Natural Cold and Flu Remedy

I've been trying to avoid using OTC meds for my family as the cold and flu season ramps up. My daughter is allergic to the dyes found in most cold and cough syrups for one thing. And nearly every year, new studies come out showing that these meds don't work that well or have bad side effects for children. So I searched and searched until I found a natural remedy that I could make cheaply and quickly. I found one here.

You probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen anyway. Fresh ginger, lemon juice, minced garlic and raw honey. That's it.

Boil a quart of water in a teakettle. Meanwhile, grate fresh ginger into a thermos. I have found it easier to freeze the ginger first. Do you still consider that fresh? Ha! Peel about an inch of ginger, then grate it directly into the thermos. Add a few tablespoons of lemon juice, one tablespoon of minced garlic and a tablespoon of honey. Pour the hot water into the thermos and cover for 15 minutes or so. Strain the tea into a cup and recap the thermos to use throughout the day. You might want to add a bit more honey if you have a sweet tooth or if you want to mask the garlic flavor.

The first batch I made was a little too gingery. My son said it was too spicy for him. So I eased off on the ginger and added a bit more garlic. He liked that a great deal better and didn't complain about having to "take his medicine" at all!

Homemade natural cold and flu remedies definitely Work for Me!