One year, back in college, I thought I was simply suffering some seasonal allergies. But on the morning of my last final, when I woke up, I could barely swing my legs out of bed. My body hurt worse than it ever had before, and to be honest, I’m not sure I’ve felt that awful since. After literally moaning my way through my final exam, I headed to the doctor who offered me some words of wisdom: Looks like you have the summer flu. What? The summer flu? Is that even a thing? Evidently it is, and I sure as heck had it. A few days in bed, and I was good as new soon; however, I will say, I hope I never (repeat: NEVER) go through that again. Clearly this moment subconsciously stuck with me because as Matt and I tossed around some ideas for May’s Out of the Woods Apothecary Box, most of my suggestions involved immune system-boosting, energy inducing, and infection fighting elements.
Our first item in our May box is our Mayernik Kitchen Fire Tonic. A sassy blend of Mayernik grown ingredients (like garlic and rosemary) with some other organic ingredients (onions, jalapenos, turmeric, ginger, horseradish, honey, and some citrus juices), our fire tonic follows the age-old guidelines used to help cure the flu, cold symptoms, and respiratory issues (if only I knew this 10 years ago). It’s also been known to help with a mean hangover, but Matt would know more about that than I would! Our next flu battler, the Lavender Infused Honey, is another of my favorites to help when you’re feeling down. Perfectly safe for small children, expecting moms, and everyone in between, you can mix some of this soothing honey into your favorite tea, use while baking, or even swallow a sip on its own to help an achy throat. And while you’re thinking of adding some honey to your tea, you should also try our Mayernik Garden Immune Boosting Tea. A delicious combination of lemon verbena and peppermint, this tea is sure to relieve your stress, fight off your fevers, and help with your overall digestion. Since it’s caffeine free, you can indulge to brighten your morning or even to relax at night.
Also in May’s box, you’ll find some super flavorful Organic Vanilla Bean Extract. You can use this as you would any other vanilla extract, but you may not have known that it can also be used to treat minor burns and also as a natural fragrant deodorizer. Along with baking, we love using this to freshen our microwave and fridge, especially, but feel free to use your imaginations. The last item in this month’s box is our Migraine Tincture. Those suffering from migraines know that there is often little relief. But, feel free to try this soothing combination of our garden’s lemon balm and organic feverfew – soaked in vodka for about 6 weeks – will surely help that devastating migraine pain subside.
Whatever your reason for indulging in this month’s box, we are sure you won’t be let down. Don’t forget to send us some feedback!