Cold + Flu Remedy: Ginger Tea with Honey and Lemon

It's that time of year again--the time of year when a few pesky visitors come lurking around every corner and no matter where you turn, somebody's bound to catch wind of them. Yes, Old Man Winter brings his buddies, cold + flu, to pay you a visit, which usually means they're unannounced and will probably end up overstaying their welcome (not that they were even welcome in the first place). But lucky for you, I have an age-old remedy that I've been using for years whenever this trio enters my home: Ginger Tea with Honey and Lemon. 

Let me just preface this post by saying that I love ginger. Love it! Our kitchen is always stocked with this herb and I use it in many of my dishes. Its therapeutic healing properties are bar none, ranging from being used to treat nausea (ahem, morning sickness), digestive issues, stomach upsets, and yes, even your common cold and flu symptoms. Whenever I feel a cold coming on, which is usually marked by that dry, scratchy sore throat feeling, the first thing I do is start foraging my fridge for a piece of ginger root.

It's also usually around this time of year that my good friend comes toting bags of fresh meyer lemons from her backyard, and it's one of the reasons why I vowed to be her friend for..like...ever! Just kidding. I'd be her friend with or without her tree, but for now, let's just say I'm quite fond of our friendship. From there, I brew my pot of ginger tea, let it steep, and squeeze in a wedge of lemon with a dollop of honey. This is as easy as it gets, folks. If you steep it properly, the ginger tea alone will have a spicy sensation as it goes down your throat. The acid from the lemon helps cut it as well as the sweetness from the honey. All in all, it's a great combo, but most importantly, it works! After a day or two of drinking this, you'll notice that your throat will feel much better! But hey, I'm no medical expert, so I guess my post should also include a disclaimer about consulting with your medical practitioner if your condition worsens and yadda yadda. There ya have it. Either way, I hope you'll give this a try and if you have any of your own home remedies to recommend, I'd love to hear it. Until then, stay healthy and hydrated. Your body really is your sanctuary, so taking care of it should definitely be a priority.

Get your Vitamin C boost from a squeeze of fresh meyer lemon

Easiest way to peel ginger without a knife: Use a metal spoon to scrape off the outer layer of the ginger root. Ta-dah!

Silly but true: I enjoy squeezing my honey out of these little honey bears

Ginger Tea with Honey + Lemon

Makes 1 pot

Ingredients 
• 1 small fresh ginger root, peeled & thinly sliced or grated
• 1 lemon, sliced into wedges
• Honey
• 3-4 cups water

• Instructions:
• 1. Peel ginger using a metal spoon (see image + tip above) and thinly slice or grate. Fill a tea kettle or pot with 3-4 cups water and add in all the ginger. Bring pot to a boil, then simmer on lowest heat setting for 10 minutes to allow ginger root to steep & infuse the tea. Turn off heat, and strain out ginger.
• 2.  In your teacup, spoon in 1 tsp of honey (or more based on your preference), squeeze in juice from a lemon wedge, and pour in your ginger tea. Stir gently and enjoy immediately when it's piping hot.