Winter months invariably bring us sniffles, coughs & colds. While all the preventative measures in the world will certainly help stave off cold & flu germs ~ it’s sometimes just an inevitable fact of life that the season’s germs get the best of us.
Are you physically achy or sore from a cold this past month?
Lately, in clinic we are seeing quite a few patients who lament of aches & pains associated with uncontrollable coughs that have stiffened their neck, clenched their back muscles & leave them weary with fatigue long after the cold or flu has fled their immune system.
Reclaiming your vitality after a particularly harsh wave of illness can seem slow-going. As massage therapists, we really empathize over the winter months with our patients who struggle to get back to neutral. Sometimes, the best we can offer is a reminder that the simplest remedies may prove to offer the best results.
Why honey, lemon, ginger?
An immune boosting trio of ginger, lemon, honey heated to a sipping tea soothes the throat. Each element of this concoction helps quiet the noisy symptoms of wheezing, sneezing & coughing.
We live in a world where we are fortunate enough to be able to source fresh ginger & lemon year round - so when you can, go fresh. Ginger has a myriad of benefits but is especially known for its anti-bacterial & microbial support. Lemon is packed with vitamin C & can help boost the immune response as well as loosen congestion. Adding honey to the mix will soothe &. calm an irritating cough reflex. Aim to support local farmers by sourcing your honey close to home. Not only is this ideal for our economy, some say that eating honey from local bees reduces our sensitivity to allergies.
Local bees collect their pollen from local plants. Let’s say your allergies are aggravated as a result of some of these same plants. Eating the honey that was made from that pollen may potentially fight those allergies. It’s the idea behind trace-exposure that’s being used by allergy specialists & various health care practitioners & it’s gaining traction. While there are not currently formal studies, you can find research regarding honey generally & its ability to reduce inflammation.
Precaution:
Honey is safe for children over 1 years of age. Children under 6 should not be given typical cough syrups, but honey can offer a soothing coating & is a tasty option for those young & old who are keen to soothe an irritated throat.
Recipe for a honey/lemon/ginger stew that will quell the crankiest of coughs…
First, cut up 3-4 inches of ginger root and leave to simmer in a medium size pot on the stove. Keep covered.
After about 5-10 minutes, add the juice of a ½ lemon & a tablespoon of honey.
Stir & sip slowly throughout your day. This should serve you 3-4 mugs full.
You can keep adding more water to your ‘tea’ pot and re-steep your ginger root to take full advantage of expressing the ginger root essence.
Sometimes I will keep the same pot of ginger root on the stove for a few days at a time, continuously adding more ginger or re-steeping (simmering on a boil) for longer periods of time.