You wake up feeling a little cold coming on. Your throat is a little scratchy. You feel more sensitive to temperature. Ugh. The timing couldn't be worse. You have so much to get done this week.
You know if you don’t address that little whisper of a cold right now, it’ll take you out for the rest of the week. Or longer...
For those times when you feel that little bit of achiness or that feeling of needing more sleep, have this homemade cold + flu remedy as your aid.
Whether you have a juicer at home or place a custom order at your favourite juice bar, this recipe is what I turn to on those days when I need to chase a cold away.
It’s this and making time to rest. The powerful combination.
Why This Recipe Works
Ginger. It’s good for many reasons. It improves the good to bad bacteria ratio in your gut. You need plenty of good bacteria for a strong immune system as over 60% of our immunity is produced in the gut. It also adds some heat because of its spicy taste. This heat encourages you to sweat (a little) which helps your body fight off whatever bug it’s dealing with. Ginger also has great anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, both help support a healthy immune system.
Turmeric. I’ve talked about my love of turmeric before. In addition to it being a terrific source of antioxidants, turmeric is also powerful at reducing inflammation. So it’s definitely handy to have when you’re feeling less than your best.
Lemon. Is a great source of vitamin C. A lot of the vitamin C is in the pith (the white part just underneath the peel), so I always try to leave the pith on when juicing. You can leave the peel on too, but it will create more of a bitter taste. So if you’re cool with that, leave the peel on.
Apple. The slight sweetness makes the juice taste yummy. There’s also some vitamin C in there, But mainly I added this for the taste. ;)
Immune Booster
makes about 2 oz (serves 1)
4-inch knob ginger
1-inch piece fresh turmeric
1/2 lemon, peeled, with pith on
1/8 of an apple
pinch of sea salt
pinch of black pepper (optional)
How to:
- Add first four ingredients to a juicer and juice.
- Pour into a shot glass or small glass jar. Garnish with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Enjoy.
Note:
Black pepper has been shown to increase the bioavailabilty of turmeric's nutritional benefits. It’s optional to add to the juice but it does work really well in this recipe.
To peel or not to peel ginger and turmeric? If buying organic, I leave the peel on. Otherwise I’d peel both.
Now it’s your turn. What are some of your favourite ways to tackle that whisper of a cold or flu? I’d love to know. Share with me in the comments below.
