courtesy: Gemma Sanita Sciabica)

Excerpt from The Healing Powers of Tea2018. All right reserved. Reprinted with permission  from Kensingtonwww.kensingtonbooks.com .

— Cal Orey, M.A.  is an author and journalist. Her books include the Healing Powers Series (Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate, Honey, Coffee, Tea. Superfoods, Herbs and Spices) published by Kensington. 

The Healing Powers of Tea -- A Cup of Wellness

 From the Author - Cinnamon Tea Featured in 

FIRST for Women  

By Cal Orey

Tearooms to specialty teas amid the rise of tea trends are growing in popularity within all age groups of people. During one of my trips to British Columbia, Canada, I visited Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver for a traditional afternoon tea. I ordered a pot of chamomile tea and the house apricot and current scones. When the tea server clad in a cheongsam arrived to my table, I was intimidated. In hindsight, perhaps a high pour of the teapot (like "A Lot Like Love" film Oliver does for show in the restaurant scene with Chinese flue music playing in the background) would have impressed her. She left the Blue Willow China tea pot at my table. I didn't know I was supposed to strain the tea.  Oops. Looking down at the wilted leaves in my cup of I sulked: I thought: "How can I drink this? The leaves will get stuck in my teeth." And, the leaves steeped too long so it was a dark yellow tea. When the server walked past my table, like a child I pointed to the flawed brew. (But at least I didn't pick up my saucer with the cup.)  She replaced the full tea cup with wilted tea leaves floating like dead goldfish. I felt my face warm up and turn red from embarrassment because I failed tea etiquette.I asked for a doggy bag for the pricey scones, and walked out like a pup with its tail between its legs. I should have laughed at my gaffe, and offered a tea leaf reading. But remember, I am a just a health author, not a tea master.  What did I know?Excerpt from The Healing Powers of Tea (Kensington Books, 2018). All rights are reserved.An excerpt from The Healing Powers of Tea (Kensington, 2018). All rights are reserved.
Cal Orey: Cal Orey, M.A. is an author and journalist. Her books include the Healing Powers Series (Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate, Honey, Coffee, Tea, Superfoods, and Essential Oils) published by Kensington. (The collection has been featured by the Good Cook Book Club and One Spirit Book Club, Newsmax, Woman's World.) Her website and blog (with plenty of fun articles) is calorey.com.  kensingtonbooks.com/author.aspx/24200

About the Author

Cal Orey, M.A., is an accomplished author and journalist. She has a master's degree in English from San Francisco State University, and for three decades has written hundreds of articles for national and international magazines. She specializes in topics such as health, beauty, nutrition, relationships, science, and pets. Her books include The Healing Powers of Olive Oil, The Healing Powers of Coffee, The Healing Powers of Honey, The Healing Powers of Chocolate, The Healing Powers of Vinegar, The Healing Powers of Superfoods, 202 Pets' Peeves, and Doctors' Orders. She lives in northern California. Readers are invited to visit her website at calorey.com, read her blog The Writing Gourmet at calorey.blogspot.com, find her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

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GIFT BOOK for the New Year 2024

 The 20 

Most Surprising Superfoods 

Eggs, fish oil, butter, coconut oil . . . one minute they’re good for you and the next they’re not. Food fads make it tough to know what’s truly healthy. Eat it, don’t eat it. It helps, no wait, it doesn’t help.

Medical doctors and researchers are constantly making new discoveries about food that change conventional thinking.

With so much conflicting science, how do you know which foods really have incredible healing powers?

End the confusion once and for all
with The Healing Powers of Superfoods.

Written by Cal Orey, author of the bestselling Healing Powers of Honey, this blockbuster new book is based on the latest scientific studies showing dozens of surprising superfoods and juices you never knew could help you get healthy and stay healthy — even cheese, chocolate, and ice cream!

The Healing Powers of Superfoods reveals the NEW top 20 superfoods which are loaded with antioxidants, polyphenols, carotenoids, flavonoids, and minerals and vitamins with powerful immune-boosting and disease-preventing properties.

