First off, I want to thank you all for your amazing kindness you displayed via fb, twitter, and this blog regarding my previous post. Your support and love truly means a lot to me. From every fiber in my being, I thank you.
Friday afternoon I went to a massage therapist and oh boy did she work wonders. She really loosened up my muscles and stopped them from seizing around my spine. Walking around on Friday felt so liberating! Woo!
Unfortunately massage therapists can’t do much for the common cold. No one can.
But me.
Well I don’t have cold medicine per say (I wish) but I have a few tricks up my sleeve that at least makes me feel like I’m doing something.
One of them is grapefruit seed extract. Add 15 drops to a shot of grapefruit juice, swish it around and slug ‘er back (to avoid contact with the nasty tasting oil). This is more of a preventative measure that, due to the extract’s antibacterial and antiviral properties, I like to think does something to ward off the cold.
Failing that and I still get sick anyway (because I work with a bunch of germ riddled children) I go to my soothing tea remedy.
I love this tea. Even if it does nothing (which I believe it does) at the very least it soothes a sore throat and a downhearted sicky like me.
You need four ingredients: Mint tea (preferrably fresh mint leaves when in season), a lemon wedge, grated ginger and a tablespoon (or more!) of honey
Pictured above is Manuka Honey. I was introduced to this honey last fall with my last bought of strep throat and oh boy is it ever DELICIOUS. Not only that, but it’s got a whack load of healthy goodness in it too including antibacterial properties (especially useful if you have strep or some other infection). The link above is a pretty eye blinding website, but it has great info on the health properties of Manuka honey.
If you can’t find Manuka honey in your area or if it’s a little too pricey (jar pictured cost me $25) then go for any kind of honey. But I highly urge you use non-pasturized, organic honey. Even better, go local.
Simply add all these ingredients into a mug, pour boiling water over top, stir, and enjoy!
I as if I like being sick, but this part at least takes the edge off just a little bit.
Do you have any home remedies for when you have a cold?
I like to drink tea when I’m sick too. That manuka honey sounds really good! I always thought all honeys were the same until we were recently gifted a jar of organic local honey from some friends who keep a beehive in their backyard…. delicious!
Stephanie, honey is a dazzling array of diversity. I grew up in the Peace country, and there’s a nice variety of local honeys — wildflower, clover, alfalfa. But when I was in Australia last winter I had the pleasure of taking a two-day beekeeping class. The diversity of honeys there blew me away! Each of the varieties of eucalypts flowers in different years, and they produce so much nectar that bees can’t keep up to it. And each has a really distinct flavour!
There’s nothing at all like fresh honey from the beehive. It definitely tends to convert honey skeptics!
Oh wow! I cant imagine how amazing that honey would be!
I know what you mean. I uses to hate honey actually. And bees. Now I love the little creatures and the tummy deliciousness they give us. One day we’ll have backyard hives and have our own honey
thyme, lemon (juice) and honey. a little hot.
or a lot of water and time. a week.
: )
Thyme eh? I have some fresh sprigs so I’ll try that tonight!
Tried it last night! It’s fantastic
: )