I wish I had seen this recipe for Fire cider 10 days ago for one of my children. I prefer Holistic flu remedies and natural ways to heal symptoms of the flu or any other illness that may arise. I am proud to say this child has NEVER BEEN ON ANTIBIOTICS of prescribed medicine… until now.
Now, I found myself waiting in line at CVS to pick up medicine… for me it was awful- but with the compounding symptoms and her feeling like crap, I could not try another remedy, not even the one I am sharing elbow for FIRE CIDER. There’s going to be MAJOR CKEANUP of my daughter’s gut flora and intestines after we get over this illness and medications. Doc added an ALBUTEROL inhaler too. I was on this for my asthmatic Bronchitis for most of my life 2-4 months out of every year…. not healthy at all!! Here’s the holistic remedy I wish I had known about 15 days ago:
FIRE CIDER TO HEAL FLU
I am sure it’s not the “best tasting” but anything bears the side effects of the flu… and watching your child be so weak and uncomfortable! We finally (I know I waited too long) went to the doc, after calling another doc 5 days ago who said there was nothing they could do – so I continued with a few herbs but we went to mainstream crap to heal the horrible cough…. bad decision. More symptoms have erupted and this poor kid is going to need a MAJOR CLEANOUT after cycling through the dose of meds. I’d recommend you make this #Firecider and have it… just in case. Hoping you have a superficial, healthy & happy day❤ Becca
Garlic
Garlic is well-known for its immune-supporting effects. It also acts as an expectorant and an anti-inflammatory, which helps those painful coughs and body aches. It is also known as a diaphoretic, which means it causes the body to sweat. This helps to reduce fevers naturally. Thankfully, fresh garlic is a common ingredient in most grocery stores.
Onion
Onion and garlic are both alliums, and therefore are related plants. They also share some similarities in properties. The unassuming onion is a potent expectorant and eases coughs. Onion is often used in cough syrups for this reason. Onions are so accessible in every store, please do use fresh onion.
Ginger
Warming ginger root also helps to induce sweating and fever reduction. Ginger also acts as an antispasmodic, which helps to ease those terrible coughing fits. It is highly recommended to use fresh ginger root (technically, it’s a rhizome, but no one ever bothers to call it that).
Horseradish
Horseradish is excellent for relieving congestion. It is also an effective diaphoretic (sweat-inducing/fever-reducing) herb. On top of that, horseradish is also an expectorant. What could be better for the flu? Sometimes, horseradish can be hard to find at the grocery store. It is in the mustard family, so go ahead and substitute some crushed mustard seed or mustard powder if you need to.
Cayenne
Cayenne is hot, but it is also a superior anti-inflammatory. I use it every time I’m congested to relieve the inflammation in my sinuses which make the sensation of congestion worse. This hot pepper can also get a congested nose running again, making blowing your nose a lot more productive. You can use any kind of hot pepper you wish. You can use fresh hot peppers, cayenne powder, or red pepper flakes.
Turmeric
Is there anyone left who doesn’t know that turmeric is anti-inflammatory? Because of this, turmeric is a huge help for reducing that achy feeling we get with the flu. There’s only one grocery store near me that sells it fresh. If you can find it fresh, great. If not, use the powdered herb.
Apple cider vinegar
Of all natural health products, apple cider vinegar has probably more health claims to it than any other. I’m dubious about most of these claims. However, it is a good menstruum (solvent) to extract the benefits out of the other ingredients. It also does seem to help ease coughing and congestion. I stick with the raw apple cider vinegar, and thankfully, this is also a common grocery store item.
Lemon
There is just something so wonderful about lemon. It lends both its bright flavor and its powerful decongestant properties to this recipe. You can use fresh lemon slices or add lemon juice at the end. Also, play with adding lime and other citrus fruits for fun.
Honey
Honey is effective at calming coughs. Our kids’ pediatrician was thrilled when we told her we keep bees, as cough suppressants had been found ineffective for children, while honey had been shown effective as a cough suppressant. Honey lends the sweet flavor to this hot, sweet, and sour remedy. Honey is added at the end
How to Make Fire Cider
You’re going to be surprised at how easy this is.
Layer the garlic, onion, ginger, horseradish, cayenne, turmeric, and any citrus slices you may have into a quart or gallon mason jar. You can make multiple layers. Keep layering until you have filled about 3/4 of the jar.
Fill to the top with apple cider vinegar. Use a knife or canning tool to get out any air pockets. If the vinegar isn’t in contact with the herb, it can’t extract anything from it.
Let it steep for two weeks or longer depending upon your tastes.
Strain out the plant material, and reserve the vinegar.
To this herbal vinegar, also called an acetum, you can add lemon juice and honey to your tastes. Once the honey has been added, this is known as an oxymel (a sweet and sour recipe).