Home cold remedies.... with bonus side effects.

Since I am home from work and convalescing with a sore throat that's threatening to morph into a full blown sinus infection (Plus I have a giant, unpoppable zit in my ear.  In.my.ear.) I thought I would share some home remedies with you that I've found on the interwebs. 

I will cite sources if I haven't found them in more places than Carter had little liver pills...which is a lot of them. 

Ginger tea:

Small tea pot sized batch

2 tbl local honey (I don't know if it's raw, but it doesn't say processed either)
2 Tbl lemon or lime juice (or both!)
1-2 Tbl fresh sliced ginger.
hot water.
          Put all ingredients in a tea pot or strainer, add hot water, seep five minutes, drink.
  Related source article

Benefits: The ginger will warm you, help relieve congestion, pep you up a little, and important side effect:  This stuff is a natural laxative.  I drank six cups of this stuff and found that out.   What can I say?  I felt AWFUL and it tastes good.

Homemade cough syrup:

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp fresh grated ginger OR 1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 clove garlic, grated (optional)
2 Tbls local honey
1 Tbls apple cider vinegar or lemon
2 Tbls water (optional)

           Mix it up and keep in the fridge, taking on teaspoon, note teaspoon, once every 2-3 hours.

Benefits:  Between the ginger and the cayenne pepper this stuff tastes like the fire of God come down from heaven, but it will make you feel better.  According to this source article ginger is anti inflamatory too.  Ginger is awesome.  Garlic, in addition to be very tasty, is anti-bacterial.  If you're desperate, it burns, you can put it in your eat for an ear infection.  Which can be useful if you are frequently afflicted with plague and dread antibiotics. In addition to finding this on the internet, I heard a version from this recipe from my friend Marg*, who is one of the original crunchy granola hippy types.

This beats honey lemon tea any day of the week, even honey lemon tea that's spiked, though, I have to say this cough syrup wouldn't not benefit from being spiked.  If you, you know, don't have to work or talk to people.

Energy Soda cocktail:

1 Tbl fresh sliced ginger
3 oz juice cocktail  (Cranberry something)
8 oz diet sprite

I devised this one myself, mix it up and drink up.  Eat the ginger.  It will make you feel good and boost your immune system.


*Names changed to protect the innocent...which may or may not include the people I renamed.