The excitement of the holiday season finally got to me and lo and behold on Boxing Day I woke up with the sniffles and a sore throat that seemed to go all the way to my ears. Swallowing was painful and I was starting to feel miserable.
This simple cold and flu remedy though can save the day. Consisting of just three ingredients, ginger, lemon and honey, it soothes just where it’s needed.
Some people are often wary of ginger, which is a very “hot” food-type, as they worry that too much “hot” food can make their bodies “heaty”. This is not a concern here as the lemon and honey helps to balance out the heatiness, which is the beauty of Chinese medicine.
Also for those of you who don’t like sweet drinks, the amount of honey is minimal here and is to help with the soothing action of this remedy. Of course you can add more if you like it to be less tangy.
You will need:
1 ginger root: about 5cm / 2 inch portion. Shave the skin off and cut into thin rounds about the thickness of a coin.
2 organic lemons: cut into thin slices, leaving the rind on. If you’re feeling really unwell, buy the lemon juice at the store but fresh is better.
Raw honey: about 2 tablespoons. You can add more to taste.
Fill a medium pot about ¾ full and bring to boil. Drop in the ginger root and let to simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, add in the lemon and honey and cover with lid. Allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain it into your cup.
I make a pot like this and reheat when needed during the day.