If you want to outsmart heart disease, cognitive
decline, or even lung troubles without giving up
your favorite foods . . . this is the book for you.

Contrary to popular belief, superfoods aren’t just for health nuts. They’re for everyone who wants to enjoy a healthier heart, a stronger brain, clear lungs and sinuses, lower cholesterol, and reduced pain — as well as give the boot to colds and flu, soothe dry skin, feel more energized, and live longer.

One of the most important things you can do with the NEW Top 20 superfoods: Boost your immunity. A balanced immune system is essential to living a healthy life.

Inside this 316-page bible of superfoods you’ll discover the top 20 nutrient-dense foods that are delicious to eat and easy to find at your favorite supermarket. These new superfoods are many of the classic foods you love and they deliver big health benefits that can help you:

• Boost your immune system
• Support a healthy heart
• Build strong bones
• Strengthen your cognitive health
• Maintain healthy blood sugar
• Power up your energy
• Fight fat
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower the risk of heart disease
• Slow the aging process
• Promote healthy vision
• Ease anxiety and stress

If foods like acai, maca, or garlic come to mind when you hear the word “superfood,” you’re in for a surprise! While these superfoods are nutritionally dense and good for your health . . .

The Secret to a Long, Healthy Life
Is Sitting on Your Grocery Shelf

There are loads of other, lesser-known taste-tempting, belly-filling foods with the power to restore health, wellness, and energy to the body. There are even foods that have been on your plate all along — you just didn’t know they were nutrient-dense.

Take gelato and shellfish — once considered too fatty or too high in cholesterol and sodium, they’ve been determined to be good for you and they taste great. They’re today’s “new” superfoods! Shrimp alone have 17 grams of protein and almost one-third the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D — an important vitamin millions of people are lacking. You need all the “D” you can get for strong bones and teeth.

You know those potatoes you serve up as a side with a juicy steak or your favorite chicken dish? Surprise — they’re immunity-boosting powerhouses!

Not just fat-free and a great source of potassium for your heart health, these super spuds are also packed with vitamin A, a powerful immune booster. Medical researchers also believe this potato can boost white blood cell activity, which is key to warding off certain cancers.

All of the details you need about super taters — including some great ways to use them in recipes — are on page 104 of your FREE BOOK.

Guess what? A food doesn’t have to be
perfectly “clean” to be a superfood.

Think about how you enjoy that big bowl of decadent gelato. So creamy and smooth, yet this sweet treat has less fat and more natural ingredients than ice cream.

Add some of this yummy chocolate or any of the great mix-in suggestions on page 63 and it’s like you went to Dairy Queen for a Blizzard swirled with your favorite mix-ins — only better because it’s healthier!

Best of all when you start adding other nutrient-dense foods to superfoods, you instantly increase the health benefits. The Healing Powers of Superfoods gives you all kinds of ideas for blending and stacking superfoods for the healthiest options.

Now don’t give ice cream the boot, because
America’s favorite frozen delight not only builds
strong bones — it supercharges your brain.

Ice cream contains calcium for bone-building and protein for strong muscles and teeth. Know what else? Vanilla ice cream is good for the brain! When you get your FREE COPY of The Healing Powers of Superfoods, turn to page 63 to see the secret super mineral in vanilla ice cream that enhances brain function. Belgian researchers using MRI testing found ice cream even diminishes the brain’s response to sadness.

Do you like apples or peanut butter? They’re super delicious superfoods, too. Apples aren’t just great for weight loss, they lower your bad cholesterol (LDL), protecting against heart attack and stroke.

See page 28 of your FREE BOOK to see which apples pack the most powerful punch. Be sure to try the Super Heart Healthy Cinna-Apple Smoothie on page 29.

Do these look like SUPERFOODS to you?
Take a closer look.

When University of Scranton researcher Joe Vinson, Ph.D., was asked what foods he’d pick if he were stranded on a desert island for two weeks, he chose nuts, peanut butter, orange juice, and wine. Since wine is rich in resveratrol, it could help prevent blood clots from years of eating French fries and bacon.

