Survive this Winter with this Homemade Cold and Flu Tincture

With the average winter temperature in Chicago going barely above twenty-two degrees last year (the coldest since people began keeping records in 1872) and current temperature trends showing no sign of improving, you’re probably well aware that this winter is going to be cold and bitter.

If you’re living significantly north of the Equator, you’re also probably dreading the chances you’ll get stuck with the common cold or flu.

You might also be tempted to go purchase one of the multiple corporate brand concoctions that promise the world to you in the form of a cure-all elixir.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

At the moment, the only thing they can really promise is to reduce the severity of symptoms as you wait out the disease.

For example, most brands offer a quick solution to runny noses in the form decongestants. The problem is that they do this by constricting your nasal blood vessels, which can lead to long-term health complications especially if you already have issues with high blood pressure.

Instead, you’d be better served looking for a natural alternative to help you live through the symptoms of the common cold and flu without causing your blood pressure to build up to potentially unhealthy levels.

Here’s where herbal tinctures come in.

Tinctures are normally alcoholic extracts of animal or plant products. This recipe uses alcohol because it serves as both a natural preservative and because ethanol is very effective at dissolving substances water cannot dissolve.

When do you normally take tinctures?

As soon as you begin having visible symptoms, start taking ¼ to ½ of a teaspoon of this tincture roughly every hour until the symptoms begin to subside.

For children, I recommend using the traditional “Young’s Rule”. Simply add 12 to your child’s age and then divide his/her real age by the result. For example, if your daughter is 6, her dosage would roughly be 33% of the adult dosage.

Cold and Flu Homemade Herbal Tincture

Here’s what you’ll need:

– One ounce of sage.

– One ounce of lemon balm.

– One ounce of horehound.

– Two ounces of Echinacea root.

– 100 proof vodka or, if you don’t want to use alcohol, use a mixture of 60% vegetable glycerin with 40% water.

And here’s what you’ll need to do:

Finely chop all your herbs and place them in a glass jar.

Add your solvent (i.e. your vodka or the vegetable glycerin mix) to the jar, it should rise just about an inch above all the herbs.

Tightly close the jar, shake it thoroughly, and label the jar with the date.

Place it near a sunny window for about six weeks; make sure to shake it everyday.

Strain the mixture with a cheesecloth and place it in darkly colored bottles. They’ll last for about five years.

Your ingredients are powerful medicinal herbs, making this tincture a naturally effective tool to keep you healthy as you deal with the cold or flu.

Why it’s so effective

Sage is a powerful antiseptic and antibiotic, making it a powerful ingredient to fight the flu.

Lemon balm is used in Germany as a key ingredient in balms to fight herpes and sores. Thus making it perfect for fighting viral infections like the cold and flu.

Finally, horehound is a powerful natural expectorant, which makes it your perfect ally in getting rid of the persistent mucous you might have in your lungs.

With this natural homemade tincture, you’ll be able to handle your cold or flu without the long-term damage caused by brand remedies.