**This post has been entered in Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist!**
I had unfortunate need for this a little over a week ago. The two family members with semi-compromised guts seem to experience vomiting with every illness. We’re still working on probiotics and other protocol to help this issue, but when it comes down to “My tummy hurts,” well, you need something soothing now.
If I think a child will vomit, I will wait and let it happen, then give them a good hour of rest — nothing by mouth — before I administer this. It soothes upset tummies but if something really needs to come up, it will. Ben tells me it works well either at the beginning of an upset stomach, before nausea is severe, or after the stomach is empty. You may need to take small doses frequently.
I usually make double-strength black tea (the tannins and caffeine seem to help too) and mix in a good spoonful of this and let the person sip, for an adult. If you don’t want black tea, try lemon balm tea instead (naturally caffeine-free).
Ingredients:
- 2 c. raw honey
- 1/4 c. dried lemon balm
- 1/4 c. dried peppermint
Directions:
Pour all the ingredients into a medium saucepan.
Stir to combine, then turn on low. The honey will melt and become thin, and as you hold it at this low temperature, the herbs will infuse in it. Keep it like this for 2 – 3 hours. You can infuse honey without heat but it takes weeks, which you may not want to do.
Time to strain it! Pour it through a strainer into a glass jar. I used a pint-sized mason jar. Go slowly because the mixture is still thick and sticky. Mash the herbs with a spoon to help the honey get through.
Now your honey is done! You can eat it off a spoon or stir it into tea.
What are your favorite anti-nausea remedies?
I would put your mixture into peppermint tea. Peppermint is naturally soothing to the stomach.
Another option would be to make a tea from slices of ginger root. Three or four thin slices of ginger root simmered for about five minutes in about 1.5 to 2 cups of water. This is good for any kind of upset stomach; car sickness, sea sickness, morning sickness. It also is a great help with a baby with colic; watered way down and served is doses of about one tablespoon at a time in a baby bottle.
How long will this keep? Can it sit on the pantry shelf, or should it be refrigerated?
Hi Dellaina,
This can be in the pantry. It should keep a year or so.