Rather skip the wine? There’s a great juice alternative on page 141. This superjuice not only helps lower cholesterol but may reduce the risk of cancer, too. It’s all in The Healing Powers of Superfoods.

Eggs can keep you out of the cardiologist’s office, too.

Two studies of 40,000 men and women published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed eating eggs in moderation may be good for your heart. Scientists found absolutely NO LINK to heart disease in healthy test subjects who ate an egg every day. But . . .

You must know which part of the egg to eat for the biggest health benefit — and it’s not what you think or what you’ve been told. An “eggstrordinary” secret on page 55 will show you how to get the biggest bang for your heart health from eggs.

Surprising superfood of the year:
Lobster Mac and Cheese for weight loss!

You’re going to think, “This is too decadent to be good for me, right?” Nope! This amazing recipe uses a secret type of pasta studies show fills you up and slims you down. Parmesan swirled with a bit of butter, pasta, tomatoes, creamy half-and-half, fresh basil. Mmm, mouthwatering! Get the recipe on page 286 of your FREE BOOK! Hurry, get your FREE COPY while supplies last.

These superfoods could help halt everything
from heart disease, cancer, and
flu to obesity, anxiety, and depression.

 

Power up your immune system with this surprising breakfast food!

Turn to page 71 of your FREE BOOK to find out!

 

Eat pizza, beat heart disease.

See how on page 91.

 

Lower bad cholesterol with super chicken!

Turkey works, too. Try the moist and meaty Super Vitalizing Turkey Salad on page 100.

 

Breathe easier — eat tomatoes.

Got asthma? Tomatoes open up airways and detox the body. Page 213

 

Crunchy French Toast and Berries

Healthy never looked or tasted so good! Recipe on page 151 of your FREE BOOK.

During flu season or a major health crisis, it’s more critical than ever you feed your body superfoods to shield against invaders. The more superfoods you pile on your plate over the course of a day, the better.

And learning about which superfoods to eat doesn’t have to be difficult. Everything you need to know is inside The Healing Powers of Superfoods. Through this special offer, you can get a copy of this blockbuster book absolutely FREE! Click here to claim your FREE BOOK.

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s waiting for you inside of The Healing Powers of Superfoods:

• Lower your risk of cancer and heart disease with pizza! Italian researchers found the secret in the sauce. Page 92
• See cholesterol levels you can love at your next checkup. Eat more of this family favorite which also helps you stay trim and feel calm. Page 97
• Lower your blood pressure, stave off colds and flu, AND lose weight with . . . potatoes? That’s right! Discover which 2 “super spuds” are best on page 104.
• Reduce the risk of heart disease and power up your brain health with sweet, creamy, and crunchy Peanut Butter Fudge. Recipes on page 248
• Flatten your belly and banish bloat fast with watermelon — a natural diuretic! Try the quick Melon Salad on page 135.
• Tired, fatigued, and need energy? Eat this once-forbidden sweet treat turned superfood — it gives you the added benefit of boosting brain power. Page 63
• Need a sweetener? Forget honey or brown sugar — reach for antioxidant-rich maple syrup! Studies show maple can enhance the immune system for fewer colds and flu. WAIT! You must use THIS maple syrup to reap the health benefits. Page 73
• Avoid dental bills — keep your teeth and gums healthy with this vitamin C-packed fruit. Hint: it’s NOT oranges! Page 159
• Calm anxiety and frayed nerves with this Thanksgiving favorite. It helps your body make mood-boosting serotonin. Page 97
• Bounce back from jet lag! Drink a glass of water infused with this citrus and eat a handful of this superfood. You get a big energy boost from the carbs combined with magnesium and selenium. Page 198.

The Healing Powers of Superfoods is packed cover-to-cover with hundreds of ways to incorporate superfoods into your life to help you address whatever health issues you face: depression, dizziness, insomnia, kidney stones, blisters, UTIs, asthma, anemia, allergies, pain, and many others.

