Anyone who knows me knows that I am very pro natural healing. I have taken classes on clinical herbalism and feel very strongly about the subject.
Healing teas have an ancient wisdom that predates recorded history. Throughout time, wise women and folk healers, have created medicines composed of plants. Herbal teas, initially wildcrafted by these observant wise women and healers, developed over time after having noticed the beneficial effects plants had on animals who ate them when they were sick or aging.
Many herbs can be made into healing teas and consumed to add valuable nutritive and natural healing substances that will help to overcome stress, illness, injury, and a less than optimal lifestyle. The ancient use of herbal teas as medicinals and therapies have withstood the test of time because they work.
You can purchase herbal teas in almost any market these days, but some you can make at home with items from your cupboard. My favorite cold/flu brand is Traditional Medicinals. They also have cold and flu teas for children. If you opt to make your own tea you will need a teaball. Place ingredients in the teaball and steep in water that has just been brought up to a boil. Sweeten your teas with the natural healing sweetener, honey.
Honey is an age-old remedy for so many different things. When it comes to colds, it can be used as a cough reliever and it has some antibiotic properties. A teaspoon of honey on its own can be beneficial, or a cough mixture can be made up. Chop up 4-6cloves of garlic and place them in a jar of honey. After a few weeks the garlic can be removed, leaving a great mix for coughs and sore throats. Garlic is a very effective tool against colds. It is a strong antimicrobial and antiviral agent. Include garlic in your soups and cooking when ever possible.
Sage and Marjoram have antiseptic qualities, while Thyme is antimicrobial. These herbs can be mixed together or taken separately. Take 1-2 teaspoons of the herbs in a cup of boiling water; allow steeping for 30 minutes. Drink warm. This tea is good for soothing coughs, sore throats and tonsils, while also killing germs. (Add these herbs to your soup as well.)
For Congestion you can use: Ginger, thyme, licorice teas
Soothing for your throat: Slippery elm, comfrey, basswood bossom, fennugreek teas, sage
To relieve nausea: Ground fennel, ginger or peppermint teas
Here is a make it yourself tea that will surely make you feel better in no time at all:
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.
Here’s what you do: (you may need to experiment with amounts to get the taste that suits you)
Fill up your teakettle and get it boiling.
Meanwhile, grate a one-inch piece of fresh ginger root.
Get a thermos out or you can use a teapot. Put the ginger in the thermos/teapot.
Put 4 tablespoons of lemon juice in the thermos.
Add 3 tablespoons of honey to thermos as well.
When your water is boiled, pour it in the thermos.
Cover and let it sit for 20 minutes.
Strain into a tea cup and enjoy!
Another way to help you along with your cold is to gargle. Gargles are an age old method of bringing soothing substances to sore throats. Be sure the liquid is expectorated (spat out) so the toxins drawn out from the swollen tissue are not swallowed.
SALTY LEMON GARGLE
The astringent properties of lemon juice and common table salt (or, for a more pure version, sea salt, found in all health food stores), when combined with warm water and used as a gargle, shrink swollen tissue. As a result, this classic blend reduces the inflammation and pain of sore throats while providing excellent anti-microbial protection.
Combine the juice of half a lemon with one tablespoon salt in 1/2 cup warm water.
Gargle with this mixture at least four times a day.
To further enhance the astringency and anti-microbial action of this gargle, mix the lemon and salt into 1/2 cup sage tea instead of plain water.
GRAPEFRUIT SEED GARGLE
The extract of the grapefruit seed contains potent anti-microbial as well as astringent constituents that help relieve an inflamed, sore throat. Add 4-6 drops grapefruit seed extract (purchased in health food stores) to 1/2 glass water.
