Fire Cider

In our effort to return to the simple life, the Mr. and I have been researching various plants and herbs that also have beneficial health properties. Our belief is that God created all things for our pleasure and our good, so with that in mind we began looking into things that we could use to strengthen our bodies and aid us when the invariable cold/flu/viruses arrive at our door. 

One "tonic" that kept showing up was Fire Cider. Depending on which article you are reading, it can be used daily as a preventative or taken daily when you feel an illness coming on. It came up in conversations so often that I decided to try it for myself. 

FIRE CIDER

To each quart jar add the following chopped ingredients:

1 part onion

1 part garlic

1 part ginger

1 part horseradish

1 part turmeric (powder works if you can't find fresh)

1 part hot peppers (or a combination of hot and mild)

Zest of one lemon

2 - 3" pieces of rosemary

Your jar should be 1/2 to 3/4 full. Fill with raw, unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar. I use Braggs Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. Cap the jar and place in a cool, dark place. Shake the jar once or twice a day for 2 weeks. At the end of two weeks, strain the ingredients. The tonic will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Once I've strained the tonic, I take the chopped ingredients and dehydrate them. This can be used in soups or stews, sprinkled on salads, or used in any number of ways. 

We have chosen to use the fire cider on an as needed basis. One reason was because I couldn't get the nerve to try it the first time! This stuff is strong and smells nasty HA! However, during the winter I ended up with a really bad case of laryngitis. For 3 days I could only squeak out a whisper. While the Mr. enjoyed my inability to speak, I finally decided the fire cider couldn't be as bad as my throat, so I put 1-2 tablespoons in a shot glass, held my nose, and drank it! Oh my goodness...I know how it got the name "fire" cider! It burned like you know what, but within 4 hours my voice was coming back. It works! 

How does it work? I really can't explain it, but I can tell you some of the medicinal qualities of the ingredients.

Onions - Can relieve congestion, coughs, stomach upset and other gastrointestinal disorders. It has also been shown to prevent blood clots and reduce hypertension. Onions can be used to reduce sugar levels and to treat asthma. Onions contain high anti-bacterial properties

Garlic - Boosts the immune system, can reduce blood pressure, aids in minimizing bone loss, contains anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties

Ginger - Widely used in the treatment of nausea, muscle pain, anti-inflammatory qualities

Horseradish - Used for urinary tract infections, kidney stones, fluid retention, cough, achy joints, gallbladder disorders, sciatic nerve pain, gout. It has been shown to help in weight loss, maintaining blood pressure, digestion and bone health

Turmeric - Useful for fevers, diarrhea, and is an anti-inflammatory

Hot peppers - Used as a decongestant, pain reliever, and anti-oxidant

If you are looking for natural treatments for whatever ails you (as my mom would have said), then Fire Cider should be added to your medicine cabinet. That first dose is a doozy! but it gets easier and you will develop a taste and appreciation for its medicinal qualities. 

What natural treatments/tonics do you use?