With the cold and flu season in its peak we are all trying out best to avoid getting sick. Besides the usual recommendations to wash your hands and avoid touching your eyes and mouth, it’s important to keep your immune system strong. The best way to do this is through healthy lifestyle choices including:
- Organic, whole foods diet with plenty of phytonutrient rich fruits and vegetables
- Regular exercise/physical activity
- Getting plenty of sleep
- Reducing/managing stress
- Don’t smoke
- If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation
- Keep hydrated
In addition to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, I also recommend eating plenty of probiotic and prebiotic foods to support gut health and supplementing with 1000mg of vitamin C daily and also vitamin D if you are low/deficient. It’s important to get your vitamin D levels tested before supplementing though because high levels can also have negative health outcomes. The ideal range is between 35-60ng/mL depending on the individual [1]. Those with autoimmune disease typically need to be at the higher end of that range.
Fire Cider is an old herbal folk remedy that can help boost your immune system and also supports digestive health. Since approximately 70-80% of our immune system is located in the gut this makes Fire Cider especially beneficial for supporting your health during the cold and flu season. It’s also a great way to warm up on a cold day.
Don’t let the ingredients scare you! Once you add honey it makes it very palatable. I like to take a tablespoon each morning during the fall/winter months as a preventative measure, but you could also take it when you start to feel like you’re coming down with something or when you’re around someone who’s sick. You could also mix it in with food or give your bloody mary a health boosting kick!
HOMEMADE FIRE CIDER RECIPE
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh grated organic ginger root
- 1/2 cup fresh grated organic horseradish root
- 1 medium organic onion, chopped
- 10 cloves of organic garlic, crushed or chopped
- 2 organic jalapeno peppers, chopped
- Zest and juice from 1 organic lemon
- 2 Tbsp. of dried rosemary leaves
- 1 Tbsp. organic turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp. organic cayenne powder
- organic apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup of raw local honey, or to taste
Directions
- Prepare your roots, fruits, and herbs and place them in a quart-sized glass jar. If you’ve never grated fresh horseradish, be prepared for a powerful sinus-opening experience!
- Pour the apple cider vinegar in the jar until all of the ingredients are covered and the vinegar reaches the jar’s top.
- Use a piece of natural parchment paper under the lid to keep the vinegar from touching the metal, or a plastic lid if you have one. Shake well.
- Store in a dark, cool place for a month and remember to shake daily.
- After one month, use cheesecloth to strain out the pulp, pouring the vinegar into a clean jar. Be sure to squeeze as much of the liquidy goodness as you can from the pulp while straining.
- Next comes the honey. Add and stir until incorporated.
- Taste your cider and add more honey until you reach the desired sweetness.
This recipe originally appeared on Mountain Rose Herbs.
