I’ve had mint on the brain recently.
Actually, on my hands…then the scent of it gets into your head, in spite of all the allergies the pollen wants to send my nose-way, and it’s a short trip from the nose to the brain…..
Mint is growing in my pilgrim garden, everywhere, except in the garden beds…and I do mean everywhere. Last Sunday I cut a bushel basket full of mint, and there was plenty left for the woodchucks to snack on.
Good thing mint is so good for so much.
Pa Flynn, my great grandfather who worked at Baker’s Chocolate, always had the little red and white peppermints in his pocket, so the smell of mint – and certain pipe tobaccos – remind me of him. They say that scent is the strongest sense to support memory.
The Rx: Mint
The Target: IBS, headaches
The Dose: 1 cup of tea dailyChewing on peppermint can freshen your breath, but there’s another reason you should try the herb. The menthol in peppermint helps prevent muscle spasms, one of the reasons peppermint oil effectively treats irritable bowel syndrome. The oil is also useful for relieving headaches. Rub some on your temples or wrists and breathe in the minty scent.
Botanist James A. Duke, PhD, author of The Green Pharmacy Guide to Healing Foods, recommends brewing mint tea for any type of pain. Pour boiling water over peppermint leaves and steep until the tea is as strong as you like. Add wintergreen leaves for an extra pain-fighting boost; a compound in wintergreen called methyl salicylate blocks the enzymes that cause inflammation and pain. “You could call it herbal aspirin,” he says. A final squeeze of lemon will help you extract as many pain-reducing chemicals as possible from the plants.
My favorite mint is – no surprise here – chocolate mint
My newest chocolate -mint combo treat – toothpaste.
Please bury me with those Starlight mints. I love them… And have you ever come across this stuff– https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendal_Mint_Cake
I think I have a new favorite thing….