A Spoon full of Honey helps Bitter Herbs Go Down
Honey is a wonderful medicinal food in its own right. It is also a great way to deliver herbs. At my herb club meeting this past weekend, we made zoom balls. These are honey and almond butter candy filled with herbs. There are many recipes for this but they are based on a recipe by Rosemary Gladstar. Zoom balls are actually formulated to give you energy and pep you up. I don’t use those kind of herbs often. They are not for pregnant or nursing women. Check in with your doctor or herbalist if you want to give zoom balls a try.
What I was really loving was the process of making these as a group and learning about the herbs. It is great fun when something good for you tastes good. Then I thought oh, I use honey to make other remedies too.
Traditional Recipes Sweeten Up those Bitter Herbs
One of the big issues with herbs for ongoing system support and rebuilding from Lyme disease is that they often taste very bitter. Shut your throat down bitter. A couple I take have completely expanded my understanding of bitter. I take shitavari and ashwaghanda both pretty bitter to support nutritive rebuilding. The zoom ball recipe actually made eating those fun. Note If you make zoom balls, you can add different herbs or take ones out you don’t want. Some people use tahinni, others substitute almond or peanut butter. Play with it based on your needs.
Turmeric is also a member of the bitter clan. Turmeric is widely written about for its healing properties. I cook with turmeric and take it at medicinal concentration with guidance from my health care team to help me manage inflammation. One of my favorite ways to take turmeric is in honey.
Boo Candy is a honey and turmeric recipe that helps manage colds and stuffiness. Boo Candy is a recipe my teacher gave me years ago to take during cold season. She put it together to help her little kid take the herbs to combat snot.
It is basically honey with a bunch of herbs. I make it in the early winter and take it at the first sign of sniffles until spring. The stuff really kicks mucous in the butt. Before you know it I am breathing clear and easy again.
Honey is a great vehicle
Honey is a vehicle to carry herbs. A spoonful helps the bitter herbs go down, at least in a palatable way. But honey also has its own healing power. It is used for mild nausea, sore throats, wound healing, and allergies. The list goes on and on. Get your liquid gold from a local be farm to be sure it is the real deal, the pure unadulterated good stuff.
Honey is great for winter and spring seasonal remedies, It is made by bees to nourish and sustain them over the winter into the early spring and the qualities of nourishing and sustaining work for us as well as the bees. Oh yeah boo candy is great for congestion. Honey Lemon ginger tea is wonderful for a sore throat. Ginger simmered in honey is great for occasional light indigestion. If you don’t feel like making it candied ginger works too, but is coated in sugar.
I use honey topically to help minor cuts and burns heal quickly and easily. All these tried and true uses for honey are great 
to help you feel better.
While no one needs to mix all the herbs that they take with something sweet. The bitter taste is actually important to have in your diet. I have to admit it is a nice change up once in awhile to skip the pill or tincture and go for an herb ball. A little honey can go a long way. How do you make taking herbs easy. I would love to hear your ideas.