You get 50+ delicious, nutritious recipes for everything from Pesto Pizza, Dark Chocolate Gelato, and Cheesy Quiche to ricotta-rich Cannelloni steeped in garlic and herbs and Super Immunity Enhancing Chilled Sweet Potato Soup with Maple-Smoked Chili Sauce on page 105.

There are even thirst-quenching recipes for drinks and smoothies. Be sure to try the new twist on green drinks which tastes great! You can’t go wrong with sweet Honeycrisp apples blended with cinnamon, honey, and a touch of kale. Page 188.

PLUS, this treasure trove of healing
superfoods book also contains:

Lower your blood pressure — say CHEESE, please!

All this time you thought cheese was a no-no. Cheese is loaded with heart healthy calcium to help lower your blood pressure — and your risk of heart disease and stroke. Page 41

Wait until you try the gooey Cheese and Cranberry Dip on page 35.

A sensational blend of melted Brie, wine, garlic, and cranberries tempts your taste buds.

• 50 home remedies you can zip together in your kitchen for everything from building strong immunity to dealing with gingivitis, heartburn, depression, constipation, kidney stones, infection, and other health concerns.
• Top 10 “skinny superfoods” scientifically shown to fill you up, not out!
• 5 simple rules for losing weight like a champ.
• Perfectly pampering beautifying recipes for shiny, healthy hair, glowing skin, soft elbows and feet, and more. Super Beautifying Cantaloupe Smoothie, anyone? See page 224
• Household helpers for cleaning stubborn rust, removing gum from carpets, and making your house smell fresh and clean.

Whether you want to up your health game, have committed to start eating healthier, already eat healthy and are seeking out the latest and greatest superfoods, or you want to go from bland and boring to tasty and delicious with all NEW recipes . . . The Healing Powers of Superfoods is for you!

This groundbreaking new book is also perfect for anyone who wants to benefit from healthier options in their life, whether cooking, cleaning, dieting, or beautifying. There’s something for everyone!

Claim your FREE COPY today. All we ask is that you pick up the small shipping and handling fee of $4.95. Wait, there are more things you’re going to love . . .

January is National Hot Tea Month! A Cup of Wellness

 TEA is the Super Gift Book for Winter...and January is National Hot Tea Month

 Disease-Fighting Antioxidants —

Tea’s Healing Powers Are Remarkable

Dear Reader,

What if I told you just by sipping the delicious “medieval miracle” you could . . . 

• Relieve throbbing back pain . . . 
• Drop 7 pounds of fat and flab in 3 days . . . 
• Lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer . . . 
• Stave off viruses, colds, and superbugs . . . 
• Curb insatiable sweet cravings . . . 
• Shrink painful hemorrhoids . . . 
• Relieve aching joint discomfort . . . 
• And much more . . . 

With this powerful healing elixir — backed by 3,000 modern-day studies — you could . . . 

Finally end the frenzy of buying a mountain of assorted pills, needless ointments, serums, and syrups.

Odds are you already have it in your kitchen cupboard.

I’m talking about tea. YES, TEA — grandma’s favorite beverage is today’s red-hot superfood!

Right now, you can get dozens of tea remedies that really work in Cal Orey’s book, The Healing Powers of Tea. And you don’t have to buy it . . . 

Newsmax is giving you The Healing Powers of Tea — a 292-page book — absolutely FREE!

Inside this blockbuster book you’ll discover 50 tea “cures” for everything from anxiety and constipation to dermatitis, coughs, depression, warts, insect bites, sinusitis, memory lapses, cavities, digestive troubles, diarrhea, and so much more.

There are also do-it-yourself beauty recipes . . .  household remedies to detox, clean, polish, even “destink” your home of dog . . .  and dozens of delicious tea-infused recipes from breakfast to dessert!

But not just any tea will do . . . 

While it’s packed with powerful disease-fighting antioxidants, flavonoids, and polyphenols, you can’t just pour a cup, sip it down and expect it to work.

It all boils down to this . . . 

There’s a special secret to making the “medieval miracle” work to transform your health and your home . . . 

