Fire Cider Season

It's that time of year again! Cold & flu season are in full swing, so I've been busy making fire cider to keep sickness at bay. If you've been with The Wildcraft Chronicles since the beginning, you'll remember we posted a recipe just last year. I decided to revise the ingredients just a bit, hence the reason for this blog post. I originally found this wonderful concoction in Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health; although her recipe is quite potent, I like to add a bit more kick to mine. You can always adjust the spiciness according to your liking. As for my taste, the spicier, the better.

If you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, well then, you're in for a treat! Fire cider is a wonderful way to start the day. This special concoction is quite similar to pickled vegetables in brine. The only difference is that the brine is the most important part. Taking a few tablespoons of the spice infused vinegar protects your immune system and warms up your entire body--great for those cold mornings when it's hard to get out of bed! In addition, it's incredibly beneficial for those of us with bad blood circulation (like diabetics). Last year was the first time I made fire cider, and I can honestly say that it improved my overall health and even prevented me from catching any serious illnesses, like I usually do.

I found that fire cider also makes for a wonderful gift as well.  Nothing like ensuring your loved ones stay healthy this year!

Fire Cider
ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped into wedges
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp grated horseradish
1 pepper (I used an Anaheim pepper, mildly spicy)
3 cloves of minced garlic
1 tsp turmeric
1 sprig of rosemary
1/8 tsp cayenne
2 chunks of dried ginseng root
Honey to taste
Apple cider vinegar with mother 

preparation:
 1. Place all of the herbal ingredients into a jar. Pour enough apple cider vinegar to cover herbs, leaving an inch of "breathing space". Seal jar tightly, shake, and place in a cool, dark place for 30 days. Remember to shake your jar once a day.

2. After 30 days, separate the vinegar from the herbs and spices. You can either toss the herbs/spices or keep them refrigerated in a separate jar (I like to add them to salads or just eat them plain. The onions are especially delicious!). Take a teaspoon or two every morning for best results.

Garlic Ginger Cough Syrup

Do ya'll remember me mentioning that I was sick earlier this week? Well, it wasn't just any old cold... it was the whooping cough.

Even though I had been vaccinated as a child against this old-timey disease, it took a swing at me anyway. There's been a recent revival of this epidemic in the U.S. and it's grown to withstand our vaccines. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the symptoms of whooping cough, they include:  a dry and harsh cough, "coughing spells" that can last up to five minutes, and even turning red/blue from the violent, prolonged coughs. Although this infection is more likely to develop in children, adults can get it too. In fact, as the symptoms get worse, your body begins to suffer from exhaustion and you are more likely to force a hernia or even crack a rib.

Honestly, I've  had quite the number of painful and troubling infections in my life, and this ranked number 2! Although whooping cough can easily be remedied with antibiotics, I really didn't want to visit the doctor. I don't particularly like antibiotics--they are over-prescribed and are actually the reason why so many diseases are mutating and making a comeback. In addition, they completely dishevel the balance of your digestive system. Anyway, I decided to treat myself with herbs and natural remedies. If things got too serious after a few days, then I would make a visit to the doctor. 

Firstly, let me tell you just how much I enjoy creating my own remedies. As a wildcrafter, you are your own healer. Preparing the herbs and spices is a ritual in its own right. It's the process and the tender love and care which you prepare your ingredients that makes them so powerful and healing, instilled with your good intent and personal magick. Likewise, if you trust in the gifts of nature, you will certainly have a better chance for a speedy recovery. 

Among the MANY natural remedies against whooping cough, I found two which easily accommodated my spice cabinet. The first was incredibly simple, and something which I actually do quite regularly to fight off other illnesses. Since whooping cough is a bacterial infection, a natural and potent antibiotic that can begin fighting off this illness is none other than garlic! While eating a couple cloves a day was a bit unsettling for my stomach at first, I soon realized how my overall energy improved within a few short hours. On top of that, I found another fast and simple way to ease my coughing: cough syrups from the general drug store seemed to have absolutely no effect on my cough,  so I took it upon myself to make a homemade, natural cough syrup. Here's a brew that I created using several recipes:

Natural Cough Syrup
ingredients:
1 cup of water
1-2 minced cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of fresh ginger
1/8 tsp of turmeric
1/8 cup honey

method:
Bring the water to a soft bubble over medium/high heat. Throw in the garlic, ginger,and turmeric and lower to a simmerfor five minutes. Finally, turn off the heat and add honey. Take as often as needed.

The syrup is simply magic. It tastes absolutely heavenly and it completely settled my nagging cough. This syrup doesn't just treat whooping cough, it's soothing enough to apply to any throat problem. The garlic, honey, and turmeric all clear bacterial infection, while the ginger helps with inflammation and irritation.

I do encourage you to keep healthy and seek natural remedies before sick season fully sets in. It's never too early to prepare. And if you care to learn more about whooping cough and natural remedies, I highly suggest you start here. 

Love & Light