Written by Meg Dickey, Contributing Writer
This remedy is one of the best for warding off colds, the flu, or any kind of general feeling of ickiness. Not only is it chock full of anti-viral and anti-bacterial goodness, but it's guaranteed to knock your socks off!
Ginger and cayenne are warming to your system, while onion, horseradish and garlic help to kill any bug that is attempting to assault your body. Sage and rosemary dry up any mucus that might be tempted to drip, and your body will benefit from the boost of minerals that apple cider vinegar provides. As scary as it sounds, it's actually quite tasty, too.
Here's my tried and true Cold Kicker recipe:
- 1/4 c. ginger root, freshly grated
- 1/4 c. onion, freshly chopped
- 1/4 c. fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/4 c. fresh sage leaves, chopped
- 1/4 c. grated horseradish
- 4 cloves of garlic (you can up it to 6, if you feel adventurous)
- 2 Tbsp. ground cayenne pepper
- organic apple cider vinegar to cover
- Combine all the ingredients in a quart size mason jar, and fill to the top, leaving 1 inch headspace.
- Shake daily for two to four weeks, then strain, squeezing out all the liquid.
- Heat gently over heat, and add 1/4 c. of honey, stirring to dissolve.
- Rebottle, and use as needed to kick any feeling of sick right out of you!
I usually use 2 tablespoons in a cup of hot water, and sip it as needed. I've also used it in chicken broth as well, to give an extra boost of nutrition when I haven't felt up to eating anything.
I love this stuff! It really seems to work and I like the taste. I don't mix it with honey, though. I just take it by the spoonful, straight, or drizzle it on grilled steak. I don't use cayenne, either. I use fresh hot red pepper. But just the same, it's a great recipe for boosting the immune system!
I have a recipe for something similar: 'nature's antibiotic'. It includes echinacea, cayenne, garlic, ginger, licorice and some fresh lemon juice. You steep in hot water, then add honey to taste. You're supposed to drink a quart a day (for me, the first quart does the trick).
Great post, I have used a similar recipe in the past but will give yours a go if the need arises. Generally I find I am not prone to colds since I take 1/2 lemon-juiced with water in the morning and a teasp of raw honey morn and evening.
Is this brew refrigerated after it's made? I don't remember seeing anything telling how to keep it or for long.
This is a great natural remedy. Garlic and horseradish are excellent anti-virals!
I put to much pepper in it. Too much pepper taste. How long will it keep after you have made it up? During the three weeks I let it set , I left it on the counter top. Is that ok? After it is ready do you keep it in the refrigerator? Thanks.
just made this. looking forward to trying it & getting rid of my sickies!!!
I looked through, but couldn't find a direct answer to this question: did I ruin my mixture by adding jarred horseradish with additives?? I really hope not!! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing this. I was wondering if there was a replacement for the rosemary and horseradish?
Whats the dosage you take each time and how often? How long is it good for and where do you store it?
I had a friend make this for me a while back. A few weeks ago I got a terrible sinus headache/cold. I took my first dose on a Saturday night, 2 on Sunday, and by Monday I was feeling almost normal!! This stuff is amazing! It was a little hard to take though. Blech.
I was wondering if you don't have fresh horseradish can u use jarred
At any point does this need to be refrigerated? (while you are waiting for the 2-4 weeks to pass or after you have rebottled it?) Thanks!
Where do I store this after I rebottled? Do I keep this in the fridge or a cabinet? How long does this keep?
Please send me this information.
Thank You.
Cherryl Roulette
I am so excited to try this! I have been trying to help my daughter stay healthy at college, and it's not always easy for her to run out to the store when she gets sick. I plan to make this up for her to take back to school in the fall. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Not at all tasty, but if you want to knock that cold out and keep it away for good, you can give it a try - it does work. We need to check in with our elders, many of them are very knowledgeable about natural remedies.
Nice share Meg :)
I haven't had a cold or the flu in years, and it's very simple. Whenever I feel a little run down, or if I have been exposed to a bunch of people sniffling and sneezing etc. I just put a little vinegar on 4 cotton swabs (one for each) and swab my nostrils and my ears. The vinegar is a natural antiviral and antibiotic and decongestant, so it will work for colds, flu, and even allergies. If a friend or family gets a cold or flu, I always suggest that they do this every 3-4 hours during the day and before bed, and it always relieves the symptoms and they recover in 2-3 days.
I wish I saw this earlier. I'm sick as a dog right now. Do I need to use honey? I'm very allergic, so would it be awful without it?
thanks
Hello, I am wondering how long this keeps for. Also, do I need to keep it in the fridge or keep in a cool cupbord?
Basically another version of master tonic.
Thanks for sharing. My mom makes something very similar to this but she takes it every day. She gets sick MAYBE once a year. But a word to the wise: This tastes DISGUSTING!!