In Chinese Medicine, the lungs are connected to the metal element and to the season of autumn. During this season, we often find that our lungs become more susceptible to external pathogens, which cause colds, coughs and viruses.
I’ve made ginger, mint and lemon tea for myself for a number of years to treat the following symptoms: cough, sore throat, runny/stuffed up nose, alternating fever and chills and phlegm. This tonic, in combination with adequate rest and water intake, has helped my body to heal, without the need for pharmaceutical drugs. And, the good news is, it tastes yummy!
The ingredients have wonderful therapeutic qualities:
Ginger detoxifies, relieves cough, dispels cold, relieves nausea
Peppermint cools heat and loosens phlegm
Lemon relieves cough, resolves phlegm, clears heat, creates body fluids and quenches thirst
Garlic dispels cold, relives cough, detoxifies and moves qi
Chilli dispels cold and encourages sweating
Honey moistens dryness, relives a cough, detoxifies and moistens the lungs.
Its always best to start drinking this tonic as soon as some of the above symptoms appear. Use your symptoms as a guide and modify the recipe below to best suit your needs.
Ginger, mint and lemon tea
In a large bodum or tea pot place the following ingredients:
- 3-4 slices of fresh ginger
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, smashed
- 2-3 slices of lemon or half a piece of lemongrass, smashed
- a dash of Tabasco sauce, or a sprinkle or chilli/cayenne/paprika/black pepper
- a handful of fresh mint leaves or 1-2 teaspoons of peppermint tea
- 2.5 cups of boiling water
Let steep for 5 minutes and sweeten with honey or agave syrup.
Photo credit: Photo by Юлія Вівчарик on Unsplash