To bring out its magical healing powers, you need to know which variety of tea to drink and which special ingredients you need to mix with your tea.

And it’s not just the wildly popular black, green, and herbal teas as you’ll discover here.

The good news is you don’t have to guess or work your way through a sea of endless tea boxes and canisters!

Everything you need to know for finding the right tea and the right combination, steeped at the right time, is inside The Healing Powers of Tea.

Your FREE BOOK is waiting. Click here.

When you get your FREE BOOK, be sure to open it and discover which tea banishes belly bloat, heartburn, and gas . . .  helps you empty your bowels easily again . . .  staves off hunger pangs . . .  boosts energy . . .  keeps skin looking younger and more beautiful . . .  lowers artery-clogging cholesterol . . .  helps you get a good night’s, sleep and more.

One more thing . . . 

Be sure to look for the simple tea plan to help you lose up to 7 pounds in 3 days! Click here to claim your FREE BOOK now.

Soulmates with PAWS (Book 1)

   (from the NEW Soulmates with PAWS novel)

• Best Sellers Rank: (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • #43 in Animal Care & Pet Essays
  • By Cal Orey

Whether it’s ESP, superior senses, feline intuition or a change in routine, your cat (or dog) may sense danger, and you should know about it.

 At noon on a stormy spring day in Austin, Texas, several household cats started acting strangely. “I was in bed watching the weather channel on TV,” recalls cat owner Janet Shon. “My cats wanted to hide underneath the covers.” The heavy rains and howling winds continued, causing panic in her house full of pets. Eventually, she put them into carriers to calm them, and took cover under the stairwell. “Usually, my cats don’t mind being in the crates during bad weather,” she says, “but this time, they were chatting nonstop and wanted to be next to me.”

            Several hours later, on May 27, 1997, an extremely rare and dangerous tornado (classified as an F-5), with winds measuring over 260 mph, touched down 40 miles to the North of Shon in Jarrell, Texas. Twenty-seven people died in Jarrell. Multiple tornadoes also ripped through the Austin area, killing two people. “It took the roof off the Albertsons’ store,” says Shon with awe. She and her cats survived without a scratch.

            What made Shon’s cats react in such a way? Some say it’s ESP (extra sensory perception), or a sixth sense. Others claim cats aren’t gifted, just blessed with well-developed or heightened senses—scent, sound, and sight, that are far superior to our own.

 However, you see it, cats have earned their supernatural reputation throughout history. In ancient Egypt, felines were worshipped as gods, and killing a cat was a crime punishable by death. Even modern society gives credence to the idea that cats “know” things. During World War 11, “British families found that their cats were the best warning system for impending danger,” notes Dale Koppel, author of Amazing but True Cat Facts. “They showed unmistakable signs that something was about to happen even before the air sirens were sounded. Their hair would stand on end, or they’d spit or wail. Some would head straight for the nearest shelter.”

            Many people who live through terrible disasters—hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, or earthquakes (reports of animals sensing the imminent deadly  Loma Prieta 1989 quake# to Japan 2011 quake# rolled in)—believe their cats knew something before these disasters struck. But whether or not cats really predict danger is still an open debate. So, what will you do the next time Felix starts acting strange? Will you roll your eyes, or head for high ground? Read on and decide for yourself.

Essential Oils -- Essential for Winter

 

Seasonal Essential Oils and Four Seasons

By Cal Orey

Seasonal Essential Oils and Four Seasons

Did you know? Essential oils—including eucalyptus, peppermint, rose, and tea tree-are nature’s ancient medicine, abundant with therapeutic effects. The latest scientific research shows that many popular essential oils and aromatherapy can boost your health and well-being,

            

Also, specific essential oils are often more popular during each of the four seasons. Here, take a look at how the comfort and calms of scent can help you enjoy Earth’s changes year-round. You can use these oils in different forms, including: Air sprays, candles, cleaning products, diffusers, beauty and hygiene items--and even in cooking foods and beverages! Read on--from The Healing Powers of Essential Oils...

