Peppermint, a treat whether sweet or not

The Christmas season is a time when peppermint (candy) is ever popular.  When I was a little girl, as much as I liked candy, Christmas candy was my least favorite.  It reminded me of medicine, though without other choices, I'll admit, I still ate it.  I now realize those Christmas candies were spiced with herbs like anise, fennel, ginger etc.  But the herbal candy that was always a treat was the abundant peppermint.Many years passed before I learned that peppermint wasn’t a candy, but was actually a powerful and useful herb.I’ll never forget back when I was in high school and totally ignorant about diet, healthy foods or herbs.  At the time my mother was being introduced to herbals teas and such and asked me if I’d like some peppermint tea.  My response was that I was not interested in tea that had peppermint added to it.  Boy, did I have it “bass ackwards”.Peppermint is an awesome green leafy herb that grows profusely and has a great number of healing properties.   Although it’s classified as a stimulant it also has the dual ability to sooth you.   It’s used to treat indigestion, flatulence, respiratory problems, headache, nausea, fever, stomach and bowel spasms and pain.  Not to mention, peppermint oil keeps the mice away.We’ve all used toothpaste and mouthwash laced with Peppermint oil.  This multi-purpose herb is an antiseptic and as such is very useful for dental care.  It removes bad breath and helps teeth and gums deal with germs.  Peppermint is also found in soaps, lotions, and many other beauty products.Over the years I have used peppermint tea to aid in digestion and to just have a soothing and relaxing experience.  So during this season when the candy canes abound, be reminded that the real unadulterated herb (minus the sugar) can be taken to address any number of concerns, or sipped as a tea to both relax and invigorate you.Have a cup of tea for me and tell me how has peppermint peppered your life?Happy Holy days!