The movers came and went on Thursday. They delivered *most of* our stuff. We won’t be able to assess the full spectrum of the event until everything is unpacked which will take a while… because not only did they deliver all our stuff, but they delivered a cold… especially for me. Whether it is from the dust from the warehouse on all the boxes piled to the ceiling, or if its just some late summer cold-bug, I got it bad. Sore throat, stuffy/runny nose, itchy ears… I gots it all. But, at least now, I also have a big comfy mattress with my soft bamboo sheets and an arsenal of products at my disposal to help me feel better, i.e. bathrobe, tea kettle, throw blankets, etc.
This past winter, I found a pin on Pinterest with a picture of some orange syrup with the description of, “Home Remedy for sore throat, hacking cough, tight congestion… Using this in the winter instead of all those mucus relief drugs and decongestants that don’t do a thing.” As I am a chronic sufferer of nasal ailments (I have abnormal sinus cavities) this appealed to me as I am also a chronic user of sinus drugs. The pin took me to a blog called Good Food Matters where the authors credits the recipe to someone named Maggie (there was no further citation). The remedy is just a mixture of common household items and, to me, it has a similar effect as eating wasabi or Chinese yellow mustard. It is a pleasant burn that cuts through all the mucus but is still yummier than all the over-the-counter stuff.
The recipe from the site is as follows:
- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Ginger
- 1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar (an organic one, like Bragg’s, is preferred.)
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon Honey (use a locally produced raw honey, if possible.)
I knew I had all of the ingredients… the trick, however, was finding them. After digging through box after box (my inventory manifest was too vague in this case) of stuff, I finally found the two boxes from our spice cabinet and then subsequently found the box full of mason jars and whipped up the above concoction.
Can you imagine trying to find two small containers of spice in this mess?! Jojo was sweet enough to help me re-arrange boxes until I found the one for which I was looking. It didn’t help matters that I had pulled my back muscles trying to dead-lift a box of his nerd books earlier OR that when I’m not feeling good, I put on the cranky pants. So, kudos to him AND this remedy. 
There it is (on the left) amongst all the stuff we had to unpack to find it… and there it is on the right so you get an idea of what it looks like. Since it has honey and Apple Cider Vinegar, it’s sweet… but the ginger and cayenne pepper are what give it the kick! It is noted on Good Food Matters (and should also be noted here) that due to the fact that it has raw honey in it, it should never be given to small children. I am obviously not a doctor, and haven’t even played one on t.v…. so I can’t tell you that this cures anything or everything… but I do know that when added to my arsenal of get-well products, I see results with one to two teaspoons, as needed.
Wish me luck in my unpacking ventures… which probably won’t happen as quickly today as I would like. I think I’m going to curl up in my bathrobe, now. *sniff*
So sorry you’re sick! Feel better!