Keeping a cold at bay
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Growing up, my mom introduced me to a range of natural remedies to common health issues. One of the most common go-to’s in her natural remedy toolbox was apple cider vinegar – the raw vinegar with the mother in it (you know the kind that has the weird gunky stuff floating at the bottom). To this day, it is something I turn to when my body needs a little support. I find that apple cider vinegar is great for helping support my GI tract. If my digestion is a little sluggish, or if I have eaten something which disagrees with my system, I drink one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed in a glass of water. I continue to drink this mix – one glass an hour until I feel better (I don’t suggest drinking more than one glass an hour as too much vinegar can tend to upset my stomach – the opposite of what we are trying to do).
I also turn to apple cider vinegar (again always raw and with the mother) as part of my cold fighting concoction. With winter upon us and the daily high temperature fluctuating 20-30 degrees from day to day, colds seem to be flying around me. Adam started feeling off recently, so I began my cold fighting process. While this does not always assure I avoid getting sick, I believe it helps reduce the symptoms and duration in the event I do come down with a cold. Each component of this drink has cold fighting power, if however, you find that any one component is preventing you from drinking the beverage, then omit it to get the benefits of the other ingredients.
The following is several paragraphs discussing the scientific research into the cold fighting benefits of each of the ingredients which go into my drink. If you want to just skip to the list of what to add to your mug to help you keep a cold at bay, click the button below.
To a large mug of boiling hot water, add:
Honey
Put 1-2 tablespoons of honey in your mug – it should dissolve easily in boiling hot water.
In a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine of children suffering from coughs due to upper respiratory infections, honey was found to be more effective than traditional cough suppressants (dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine) at alleviating the effects of the cough. Adding 1 tablespoons of honey to your drink will provide eight times the dose of honey used in this study – bringing not only cough fighting power but also sweetness to the drink!
Honey has also been shown to have antibacterial properties. While this will not fight the common cold, which is caused by a virus, it will help you fight off a secondary bacterial infection. (If you have ever had a cold turn into pneumonia, you know how miserable this can be!) A study published in the Archives of Medical Research found that honey inhibited the growth of 12 out of 13 types of bacteria tested.
Lemon Juice
Put the juice of half a lemon in your mug.
While studies are less conclusive on the benefits of vitamin C on fighting the cold, research compiled by the National Institute of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements has found that used in advance of getting sick, vitamin C can help reduce the duration and severity of cold symptoms. It has also been demonstrated to help fight the onset of a cold in those who have been involved in intense physical activity and/or exposed to cold environments, making this a great option to add to your mug if you are feeling a little achy and off after a day of outdoor winter fun.
You won’t get enough vitamin C from a lemon alone (an entire lemon contains about one-fifth of the minimum therapeutic dose used in the studies), so you might want to help bump up your dose with a vitamin C supplement or eating additional citrus throughout the day (you are aiming for a minimum of 200 mg/day).
Cinnamon
Add a generous dash of cinnamon to your mug.
Cinnamon has been found to have antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. In studies published in Microbiology Open and the Society for Applied Microbiology, cinnamon oil was found to be effective in treating a number of viral, fungal and bacterial strains. If you have dietary cinnamon essential oil on hand, you can also add this to your mug instead of powdered cinnamon. Important, make sure any essential oil you ingest is labeled dietary or safe for internal consumption.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Finally, add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to your mug.
Research published in Scientific Reports found that apple cider vinegar had “multiple antimicrobial potential with clinical therapeutic implications” If you have not tried drinking vinegar water before, it may take some getting used to, however, this research provides support for the benefits of adding this to your cold fighting mug. (If you are really struggling with the taste of the apple cider vinegar, try adding an extra tablespoon of honey to your mug to help balance it out.)
Keep a cold at bay
To a large mug add:
- 1 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar (with the mother)
- 1-2 Tbsp honey
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Generous dash of cinnamon
Fill the mug with boiling hot water, stir and then sip on your drink. Repeat this drink each hour to help keep a cold at bay.
There are a few other items I keep in my cold fighting arsenal – echinacea (tinctures, teas, and/or supplements), black elderberry (again available in tinctures, teas, and/or supplements) and Source Naturals Wellness Formula. While I have found all of these items to be incredibly helpful in helping to fight the cold and reduce its duration, the benefit of the drink above is that it can be made with items most people keep on hand. The important part of all cold fighting supplements is that they be taken immediately at the onset (or ideally before the onset) of the first symptoms. If you do not keep echinacea, black elderberry or Wellness Formula on hand, by the time you realize you need it, you most likely don’t have the time to run out and purchase it.
Wishing you a winter full of warm beverages and free of colds!
