When there is a virus in the air, obviously, the first line of defence is cleanliness. Wash our hands often and well, avoid droplet transfer (sneezing, coughing). Keep distance to minimize spread.
However, once a bug has slipped past our natural defences, what can be done to help the sick person feel a little stronger?
What can be done to boost the immune system a bit so that the bug or virus might be turned out before it knocks us down?
Chicken soup, ginger tea, honey, mushrooms, lemons, elderberry tea…bed rest, lots of liquids, extra cleanliness, lots of rest, early nights…get some extreme exercise and then a nice hot shower, maybe a hot toddy – some people swear by a hot toddy.
Here is a recipe for something I started making around ten years ago that we found helped us fight the sickness off a little better.
Chop up or mince:
2-5 onions
1 large ginger root, a cup or 2
5 whole bulbs garlic
12-20 hot peppers, the smaller the better
about a half cup rosemary sprigs
about a half cup of thyme sprigs
about a half cup of basil sprigs
about a half cup of oregano sprigs
Mix all this together and then place it all in a canning jar or two, and then cover all the vegetable matter with Apple Cider Vinegar.
Let it sit on a dark shelf for six weeks, shaking the bottles every single day.
After six weeks, strain the vinegar from the vegetables, and store the infused vinegar in a jar in your fridge.
When the cold strikes, take a tablespoon or two of this food-infused vinegar every few hours until you feel well again.
The vinegar can also be mixed with a little bit of virgin olive oil to make a fantastic salad dressing.