Autumn is the time when colds, flu and other viral and bacterial respiratory infections lie in wait. Prevention is, of course, a much easier and more effective way to fight bacteria and viruses. With the help of herbs, you can avoid getting sick and stay healthy.
These traditional immune-boosting recipes were compiled by Serbian herbalist Momčilo Antonijević.
Tea for Boosting Immunity and Faster Recovery
- Juniper (Juniperus communis) – 50 g
- Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum) – 50 g
- Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) – 50 g
- Elderflower (Sambucus nigra) – 50 g
Mix all the herbs, then pour half a liter of boiling water over 3 tablespoons of the mixture. Stir, cover and leave for 30 minutes. Strain, sweeten with honey and add a little lemon juice.
Lemon balm, elderflower and juniper have antiviral effects, while wild thyme effectively fights bacteria. This tea can be drunk preventively during the respiratory infection season, but it can also be drunk if you are already sick, because it lowers fever and speeds up recovery.
Extra-Strong Immune-Boosting Drops
Put 20 g of propolis resin, 20 g of juniper berries and 20 g of oregano (wild marjoram) into a clean, dry glass jar, then pour 250 ml of 96% alcohol over them. Close tightly, shake and keep in a dark, cool place for two weeks. The liquid in the jar needs to be shaken every day.
After two weeks, strain the tincture through a four-layer sterile gauze and let it settle for one day in a closed jar. The next day, carefully pour off the liquid into a glass dropper bottle.
How to use: Take 25 drops 3 times a day with a little water or on a sugar cube.
Three-Spice Tea for Immunity
Put half a teaspoon each of dried ginger and cinnamon and 5 cloves into a cup, then pour boiling water (250 ml) over them. Stir and wait for the sediment to settle (5 minutes). Drink while warm, in small sips. The drink has a spicy but pleasant taste.
Essential Oils – a Powerful Weapon
In the fight against colds and flu, the best essential oils are eucalyptus and tea tree. One drop of eucalyptus oil in an aroma lamp diffuser can destroy 70% of the staphylococci in the air. A diffuser is a good way to disinfect the space where you work or live.
These essential oils are also excellent for inhalation. Heat half a liter of water almost to boiling, add 4 to 5 drops of essential oil (one oil or a combination) and inhale the steam. If you have trouble clearing mucus from your airways, add lemon essential oil to this aromatherapy blend.
Tibetan Garlic Elixir
The recipe for this elixir is several thousand years old. It is a very good way to strengthen immunity and prevent flu and colds, and it also helps people who suffer from clogged arteries and chronic candida infection. It is not recommended for people who suffer from stomach ulcers.
How to make it: First peel 150 g of garlic and crush it in a wooden mortar with a wooden pestle or in a glass jar (do not use metal objects). Put the crushed garlic in a jar, pour 300 g of 96% ethyl alcohol over it, close and keep in a dark, cool place for 10 days.
After that time, stir the liquid and strain it through a four-layer gauze. For the next 3 days, the tincture should rest in the same place and under the same conditions, so that the fine garlic residue settles again and the tincture becomes clear. After three days, carefully pour the clear liquid off the sediment.
How to take it:
- On the first day, mix one drop of the tincture with 50 g of lukewarm milk and drink it before a meal.
- On the second day, increase the dose to 2 drops, on the third day to 3, and so on up to 15 drops on the fifteenth day.
- Once you reach 15 drops, go back down, reducing by one drop a day, all the way to 1 drop.
- When this process is also complete, take 25 drops of the tincture in a small cup of warm milk for three days.
The smell of garlic is effectively removed by chewing fresh parsley leaves.
Vitamin Bomb for Strengthening the Body
To make this fruit mix that strengthens the immune system you will need:
- 3 apples
- 2 carrots
- 2 small celery roots
- 2 beetroots
- 50 g of ginger
- 2 lemons
- 1 kilogram of honey
Peel and grate the carrots, celery and beetroot. Wash the apples well and grate them with the peel. Sour, russet-type apples are best for this mix. Squeeze the lemon juice and then add the well-washed and grated ginger root. Stir and finally add the honey. Keep the mixture in the refrigerator.
How to use: Take 3 to 5 tablespoons a day.
Horseradish Remedy for Immunity and Clearing the Sinuses
This remedy is especially recommended for people who suffer from sinusitis during this time of year.
Grate one horseradish root (about 15 cm), add a cup of natural apple cider vinegar and bring to a boil. Let it cool, strain it, and add as much honey as there is liquid (a ratio of one to one). Let it cool and store in a plastic or porcelain container.
How to use: Take one tablespoon in the morning and in the evening before bed.
If you are already sick, see our herbal teas for colds, flu, fever and dry cough.
