A Natural Cure for the Common Cold

by Ken Shim, RMT on October 24, 2009

This year, the weather turned chilly in very dramatic fashion and one by one my clients canceled their appointments due to cold or flu. I am pretty amazed and thankful that in my 3+ year career as an RMT I have only taken one sick day (which I suspect was due to the side effects of a detox cleanse as opposed to a genuine flu). A couple sick days can really bring a clinical practice to its knees. I like to think I owe my strong immune system to Angela Wang, my Traditional Chinese Medicine teacher in Sarnia. She once explained to me the immune boosting properties of ginger and gave me a simple recipe for ginger tea. At the time, I was prone to getting ill very easily. Now, as soon as the weather turns colder I start my immune boosting regimen of ginger tea and forget about my hypochondriac worries. I usually take the tea once or twice a day so it’s a good thing that it is absolutely delicious. Normally when I feel a scratch or a tingle in my throat it is almost guaranteed that I will catch something within a day. But now, whenever I feel that little itch, I make some extra strong ginger tea and the illness never seems to manifest. Anyway, it seems to work well for me and I hope that it will help you get through this cold & flu season too.

The Recipe

It is really simple to make. There is no hard & set recipe. Just follow your taste buds.

All you need is fresh ginger root, honey and water
I usually peel and slice the ginger and boil it in the water until the water starts turning yellow
If you want stronger tea let it boil longer until the water is a darker yellow or brown colour
Using more ginger or less water also makes it stronger
When the tea is ready, pour it into a cup and add some unpasteurized honey
If you want, you can also try adding some fresh lemon juice

That’s it! So simple it didn’t feel right writing it down or calling it a recipe.

If you try it, let me know.