Oldschool Lavender Lemonade: The Secret Recipe for Anxiety and Headaches

By Melinda Cafferty

Among the most common debilitating ailments that nearly everyone is likely to experience with frequency are headaches and anxiety. Worse, the two are very often related – one feeding off the other in a downward spiral that can seem to be never-ending. Moreover, the onset is often without warning or any conscious reason, so prevention becomes quite difficult.

It is estimated that nearly half the U.S. population is afflicted with headaches yearly, while anxiety affects nearly 20% of the population.  Anxiety and headaches lead to lost productivity, stressed relationships and, of course, the horrendous physical pain that leads people to try dangerous over-the-counter medications and prescriptions to “just make it go away.”

Well, here is a gift from the heavens that I stumbled across many years ago and has got me through some very trying moments.

In my case, anxiety is nearly always the root cause: when I’m anxious I tend not to eat as nutritiously – or at all – when stressful conditions lead to a lack of productivity and the resulting state is one of being overworked and overwhelmed.

The following recipe incorporates lavender, which appears in many alternative health suggestions for alleviating a range of ailments. The twist here is that lavender essential oil is the normal go-to foundation for stress and pain relief; however, I found that an infusion with lavender tea buds is a secret ingredient that has done wonders for my personal health.

While many different drink preparations can be used, lemonade has been around for over a thousand years and has its own list of health benefits. But, essentially it’s just versatile, refreshing and tastes delicious. It also ushers in a sense of nostalgia and calm for the many people who have engaged in the old American past-time of opening a lemonade stand.

So here is a simple-but-effective Oldschool Lavender Lemonade that I hope restores peace and prosperity whenever you find that your health is not cooperating with your desire to be productive and happy.

• 4 cups of cool, filtered water and one cup of water heated for tea
• 6 peeled and juiced lemons (preferably organic)
• Generous use of sweetener (1 cup of honey, cane sugar, or maple syrup)
• Whole Lavender Tea Buds – two tablespoons
• Optional: Lemon zest, lavender sprig, extra lemon slices or mint leaves for garnish

Mix lemon juice, sweetener and cool water. While mixing, heat the one cup of water for tea. Using a small french press, tea ball or bag, soak the lavender buds in the hot water for five minutes or more. Mix the lavender elixir into the lemonade, pour over ice, garnish and enjoy! Chill and save like regular lemonade. Freeze into popsicles for when you want a soothing treat.

Image by chotda, altered by Natural Blaze, not endorsed by photo owner CC

Melinda Cafferty writes for NaturalBlaze.com. This article may be freely shared in part or in full with proper author attribution and source link.