Sometimes you just start feeling a bit rough, like you’re coming down with something and want something soothing that fights the bugs as well.
This home remedy has been around for centuries and is super easy to make at home with ingredients you most likely already have at home, so no trips to the health food store for exotic supplies required.
An oxymel is a honey and vinegar preparation that can act as a prophylactic (prevention) or as a treatment to regular winter bugs including coughs, cold and flu. You can add all sorts of different herbs or nutrients and to your taste.
Here are some popular choices:
Thyme: for dry irritating coughs as it helps with spasm that causes the cough
Oregano: Antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal…awesome for yeast overgrowth
Lemon Balm: Antiviral in particular cold sores
Elderberry: Antiviral, great for fevers, headache and nausea related to cold and flu.
Garlic: Antiviral, antioxidant. Great for respiratory infections such as bronchitis.
Ginger: Warming, Antimicrobial, great tonic for digestion
Turmeric: Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory.
The basics of making an oxymel is apple cider vinegar (with the mother) and raw honey. If you are not used to sour tastes then start with more honey than vinegar.
In this video I use a sterilized jar with apple cider vinegar, Rewarewa New Zealand honey (Manuka is also a great choice!) and fresh organic lemons. My chosen ingredients were garlic chopped, ginger chopped and powered turmeric (you could use fresh also) and a small grind of black pepper. Black pepper aids the aborption of the cucrcumin compounds from the turmeric. Mix all together and stored in the fridge and use within 2 weeks.
I love a tablespoon of this mixture in a cup of warm water first thing in the morning…great for the digestion, liver and immunity all in one hit. If you feel like you are coming down with something take 1 tablespoon 5 times a day.
Enjoy!!
