You know when you
feel it coming on. Sniffles. Aches and pains. A fever begins creeping
up on you, leaving you breaking out into a sweat. Don’t panic!
Whether you choose to get a flu shot before cold and flu season
begins, there are 5 things you definitely want to keep handy in your
kitchen cupboard.
Spot A Cup of Tea
Tea is a typical
remedy that many people love to grab when they are feeling ill.
Depending on the type of tea chosen, in addition to warming your body
up from the inside out, you can also take advantage of healthful
properties.
Consider these types
of teas to have on hand when you want to brew a cup…
-
Green tea (full of antioxidants)
-
Peppermint tea (the menthol helps break up congestion and is soothing to itchy throats)
-
Ginger tea (strong and bitey, but helps reduce phlegm and warms you from the inside out)
-
Lavender tea (lightweight and floral, it helps you feel calmer)
-
Chamomile tea (helps reduce inflammation and is great right before bedtime)
Ginger
Root
-
Ginger root adds a nice flavor to many dishes, and a little goes a long way. You can boil ginger root to make a ‘tea,’ enjoy ginger candied or in cookies, or mince some ginger for your rice, noodle, or soup before eating.
Citrus
Fruit
-
Lemons and limes are going to be your best friend. Citrus helps perk up your senses, leaves you feeling fresh and invigorated, and can even be used for cleaning counter tops and surfaces to remove pesky germs naturally! As far as the cold and flu go, enjoy having a half of a grapefruit for breakfast. Slice a lemon or lime and add it to your tea, or if you dare, choose to suck on a lemon or lime slice directly.
A
Bowl of Broth Will Do
-
You can choose to make your own broth using scraps of vegetables, or even bone from leftover meals if you want. Boil down your choice of ingredients in a giant pot with at least 4 quarts of water. Throw in some spices like salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. Once the stock has reduced to about a cup or so, strain the contents, and keep a little bit behind to puree it with the liquid in a blender. Make soup, warm up, and feel better.
Garlic
-
Much like ginger, garlic has some bite to it when you consume it. Consider this one remedy that has helped me expel mucus and phlegm pretty quickly. Boil some water for some tea, and set a bowl with a large towel on your counter space in kitchen. Take 2 to 3 reasonable pieces of garlic and mince it up finely. Pour yourself some orange juice and set both the garlic and orange juice to the side.
Once the water is
hot enough, pour some into the bowl, and some into a cup for your
choice of tea. Take the minced garlic into a large spoon, and down it
without chewing, chasing it with glass of orange juice. Trust
me, you’ll want that chaser. Afterward, breathe in steam from
boiling water, leaving a comfortable distance between yourself and
the steam so as to not burn yourself. Make sure your cover your head
and the bowl with the towel to trap in the heat.
The
Wrap Up
So, now that you
know of 5 definite must-have items to keep in your arsenal for
cold and flu season, you give yourself more options to help yourself
feel better sooner. Stay wrapped up. Think prevention first. To
your health!
Resources:
https://www.npr.org/2015/08/22/432906006/this-is-not-a-parody-an-npr-story-about-homemade-vegetable-broth
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/garlic-fights-colds-and-flu
http://vkool.com/ginger-for-flu/
https://theherbalacademy.com/ten-homemade-herbal-teas-for-cold-and-flu-season/
