I went to a natural healing seminar the other day and the speaker gave a handout with some recipes for various home remedy teas. I think she called them "tinctures"? Maybe that's the wrong word. Anyway so one was for cough syrup which included boiling an onion. I hate onions, but she let us taste it and it really was kinda good. Definitely very soothing. She went on about how much her little granddaughter loved it so I thought I had to try it out for my little man. He has been complaining of his throat hurting lately so I mixed some up this morning.
1 onion
1 lemon
about 1/2c honey
1 t ginger (fresh is best, but all i had was the holiday spices)
1 t cloves
sprinkle of cayenne pepper
Her recipe was something along the lines of hollowing out the onion? I'm not sure, I lost my handout. I put mine in the food processor for a few seconds. Put it in a saucepan (not aluminum) and put enough honey to cover it. Ad the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for about 20 minutes.
Strain
and serve.
For kiddies do 1t and adults 1T. The best thing about these home remedies is they can drink the whole pot and be perfectly fine.
I was also told you can cut up an onion and leave it on the nightstand at night and it will help clear congestion while you sleep. I personally couldn't do that because me eyes would be on fire lol. But that's still pretty awesome.
Awesome facts about foods:
Onion: The World Health Organization (WHO) supports the use of onions for the treatment of poor appetite and to prevent atherosclerosis. In addition, onion extracts are recognized by WHO for providing relief in the treatment of coughs and colds, asthma and bronchitis. Onions are known to decrease bronchial spasms. An onion extract was found to decrease allergy-induced bronchial constriction in asthma patients.
Lemon: Health benefits of lemon include treatment of throat infections, indigestion, constipation, dental problems, fever, hair care, skin care, internal bleeding, rheumatism, burns, overweight, respiratory disorders, cholera and high blood pressure. Known for its therapeutic property since generations, lemon helps to strengthen your immunity system and cleanses your stomach. It is not only a blood purifier but also enables body to fight diseases. Lemon juice, especially, has several health benefits associated with it. Useful for treating kidney stones, curing heart strokes and reducing the body temperature, lemonade helps you to stay calm and cool.
Honey: Honey may also be used to alleviate the effects of a sore throat, by mixing with lemon juice and consumed. The mixture coats the throat alleviating discomfort, and the antibacterial, antiseptic properties are good for the throat as well." Honey contains copper, iron, silica, vitamin B, manganese, chlorine, calcium, potassium, sodium, phosphorous, aluminum and magnesium. Depending on the part of the world where the honey comes from, honey will vary in mineral content.
Ginger Ginger has long been used as a natural treatment for colds and the flu. Many people also find ginger to be helpful in the case of stomach flus or food poisoning, which is not surprising given the positive effects ginger has upon the digestive tract.
Cloves: Cloves (Eugenia aromatica) are an excellent source of manganese. They are a very good source of vitamin C, K, and dietary fiber. They are a good source of calcium and magnesium.
Cayenne Pepper: Cayenne is also great for the stomach and the intestinal tract. It stimulates the peristaltic motion of the intestines and aids in assimilation and elimination. When taken internally, it warms the body and has even been used by some herbalist doctors to help heal and rebuild flesh due to frostbite. Cayenne is a counter-irritant; it brings blood to the surface and allows the toxins to be taken away.
