Boost your Immune System with this powerful immune boosting tonic!
Before it freezes here in Michigan I gather up extra snippets of herbs, harvest the horseradish, pick the reddest hot peppers I can find for a cold and flu tonic that is sure to make hair curl. Vinegar based herbal tonics are not a new invention and are highly adaptable and you can use what herbs you have on hand. The main ingredients are organic apple cider vinegar with “the mother,” honey, garlic, turmeric, ginger and horseradish. I gather other herbs that are known for their healing properties to add into mine, such as white pine needles, calendula and cooking herbs. If you do not have all the different herbs don’t let that stop you from making this powerful drink.
Step One: Gather and clean the ingredients.
What I used.
- Organic Apple cider vinegar
- 1 head of garlic
- 2 Onions
- 3 Jalapeno peppers
- 1 Salsa pepper
- Juice of one Orange
- 1 handful Calendula flowers, petals only
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder, fresh rhizome is best
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger
- root from one horseradish plant
- White pine needles, 2 tablespoons chopped
- handful of fresh mint
- handful of fresh rosemary
- handful of fresh sage
- handful of fresh oregano
- handful of lemon balm
- 2 tablespoon raw organic honey
“powerful immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, decongestant, and spicy circulatory movers”
Step 2: Chop up into small size pieces.
Place the smallest herbs and powders in the very bottom of a one quart glass jar. Larger pieces on top. This helps keep the smaller items submerged under the vinegar. Layer into a jar. Pour in the orange juice and vinegar last. Cover all ingredients and fill the jar with vinegar. You can place a sealed ziplock bag on top to hold all ingredients under the vinegar. Cover.
Step 3: After no less than 10 days strain and bottle into a dark glass non- reactive bottle. Seal.
Let this concoction set in a cool dark place for at least 10 days to allow all the juices to blend before use. Strain and press all liquids out, or put through a juicer to extract. Funnel into a dark bottle and seal. Note: some people let this concoction set all year without straining. It is up to you. I like mine strained because it is easier to use, especially when I’m sick.
Note: don’t throw out the strained vegetables, they are completely safe to eat or to incorporate into a stir fry. Try dehydrating the vegetables or pulp then grind into a powder to make a powerful spice blend to add to your favorite meals.
This tonic is to be taken orally. One tablespoon for an adult, one teaspoon for children throughout the day as needed when sick. I also use it as a preventative when I know I have been exposed. Make one jar for each person in your household.
History: There are other century old recipes known as thieves vinegar which was used topically during the plague and for insect repellants. Using vinegar for health reasons has been recorded since earliest recordings of man and is also mentioned as a dip for bread in the Bible-Ruth 2:14.
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