6 Must Have Herbs for Cold and Flu Season

Herbs can help to support the body in a number of ways during cold and flu season. They can help to strengthen the immune system so it can better defend the body against viruses, either keeping you from becoming infected or overcoming the infection quicker and with fewer symptoms. Our herbal allies can help support the body as it deals with common symptoms, like cough, fever, and congestion, that often accompany a viral infection. Finally, herbs can help build and strengthen the body, assisting in recovery and convalescence after an infection.

Elder

Garlic

Ginger

Thyme

Echinacea

Peppermint

Elder and Peppermint Cooling Tea

Ingredients

2 tsp catnip

2 tsp elderflower

1 tsp yarrow

1 tsp peppermint leaf

2 cups water

Directions • Combine herbs in a glass quart jar (4-cup capacity). • Pour 2 cups of just-off-the-boil water over the mixture and steep for 1 hour. • Strain herbs by pouring the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or several layers of cheesecloth over a bowl with a spout. Press the plant material to squeeze out every last drop of infusion. • Compost the strained herbs and place the infusion in a labeled wide-mouth glass jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before making a fresh batch. • To use, heat and drink a small amount (approximately ¼ cup) of infusion.

Garlic Honey

Garlic is an antimicrobial used for thousands of years in many cultures to fight infection. In this simple recipe, we will combine garlic with honey, another antimicrobial superfood.

Ingredients

3 garlic bulbs

Raw honey

Directions

• Peel and separate the cloves and chop or grate.

• Fill a sterilized, dry jar about half full with chopped garlic cloves, then cover with honey.

• Poke through the honey with a sterilized, dry spoon to make sure that all of the garlic is covered.

• Cap and label the jar, and store for up to 3 months.

• To use, take 1 teaspoon once a day as a tonic or 4-6 times a day during an active infection.

Ginger Juice Tea or Fresh Ginger Infusion

Fresh ginger juice is a potent antiviral and is often one of the first herbs we turn to when a viral infection seems imminent. The chopped or grated rhizome can also be used if juicing isn’t possible.

Ingredients

1 large ginger rhizome

1. cups water

1-3 tsp raw honey

⅛ tsp cayenne  pepper

Squeeze of lime

Directions

• Select four thumb-sized pieces of ginger rhizome.

• Using a juicer, process the ginger and capture the juice—the goal is to get a cup of juice.

• Save the fibrous ginger material.

• Bring water to a boil.

• To make the ginger tea, combine ginger juice with just-off-the boil water, then add the honey, lime, and cayenne. Stir thoroughly.

• Drink 4-6 cups per day during acute infection. Store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before making a fresh batch.

• If you don’t have a juicer, you can chop or grate the ginger finely and infuse in just-off-the-boil water for 2-4 hours, covered, and then proceed to add the rest of the ingredients. You can also use this method to prepare the fibrous ginger material leftover from juicing.

Deep Breath Echinacea Syrup Recipe

Ingredients

0.5 part plantain leaf

1 part osha root

1 part echinacea root

0.25 part thyme leaf

1 quart of cool water

1 to 2 cups of honey or sugar

 Directions

•Start by combining the hard roots (osha and echinacea) together in equal parts in a measuring cup until the mixture equals about 1/2 cup total. Add this mixture to a pot with the cool water.

•Combine the plantain and thyme together in a measuring cup until the mixture equals about 1/4 cup total. Set this mixture aside until later in the recipe.

•Bring the pot with the root mixture and water to a simmer then cover the pot partially with a lid. Allow the mixture to simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. •Remove the pot from the heat then add the plantain and thyme mixture to the pot. Cover the pot fully with the lid and allow the leaves to steep for 1-2 hours.

•Strain out all of the herbs then return the liquid to the pot.

•Add the honey or sugar to the liquid in the pot. If using honey: heat the mixture very gently without boiling the syrup until the honey is just dissolved. This helps the naturally occurring enzymes in the honey to be preserved!

•Take the syrup off the heat and pour it into clean, sterile glass bottles. You can store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Enjoy 1/2 teaspoon, 1x/day