Healing Honey Lemon Tea

I love natural ways to relieve cold symptoms and boost the immune system. I love to rub on my homemade natural vapor rub and I also like to drink hot, healing beverages when I'm sick.

I found this tea recipe a while ago and I've heard it's common to keep a jar of this mixture in the refrigerator in Asian countries. Despite containing no tea leaves & not really being tea it is very similar tasting to regular tea.

So what does it contain? Only three common ingredients (besides water) that you can find at most grocery stores.

LEMON is a source of vitamin C. It's full of antioxidants and it neutralizes the activity of free radicals.

GINGER has been regarded for centuries for its healing properties and ability to enhance the benefits of other herbs. It reduces the severity of cold symptoms, warms the lungs and stomach and acts as an expectorant. It reduces nasal congestion and sinus pain. Ginger is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It promotes healthy sweating that aids the body in detoxing and it promotes digestive health.

HONEY has both antiviral and antibacterial properties. It's soothing to sore throats and is an effective and natural cough suppressant. The sweetness of the honey balances the tart flavor of the lemon and the ginger's spice nicely.


Healing Honey Lemon Tea
1 lemon, sliced
2 ginger slices
1 cup or more of local, raw honey
1 12-16 oz glass jar

Cut one lemon into slices and place in a clean glass jar. Add the ginger slices and cover it all in honey. Place in the refrigerator for at least a week to marinate.
When ready to drink, boil 8 oz of water and add one tablespoon (or more) of honey lemon tea mix to the boiling water. Stir and enjoy. If you like it more tart add a lemon slice from your tea jar to your cup of tea.
The tea's hot steam and liquid help clear your head, the lemon clears mucus while giving you some vitamin C and the antiviral, antibacterial honey also soothes your throat.

This mixture will keep fine in your refrigerator for months and will be on hand for whenever a cold strikes.

This post is part of: Clever Chicks, Homestead Barn Hop, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Wildcrafting Wednesday

Time for a Green Tea Mask

I've been quite busy these last two weeks with my oldest turning 11, traveling for Thanksgiving and then coming home with 3 sick kids. As soon as the kids recovered from the flu it was my turn to be sick. This week I haven't gone anywhere besides dropping the kids at school and I'm sick of sickness.

I'm finally feeling better but I still don't have the energy to catch up on laundry or dishes.

You know what I do have the energy for? Sitting through a beauty treatment!
I've spent plenty of time thinking of what I wanted to do when I felt better and today I only feel strong enough to mix up a face mask, apply, enjoy and then wash off.

I love to use cosmetic clay in masks as it is so very good at removing impurities and dirt while also minimizing pores. I sure feel icky from being sick and want my pores clean.

You may also remember I love to drink green tea but this is the first beauty recipe I've used it in. Green tea tonifies and clarifies skin.

I've been adding the spice thyme to my beauty treatments lately as there is recent evidence that it is effective on acne. I've even made my own thyme tincture.

I adapated this recipe from the fabulous ebook: Crunchy Betty's Food On Your Face For Acne And Oily Skin (also on Kindle)

Green Tea Face Mask
1 Tablespoon green cosmetic clay
1 Tablespoon strong green tea
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme

Combine the clay and thyme and slowly add in the tea until you have a thick mud, adding more tea as necessary. Spread the mask evenly over clean skin. Leave on 10 minutes or until completely dry.
Place a warm wet washcloth on your face for a minute then slowly wipe off and thourouly rinse. Pat dry and apply a facial moisturizer. Slight redness is normal and will disappear in about 30 minutes.

The other productive thing I realized I can do when I'm recovering from the flu and not yet 100% ? Write a blog post!


This post is part of: Your Green Resource, Simple Lives Thursday, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Clever Chicks

And The Winner Is...

Stephanie of csbeckmann@ has won the Celebrating and Savoring a Simple Christmas ebook.
Congratulations and you'll receive an email about your prize.

Thanks to all the entries! If you'd like to purchase the book check it out on Amazon. 

Simple Christmas ebook Giveaway

We all want a simpler, less hectic Christmas right? I sure would like to plan better and have less stress during the holidays. Crystal Paine of Money Saving Mom is releasing a new ebook Celebrating and Savoring a Simple Christmas on Kindle this week and it's only $.99. 

I confess I haven't read it yet but I plan to this week. I love her blog Money Saving Mom, her book The Money Saving Mom's Budget and her ebook 21 Days to a More Discplined Life so I've got a feeling I'm going to enjoy this one too.

In this book you'll learn to:

• Organize your Christmas list
• Make and stick with a Christmas budget
• Freezer cook for the holidays
• Make memorable family activities
• Simple and inexpensive homemade gifts
• Get your home in order
• Savor the meaning of the season

…and much more.

It's time for a give away and I'm so excited as this is the first time I've offered one on Nearly Natural Nicole. My readers have the chance to win 1 copy of Celebrating & Savoring a Simple Christmas. Simply enter this giveaway using the rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Note: Some of the links in this post are my referral links. Read my disclosure policy here.)