With two young kids, one of which attends preschool a few days a week (or the snot factory as I like to call it), our home has definitely entered the cold and flu season.
In addition to the obligatory cod liver oil, echinacea and olive leaf that is regularly dosed, I like to use a home made syrup to keep our immune systems strong through the winter months. It’s easy to make and keeps well in the fridge (and I reckon it tastes pretty good as well).
Flu Brew
Ingredients
250ml honey (preferably raw and organic)
12 small cloves of garlic (or a few big ones), finely chopped
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of ginger, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon of turmeric root, peeled and finely grated
A few sprigs each of rosemary and thyme
Method
Put all ingredients except the honey into a large jar (at least 500ml).
Pour the honey onto the ingredients, making sure they are well covered.
Let the brew sit at room temperature with a lid on for at least 24 hours (I leave mine for a few days). The honey will extract the antimicrobial constituents form the herbs over this resting time, so the longer the better.
Strain off the vegetable matter and discard (or put it into your next stew!) – you will be left with a thin syrup. Store this in the fridge, and it will keep for at least 6 months.
We use a tablespoon daily for adults and a teaspoon daily for little ones as a preventative, and repeat 3 times a day when sick. Note that due to the honey content, it is not suitable for children under 1 year old.
You can eat it straight off the spoon, or mix it into your favorite tea (it’s great in some lemon and hot water).
Hope you stay well this winter!
James
