January 24th Update: Cold is gone but I am suffering from full blown laryngitis. Not in a blogging mind frame. Will be back soon!
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Yesterday morning, without any warning, I lost something very precious: my voice. I have been winning many battles with a virus for a week now but today I think I lost the war. Around 5 am I woke up with a tight congested chest which moved its way up into my throat. I’ll spare you the rest of the details but it seems also if I try to speak around the 4th word nothing more comes out.
So plenty of fluids it is and I took out my humidifier. A little home remedy research reminded me of my magic potion I used to make when I was younger….a hopeful cure all drink. Now I know this is not exactly a gourmet recipe but it is cold and flu season so you just may thank me down the line for this one. And don’t freak out at the garlic, I swear you barely can taste it, TRUST ME on this one. This tea is ideal for indigestion, nausea, and to ward off colds, flu, and sore throats. Here is my just perfected version…
Ginger Garlic Tea Recipe
- 4 cups of water
- 2-inch piece of fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove
- 2-3 tbsp honey
Peel the ginger and slice it into thin slices and cut the garlic clove in 2 length wise.
Place the water, ginger and garlic in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Strain the tea and add the honey to taste.
So why does this potion work?
Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties.
Garlic has antibacterial and antiseptic properties.
Honey has antibacterial properties, which can help speed healing. It also can draw water out of inflamed tissue, thus reducing the swelling and pain.
Got a fever? Add a good pinch of cayenne pepper.
STAY AWAY from the lemon. This is to acidic and will cause more harm then good. Same goes for tomatoes, all citrus fruits and chocolate.
I’ve tried all sorts of coughing syrups, believe me, but none of them helps. Even though Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa http://www.geocities.jp/ninjiom_hong_kong/index_e.htm does not eliminates the cough I like to stick to this chinese syrup I’ve been taking since I was a kid: Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa. My grandfather is chinese, so I guess my mom got the advice from him. I was really surprised when I found that chinese market selling it here in Belgium. It does have a refreshing, soothing, sweetening effect…as long as it lasts…then back to coughing mode.
I didn’t know about the garlic clove but in Asian culture, turmeric powder is commonly used therapeutic ingredient (along with ginger and honey).
Get well soon and REST!
Evelyne…this potion of yours should kill just about everything that trys to put you down. So tell me…how many gallons have you taken down so far?
By now, I’m hoping that the worst is over for you and that you’ll get back to your regular daily routine. You’ve been missed ;o)
Ciao for now,
Claudia
Evelyne, I hope you are feeling better by now…I had ginger tea with honey before, but never had it with garlic…will remember when in need.
Oh my, this sounds awful! I can understand doing whatever it takes to get feeling well again, so I really hope it works for you. I’ve lost my voice a couple of times this school year, which makes substitute teaching a bit tricky. I always go for the honey, lemon and ginger, possibly with some whisky. Get well soon!
🙂
I hope you feel better and get your voice back soon! Losing your voice is the absolute worst. Thanks for the heads up about lemon – I always thought lemon and honey were the way to go to soothe a sore throat. Next time I’m sick I’ll have to try your recipe instead. Thank you for sharing!
Oh, poor you… I hope you feel better fast! I had a nagging cough that lasted for a week and half and kept me up at nights. It finally went away when I went to a steam bath (for the first time in my life), but obviously that can’t be my go-to solution each time I get sick! Thanks for sharing your remedy recipe; although I’m really surprised to hear citrus is not recommended in this case. I always make myself tea with lemon and honey, and it seems to help (although it could just be in my head).
You poor thing! Well, hopefully soon your voice will get to that husky/sexy phase, lol! And I completely believe you about this tea – I swear, ginger is magic.
Wish I could say I feel better but I am not, had a dinner party last night and voice is shot. Oh well. I admit the garlic is OK on the first cup only lol, but it is good for you.
I hope you feel better! This tea probably tastes awful. I love ginger tea but garlic?! It is too much for me. In my country (Poland), people drink hot milk with garlic and honey when have flu. It is good when you feel bad but taste is terrible for me.
I SWEAR by ginger tea when I even start to feel sick! I make mine with some orange peel and a touch of honey. Never thought to put garlic in it, but it totally makes sense, given garlic’s amazing healing qualities. Feel better soon!
Hope you are better now! This sounds like a great remedy, I’ll be sure to try it the next time i have a cold or a flu.
I hope you’ll be better soon. This is my first visit to your blog and I’ve had a great time poking through your earlier entries. You’ve created a very pleasant place to visit and I’ll definitely be back. Stay warm and drink your “tea” and hopefully you’ll soon be good as new. Have a restful day. Blessings…Mary
Lesson learned! I already enjoy honey ginger tea, I’ll certainly remember to add the garlic if I get the flu. Wishing you a speedy recovery!
get well soon sweetie:)
Thank you ladies
Oh.. I hope you feel better. I bet the tea would work its magic with all of the healthy ingrediets in it.
Feel better soon.
xoxo
I hope you feel better! Hopefully all the healthy ingredients in this tea will help you heal quickly.