Winter hasn’t officially started yet, but you could’ve fooled me. Just about everyone I know has been fighting off some sort of cold or flu these past few weeks.
We all know the feeling – rummaging through the natural medicine cabinet with nose running and the first cough coming on, while the inner voice cries out “why me?!?!?” After all, once the symptoms start it’s normally at least a few days before they begin to go away.
One of the oldest medical texts in Traditional Chinese Medicine, known as the Nei Ching, states:
“To cure an illness after it arises is like forging weapons after the battle has started, or digging a well after you have become thirsty.”
But is it really too late?
Today I want to share a “super-herb” tea recipe that may be able to turn the tables on your cold or flu, in heroic fashion. It’s also wonderful for sore throats.
The leafy celebrity at the heart of this tasty potion is none other than sage, the sacred plant many of us burn routinely in our homes for its aromatic energy-clearing powers. Did you know that it also packs a serious wallop for colds, viruses and bacterial infections?
Also known as Salvia officianalis, sage is an antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti… pretty much anti-anything-that-feels-lousy.
All joking aside, this is a highly medicinal herb that is effective for a host of minor ailments like cold and flu, as well as major ones like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.
Call me an earth medicine nerd, but I get so much joy working with powerful ancient plants like these. They leave modern medicine in the dust, and feel like teachers in your body when you take them!
Below is a delicious sage tea recipe that master herbalists swear by because of its fast-acting effects:
Sage Tea Recipe
*Important: never use aluminum utensils or containers for your tea extractions. Glass, porcelain, silver, and Pyrex are best!
Ingredients:
1 Quart Water
12 Fresh Sage Leaves (Dry is ok too, but fresh is more potent!)
2 Tablespoons Local Honey
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
A pinch of Cayenne Pepper
Preparation:
1. In a teapot or saucepan, bring water to a boil.
2. Add the sage leaves and remove the teapot or saucepan from heat.
3. Let steep for 15 minutes.
4. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
5. Pour a cup full, breath in the beautiful aroma, say a healing blessing, and enjoy!
Two to three cups of sage tea per day is always part of the winter sickness healing protocol in my house. Sage is generally viewed as being a very safe herb to experiment with, but as always, do your own research and make sure it feels right for you.
Whether you celebrate Saturnalia, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or abstain completely from all the commotion, one thing is for sure – life is a lot more enjoyable when you’re upright and vibrant. Hopefully this information will help you enjoy the fullness of the upcoming winter solstice!
Many blessings,
Nick Polizzi
Director, The Sacred Science
