It’s negative 20 something here in MN, so what are some nice easy ways to stay warm? Drinking Teas and Coco’s are always a Minnesota favorite 🙂 If you are a coffee drinker, don’t despair… there’s a suggestion here for you as well. Also, many of these herbs/spices are things many of us carry in our cupboards.
Warming Tea
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon (1)
- 1/4 tsp Fennel seed (2)
- 1/4 tsp Black Tea (optional)
- 1/8 tsp dry Ginger (3)
- 1/8 tsp Clove (4)
- 1/8 tsp Turmeric (5)
- small pinch of Cayenne Pepper (6) or a pinch of Black Pepper (7)
- Sweeten with 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of Raw Unheated Honey (8)
Steep all herbs in hot water for 10 minutes, then add the Raw Unheated Honey.
Warming Hot Cocoa
- 1 cup Whole Milk (9)
- 1/2 Tbsp 100% Cacao (Chocolate) (10)
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ashwagandha (if you have it) (11)
- 1/8 tsp Turmeric
- 1/8 tsp dry Ginger
- pinch of Black Pepper
- Sweeten with 1 Tbsp Raw Unheated Honey
Add Milk and all herbs/spices into a small/medium pot. Bring to Boil over medium heat on the stove. Add the Raw Unheated Honey into the cup and pour heated milk mixture into cup. Enjoy!
Warming Coffee
- Add 1/2 tsp of Cinnamon, Cardamom, Clove and Ginger, and a pinch of Black Pepper to enough grounds for 12 cups of coffee (12). Brew like normal.
- Sweeten with Raw Sugar & Half & Half
Notes about Herbs/Spices
- Cinnamon – Warming spice, helps with circulation, digestion and respiration. Helps to build digestive fire (agni), helps with breathing difficulties, colds and congestion. Helps increase metabolism as well as brings strength to the heart.
- Fennel Seed – Helps balance entire system, great for digestion, helps to increase digestive fire. It also helps to bring purity to the mind.
- Ginger – Pungent, sweet & hot spice. Helps with digestion and respiration. It helps to reduce Kapha (slow, heavy, excess fat/tissue) and helps to build Agni (digestive fire). Helps to bring purity to the mind.
- Clove – A Pungent and Hot spice. It is a stimulant. Helps to warm the Lymph.
- Turmeric – Helps with circulation, digestion and respiration. Helps to regulate the metabolism, great for the liver, cleanse the Chakras. Improves intestinal flora. Great for issues of inflammation, and is a great natural antibiotic. *Warning: Do not use when pregnant!
- Cayenne Pepper – A very hot herb! It is stimulating and is a expectorant. Helps to strengthen the heart, and good during times of colds, flus and sinus congestion. It cleanses the colon, helps to digest fat and burns ama (toxic undigested food). This can damage the mucus membranes.
- Black Pepper – Burns ama very well so nutrients can go deeper within the system, great during times of colds, flu and cough. Good as a gargle for sore throats. Raises digestive fire, increases metabolism and cleanses the mucus. Helps with Cold Extremities. Additionally, a small amount of Black Pepper with Turmeric increases the effectiveness (bio-availability) by 2,000%!
- Raw Unheated Honey – You never want to heat honey directly as it turns it toxic to the system. Raw Unheated Honey helps to heat the system and helps to move excess mucus. Additionally, Raw Unheated Honey helps to bring herbs to the deepest layers of the tissue.
- Milk – helps to build strength (convalescence). It will increase a feeling of heaviness, and increases mucus and ama.
- Chocolate – Stimulating. It is often used during depression and hypotension.
- Ashwagandha – great herb for building strength and ojas (Life Sap). Boosts the Immune System, builds muscle. Often used for nerve pain, cough and difficulty breathing. It is said to give the person the “Strength of a Horse”.
- Coffee – Helps to increase energy. If you drink to much, try ingesting some Cardamom (or adding it to the coffee).