Peppermint
It flavors the candy canes you hang on the Christmas tree, puts the cool in your breath mints and makes for a darned tasty toothpaste; but peppermint is more than a yummy flavoring. It doesn't say so on your tube of Crest, but this famous herb was once believed to warm a cold liver, stir up bodily lust and heal the bite of a mad dog. And you thought you were just fighting cavities.
While peppermint is best known as a flavoring, it's also one of the most popular therapeutic herbs, used for everything from seasonal colds to stomach troubles. Here, the inside scoop on adding peppermint to your family's natural medicine chest.
Caution: Peppermint can sometimes cause a choking reaction in very young children. So to be on the safe side, don't give it to kids under 5.
Try Peppermint if:
- Your digestive system needs a jump-start. Ever see a bowl of after-dinner chocolates or butterscotches next to the door of a fancy restaurant? We think not. There's a reason why mint candies are the digestif of choice: The menthol in peppermint soothes the lining of the digestive tract and stimulates the production of bile, an essential digestive fluid that helps your body break down the nutrients in your food. A hot cup of herbal tea is an excellent way to settle your stomach and improve digestion after a big meal.
- You're all stuffed up — and you'd rather not remove your shirt. Menthol vapors are famous for relieving nasal, sinus and chest congestion — remember those minty-smelling ointments your mother rubbed on your chest when youwere a kid with a cold? For times when you'd like to breathe easier without smearing goop all over your body — during a business meeting, for example — try a hot cup of peppermint tea.
- You're hacking and choking like a Siamese with a hairball. Peppermint is so effective against coughing that its oil is an ingredient in many cough drops, says Varro Tyler, PhD, professor of pharmacognosy at Purdue University. Peppermint seems to work by increasing the production of saliva, making you swallow more frequently and suppressing the cough reflex. Drink 3 to 4 cups of cool peppermint tea throughout the day, suggests Dr. Tyler, taking a few sips every 15 to 30 minutes.
- Your dental hygienist breaks into a cold sweat when you climb into her chair. If your breath is so bad that you get charged twice the usual fee for your six-month cleaning, Herbala suggests sipping lots of peppermint tea throughout the day. For extra freshening power, add a pinch of anise, caraway or cinnamon.
How to make it: Couldn't be easier, now that peppermint tea bags are available at supermarkets and health food stores. You can also use 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried peppermint leaves per cup of boiling water, steeping for 10 minutes.
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