The absolute best cough and cold remedy you will use… EVER!!!

I started making homemade remedies about 20years ago when my interest for learning about herbs as a teenager started. I absolutely hated over the counter cough syrups and would refuse to drink them.
I used to make a very basic homemade cough syrup that consisted of only 3 ingredients, Lemon, Sage and Honey. When my brother lived in England would call me up when he had the flu, asking “Sis what’s that cough syrup recipe that you always made that works so well?”
To make the cough syrup you take the 3 above mentioned ingredients:
• Chop up 50g Sage leaves
• Squeeze out the juice of 4 lemons
• Add 1 cup of raw honey
• You then gently heat the ingredients in a double boiler for 30-40min
• Strain the mixture into a sterilized glass bottle
• Keep it in the fridge and take one teaspoon of the mixture as needed
• Keeps well in the fridge for about 3 weeks
I’m visiting my folks and my dad has had a bad chronic cough that just hasn’t gone away for about two months. He has taken prescribed antibiotics as well as a whole array of over the counter medicines and cough syrups all with minimal to temporary effect.
So I made a super charged version of my original cough syrup that will not only help with coughs, but will boost the immune system and help with all sorts of ills.
And it tastes really great too!
You can pick up all the ingredients from your local grocer and possibly some from your own garden too.
I call it the Super 7!
Ingredients:
• Sage – the fresh herb.
• Lemon – organic is best
• Honey – local and raw if possible
• Garlic – used giant garlic, has all the benefits but milder flavour.
• Chili – any chili will do but red is great
• Turmeric – fresh root if possible but you can use dried powder if you can’t find fresh
• Ginger – freshly grated root is best.
Directions:
Combine 100g chopped sage leaves, 4 whole lemons chopped into pieces. Remove as many seeds as possible, the seeds will give a bitter taste. Use only the juice of the lemons if you worried that they possibly not organic. 1 and half cup of honey. I giant garlic clove or 2 small regular ones. 1-2 whole red chillies. About 30g fresh turmeric (I just wash and cut into chunks) or 1 tablespoon dried powder. 30g fresh grated ginger. Place all ingredients in a double boiler and heat gently for 30min. After 30 min blend the ingredients in a blender or with a stick blender and return to the heat for another 30min. Strain into a sterilized glass jar. The leftover pulp can now be added to a pot of clean water and steeped over heat for 30min to infuse the last remaining benefits out of the pulp into a tea. You can drink the tea warm or cold, it’s very pleasant both ways
Ingredients explained.
SAGE, derives its name from the Latin word “salvere”, meaning “to be saved”. It was traditionally used as a remedy for inflammation of the mouth and throat, as a tooth polish and gargle and an elixir of overall good health. Nowadays it is still regarded as a potent medicine against the three main causes of disease; bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Sage is rich in nutrients — especially vitamin K. Very high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that help fortify your body’s defences, neutralizing potentially harmful free radicals that are linked to chronic diseases. Sage has antimicrobial properties that help to heal infections.
LEMON contain citric acid and have a high vitamin C content. Surprisingly, it’s the lemon zest and pith which contain significant levels of valuable antioxidants, more in fact, than lemon juice itself. The zest also contains essential oils. The lemon as a whole has antimicrobial, alkalizing and immune boosting properties.
HONEY is deemed as a top health food across the globe. Honey is among the most popular and widely used sweetener with enormous health benefits. It is used by several cultures around the world serving as a base for many traditional medicines. The health benefits and advantages of honey have been valued throughout history.
• Strengthening the immune system
• Home cough remedy
• Healing specifically for wounds
• Boosts memory
• Natural sleeping aid
• Natural sweetener
• Anti-inflammatory properties
• Eases sinusitis
• Rich in antioxidants
*Always try to source local and ethically harvested raw honey.
GARLIC contains allicin, which is a compound with numerous health benefits including antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. That does not even count the vitamins and minerals found in the bulb. To reap full health benefits of garlic, you should consume it in its most natural, raw state.
Garlic boosts the immune system, Reduces blood pressure, lowers bad cholesterol, improves brain function and general circulation, promotes longevity, detoxifies the body, reduces allergies, improves physical performance, reduces joint aches and pains, keeps bones strong, fights infections, helps with digestion.
My Grandfather used to make a garlic infusion but steeping 7 large whole peeled cloves of garlic into a bottle of whiskey. He would let it stand for about 7 days before taking one shot of this every evening before bedtime. He had some health concerns before he started taking his garlic infusion but the main one was shoulder and joint pain, he couldn’t lift his hands above his head without pain. After a few short weeks of taking the garlic shots he was pain free and continued taking this remedy for as long as I could remember. I’m sure it must have tasted awful though!
CHILLIES heat and health benefits comes from a chemical called capsaicin.
Historically, spicy additions to food helped prevent spoilage in warm climates before the invention of refrigeration. Capsaicin’s anti-microbial properties inhibit as much as 75% of bacteria growth.
• Promotes healthy heart
• Relieves joint pain
• Fights colds, flu and infections
• Improves metabolism
• Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant
• High in Vit C
• Prevents allergies

TURMERIC has an active ingredient called curcumin and it gives the spice its characteristic yellow color. Curcumin is a natural antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory benefits, as well as benefits related to slowing the signs of aging .
GINGER contains Gingerol, a substance with powerful medicinal properties. It is an excellent remedy for sore throats, colds and flu, digestive problems, especially nausea and flatulence. It is known to reduce the duration of infections.
Store the tea in the fridge and use within one week. The concentrate will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.
If you have left overs and your symptoms have improved after about a week or so, the left over can be frozen for up to 4 months to be used at a later stage.
If the concentrate is too strong you can happily drink it diluted in water. Getting in enough fluids is a big part of getting over an infection, weather its bacterial or viral. Talking about bacterial and viral infections this remedy is great for treating both. Conventional antibiotics normally treat only bacterial infections.
*NB!!! Always consult a medical professional if your symptoms persist and you dont see any improvement in your condition.
My Dad’s cough showed clear signs of improvement within a few hours of drinking about 3 cups of the tea spaced out over 3 hours. After 1-2 days his persistent cough was basically non-existent. For maintenance drink 2-4 cups a day of the tea or 2-4 15ml shots until all symptoms subside.