While maintaining a balanced diet and minimizing stress will help nurture your immune system, it doesn’t hurt to add a few extra power packed recipes to the list. I’m all about working with what you have and maintaining wellness even on the smallest budget.
There is no need to buy expensive supplements and programs. Honestly, I can almost guarantee you have all of the ingredients for this elixir in your kitchen right now. If you don’t they will all cost you less than $15 at your grocery store. They are also multi-functional so if you do have to go out and buy any of these ingredients they work in lot’s of other recipes too.
What You’ll Need.
Ground Cinnamon, Ground Ginger, Raw Honey, One Lemon, Warm Water *Try to use organic ingredients if your budget will allow you to do so.
Now, let’s break down these ingredients to discover what makes this whole shebang a friend to your immune system. Â
CINNAMON
Cinnamon is loaded with antioxidants. It’s an anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-fungal spice. We might be eating a lot of cinnamon during the fall and winter months but let’s be honest, most of the time it’s accompanied with treats and desserts that are filled with sugar fueling inflammation.
Cinnamon is great to ward off and combat respiratory illnesses. To learn more about the medicinal benefits of cinnamon (which include reducing your risk of heart disease) check out this article from Healthline.
GINGER
One of my favorite wellness warriors. I use ginger on practically everything. It’s also the secret ingredient in most of my smoothies at home (now you know). A dash gets thrown into my iced coffee most days, and just last night it made up the seasoning to my homemade chili.
Ginger is an anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and full of antioxidants to help you fight infections and ward off a cold. If you aren’t used to eating ginger you may have to acquire a taste for it initially. Ginger it more hot and bitter vs. cinnamon’s warm and fuzzy.
RAW HONEY
If you don’t already keep a stock of raw honey in your pantry it might be time to keep it on hand. It’s natures little antibiotic and helps to combat seasonal allergies.
The powerful antioxidants in honey help to remove free radicals from the body, which can lead to illness. Raw honey is also an anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial. Fun fact: it also naturally contains hydrogen peroxide, making it an antiseptic for cuts, burns and skin wounds.
LEMON
Lemon is a great source of vitamin c as well as holding anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Lemon outside of the body is very acidic. However, once metabolized it actually transitions to a PH well above seven. This helps to alkaline the body which offers enormous health benefits. I won’t get into all of that today, but disease thrives in a highly acidic environment. An alkaline environment helps decrease your risk of disease.
Immune Boosting Elixir
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp Raw Organic Honey
- 1 Lemon Wedge
- 1 slice Ginger Root
Instructions
- Boil 6oz of Water
- Finely Grate a Small Slice of Fresh Ginger Root
- Add Cinnamon, Ginger, Lemon and Raw Honey to Water
- Let Sit for 5 Minutes Before Drinking