Now that the weather is cooling down it is time to start thinking about how to best protect yourself against the common cold, that you are likely to inevitably catch this winter. What better way to beat the pesky common cold than with an all-natural, homemade remedy?! One of my favorite herbal remedies to make at home is a “Garlic Oxymel” which is great for treating cold and flu symptoms.

This herbal remedy involves a bit of forward planning, so if you’re a little forgetful like me, you can easily whip up an emergency batch of Garlic Oxymel by heading to your local market and picking up the necessary ingredients.

Ingredients

The ingredients you will need for this Oxymel are; 10 cloves of garlic, 1 heaped teaspoon of fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds, 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar.

To grow the garlic for this remedy yourself, all you need to do is plant a few fresh garlic bulbs, which will then grow into your very own garlic plants! Once you have your fresh garlic cloves, simply push them into the soil making sure the pointy part of the bulb is pointing upwards and the bulb is sitting 2 inches deep in the soil. Then all you need to do is ensure they don’t get too much water – a weird concept, I know! It is important that newly planted garlic bulbs are kept moist, so watering once a week while the bulbs are establishing their roots, is ideal. However, once the garlic begins to sprout you can reduce the watering, as soaked roots will mean your garlic is at risk of rotting – not good!

You will be able to tell your garlic is ready to be harvested when you see the leaves of the plant have turned yellow or brown. Once you have gently pulled your bulbs out of the ground, you are all set to head into your kitchen and begin making your very own cold and flu medicine!

Instructions

1. Gently warm the seeds in vinegar, without boiling, for 2-3 minutes then remove from heat.
2. Add the peeled and crushed garlic, and let the mixture stand.
3. Store in an air-tight jar in a dark place. You can take this mixture as necessary, in doses of about one tablespoon at a time.
4. Your Oxymel should keep for around six months.

One last hot tip: your garlic will turn blue – don’t panic! This means the constituents of the garlic that help fight off your cold are being drawn into the liquid mixture, making your Oxymel more potent! Yay! Of course, if your symptoms persist please see your healthcare professional.

Do you have your own recipe that you use to overcome the common cold? Share your wisdom with us in the comments below!

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