A Really Effective Home Remedy for the Common Cold

Finally, a home remedy that really works for fighting colds.

This really works.  I kid you not.  I'm so pleased that I've found a home remedy that I can use to treat and prevent the flu bug from taking hold.  I found this amazing elixir on Pinterest.  (Gotta love Pinterest!)  So I went to the website to find out what it is all about.  And this is what I found...

Maggie's Cough Remedy

Cold Remedy #1:
 
This is Maggie's Cough Remedy.  No credit to me.  I got this recipe off Good Food Matters.   I made the recipe exactly how she laid it out and it nearly choked me, so I added more honey to ease the sting.  It's okay, but I think what it needs is some butter, (or ghee, if you have it, which I don't, so I would use butter.)  I think it would make it much smoother and and more soothing to the throat.  I didn't add it this time, but I will next time,.  I have found this remedy to be effective even without the butter.  But you know the saying, butter is better.   

So here is the recipe according to Maggie.

1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp ginger ( I think ground, that's what I used anyway.)
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (Organic is best, I suppose)
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp honey ( I dumped a pile more in.  Add according to taste.)

Mix together in a jar and shake well.  Always shake before using as it doesn't stay mixed real well.   Don't take the whole thing in one go as my friend was about to do!  Just take a tablespoon whenever you feel the need.  I don't think you can overdose, but the cayenne may have an adverse effect on your stomach if you take too much at a time. 

The reason I'm so thrilled to have found this wonderful prevention is that ever since moving to Hong Kong I've been plagued with colds and viruses.  We have some of the highest levels of air pollution in the world.  It seems like the bad air irritates my throat and then it evolves into a full blown infection.  If it's not the pollution, then it's the change in air from humid to dry, as in the Fall.  And I work with little children and they are always free with spreading their little germs everywhere, the dear little things.  So, I'm doomed.  I'm going to get sick, no matter what.   

But the other night when I was coming down with a real doozer of a sore throat, I concocted this recipe which I saved on my Tips of All Sorts Pinterest board and started dosing myself.  I didn't even take any cold medicine before going to bed and when I woke up in the morning... nothing, no sore throat!  Amazing!  

Cold Remedy #2:

Herbal Remedy for Cold, Cough and Allergies:  Here's what you need to make it. Try to choose nice fat ginger root.  This one is a bit mean!

I have to admit it wasn't the only thing I drank that night.  I also found a recipe on YouTube from a video called Herbal Remedy for Cold, Cough and Allergies by SuperVeggieDelight that uses ginger, tumeric, lemon, and honey.  This recipe is heated on the stove.  I would add fennel next time to balance the heat from the tumeric.  Mix it with 1/4 cup of water and heat.  The ginger used in the recipe is the fresh ginger root.  I had to dilute it as it was fairly concentrated.  And go easy on the tumeric.  In the video, she just recommends using a pinch.  When you consume tumeric you should also drink several cups of water.  I don't know what it is about tumeric, but it seems to dry out the body.  In Indian and Chinese medicine, tumeric is known to produce heat in the body, so this is probably why the it gets dry.  In any case, it's powerful stuff.

Both of these mixtures are kind of a kill or cure, but hey, they work  and I'm going to keep taking them at the first sign of a cold.

A few days later...

I've used both of these in the past week when I felt my throat getting scratchy and my head was getting woozy...  and guess what?  NO COLD development!  So there you go.  

I'd be interested to hear how you made out with these two home remedies.  If you have any questions about them drop me a line in the comment section below!

Cheers!  Happy healthy holidays!