Well it is that time of year again and it seems like everyone I know is sick or getting sick! That being said, I believe this post would be very beneficial as I am sure many of you are suffering from the same illness and symptoms. Previously, I did a post on the Top 10 Antibiotic and Immune Boosting Herbs, but I think now is a good time to give a condensed version of that information with a few updates. Below are the healing herbs, their benefits, and a few very excellent recipes so that you do not have to scroll through each post individually. Add them to foods, make teas or tisanes, or use the listed recipes to help improve the health and wellbeing of yourself and your family!
Echinacea: Shortens the length of colds, treats coughs, sore throats, improves immunity, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, natural pain killer, stabilizes the histamine producing cells and keeps white blood cells within the normal range
Ginseng: Immunity booster, improves bodily functions, has relaxing properties and eases pain and convulsions, natural analgesic, treats respiratory conditions and fevers, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, energizing
Honey: Antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic, immune boosting antioxidant, soothes sore throat membranes, fights infection
Witch Tip: How to make cough syrup. Just a few sips of this natural cough syrup will help to soothe a sore throat. The antibacterial properties of honey will help to fight off throat infections. To make a simple cough syrup: Pour 300ml of boiling water into a jug containing a sliced lemon and one tablespoon of organic honey. You may then choose to add other herbs that are good at knocking out colds.
Witch Tip: For colds/cough, take 1 tbsp honey in lukewarm water mixed with ¼ tsp cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. It is very helpful to cure most chronic coughs, colds, and clear the sinuses.
Habanero: Immune booster, therapeutically warming, antifungal, supports the immune system and helps it fight off sinusitis, colds, asthma, and the flu, and soothes the lining of the lungs
Horseradish: Builds immunity, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antioxidant , stimulates urine flow to help flush anything out, improves sinusitis and bronchitis issues, helps expel mucus from the upper respiratory system to prevent infection, clear lung problems, coughs, and asthma, increases the number of white blood cells in the bloodstream
Witch Tip: If your nursing baby has a stuffy nose and can’t nurse well, grate a little horseradish and hold it up to the baby as it tries to suckle. The fumes will quickly clear the nasal passages (and the baby will probably cry for a minute because they are so strong).
Witch Tip: Horseradish honey garlic tea~
1 1-inch piece fresh horseradish, peeled and grated (1/4 cup)
¼ cup honey
2 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled and coarsely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
Put 4 cups water on to boil. In a blender, combine the horseradish, honey, garlic and 2 Tbsp water. Process until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the blender. Scrape the puree into a bowl, and pour in the boiling water. Let it steep for 5 minutes. Strain into a teapot, and stir in the lemon juice. Drink hot, inhaling the steam deeply.
Garlic: Immune booster, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, and anti-fungal, anti-asthmatic, anti-spasmodic, bronchodilator, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, immunostimulant, urinary antiseptic, vasodilator, analgesic, antioxidant, disinfectant, lungs profit highly from garlic, treats respiratory health problems such as colds, flu, sore throat, strep throat, coughs, congestion, sinusitis, and bronchitis
Witch Tip: Fresh garlic mixed with honey is an excellent home remedy for colds, hoarseness, and inflammation of the throat. crush 1 oz. of fresh garlic cloves. Mix the garlic with 1 cup of honey. Let the mixture sit for 1 hour to infuse the honey with the garlic’s essential oils. Store in a cool, dark place. At The first sign of a cold, take 1-2 tsp. of the mixture. (Repeat every hour thereafter) This remedy is also effective for relieving severe chest congestion and painful coughing.
Ginger: Therapeutically warming, triggers the immune system and is great for any cold conditions associated with shivering, treats nausea and vomiting, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial
Witch Tip: To relieve respiratory conditions, drink ginger tea or add 1 drop of essential oil to green tea twice daily.
Witch Tip: How to make a natural cough syrup. Just a few sips of this natural cough syrup will help to soothe a sore throat. The antibacterial properties of honey will help to fight off throat infections. To make a simple cough syrup: Pour 1 1/4 cup of boiling water into a jug containing a sliced lemon and one tablespoon of organic honey. You may then choose to add an herb that is good at knocking out colds. You can use:
- Sage- chopped fresh sage helps soothe an aching head.
- Ginger- grated fresh ginger stimulates circulation
- Thyme- a spoonful of chopped fresh thyme will fight infection.
Cool, strain, and take 1.5 tbsp 3 times a day.
Onion: contain powerful antiseptics that fight bacterial infection, analgesic, anti-inflammatory
Witch Tip: Onion Cough Syrup- Many babies are unable to take honey during the first year or two of their life so this is an excellent alternative. Honey may contain botulinum toxin while a sweetened honey syrup should not be dangerous at all. It works well for both children and adults and is often found to be more effective than over the counter cough medicines. This is an old folk remedy that calms coughs with minimal side effects. There are many different versions from all over the world including Europe, India, and North America.
Method 1: Soft cook onions, butter, brown sugar or honey, ginger, and a splash of vinegar on low. Once it becomes a syrup, take a teaspoon every hour or so.
Method 2: Cut onions in half and cover with water. Bring them to a boil, then simmer the mixture low and slow with enough water just to cover for a couple of hours. The water will become syrupy. Sweeten with sugar or honey depending on age. Take a teaspoon every hour or so.
Method 3: Slice an onion, sprinkle sugar over the cut edges, wait about 30 minutes until the juices begin to collect. Take a teaspoon every hour or so.
Method 4: Slice an onion thin and simmer in sweetened water (either with sugar or honey) until it is soft for 45min to an hour. Take a teaspoon of the syrup every hour or so.
Oregano: antibiotic, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, helps treat colds, flus, coughs, bronchitis, contains natural antihistamines
Witch Tip: A cup of oregano tea can be used to soothe stomach upset and coughs.
Turmeric: Immune boosting, a natural antibiotic, antibacterial, antiseptic, antioxidant, antispasmodic, astringent, analgesic, contains more than two dozen anti-inflammatory compounds — six of which block the enzyme that causes pain and inflammation
Lemon: MORE INFORMATION TO COME
Thyme: Calms coughs, MORE INFORMATION TO COME
Sage: MORE INFORMATION TO COME
Cinnamon: Therapeutically warming, MORE INFORMATION TO COME
Interested in a topic of your own? Just ask here and I will be glad to post it!
Instagram: 3 Cats and Cauldron
TikTok: 3 Cats and a Cauldron
From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,
Click here for an Index to all posts
