This is our home remedy for colds and sore throats…
Warm up that cold! It’s cold and flu season in our neck of the woods….. sore throats, achy joints, muscle weakness, headache, sneezing, coughing, stuffy noses.. the works.
Something that we’ve been enjoying in our family is a lemon ginger blended tea. My husband has been our ‘tea chef’ these past couple of weeks and has developed this out of his traditional cold and flu season ginger lemon tea. We’re loving this because it’s really quick and easy to make, which is a good thing when you still have to get up after a rough night of sleep and having slept an extra 30 minutes and now running late to take your kids to school (I had a few days like that this week).
My husband whipped this up for me, poured it into a jar with a lid, and handed it to me as I grabbed my coat and ran out the door. I was so grateful for it throughout the morning.. it helped clear up the mucous (sorry for the details for those of you who are faint of heart), soothe my throat, and ease the headache.
We would like to share the recipe with you so that maybe you can gain a little relief (or at the very least, a little enjoyment while you’re getting through the cold weather). Even if you’re not sick, this is a sweet little tea to help build your immune system and give you some anti-inflammatory boost.
On top of the list of benefits of ginger lemon tea is its ability to strengthen your immunity. This is due to the presence of high levels of anti-oxidants in ginger. Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C which can heal wounds and preserve the strength of bones and teeth. In the onset of cold and flu, the ginger lemon tea can act as an effective anti-biotic. The bioflavonoids that lemons contain help to prevent cancer cells from growing and spreading. The anti-oxidants in the lemons help in reducing inflammation and arthritis symptoms. The powerful anti-oxidants can reduce free radicals in the body. Ginger also increases blood circulation in the body that is vital for optimum health.
Homemade Lemon Ginger Tea
1 whole peeled lemon with seeds
30 ounces of hot water
1-2 tablespoons honey or alternative sweetener of choice
2-3 inches fresh, peeled ginger
Optional: for summer tea, 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves and 6-8 ice cubes
Blend in blender until smooth. I use a Vitamix because it’s super powerful, but there are lots of great ones out there now. Use strainer to strain out the ‘debris’
Hope you enjoy it!
Dr. Arjan
P.S. You may also enjoy ‘Ginger, Garlic and Onion Toast’ for those first stages of a cold or flu. Immune boosting and can help soothe a sore throat.