Cold and Flu Home Remedy- SPECIAL TEA

 

 

This very interesting and valuable information was taken from www.learningherbs.com

 Please visit their website to enjoy many more practical and helpful 

herbal and nutritional tips, recipes, etc.

"For years my wife and I have been making this tea whenever we feel something coming on or are already sick. Usually, we curb the cold before it takes hold, but in either case, you’ll find this tea not only gives relief, but also works on stimulating your immune system and warms you up.

The three secret ingredients to my “Special-Tea” are:
1)    Ginger
2)    Lemon juice
3)    Honey
That’s it!

 Why ginger, lemon and honey?
Well, you probably know that lemon is high in Vitamin C. It is also full of phytochemicals. These are plant constituents that help boost the immune system and much more.
Ginger and honey are also well documented to help the immune system. 

I call this ginger tea with lemon and honey my "Special-Tea!" :)
Here’s what you do: (you may need to experiment with amounts to get the taste that suits you)

1. Fill up your teakettle and get it boiling.
2. Meanwhile, grate a one-inch piece of fresh ginger root.
3. Get a thermos out. I have a quart thermos I use.
4. Put the ginger in the thermos.
5. Put a dash of lemon juice in the thermos. A dash is about 4 tablespoons. Actually, it's less of a dash and more of a small splash. :)
6. Add a dash of honey as well. A dash in this case is about three tablespoons. Hey, a dash means something different to all of us. Basically, add the honey to taste.
7. When your water is boiled, pour it in the thermos.
8. Cover it up and let it sit for 20 minutes.
9. Strain into a tea cup and enjoy!

Alternatives:
If you lack a thermos, you can also just simmer the water in an open pan with the ginger for 15 -20 minutes as well. Add the lemon and honey to the pot AFTER you are finished simmering ginger. Just strain it into your cup. When you want more, just heat it back up. I just like the thermos because when I am sick it’s hard enough just to get up let alone heat something up.
You can vary the amounts as well. Play around so you get a flavor you really like. It tastes great!
Other things I sometimes add:

1. A few cloves of crushed garlic.
2. Cayenne powder to taste (enough to break a little sweat)
3. A few slices of Astragalus root (an important immune system nourisher). Click here to order it. Scroll down the linked page to Astragalus root (not the powder).
4. Seaweed. Seaweed is so packed with vitamins and minerals. It’s literally super food. Click here to order Kelp powder. (There is a link on the order page of this link on how to use it.)
5. A few dropper bottle squirts of Echinacea tincture. Click here for more on that and how to make your own Echinacea tincture!

I don’t add all these at once… They are just variations I’ll use depending on the situation. I added these to show you that there are no rules to these recipes. As you learn more about herbs, feel free to experiment with new ones. If this is all new to you, just stick to the basic recipe.
Remember to follow the Eight Simple Secrets to treat your cold or flu holistically.