7 Healthy Elixirs to Boost Your Immune System as Temperatures Drop

As the temperatures get chillier, we humans tend to congregate indoors with each other, and in doing so, we share germs with certain culprits—like cold and flu—spreading more readily in the cold. Making it even worse, heating systems tend to dry out the air and our nostrils so that we are even more susceptible to picking up viruses.

So, it makes sense that, as winter comes in, we prep ourselves with an elite fleet of elixirs to keep us healthy. We want delicious liquids that will build up our immune systems and keep us stocked with vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants that help to keep us well. If we can make these at home with natural ingredients, all the better.

Luckily, it turns out there are loads of homespun elixirs to make, and they aren’t so difficult to make. The trick is to make them and take them early to prevent illnesses rather than trying to treat illnesses. This winter may be the time to start, and these concoctions are a great place for that.

1. Elderberry Syrup

Elderberries have been used medicinally for millennia. They have immune-boosting antioxidants and vitamin C. While dehydrated elderberries can be used in baked goods or to make tea, to get a serious dose, elderberry syrup is the way to go.

There are lots of mass-produced elderberry syrup out there to buy, but the trees are easy to grow, and the syrup is easy to make at home.

Source: Herbal Academy/YouTube

2. Fire Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is renowned in old-time medicine for maintaining general well-being for folks. Lots of people simply take a tablespoon of ACV every day as a preemptive strike against illness.

While that is a great idea, making fire cider vinegar ups the ante by infusing the already helpful vinegar with powerful spices like turmeric, cayenne, ginger, garlic, and cinnamon. Again, expensive pre-made fire cider is out there to buy, but you can do it at home.

3. Onion/Garlic/Herb Reduction

Onions are great for combatting colds. Garlic is in the same family and helps as well. Herbs have all sorts of anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties. It only makes sense to put all these ingredients together for an amazing elixir.

To make a super strong reduction to take by the spoonful, dice onions, garlic, and fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme. Put those in a saucepan with a couple of cups of water and simmer that down until the liquid halves. Keep the reduction in the fridge and take it like medicine.

4. Turmeric Tonic

Again, combining several spices and healthful ingredients makes a lot of sense, and that’s what this turmeric tonic does. Turmeric has all sorts of medicinal benefits, including charging up our immune system.

In addition to turmeric, the above turmeric tonic recipe has ginger, lemon, and cayenne to aid in staying strong.

5. Vegetable Broth

Vegetables on the whole are great for keeping us stocked up on vitamins, minerals, and other stuff to keep our systems running clean and smooth. An easy way to get a hulk of nutrients from veggies is to make a powerful vegetable broth.

A wonderful way to make vegetable broth is to keep a running bag of vegetable scraps in the freezer. Onion ends, garlic peels, carrot tops, pepper stems, celery leaves, and fresh herb remnants make for a great base. Add in bits of mushroom, the ends of green beans, broccoli stems, and whatever else. Boil it all and save the broth. Drink it like tea.

Source: Homestead Dreaming/YouTube

6. Ginger-Lemon Kombucha

Probiotics are great for gut health which boosts our overall immune system. There are lots of fermented drinks to check out—water kefir, kvass, ginger beer, etc—but kombucha is easy to find and easy to make at home.

Ginger and lemon add some immune-boosting power to that kombucha. It’s a common flavor for store-bought drinks, or it can be easily added with an extra few days to do a second ferment with homemade kombucha.

7. Green Tea

Green tea with a squeeze of lemon is good for our brains and good for our bodies. Some of the antioxidants in green tea are ideal for general wellness, so it’s a simple tonic to have during the winter. Why not carry a flask of it to keep warm on the way to work or for a walk in the park?

Mixing in these elixirs throughout the season will undoubtedly help with keeping the sniffles and fevers at bay. If something starts coming on, take some extra doses to battle it back. Stay healthy this winter.

Related Content:

• 7 Magical Homemade Herbal Elixirs for Keeping Yourself Healthy
• Immunity-Boosting Superfood Elixir [Vegan, Grain-Free]
• Differences Between Tinctures and Elixirs
• 10 Daily Plant-Based Elixirs to Help Fight Allergies
• 10 Elderberry Syrups, Elixirs, and Teas to Naturally Support Immunity

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