Natural Cold Remedies to Try

The new year is underway, which probably means that you, like me, are recovering from holiday gatherings, getting the kids back on their regular schedules, and trying not to catch that cold that’s making the rounds. Getting sick means missing out on outings, New Year’s resolutions, and time with friends and family — and no one wants that!?

Unfortunately, it happens to the best of us. When I was in New York recently, I planned to meet with Steffy, one of our amazing client care specialists. But she came down with a bad cold and had to cancel our plans.?

“I'm on my fourth cup of my Caribbean cold cure and I still feel awful,” Steffy told me.?

My interest was piqued. I’ve heard of all different kinds of home remedies for colds, but this one was new. Steffy was kind enough to share her family recipe with me.

Steffy’s Cold Cure

“Growing up in a Caribbean household, we used natural ingredients from our fridge and seasonings from our cabinets to remedy any sickness,” Steffy told me. “Here is the recipe for what I like to call ‘Dominican Tea.’ It was passed down to me from my mother, who got it from her mother, and so on. I make this tea each and every time I feel even a little discomfort, whether that’s a cough, chest congestion, or a headache.”

Steffy’s Dominican Cold Care Tea

Ingredients:

• 8 cups water (preferably bottled spring water)
• 1 apple (preferably red)
• 1 lime (or lemon)
• 1 red onion (medium)
• 1 finger-length piece fresh ginger?
• 1–2 cinnamon sticks?
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon?
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and honey to taste (all optional but recommended)

Preparation:

1. Fill a medium-sized soup pot with water and bring to a low boil on medium heat, then reduce to a simmer.
2. Wash apple and lime, peel red onion, and wash and peel ginger.
3. Cut apple, lime, onion, and ginger in half and add to your pot, together with cinnamon sticks.
4. Add ground cinnamon, turmeric, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
5. Let simmer for at least 20 minutes, or until the water develops a pink tint.
6. Enjoy hot with honey to taste.

Cook’s Note: Steffy says the cayenne pepper and onions help to break down congestion and draw out toxins. If you decide to add turmeric, you should also include black pepper to activate it. Once prepared, this will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days.?

I’m grateful to Steffy for sharing her recipe. I never wish for a cold, but next time I get one I’m making this tea.?

Food is Medicine

At FruitGuys we believe food is medicine and what we eat impacts our health, both at work and at home. Besides Steffy, other Fruit Folk have shared their food-based home remedies with me over the years.?

For example, Meta (a former employee and current food safety consultant) came to the rescue of people with the sniffles by peeling and mincing raw turmeric and ginger into tiny pieces and mixing them with honey. Some people on our team still swear by eating this strong but sweet concoction by the spoonful.?

Do you have any home remedies to share? I’d love to hear them! Just reply to this email or post on social and tag us @fruitguys. I’ll choose one winner to receive a special treat from us.??

Stay healthy!

?

Your Chief Banana,?

Erin Mittelstaedt

CEO, The FruitGuys

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