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Boosting your immune system
Protect yourself against influenza or the common cold by using herbal remedies to optimize your immune system.
Your ingredients:
1-2 teaspoons of chopped sage, thyme or rosemary (dried or fresh)
Hot water
Honey, if desired
Sweeten to taste by adding increasing amounts of honey to your herbal tea
Being in school or work environments, especially where there is central heating and air conditioning can expose people to a wealth of viruses and bacteria. As soon as the windows are shut and the heaters turned on, colds and sniffles start to spread.
Protect yourself and enhance your immunity with some antiviral herbal teas. Thyme, rosemary and sage are particularly good because they are all powerful antiseptics and help to increase the body’s immunity to infection. Sage is an expectorant and astringent for colds and sore throats, while rosemary is stimulating and warming.
Making your herbal tea:
Fresh or dried herbs may be used.
- Place 1-2 teaspoons of chopped sage, thyme or rosemary into a small teapot.
- Pour in hot water and allow to infuse for 5-10 minutes
- Strain into a teacup and sweeten with honey if desired
Add lemon and eucalyptus to your herbal remedy to enhance its restorative and healing qualities.
NOTE: Do not take sage tea for more than two to three weeks and avoid if pregnant.
Herbal Gargle
For rapid relief from sore throats gargle with this medicinal herbal infusion.
You will need:
10g dried purple sage
10g dried rosemary
5g dried lady’s mantle
350ml water
The lady’s mantle in your herbal gargle will help to soothe inflamed tissue due to its powerful astringent action.
Sore throats are common and painful symptoms of winter and viral infections. Gargling with antiseptic herbs is an effective way of tackling these infections.
Sage and rosemary are rich in anticeptic plant oils and have potent healing abilities.
Gargle from a full wine glass every 2-3 hours.
Fresh herbs may be substituted for dry, simply double the quantity if using fresh herbs.
Making your herbal gargle:
- Measure the purple sage, lady’s mantle and rosemary and place them in a teapot
- Add boiling water and allow to steep for 15minutes
- Strain the mixture, reserving the liquid. Allow to cool before use.
This gargle may be stored in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to a weak.
NOTE: Avoid use if pregnant.
Herbal honey cough syrup
Create a soothing syrup for winter coughs and colds by blending healing herbs with the natural goodness of honey.
You will need:
450g honey
10g dried rosemary
10g dried sage
10g dried thyme
1 litre of water
One or two tablespoons of your herbal syrup taken morning, noon and night will ease a sore throat and calm a chesty troublesome cough.
Winter colds are for the most part unavoidable, but a wholesome syrup of honey and herbs will restore good health. Mediterranean herbs retain their medicinal properties when dried.
Look for unblended honey from specific plants. Red clover honey is believed to be a useful strengthening tonic. Honey is a natural antiseptic, useful for its coating ability which keeps the herbs in contact with the inflamed respiratory tract.
Making your cough syrup:
- Pour 1 litre of water into a heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to the boil and add 20g of dried herbs.
- Cover with a tightly fitting lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or muslin cloth and reserve liquid.
- Simmer the liquid uncovered for a further 15-20 minutes.
- Add 450g of honey, stirring on a low heat until dissolved.
To ease a tight chest use thyme; for a feverish chill use sage; to combat lethargy use rosemary. Blend or use individually.
NOTE: Avoid use if pregnant.
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