Herbal cough syrup

You know how last week I mentioned not feeling great after a flight home?  Yeah, that mild cough wouldn’t budge, and I started having more post-nasal drip and throat mucous.  I was concerned about losing my voice (tough to talk all day at work without a voice, right?!) so I turned to a tried and true herbal remedy.

Lemon honey thyme cough syrup

1 cup water

1" knob of ginger, coarsely chopped

1/2-3/4 cup raw honey*

1 lemon with peel, sliced thin and seeds removed (preferably organic)

around 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, up to a handful (fresh contains more volatile oils and is best, lemon thyme can be substituted)

Instructions

1.     Add 1 cup of water and the ginger to a small to medium size saucepan. Simmer on medium-low for 15-20 minutes.

2.     While the water and ginger are simmering, mix and mash the lemon slices and honey together to release the juices from the lemon. Set aside.

3.     Turn off the stovetop and add the fresh thyme. Cover the pot for 5-10 minutes to steep.

4.     Strain the ginger and thyme out, allowing the liquid to mix with your mashed lemons/honey. Add this back to the saucepan and stir to combine, warming it back up on low heat to allow the honey to really melt and disperse if needed.

5.     Turn off the stovetop and allow to cool. Pour your syrup into a glass bottle or jar and label and date. (You can discard the lemon slices if you want, but I think they look so pretty I leave them)

Store in the refrigerator for up to month.

Take 1 tsp-1 tbsp every half hour or as needed. Children under 1 years of age should not consume honey.

*If you can get local honey from a farmer’s market, it is so worth it.  I am lucky to have a friend who raises bees, and his honey is the absolute best! (Shout out to Little Wing Apiary)

Remember, with herbal supports, you may need more frequent dosing to help relieve those symptoms. The upside is that I feel instantly invigorated without any of the drowsy side effects.

(Recipe adapted from My Healthy Homemade Life)