Lavender-Lemonade

Today  (First Sunday May) is International Lemon Day!

To celebrate it, here is a lemon based recipe.

If you have lavender growing in your garden, this is a wonderful way to sprinkle some floral flavor into your life. Also, food grade lavender flowers can be purchased from most bulk spice departments or grocery stores.

Lavender Lemonade Recipe

Ingredients:
•lavender flowers from about 30 stalks (if you don’t have access to fresh lavender, you can purchase food-grade lavender and use about 6 tablespoons)
•6 cups water
•2 cups sugar
•juice of 4 lemons
•1 lemon, thinly sliced for garnish

Directions:
1.Put the 6 cups of water in a large pan with the 2 cups of sugar and bring to a boil.
2.In the meantime, rinse the lavender and cut off the excess stalks/stems.
3.When the water reaches a boil, turn it off – take it off the heat and add the lavender flowers and let sit and cool to about room temperature.
4.Add lemon juice to the flavored water and stir thoroughly.
5.Strain out lavender flowers and reserve them for garnish along with the lemon slices.
6.Do not add ice until you serve or you will water it down.

Enjoy!

Danie

Dealing with Cold Sores

Cold sores are caused by a common virus, which produces a painful blister, which then turns into a sore, mostly on the lips or around the mouth. 

Cold sores are usually triggered by stress, sunburn or immune system not on par.

To avoid cold sores, or to heal one lies in taking care of yourself and strengthening your immune system.

What to do

It is imperative to increase your vitamin B levels as this will help your body to deal with daily stress. It is to your advantage to opt for a full vitamin B complex supplement.

Increase your intake of leafy green vegetables and whole-grain foods which are good sources of vitamin B. 

It is advisable to take a good antioxidant which will also help to keep the body more resistant to infection.

Essential oils of lavender, tea tree, manuka and myrrh promote antibacterial and antiviral relief. Dab one drop of any of these essential oils neat onto the cold sore.

In conclusion, cold sores are highly contagious, so extra care should be taken around people to avoid contact with the blister.

Danie de Villiers - Freelance Writer

How to Make Your Own Lavender Oil

Lavender scented water brings back fond memories. This is an easy to make recipe for your own lavender oil.

My grandmother always had a bottle of lavender perfume or scented water as it was called back then and every morning she would dab her handkerchief with a few drops of it and then place the hankie under her watchband on her wrist. Wherever she went, you could smell this heavenly aroma of lavender. It is now more than 30 years that she passed on but in my mind’s eye, I can still see this frail little woman with the heavenly scent follow her the entire day.

Lavender is a well-known flower, famous for its aroma and healing powers. It has the following benefits:

·         Anti-inflammatory

·         Antiseptic

·         Relaxing

·         Soothing

·         Aromatic

In the 19th Century, women of stature even used lavender-scented ink to write letters. Even athletes can attest to the goodness of a lavender massage before and after exercise, which helps to reduce muscle ache and leave skin soft.

But back to its aromatic attributes; here is a recipe to make your own lavender oil:

1.  Remove enough fresh lavender flowers from their stalks to fill one teacup and place it in a glass bowl. (You can also use dried lavender flowers).

2. Add 500 ml olive oil to the flowers and cover the bowl. Leave as is to infuse in a sunny place for at least two weeks. (You can also use sweet almond oil.)

3.   After the two weeks strain the mixture through filter paper and bottle. (Should you need stronger oil you must repeat the process using the already strained oil to infuse another cup of lavender flowers.)

It is ready to use!

Daniel