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Immune Brew: The Cure for Your Cold.

Melissa Beene Ford/ Cooking+ Health

 

 
 
 

 OK, I KNOW I can’t really claim that I have the cure for the common cold, duh. All I know is… every time my kids and I start wheezing or sneezing or otherwise feel the crud coming on, I make this, we drink a lot of it, and BOOM… we’re better. Just last week, for example, Annie and I both started feeling crummy. I made a batch of this Immune Brew, and both of us were back to normal by the next day. Katie was home sick Friday, and guess what… I made her drink it, and what appeared to be the flu with 102* fever is gone today.

It’s easy enough to make, and I personally believe it’s quite tasty {but don’t ask Katie. She shrieks and flails and falls out on the floor in a huge dramatic display when I make her drink it. But she acts like that about everything these days. Eleven-year-old drama, you know}.

I can’t claim credit for this; my friend Mary Jo first introduced me to her own version of this ‘tea’ made with Thyme, Lemon, Honey, Garlic, Ginger, and Chile peppers. Every one of those ingredients was made by God himself with powerful healing properties. 




This is my version. Just put any amount of the following superfood ingredients (except the honey) into your stock pot with a couple of quarts of filtered water, and heat until warm but drinkable, then stir in a tablespoon or so of honey. That’s it. 




Rosemary. I first subbed Rosemary for the Thyme in Mary Jo’s recipe without even knowing if it would work, because, well, we have a prolific little Rosemary plant in our backyard, and it was what I had. And then I read about how Rosemary is great for respiratory issues, and I knew it was the perfect addition to our tea. Plus it tastes good.




Lemon. Everybody knows lemon (all citrus, really) is great for coughs and colds, and that’s why your grandmother drank it with honey and whiskey.





Honey. Preferably raw. Raw honey has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. It’s a powerful antioxidant, strengthens the immune system, and eliminates allergies. And there’s more: it’s an expectorant and anti-inflammatory and great for respiratory issues.




Garlic. Garlic is God’s great miracle cure for everything. Seriously. It’s antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral. What can’t garlic do? Nothing, that’s what. 




Ginger. There is a reason that ginger has played an important role in Asian medicine for 2,500 years: Ginger is great for chills, colds, nausea, tummy-ache, allergies, asthma, and kills cold viruses and has pain-relieving properties making it perfect for treating flu or strep throat.




Cayenne. This is another miracle food I had growing in my garden. Cayenne is anti-inflammatory, anti-irritant, fights ulcers, and aids digestion. It stimulates gastric juices, aids metabolism, and relieves gas. 




Cinnamon. Cinnamon is one of the world’s most widely-used digestive aids. It’s anti-bacterial and anti-fungal and great for bad breath. It calms the stomach, increases circulation, and suppresses infections.

Ladle out the ‘tea’ into a mug, add honey to taste, and sip all day. I leave it simmering on my stove all day, adding more water as we drink it.

Immune Brew Tea
Ingredients
Rosemary, two large sprigs
One Lemon, sliced thinly
Honey, appx. one tablespoon per cup of tea
2 Garlic cloves, sliced thinly
Ginger, one small root, sliced thinly
Cayenne pepper, whole (*I’ve also made this with a sliced cayenne pepper and it makes a smokin’ hot tea, which I like but my girls do not! For them, I leave the pepper whole and it adds taste without the heat.)
Filtered water

Directions
Combine above ingredients in a stock pot with two quarts filtered water. Heat until warm. Ladle out 6-8 ounces into a mug and stir in honey to taste. Sip as many cups as you need until you feel better. I keep my stock pot on simmer and add more water as we drink it.

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About Me


Hey there... I'm Melissa! Texas girl. Mom to three + one goldendoodle. Believer. Old house fanatic. Creating a happy + healthy home with purpose is my passion. I'm so glad you're here!

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I don’t know who’s big idea it was to strip 80 I don’t know who’s big idea it was to strip 80 years of paint off of this door down to the wood and start over… but that person has no business starting new projects. 😅 My neighbors must have thought this project would never end. *I* thought this project would never end. 😰 If you’re thinking of doing this yourself? Just don’t, ok? Throw the whole door away and buy a new one. 😂🤣 Just kidding.  Old house weirdos like me… we can’t just do things the easy way. Anyhoo… after some trial and error, @sherwinwilliams Celestial is what I landed on, and I have to say… I like it. Periwinkle-ish blue looks great with the yellow house and will look even better when the azaleas are in bloom. Was it all worth it? That’s not important right now. 🤭 Will I do this all again in two years? The magic eight ball says… without a doubt. 👏🏻 I’ve already picked the next color. #gluttonforpunishment #somefoolsneverlearn #oldhouselove #oldhomelove #makinghome #southernliving #gardenandgun #azaleadistrict #tylertx
Spring in the Azalea District makes the winters in Spring in the Azalea District makes the winters in an 80-year-old house completely worth it … what broken pipes, icy hardwood floors and drafty windows? 🤔 I forgot already. #comeonspring #azaleadistrict #tylertx
Happy Saturday ☀️ Happy Saturday ☀️
Salt Lake City is always magical ✨ Salt Lake City is always magical ✨
2022 had its highs and lows for sure, but scrollin 2022 had its highs and lows for sure, but scrolling through my pics from the last twelve months made me realize how blessed and content I am. Prosperity, love, and peace have been ours in abundance, in spite of the pain of losing my dad. The second picture is the last picture of him… the last time I saw him. 💔 But God has been good to my family this year and 2022 is ending far better than it began. 😄 #2022inreview #thanksforthememories
Who wants a Christmas tour of my home? 🙋🏼‍ Who wants a Christmas tour of my home? 🙋🏼‍♀️
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That’s it. That’s the tour. (Slide two). 
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It’s a new trend I’m starting: bare Christmas tree. Lowe’s tag still attached (so quirky and unexpected)! Christmas ornaments still in boxes. Coming soon to an Anthropologie window display near you. 
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Every year I think, “next year I’ll do better. Next year I’ll have it together.” And then, here we are on the SIXTH Christmas that we’ve been in this house, the sixth Christmas I’ve dragged our chaotic bunch of Christmas mess out of a chaotic garage I still haven’t unpacked from our move six years ago. 
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Maybe this year is the year I’ll organize it all and put it back neatly so that by Christmas number 7, it will be smooth sailing. People will flock to my social media to see how I’ve pulled everything off SO PERFECTLY. Next year will be my year. 
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Seems every year there’s less and less bandwidth for all these things. There’s more grief and stress, less money. More demands, less grace. 
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I put this sign on the wall in my office so I could keep it in front of my eyes: Love. Joy. Peace. And all that. I am SO unlike Jesus most days. So lacking in all of these character qualities. And that’s WITH waking up most mornings and spending my first 30 minutes with God Himself. 
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How lost would I be without that? Geez. I can’t fathom. I REQUIRE being transformed by renewing my mind every single morning, and even then, responding to people and life with love, joy, peace and patience doesn’t come naturally. 
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It’s the goal, though. 
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This weary world needs that from us Believers during this season, more than ever… even more than an Anthropologie-window-display worthy Christmas home tour. 
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I’m working on both.
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