Immunity Toolkit

Natural Recipes for Cold & Flu Prevention

Presented by: YumUniverse + Tonic Wellness

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The following pages are designed to help you naturally boost your immune system and feel your best all Fall and Winter long.

The recipes and tips within these pages were developed as a collaboration between:

Heather CrosbyAuthor of YumUniverse and YumUniverse Pantry to Plate, and founder of YumUniverse.com

Ashley DavisClinically trained herbalist, gardener, wild-crafter, educator, and co-Founder of Tonic Wellness

Carmela CesareCo-Founder of Tonic Wellness with a Masters of Science in Therapeutic Herbalism from the Maryland University of Integrative Health

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Click on any below to jump to that section.

Fire Cider | 4

Elderberry-Ginger Syrup | 5

Golden Turmeric Milk | 6

Diaphoretic Tea | 7

Pho-Inspired Umami Mushroom Broth | 8

Four Thieves Spray | 9

Vabor Rub | 10

Resources & Supplies | 11

Table of Contents

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Fire Cider A popular folk-remedy, Fire Cider aka Fire Tonic, is an elixir that kindles the inner fires, breaking up congestion, and getting the circulatory system flowing. Fire Cider warms the body, boosts natural healing, and stimulates digestion.

Herbalist Rosemary Gladstar popularized the original recipe, which contained fresh horseradish, ginger, garlic, and cayenne. Many variations now exist, including herbs such as elderberry, hibiscus, rosehips, hyssop, ginseng, and turmeric.

This formula uses culinary herbs and common kitchen ingredients for a simple and effective tonic. Honey adds sweetness, probiotics, and acts as a natural preservative.

½ cup fresh horseradish root, grated1 raw onion, chopped1 lemon, quartered1 head raw garlic, chopped 1⁄3 cup raw ginger, grated¼ cup raw turmeric root, grated8–10 sprigs (4–5") fresh thyme (or 2 tablespoons dried thyme)2–3 sprigs (4–5") fresh rosemary (or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary)1–2 fresh or dried chili peppers1 small bottle of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar½ cup raw honey

Place all ingredients into a quart-sized mason jar and fill to the top with apple cider vinegar.

If your lid is metal, cover with a piece of unbleached parchment paper and then screw the lid on top of that to prevent corrosion between the vinegar and the metal lid. If using a glass lid, just secure. Label jar with the date and let it infuse together in a cool, dark spot for 2–4 weeks—be sure to give it a daily shaking.

After about a month, use a cheesecloth to strain mixture, reserving the liquid, and sweeten with ¼ cup honey. Add up to another ¼ cup honey until you reach desired sweetness and consistency.

Take 1 tablespoon of this magic daily as an immune boosting tonic. It’s delicious added to salad dressings, cooked greens, or marinades. For acute congestion, take 1 tablespoon every hour or two, as needed.

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Play: try various herbs, and warming foods like peppers.

Add some to tomato juice for a festive-and-immune- boosting bloody mary. And save the pulp once strained! Freeze it into ice cube trays and use these cubes to flavor stir fry, roasted veggies, and soups.

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Elderberry-Ginger Syrup Clinical trials and traditional use both agree that elderberry can reduce the duration and severity of fever, headache, muscle ache, mucus production, and nasal congestion associated with colds and flu. It’s believed that compounds in elderberry inhibit viral replication by keeping the virus from binding to and thus entering the host’s cells.

It has been used as a panacea remedy in European folk medicine for thousands of years. Black elderberry is incredibly safe and non-toxic—it’s the red berries that you should avoid. All parts of the plant are used medicinally.

1.5 oz dried elderberries (about 1⁄3 cup)0.5 oz dried rosehips (scant ¼ cup)0.3 oz elderflowers (¼ cup)0.5 oz ginger (about 1 tabelspoon plus 1½ teaspoons)0.2 oz cloves (1 heaping tsp)One large jar of raw, unpasteurized honey

Add the herbs to a pot and cover with 1 quart of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer, uncovered, until the liquid has been reduced by half.

Strain through a cheesecloth, reserving the liquid. To each cup of liquid that you have, add ½ cup of honey and stir to dissolve. Add more honey to taste if you like, up to a 1:1 ratio of decoction to honey. Honey actually helps preserve the syrup longer. You could also add a small amount of brandy as a preservative: about ¼ cup brandy to every cup of syrup.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

To support immunity start by taking ½–1 teaspoons of syrup per day for kiddos and 1 teaspoon–1 tablespoon for adults.

If you end up sick, take every 3 hours until symptoms dissipate and disappear.

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Golden Turmeric Milk Loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, turmeric milk is a warm, earthy, slightly spicy, slightly sweet way to build immunity and heal ailments from sore throats to colds to flu, even stomach aches.

The peppercorns add earthy kick and help make the antioxidant curcumin (the main golden component in turmeric) more absorbable. Try it a coconut milk base or an almond milk base.

Creamy Coconut Milk1 cup canned coconut milk (look for BPA-Free lined cans)½ cup pure water OR

Quick Almond Milk*1½ cups pure water1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil (optional)1 tbsp almond butter¼ teaspoon vanilla extractPinch fine-ground sea salt—Spice Magic1 tsp ground turmeric2 whole black peppercorns¼ tsp ground cardamom (or 2–3 whole cardamom pods, cracked)¼ tsp fresh minced gingerPinch of saffron, (optional)—1–3 teaspoons raw honey to taste (optional), can sub maple syrup

Blend together all Quick Almond Milk ingredients until smooth. Transfer to a medium pot and add Spice Magic (no honey, yet).

