Do you grow thyme in your garden? If not, you might want to pick some up at the market on your next shopping trip. Thyme yields a volatile oil with powerful microbe killing properties. It's also a rich source of antioxidants that fight cellular and tissue damage. Because of its antiseptic properties, it's a well known ingredient in mouth washes and throat lozenges. Herbal tea prepared with thyme is not only wonderfully refreshing, but can also be given to provide relief from colds and sore throat.
Did you realize there are more than 100 varieties of thyme? It has been used for centuries and it's a hardy plant that you can grow indoors during the winter months. The most popular varieties for using in your cooking are lemon, English, and French.
All you need to keep this herb happy and healthy this winter inside your home is full sun, at least 6 hours per day. Turn your plant for even growth because it tends to grow toward the light source. Water thoroughly then allow top inch of soil to dry out between waterings. You don't need to worry about fertilizing during the winter months as the growth is slow in winter. Keep in mind that thyme pretty much likes to grow itself. In fact, the more you fuss with it, the less hardy it will be.
Interested in legend and lore as I am? Oberon, the king of the fairies in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, said, "I know a bank where the wild thyme blows," referring to the bed of thyme in which Titania, the fairy queen, slept. In old day France and England, people often created a bed of thyme to attract the fairy folk and make them feel at home in the garden.
In the Middle Ages, it was often sprinkled on church floors together with lavender, to eliminate unwanted odors, and the ancient Egyptians used thyme in the mummification process. It has also been associated with courage since ancient times. The Greeks, the Romans, the Scottish Highlanders, and the Knights of the Middle Ages all thought it to bring one strength and courage.
The ancient Greeks sprinkled thyme in their baths and it's been said that when the Greeks stated that someone "smelled of thyme" it meant that the person was elegant, refined, and stylish. This herb was also sacred to the Druids, who used it to treat depression and ward off negativity.
Here is a soothing recipe to try should you be striken with the cold or flu this season.
Ingredients:
1 ripe pear, cored and chopped
1 inch (or more) of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme (use high quality non-irradiated green leave thyme)
1 1/2 cups unprocessed apple juice
Combine ingredients in a small pot with lid and simmer 5-8 minutes. Pour in bowl or cup and consume. Take three to four times per day as needed. This is ideal prior to bedtime.
Pear is soothing to the throat and contains an antiviral caffeic acid, which is an immune stimulant. Ginger possesses ten or more antiviral compounds. Thyme contains thymol, which is an antimicrobial agent containing more than a dozen antiseptic compounds.
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