The Candy Cane. A Peppermint Crook. A Digestive Aid.

It isn't so ironic that the candy cane, that being made with peppermint, is the staple holiday candy. The holidays are a time of year when we eat more than our digestive systems can bear. We load our bellies with delicious warming (and fatty) comfort foods and mow on sugary desserts for breakfast. Then we indulge in enough high calorie beverages to fill a fish tank and enough alcohol to shred the liver. It's a joyful time of year. And candy helps fill the dark, depressing holes, right?

History of candy cane: According to Christian tradition, the shape of the candy cane is symbolic of a shepherd's crook, which represents those who first celebrated the birth of Jesus. The first candy canes derived from a choir director at the Koln Cathedral, Germany in 1670. He was known to hand out candy sticks to keep the young singers quiet during the mass, and he had them bent as shepherd hooks for an especially long ceremony. The current color design did not spawn until the early 1900s. With differing theories, most say the white body of the candy cane stands for the thought that life is pure, and the red stripe symbolizes Jesus's sacrifice for others.

But why peppermint??? Perhaps to represent the herb, hyssop (hyssopus officinalis), a historical plant referred to in the Old Testament symbolizing purification and sacrifice.

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I grew hyssop this year, and it is mintfully aromatic. I use it as a mouthwash because it adds a delicious licorice-like freshness. It is a great respiratory herb used in cases of bronchitis and congestion due to its expectorant properties. Have a sore throat or chronic cough? It is delicious in a tea with a little bit of local honey! (Always get LOCAL honey, helps with environmental immunity, staves off allergies,)

The hummingbirds and bees love this herb, too. They have beautiful blue-purple flowers. Go ahead and plant a little pot outside your window. You'll enjoy the sustenance AND you'll be helpin our little bee friends out. They can use it.

So why don't we just use hyssop? Well peppermint, or Mentha piperita, is incredibly beneficial for our tummies during this time of year. It is an antispasmodic to the digestive organs, helping relieve stomach cramps. Peppermint is also helpful to the gallbladder, the organ that does a lot of work in breaking down fats. Hmmm, maybe THAT'S why mints are offered after dinner and not butterscotch candies.

Now, even though candy canes are packed full of sugar and corn syrup (SICK!!), they can be a quick relief to an upset tummy after your next holiday party standing on top of the food table for 5 hours.

BUT YO!

Keep away from the mint family if you experience acid reflux. Heartburn is due to a floppy stomach sphincter (flap allowing food into stomach). Many things contribute to heartburn in addition to mint:

• Chocolate
• Coffee
• Carbonated beverages
• Food within 3 hours of laying down
• Alcohol
• Smoking
• Obesity

Happy holidays! Again, remember the words "BALANCE" and "MODERATION." Cheers!

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