Fighting a tickle in your throat? Is the flu threatening to take over your home? Well, check this natural flu remedy out!
This magical shoo flu tonic is a play on an elixir my grandmother used to brew up and bribe us to drink when we were looking a little piqued. At the time, it seemed like a strange and fiery witches brew but now, I find it rejuvenates and comforts me when I’m feeling spread a little thin.
This tonic certainly clears the sinuses and feels like it gets the immune system buzzing though I don’t know if that is a fact bared out in science. Sometimes the wise words of a grandmother can prove more knowing than results gleaned in a lab. I always include a bottle of this natural flu remedy in any care package and love adding it to salad dressings. It is warming indeed.
Enjoy room temperature or slightly warm – If you find this concoction too strong to take as a shot or sip, or dilute in a cup of water.
Natural flu remedy ingredients
- ½ onion, rough chop
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 inch knob ginger, rough chop
- 1 inch piece horseradish, rough chop
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced (or 1 T dried)
- 1 fresh bird's eye chili pepper, rough chop (or 2 dried)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 ¼ cup water
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- Quart size bottle
It is important to use all organic ingredients so as not to introduce more detox work for you body by using ingredients grown with the use of pesticides etc.
Natural flu remedy method
- Add water to pan on high heat.
- Add cinnamon sticks to water.
- Rough chop onion, ginger, horseradish and bird's eye chili pepper and add to pan of water.*
- Crush garlic cloves and add to pan of water.
- Mince rosemary and add to pan of water.
- Once water comes to boil, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temp.
- Measure out 2 cups apple cider vinegar and add to quart size bottle.**
- Use a fine sieve to strain out all of the solids for your cooled liquid.
- Pour your medicinal tea into the bottle containing apple cider vinegar.
Chef’s Notes:
*Use gloves when working with fresh chili peppers.
**An old apple cider vinegar bottle works great for this.
Do you have a natural flu remedy to fight it off and feel better fast? Please tell us about it below!
“Shoo Flu Tonic” was generously contributed by Monica Ford of Real Food Devotee. Monica's delicious recipes will make your mouth water and your tummy purr. If you’re lucky enough to live in Los Angeles, Real Food Devotee can make your life easier by delivering nutrient dense goodies directly to your door.
Photo Credit: An Eye Full Studio
If I ditch the chili for nightshade free, does it need to be replaced?
Taylor, I am alllergic to peppers (chilis). I just leave out the problematic peppers in any recipe I see and want to try. Maybe put more ginger in the recipe. I am really using a lot of ginger root, in everything these days.
I’m making something remarkably similar to this that my sister-in-law passed on to me. Her tonic is heavy on horseradish and chile pepppers and it’s HOT. At first, I couldn’t stand it, but now I almost crave the stuff, despite the odd looks from the family.
I’ve often thought that there’s something about spices and hot ingredients — many of which are missing from the standard American diet, even the non-processed ones — that promote health through adding beneficial bacterial, killing off bad ones, and just kick starting the system.
Thanks for this — I’m giving it a try!
So, after reading your post a while ago about your occasional use of ibuprofen when kids are sick and can’t sleep, we had occasion to use some ourselves last night. My 2-year old daughter had an earache (no fever) and couldn’t sleep for more than ten minutes at a time, so I felt like it was warranted.
Anyway, I’m wondering if you know of a brand of kids ibuprofen that doesn’t contain all the junk. The Target brand I had on hand had food coloring, aspartame, parabens and lots of other iffy ingredients. yuck.
Hi Lindsey – It really bugs me that they use the dye at all. Here’s one that’s dye free:
http://amzn.to/Yjg50A
hey, any advice on the dosage? you just say “shots or diluted in water”
could you be more specific, pls?
greetings
I made this tonic a few weeks ago. I just strained it and transferred it to the fridge last week and noticed now on the bottom of the jar is a thin layer of white then a thin layer of slightly darker than the tonic on top of the white layer. Is this normal and still safe to consume?
Just made a batch that’s cooling… And noticed there’s a lemon in the picture but not in the recipe. So am I missing lemon?? Haha
Wow, I bet this would be great in the Vitamix blender. ^_^
So.. After going to two different stores tonight, not finding ANY horseradish, realizing that it was going to be a stinkin’ trend, because apparently where I live, things that grow from the ground are some kind of “alien specialty food”, I’m home again- with no horseradish. Will this tonic still work without? Should I up something else in it? Got a sick hubbs and wanted to get this going as soon as I could!
How do you take it? My daughter drank about a cup of it and now feels sick. I took a few sips and wonder if I’ve had enough. What is dosage??
Well, I’m not a doctor but, I’ll happily share the way I and my family love to take this warming liquid! The adults in our family usually drink about 2 oz. at a time. When feeling like a cold might be coming on 2 oz. throughout the day as needed. It really clears the sinuses and throat for our clan.
The kidos usually have 1-2 oz. at a time. Might be best for your little one on a full tummy. If you have a little one who does not like the taste, you can always serve it in juice or a smoothy. ~ Monica
This is completely awesome! I’ve been taking either a tablespoon or half a shot glass every hour. Left out the peppers. It’s like fire cider only its not infusing in oil for a month!
How long does it keep for, and should it be refrigerated?