Well the cold has come and gone about three times since school started in August. Having small children means having large amounts of germs. It’s a parental rite of passage that my husband and I accept. Now, while we may accept it, we also fight it with both modern and traditional forms of medicine. Here are a few of my favorite natural remedies that we keep in stock in our house.
Flu Bombs
You can’t go wrong with homemade flu bombs that you can store in your freezer. There are a ton of recipes out there but here is the one that I use:
- 1/2 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice (2ish oranges)
- 1/2 cup of lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
- 1 cup of coconut water
- 1/3 cup honey (plus an extra dollop)
- 1.5 tsp of Turmeric (you can use fresh turmeric as well… I use like an inch and a half)
- Smidge pinch of pepper
Throw it all in a blender and pour into an ice cube tray (I use a deep square one) and freeze.
When you are ready to enjoy, pop a cube out and throw some hot water on it. Voila- goodness in a cup!
Homemade Cough Syrup
Cut up about a quarter to half a white, red, or yellow onion. Throw it in a mason jar. I use a large one so I use like half an onion. Cover the onion with honey but leave some room at the top. Close the lid and let it sit for 24 hours. I store mine in the fridge. Take a tablespoon or two as needed. This serves as both a cough suppressant and decongestant.
Fermented Garlic and Honey
Why? Need help with inflammation? CHECK. Good for your cold? CHECK. Helps activate immune system? CHECK. This is the recipe I use. I also use the cloves (once fermented) in my cooking and the honey on toast or drizzled on charcuterie (credit for these uses goes to my friend who got me hooked on this).
Fire Cider
Just google it. There are a plentiful amount of recipes for you to choose from. Since I am not patient, I buy mine from the fancy organic store in town. A shot of this when you are sick or others are in your house are sick helps activate all the good things in your body that are needed to fight sickness. It also helps with coughing and sore throats. Recipes vary so find something that appeals to you.
Italian Penicillin
This recipe is a family favorite. There are MANY versions of this out there. Here are two that I think are worth checking out.
The first link is for a vegetable only version:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=1430971577532420
This second link is for a more traditional chicken recipe:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=search&v=1714313876116569&external_log_id=724b4c4e-8a54-45fc-9193-0d7647e9d7e3&q=chicken%20italian%20penicillin
I am not a doctor and as such, my tips and tricks are just that… tips and tricks. If you are sick, see a doctor! This is just where I start my journey. I am not stubborn… if I need medicine, I take the medicine. Do what is best for your body!
Be well!
The Salty Exchange 