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Peppermint tea is aromatherapy in a cup. This simple herb, with its distinctiveness smell, has been used for centuries for a number of physical and mental ailments. Archaeologists have found dried peppermint in the Egyptian pyramids dating back to 1000 BCE.

Leaves can be steeped (on their own or mixed with other tea leaves) to create a pleasant tisane that settles upset stomachs and . It can also be used as an oil, the aroma itself providing relief for headaches and head colds. How? Peppermint can help stimulate the restricted blood vessels that cause stress or diet-related headaches. Peppermint has a naturally occurring chemical called menthol, that can calm inflamed nasal and throat membranes like a decongestant. It also has antiviral and antimicrobial properties that may kill off bad bacteria in the upper respiratory tract. It also helps kill the bacteria that causes bad breath!

It’s why it’s so widely used in toothpaste!

Pure peppermint is naturally caffeine-free. It can help help to invigorate you, help you to remember things, and help you just to keep calm.

Which is a good thing if you’re driving on the highway. Which I am not, today! I am taking a “me” day, although I still did dishes and I have to cook dinner. Still, I woke up late, ready to plant the herbs and vegetables that I purchased on Friday. Only I woke to pouring rain, that only intensified every time I thought it was getting lighter and I might be able to slip out. One of those herbs was peppermint, not because I want to make peppermint tea, but to ward off squirrels, raccoons and rats! I haven’t seen any rats since “The Purge” last Fall, but I would like to sit on my back porch with a good book this year, without the fear of little rat feet running across mine!

In rare cases, peppermint can interact with medication, so remember to ask a professional. Pregnant women should avoid it, and if you have a condition that causes a lot of acid reflux, you might want to avoid it too. I avoid it because it seemed to cause other – ahem – digestive issues.

IF I were to make tea, I would brew 1 tsp. of dried leaves or 1 tbsp. freshly crushed leaves per cup of hot, but not boiling, water. It needs to steep for 5-7 minutes.

The sun eventually showed itself and I ran out in my flip-flops and pajamas successfully got everything planted. Work your magic, little plant!