Germ Juice

‘tis the season for the sniffles and sneezes and, whilst there are loads of nutrients and herbs that can help you through the winter months, I’d like to share one of my favourite winter staples to feeling better quickly when I’m under the weather.

This little gem of a recipe has been handed down and around through generations of Naturopaths and a dear colleague of mine from college, Robyn, gave it to me.

It has a wonderfully soothing effect on sore throats, is a brilliant decongestant for clogged sinuses, and in the event you have the ‘flu – it’s exceptional at relieving those awful body aches that come with it.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of water
  • 2 lemons – quartered
  • A bulb of garlic – turn bulb on it’s side and cut in half – splitting each clove
  • 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 inch of ginger root – roughly chopped
  • A pinch of cayenne pepper

Method

Throw all of this into a pot, cover with a lid, bring it to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and drink this hot. It tastes much nicer than it sounds, I promise!

Tips

I repeat. It tastes a Whole Lot Yummier than it sounds. But, you may add honey to taste if you wish – I recommend Comvita UMF 15+ Manuka Honey. It is more expensive than regular honey but imparts further immunological benefits that I think are worth it.

This recipe makes 2 cups but you can easily double or triple it. It’s great in a flask to sip on during the day or you can simply freeze the surplus and then reheat it. For the smaller family members – try pouring the brew into ice-cube trays and freezing. When ready to serve – throw 2-3 cubes into a mug and top up with boiling water and a splash of honey.