It’s the time of the year when people increase their candy intake and stay snuggled into their warm beds a little longer on the dark, chilly mornings. You can enjoy all the sweetness autumn has to offer if you just keep your mind and body balanced. To wish you a happy Halloween and set you up for a healthy season, we’re treating you to a witches brew or two. These are not your typical hair-of-a-snail, nail-of-a-hare kind of brews — they’re health tonics with all sorts of healing properties to help you cleanse, reset, or recover from a sweet-scary month! It’s almost like magic.
You almost can’t spell “carrot” without “care”!
We all know the common carrot, right? But do we really? Besides the common knowledge that they’re “good for your eyes,” what benefits do these crunchy ground dwellers hold? A whole lot. As the well-respected nutritionist James Duke has said, “The more I read, the more I suspect that carrots by virtue of their vitamins A, C, and E, their pectin, fiber, and sitosterol content, might indeed be cancer preventative.”
If that doesn’t tell you what you need to know, let’s hear it as a rhyme and read it slow.
Some claim that ginseng is the best
The miracle begetter
But carrots cost a whole lot less
And taste a wee bit better
Behold the proof, the beta-carotene spiller! Let’s cheers to carrots with this potion thriller.
The ‘Bugs Bunny Meets Virgin Mary’
Yield: 3 ½ cups
4 sprigs fresh rosemary (needles only)
½ fresh jalapeno
2 garlic peeled cloves
1 pound of whole carrots (5-7)
4 stalks of celery
1 ½ fresh tomatoes
¼ teaspoon fresh pepper
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
9 fresh basil leaves sliced
1 lemon (juiced)
This may seem like a lot but rejoice! It’s all going into a juicer, blender, or magic bullet! Depending on desired consistency, add water at your own discretion and enjoy! As the carrots work to provide you with vitamins, pectin, fiber oh my, the garlic and tomatoes are working to provide your immune system with plenty of antioxidants. Pro-tip; if sipping isn’t your style, add a dollop of Greek yogurt for a tasty, gazpacho-style soup! Even pro-er tip; add vodka. Drink responsibly.
Lavender? I barely know her!
At X3, you know we keep it high-energy, but balance is key and a good night’s sleep after a day of exercise keeps you in peak, healthy condition. What better ingredient to put you at ease than the aromatic lavender? David Stretch, a popular doctor at the University of Leicester, found lavender had extremely beneficial effects on patients with insomnia. Its healing properties extend to the nervous system as a regulator, which has balancing effects on nerves and mood. Let’s slow things down with a bedtime tea that is relaxing, soothing, and when iced, cooling.
‘Sweet Dreams Tea’
Yield: 4 cups
¼ cup of dried camomile
¼ cup lemon balm
¼ cup dried lavender
½ tablespoon of honey
Combine the camomile, lemon balm, and lavender in a saucepan with 4 cups of water. Stir well, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer once the boil is full & cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes. Strain the tea into cups and add a squeeze of fresh lemon. Prepare for destination relaxation.
From the whole X3 team, have a safe and happy Halloween however you choose to let your little inner monster out to play.
