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Immunity Booster Teas for Cold and Flu Season
It’s that time of year when we all become susceptible to cold and flu bugs. Beat the odds this year by building your immune system naturally. Try one of these brews to help ward off germs and keep you in the holiday spirit all through the winter!
Immune Booster
1 teaspoon Echinacea root
1/4 cup rooibos or black tea
1 teaspoon astragalus root
1 teaspoon gingerroot
Decoct these roots by boiling in 4 cups of water for 15 to 20 minutes.
Cyclone Cider Deluxe
This is an exotic blend guaranteed to ward off colds, flu, and probably even vampires! Dilute 1 to 2 tablespoons in 1 cup hot water, and sip slowly as needed. You can also add it to salad dressings and marinades or a spicy and exotic taste. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons to a soup for an extra boost when you’re sick, and it will provide a “hot and sour” flavor.
1 part gingerroot,
freshly grated 1 part onion,
freshly chopped
1 part fresh rosemary leaves
1 part fresh sage leaves,
chopped
½ part grated horseradish
2-4 orange and lemon slices (organic if possible)
2-4 cloves of garlic
2-4 freshly chopped cayenne peppers
Cover all ingredients with apple cider vinegar in a wide-mouthed jar. Shake daily for two to four weeks, then strain, squeezing out all the excess liquid. Rebottle. Add honey to taste, if desired.
Fight the Microbes Tea
Tea facilitator:
Maggie Oster
Ever feel like microscopic invaders are using your body for a political convention? This tasty tea of immune-system strengtheners can help put a damper on the party.
To blend 9 servings
1/2 cup dried elderberries
1/2 cup dried honeysuckle flowers
1/4 cup chopped Echinacea root
1/4 cup chopped astragalus root
1/4 cup chopped licorice root
Combine ingredients in a glass container. Store away from light for up to one year.
To brew 1 cup
2 tablespoons blend
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon honey
Place the blend and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain; sweeten with honey.
Steamin’ Mama’s Lemonade
Not for the timid or unadventurous! Okay, so it’s not technically a tea, but worth its weight in gold when you’ve got a cold. Keep a box of tissues nearby, and be prepared to blow those germs away.
Juice of 1 lemon (organic if possible)
1-2 tablespoons honey
1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Squeeze the lemon into two cups of boiling water, and add the honey and cayenne. Stir well and sip slowly.
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