Cold and Flu Relief Tonic

Last week at least two dozen kids from my daughters school stayed home due to the flu, my daughter included. The first noticeable symptom for Mimi was sore throat which according to her made it very painful to breath. Fever, chills, extreme fatigue, and body ache soon followed the next day. After a visit to the doctor who ruled out strep throat and mono, we followed the standard protocol for rest: take in plenty of clear fluids and over-the-counter pain reliever to help manage the few days of fever. As an avid user of natural home remedies I have learned that certain herbal or natural food remedies may also help relieve some of the symptoms and reduce the number of sick days. Mimi showed signs of a sore throat Saturday. By Sunday afternoon she had the fever and was lethargic. By Monday she looked sickly and could not stand up without feeling like she was going to fall over, and this is when I really went into Dr. Mom mode. I made her a tea from a tonic of raw apple cider vinegar, honey, ginger, and coconut oil. I gave this to her three times a day along with a few other vitamins. The tonic helped alleviate her sore throat and minimize her cough, which kept away the hacking and coughing that is common long after the flu ends. Her fever broke by Wednesday and she was back at school Friday. Next Abigail, my older daughter, started with a sore throat and body ache Sunday. This time I immediately started her on my home remedy, which I strongly believe prevented her from getting the full blown flu like her sister. She ended up returning to school nearly completely well a couple days later. The apple cider vinegar helps keep the body alkaline and PH balanced which helps kill bacteria and viruses. Coconut oil is added to take the edge off the acidity in the vinegar. It is also high in lauric acid, which helps the immune system attack viruses. Like gargling with salt water, gargling with apple cider vinegar (diluted with water) relieves a sore throat immediately. Raw honey is an ancient medicinal ingredient known for its anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-microbial properties helping to fight off infections and sooth sore throats. Infants under the age of 1 should not ingest honey due to the risk of botulism. The small amount of ginger is more for flavor than for medicinal purposes, although it is known to help with nausea. This natural home remedy is what I use in our home and I have found it to be very effective. I hope you find it works well for you too.

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Alice Currah is the publisher of popular food blog, Savory Sweet Life. Her approachable everyday recipes are accompanied by beautiful step by step photos and have been featured online at Martha Stewart, Real Simple, The Pioneer Woman, Epicurious, Bon Appetit, Saveur, iVillage and many more. In March 2010, Forbes.com featured Alice as one of Eight of the Very Best Food Bloggers. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.