WINTER

It’s the Season: Shorter days, longer nights and often chilly temperatures call for hot, comfort food. During the holiday season, festive food, like hearty casseroles, soups, muffins, breads, puddings, and pies are commonplace. Then, when the New Year arrives it’s not uncommon to want to eat clean food and get a fresh start. Immune-enhancing, mood-boosting, warming aromas are scents that come with winter-time. They can be found in plant-based salads, vegetarian casseroles, and soups, with lighter desserts.

Healing Winter Recipes: Biscotti, breads, cakes and scones are popular foods to warm you up, and essential oils can give recipes extra flavor, especially when seasonal citrus or herbs are not available.

Winter Culinary Essential Oils: Anise, clove, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and peppermint.

SPRING

It’s the Season: As the days are longer, the weather is warmer, spring fever hits home. During the springtime it’s commonplace to get a burst of energy as well as want to eat less, move more. And that’s when our diet changes along with fresh fruits and vegetables. Energizing, floral, and herbaceous are the scents that welcome a renewal of a season after winter.

Healing Spring Recipes:  Herbal teas, salads, and pasta plates are lighter fare than winter cuisines. These foods, many water-dense, can help you rejuvenate, energize, and detox your body.

Spring Culinary Essential Oils: Geranium, jasmine, lavender, lemon, orange, and rose.

SUMMER

It’s the Season: Longer days, warmer nights call for a change in meals. Lighter meals, outdoor eating to fit the celebration of fun and sun. Cooling, energizing, floral, light fragrances are part of summertime.

Healing Summer Recipes: An array of fresh fruits and vegetables entice us to eat more of a plant-based diet. That means more salads, cheese plates, continental breakfasts or brunches, and fresh fish on the grill.

Summer Culinary Essential Oils: Chamomile, lemon, lavender, orange, sage, and spearmint.

FALL

It’s the Season: Autumn is a time of change and the foliage is a reminder, with leaves changing color, the sun is setting earlier, and fall cleanup and nesting is all part of the time of year. Spicy, warming, woody scents blended with citrus notes are perfect for fall.

Healing Fall Recipes: Warm dishes like hot cereals, pancakes, and waffles with maple syrup, hearty soups, vegetable casseroles, and fruit cobblers are part of the fall harvest.

Fall Culinary Essential Oils:  Basil, cinnamon, ginger, lavender, nutmeg, and orange.

Ummm! What Smells So Good?

Cooking with Essential Oils: For Safety’s Sake

Take precaution when using essential oils. Some oils should be diluted. Also, I have learned using the savvy toothpick method—dip a toothpick into an essential oil vial—instead of using drops. It is safer to monitor how much oil you put into an edible recipe.

Cooking with essential oils is controversial among essential oil proponents. However, some top aromatherapists do encourage using raw essential oils for cooking and baking. It is advised to dilute food-grade essential oils with carrier oils such as olive oil or coconut oil in savor cuisine; maple syrup or honey for sweet fare to disperse the essential oil well.

When cooking with heat, it is recommended to add essential oils last to a recipe. This way, you’ll preserve the flavor of the oil and it will not be over processed—helping to reap some of its antioxidants. 

Administration offers an online published list of essential oils (solvent-free) that are “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) to consume in beverages and foods.

Also, it’s best to dilute the essential oils just like you do for therapeutic, beauty, and cleaning recipes. I recommend for most food recipes to pair your essential oil with olive oil, part of the Mediterranean Diet. Other liquids you can use to dilute edible essential oils include vegetable oils, water, juice, and honey.

A variety of food-grade essential oils can be edible. (These can be found at health food stores and online. Some good brands are Young Living, LorAnn, and doterra.) However, it’s essential for you to know that less is more, because the taste can be very potent.

Excerpt from The Healing Powers of Essential Oils: A Complete Guide to Nature’s Most Magical Medicine, by Cal Orey, published by Kensington, 2020, © www.kensingtonbooks.com  Available at all fine bookstores online and at your local bookstore.