Ginger Tea and the Never-ending Virus

Have you ever had a virus that wouldn’t go away? One where you felt so bad for so long that it seemed like you would never get back to feeling normal?

I just spent the last three weeks feeling that way. I teach preschool part-time, so viruses are an occupational hazard. This one made its way through my classroom and home to parents and siblings. I passed it to my sweetheart and on to his son when we paid him a visit. As last week came to an end, I was beginning to believe I would always have a sore, scratchy throat, plus a stuffy nose and a cough to wake me up multiple times through the night.

Thank goodness for ginger tea. My friend and second cousin once removed (or something like that), Mark, told me about this concoction a couple of years ago. If I remember the story correctly, he got the recipe from a Chinese man who said it would help sooth the throat.

I forgot all about the recipe until week three of my cold. When a sales clerk at the local health food store recommended ginger, I remembered the recipe and immediately made up a batch.

It worked wonders—better than any cold medicine I’d tried! I felt better right away and the cold was gone within a couple of days.

Here’s how to make it:

Peal and cut up a couple of good-sized pieces of fresh ginger into cubes—about 1 cup. Place in a pan of water (about 4 to 6 cups, I would guess) and bring to a boil. Boil for one minute and then remove from the heat. Allow the ginger to steep in the water for 5 minutes or so. Strain into your favorite cup and add 1 or 2 tablespoons of honey. Drink up, and save the rest in the refrigerator to heat up when needed.

It’s a cup of Heaven! The warmth from the ginger and the smooth sweetness of the honey cut through the throat scratchiness and lessened my cough. And the drink just gives you a sense of wellness and comfort. Plus, ginger also offers relief to an upset stomach.

If you give it a try, you won’t be sorry! Let me know what you think.

 

P.S. I bought the mug years ago from a craftsman at the Canterbury Shaker Village in New Hampshire. It always makes me smile when I'm feeling low.