Winter Cures

Tis the season to get sick, but there are some more natural and nutritious things you can add to your drinking schedule that might just help you heal faster, get less sick, and feel better overall.

There are medicinal teas, bitters, and even cocktails that can employ healing elements. It may be the dark months, but you can be the light!

Cocktails

If insomnia is your issue, consider red wine or sangria with cloves. 

Feeling blue? Consider champagne with chocolate bitters made with the cacao bean (see bitters below)

The most favorite old fashioned cure-all is the hot toddy:  1/2 c. scotch, 1 lemon, 2 tsp sugar, 4 whole cloves, nutmeg, 1/2 c. boiling water. Peel lemon and put it in the bottom of a glass with sugar. Use a wooden spoon to press it. Set aside for 45 minutes. Now, quarter the lemon and squeeze it into the glass. Now, add whisky, cloves and boiling water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Grate nutmeg on top. 

Bitters:  Alcohol mixed with botanicals to give an essential concentration of the properties and tastes within the plant matter. This can be used for medicinal purposes, cocktails or cooking.

Making Bitters

A dozen bitters I have made (above); cinnamon, almonds, cranberries, cloves, ginger, fennel, orange peel, cardamom, mint, basil, rosemary, and cilantro. Drops can be added to tea or water for curative properties and health and vitality or added to cooking for enhanced flavors.

Curative teas:

Fever/sore throat/flu/cold

Spicy green tea is an herbal tea remedy helpful in aiding immune functions, as well as breaking a fever and soothing a sore throat. Cayenne and ginger will both increase circulation and sweating, which is often useful in breaking a fever. Moreover, ginger is an effective anti-inflammatory for sore throats, while honey has long been believed to soothe a sore throat. Green tea has wonderful anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea is also associated with increased immune function and with combating influenza in general. Add to boiling water and steep for at least 20-30 minutes. Strain and drink. 

More info:
Curative Cocktails
Bitters 
Curative teas