Warm over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

To keep probiotic benefit in the honey, you don’t want to add it to boiling or hot liquids. So, let your milk cool down to warm, then strain.

Pour into a mug and stir in honey to taste.

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Click here to learn how to make a variety of non-dairy milks at home—all of which can be used for this recipe.

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Diaphoretic Tea Diaphoretics—besides sounding like some incredible super power—are herbs that help to induce a sweat, by either stimulating or relaxing peripheral circulation. They help to reduce fever, cool the body, and speed the elimination of toxins from the system. These herbs are helpful in viral infections and fever. Fever is regarded as a friend in herbal medicine—don’t suppress it!

Support your inherent resistance with this classic tea formula, reputed to have been handed down by gypsy lore for hundreds of years.

½ cup dried yarrow flowers½ cup dried elderflowers½ cup dried peppermint

Use a fork to fold together the herbs in a mixing bowl, then transfer to a jar for storage.

To make tea, use 2 tsp per cup of hot water. Drink it warm, with honey or lemon if you like. If you are in the beginning stages of a fever and feel cold, be sure to bundle up in a blanket or take a hot bath until you bring on a sweat. If you are already in the midst of a fever, and feel hot and flushed, drink this tea hot as well, but there’s no need for the extra blanket or hot bath.

Stay hydrated and place a cool rag on your forehead and your feet in a tub of warm water—relax and rest.

For extra herbal support with aches and pains, add ½ cup of boneset to this formula. Boneset is great for relieving fever and the accompanying pain, but it’s very bitter so not very kid friendly. Without the boneset, this tea is tasty, gentle and safe for children. The only time you would not want to share this tea is when someone is very weak or dehydrated—sweating could further exhaust the system.

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Pho-Inspired Umami Mushroom Broth Mushrooms, kombu, nettle root, astralagus, and burdock are rich in minerals that support the immune system. Marshmallow root is healing for gut lining. This broth is a great source of nutrition when you have a flu and need some light, liquid replenishment. It also makes a great base for soups throughout the season to strengthen your overall resistance to illness.

2 tablespoons grapeseed or unrefined coconut oil2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped2 carrots, coarsely chopped2 small organic onions, quartered3 cups dried shiitake and/or maiitake mushrooms8 cloves garlic4 cinnamon sticks12 whole cloves8 star anise pods4" fresh ginger, grated, or 1 tablespoon dried1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar1 tablespoon coconut aminos or tamari1 tablespoon nettle leaf or burdock root12 slices dried astragalus root1 large 4" piece of kombu, chopped into small pieces6–8 cups water1 tablespoon miso

In a large Dutch oven add celery, carrots, and onions—sauté for 10 minutes until starting to brown.

Add mushrooms, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, anise, ginger, and peppercorns—stir together for 2–3 minutes to infuse.

Add remaining ingredients except the miso and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer together for 40 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool to warm, but not too hot. Stir in miso. If soup is too hit it will kill beneficial probiotic benefits of the miso, so only add it to warm broth, and when reheating broth, gently warm it.

Strain broth through a sieve and press to get all the goodness out. For a thicker stock, transfer strained stock to a blender and add some of the cooked veggies. Blend and if you like, season with fine-ground sea salt to taste.

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For a more authentic pho-style broth, char the onions and fresh ginger first on a gas grill or under the broiler until the outside of the onion is blackened.

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Four Thieves Spray An antimicrobial spray that will keep “The Plague” at bay. This modern recipe uses essential oils instead of the Middle-Ages-style preparation where whole plants were steeped in vinegar. There are dozens of variations on this recipe, said to have been used by four thieves who raided the houses and bodies of plague victims and remained immune to the epidemic.

This formula uses clove, lemon, cinnamon, and rosemary, which are common in most formulas, with the addition of eucalyptus oil, which would have been rare at the time. Use this spray to purify hands, handles, steering wheels, counter-tops and the air around you.

2 teaspoons clove oil1¾ teaspoons lemon essential oil1 teaspoon cinnamon bark essential oil½ teaspoon rosemary essential oil¾ teaspoon eucalyptus essential oil1 fl. oz. everclear

To make one bottle, add all essential oils and everclear to a 4-oz. spray bottle. Fill the remainder of the bottle with distilled water and shake well.

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Vapor Rub This salve is a natural alternative to petroleum-based over-the-counter products. Made with menthol crystals and essential oils, the aromatic constituents are decongesting, expectorant, and antimicrobial. Rub a small amount onto the chest, back, soles of feet, or under the nose to open the respiratory passageways.

2 cups olive oil½ cup beeswax (or for a vegan version, candelilla wax)80 drops eucalyptus essential oil80 drops peppermint essential oil50 drops rosemary essential oil1 tablespoon menthol crystals

Warm the olive oil just enough to melt the beeswax (or candelilla). When the wax is fully dissolved, add menthol crystals and allow those to dissolve. Then add your essential oils. Give it a quick stir to mix and pour into tins or ½ cup mason jars. You want to work quickly and pour as much as you can before the salve cools and solidifies.

If it starts to harden, reheat until it liquefies and continue to pour. Let cool completely before labeling.

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For more immune-boosting recipes and helpful resources click here.

Ingredients are most potent and healing when organic and clean. To purchase ingredients or tools from Ashley and Carmela call 304.870.4527.

For a quick list of organic ingredients and tools that you can buy online click here.