Every year right around Thanksgiving, I get the crud and last year it was the worst ever! The first “bout” came a week before Thanksgiving and by the day after had worsened into a sinus infection. About the time, I started feeling better, I started the whole process again truly not feeling better until mid-January. This year, I was determined that it wasn’t going to get me but I just didn’t know how until I saw a post on Facebook by “Heal Thy Self” called Fire Cider. Could this be my answer?
Now the process was quite lengthy in that it would take at least two weeks to make but the theory was quite simple. After the two week “prep period”, you take one tablespoon per day for prevention and if you feel something coming on, you bump it up to 4 tablespoons a day. Easy Peasy!
The ingredients are one that we all are familiar with:
- garlic (natural antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial, and great for upper respiratory issues)
- onions (natural antioxidant, natural anti-inflammatory, natural antiviral, helpful in releasing toxins, lowers cholesterol and aids in healing colds, flus, allergies)
- ginger (naturally antimicrobial, boots the immune system, great for upset tummies, chills, cold/fevers)
- horseradish (natural antibacterial, natural antibiotic, has warming properties, stimulates the immune system, antiparasitic, expectorant)
- hot peppers (warming properties, helps boost the immune system, natural decongestant, natural pain reliever)
- apple cider vinegar (natural antiseptic and antifungal, very healing)
- locally made honey (natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, cough suppressant, relieves local allergies)
- thyme and parsely bundles (you can use any kind of herbs for extra flavor)
Supposedly, it helps to cure ailments such as:
- Colds & Flus
- Fever
- Ear Infections
- Strep Throat
“This tonic is extremely powerful because all of the ingredients are fresh. It’s power should not be underestimated. This formula is a modern day plague tonic. It is said that when added to an in incurable routine, it could cure the most chronic conditions and stubborn diseases. It stimulates maximum blood circulation, while putting the best detoxifying herbs into the blood. This formula is not just for the sniffles; it has helped to turn around the deadliest diseases.”….Sam Biser, from “The Last Chance Health Report” as seen on heal-thyself-ning.com.
Worth trying!
So here is my version of Frankie’s Fire Cider:
Frankie’s Fire Cider
(Note: I made a big one gallon container so I would have plenty to give to my family; however, if you just want to do a quart, I have posted those quantities as well.)
Ingredients
(for bulk amount)
- 1 part fresh garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 part fresh onion, chopped
- 1 part fresh ginger root, chopped (I don’t even peel it!)
- 1 part horseradish, peeled and chopped
- 1 part fresh hot peppers, including seeds (find the hottest you can…I use a mixture of cayenne, jalapenos, habaneros, and serranos)
- thyme and parsley bundles (if desired…you can omit or use any herbs your like)
- 1 part apple cider vinegar (preferable raw, unfiltered)
- local honey, several tablespoons to taste
(for one quart only)
- 1 whole bulb of fresh garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 whole fresh onion, chopped
- 1 4-5 inch piece of fresh ginger root, chopped (I don’t even peel it!)
- 1 4-4 inch piece horseradish, peeled and chopped
- 4 fresh hot peppers, including seeds (find the hottest you can…I use a mixture of cayenne, jalapenos, habaneros, and serranos)
- thyme and parsley bundles (if desired…you can omit or you any herbs you like)
- 1 quart apple cider vinegar (preferable raw, unfiltered)
- 1 tablespoon of local honey, several tablespoons to taste
Directions
Grate your garlic, ginger, horseradish, and peppers seperately in a food processor and assemble your time bundle.
Layer each ingredient into your container on top of each other starting with the onion, then the ginger, the garlic, the horseradish, the peppers, and finally your herb bundles. By doing it this way, it helps you to see if you are getting equal parts.
Next, add your vinegar and fill to the top.
Mix well.
Put your lid on and place in a dark place for at least 2 weeks. You must stir it once a day so make sure it is somewhere nearby so you will remember!
After two, weeks strain the vegetables, reserving the liquid. (Note: You could use the vegetables in some kind of chow chow but I just discarded mine.)
Whisk in your honey….I usually do about 3 tablespoons…don’t do less than 2 but you can definitely do more, depending on how sweet you want it to taste.
Now, you are ready to start using it! Take one tablespoon a day for prevention and about 4 if you feel something coming on or are sick. I like to keep mine in the fridge but you don’t have to…It is vinegar; it won’t go bad!
How do you take it? Well, that depends on how brave you are :-)! Initially, I would add a tablespoon into some broth or a cup of v-8 juice. I also love to mix it in with oil and vinegar dressing and serve it over a salad for lunch. Oh, and in a bloody mary….well, yum! It adds the perfect “zing”!
But, two weeks ago my daughter took it straight and she loved how she felt the burn going down so now I pretty much do that to! By the way, she was really sick and did this for two days and was back to normal, raring to go!
Bottom Line:
I have been using it now for about 3 weeks and have felt great. I got through Thanksgiving with no sign of illness….amazing! (first time in over 3 years!) However, earlier last week, I got busy and forgot to take my daily dosage and on Saturday morning, I woke up with a little cold……sigh! So here was the true test: would this fire cider help my illness? I was about to see….
Saturday, I upped my dosage to 4 tablespoons and went to bed early. On Sunday, while I still had some congestion and a little cough, I felt pretty good….almost like you got to skip the middle of the cold and are at the end and feeling better. I had a full day of watching my Tennessee Vols Basketball team take down #14 Butler at Thompson-Boling Arena and then later went to a Mexican restaurant and had margherita’s with my family! Today, as I write this, I am sipping on a cup of heated v-8 juice with a tablespoon of my tonic added in…delicious! I am not totally back up to speed but feeling pretty good and will continue with my 4 doses until I am back to 100%!
Give it a try for this winter’s cold and flu season and see if it either prevents or lessens the length of your sickness this year. Keep me posted on your results!
reciperealities 
Reblogged this on reciperealities and commented:
I made this healing tonic last year and posted it on my blog. I am making this year’s at h this week because it truly worked! Check it out make some for your family to avoid this season’s illnesses!
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