Hi there Herbal Hivers 👋🌿,
This week challenge was really inspiring and fun, thank you so much #TheHerbalHive for coming up with it... I cannot wait to taste the result of these herbal elixirs inspired by you. I wondered a little bit what kind of oxymel I want to do ...well, maybe not so little... that is why it took me more than a week to finally do it. But then I just looked at my shelves with herbs and it just came to me. One to help with good night sleep and one with herbs I chose intuitively. 😊
I have never heard the word oxymel trough my life, and even though I am well aware of the benefits of apple cider vinegar and raw honey, and I have mixed them in a cup of warm water in the morning , I have never thought of mixing them together aaand adding herbs to them.
The word oxymeli comes from Greek and Greece is #Bulgaria 's south neighbour so I am surprised I haven't come accross this beneficial elixir and why are people around me not aware of this. Since I read about it in the challenge, I've asked some friends if they heard about it and none of them had. Well, now they have and soon they will try some of mine and maybe they will make some of their own.
For the first oxymel I used - elderberry flowers (Sambucus Ebulus), lemon thyme(Thymus x citriodus), linden flowers(Tilia) and meadow clary (Slavia Pratensis). These herbs have many benefits for our health on their own, but I chose them beacause of one common thing - they help the respiratory system. So I guess I will call this my Respiratory Oxymel.
Sambucus Ebulus flowers
Elderberry flowers are an immune stimulator and elderflower tea can provide soothing relief for acute cold systems.
Meadow clary - Slavia Pratensis 
The leaves and flowers are very beneficial for the respiratory system, I even read somewhere that cigarettes from the leaves relief asthma. I sure do feel the soothing effect of this plant when I drink it tea.
Linden - Tiliae argentea
Linden flowers are used for coughs, colds, fevers and infections,to reduce nasal congestion, and relieve throat irritation. And I really love their scent.
Lemon Thyme - Thymus x citriodus 
Lemon thyme can help to treat and prevent conditions like respiratory tract ailments. Compounds like thymol can provide relief from bronchitis, whooping cough and similar illnesses.[Source](https://www.spiceography.com/lemon-thyme/
I placed all of the herbs in a 1L glass bottle and I covered them with 400ml of homemade apple cider vinegar (from last year), and then I added raw honey before that I heated the honey a little bit so it is easier to mix. I prepared 400ml of honey but I added 300ml, I guess I had more herbs...but I am sure this will be ok too. The honey is from our bee hive called Bozhidara 😊 translated Gift from God, since my husband got this hive by placing a box, with melissa plants and some bee spray, on the 6th floor of a building and the bees decided to stay in it and since then they are expanding and blessing us with their sweet honey.
Shake it like a polaroid picture...and voila! Respiratory oxymel!
Sweet Dreams Oxymel!
After I placed the herbs of the previous oxymel in the bottle, I prepared the next mix - melissa, lavender and St.John's wort to make oxymel which I would take in the evening for better sleep.😴🛏️💤
St John’s wort can benefit sleep by helping to regulate mood and by increasing the production of melatonin.Often called the ‘sleep hormone’, melatonin plays a central role in governing your circadian rhythm. Melatonin peaks in the evening to induce sleep and dips in the morning to wake the body up. As St John’s wort increases serotonin, it aids the biological process that promotes quality sleep.
Melissa or Lemon balm, as many of you know and even made posts about it, helps with the sleep too.
And Lavendeeer mmmmm....I just really love the smell, adore it even. I don't think there is need to say how calming this heavenly plant is...
Just with vinegar.
Honeyyyyyy....🍯
Both oxymels shaked well, covered with plastic cover first and then with lid, as recommended since acid and metal don't go well together. And now we wait 3 weeks...😊❤️😊
I enjoyed every moment of this challenge and everything I learned along the way. I am really curious about the taste so I will be counting the days. Thank you so much for inspiring me to make another home remedie!
