I had a sore throat. My mother said:
“Drink hot lemon. Use the whole lemon.”
Yeah, yeah, I know about lemons. Indeed, lemon water – a squeeze o’ lemon in water plus the peel – is my daily, refreshing, health-giving drink.
But, wait….
The whole lemon? A revelation.
“In the days before antibiotics, that is what we used,” says my mother, now aged 93. “My grandfather used to gargle every morning with warm salted water to prevent infections.”
So I squeeze the juice of a whole lemon in a mug of boiling hot water and add a dessertspoon of honey.
Don’t stint on the honey. It makes it delightful to drink – and honey adds health-giving properties.
I cannot mention honey without comment: How outrageous that pesticides used by chemical agriculture are killing our beautiful bees.
My throat felt much better. So I made myself another hot drink with the juice of a whole lemon. And my sore throat was cured.
I also reach for the raw ginger, and raw garlic, when under-the-weather. What are your favourite natural remedies?
Real Food Lover 
That sounds like a very soothing drink. I was very happy to see a lone bee i my garden today.
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Actually I suck a whole lemon but put sugar on it. I don’t bother with the drink!
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Lemon with honey is the best of all cold remedies! Sometimes, I use manuka instead of ‘normal’ honey. Does wonders.
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It is best not to cook or over heat honey – it destroys a lot of the health-giving properties. GINGER! Grate a mass into a pan, pour on water and gently simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, add lemon 🙂 Bicarbonate of Soda and Lemon juice with water – drink whilst still fizzing! Very cleansing and alkalising 🙂 Echinacea – works, just works!
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Great tips, thank you, Mike.
And thanks for Bicarbonate of Soda and lemon juice with water. New discovery!
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I add ginger and a pinch of cayenne…..best cold/decongestant remedy I’ve ever found. Thanks for spreading the word E…you are awesome, as always!
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Here are some tips from Facebook friends:
https://www.facebook.com/elisabeth.winkler1
Adam: Rosehip is also an excellent source of concentrated Vitamin C and used to be widely used throughout the land.
Susan: Turmeric – I swear by it! A teaspoon of powdered + tsp of honey in warm/hot water as often as poss while really ill – works wonders plus is a general anti-inflammatory so good for troubled guts. You can also add grated turmeric root to your ginger tea… Oh, and also gargle with tea tree – a few drops of tt oil in warm water. Tastes revolting! And thyme tea now I come to think it – so always something available in the kitchen cupboard!
Nadia: I swear by sage gargles.
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When I have the beginnings of a cold I will use 1 whole lemon and a good dollop of honey and usually the cold loses. I also think a positive attitude of “I can beat this” helps fight off illness.
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