Homemade Cough Syrup

Coming down with a cold but don't want to down a bunch of cough syrup or throat sprays. Try this antimicrobial honey. Make it in advance so it's ready when you need it. It can take up to a few weeks to be ready and can be stored in the fridge for a few months. The syrup is not only soothing to the throat when taken either by the spoonful or added to a soothing tea perhaps. All of the ingredients in this syrup have antimicrobial properties making it not only soothing to the throat, but also helpful in fighting off whatever bug you have come down with.

Properties of the ingredients:

• Garlic, also known by it's latin name Allium sativum. Garlic is an important culinary ingredient as well as cardioprotective, antioxidant and widely used for it's antimicrobial properties. It can not ony be used to treat the common cold, but also help prevent many illnesses. It's obvious how well garlic penetrates the body because after eating it your breath and every pore sweats out the sweet smell of garlic. 
• Onion: Onion is a base to most recipes and there is good reason for it. Not only is it delicious and nutritious it is also anti-micriobial, anti-parasitic, and good for fevers, colds and coughs.
• Ginger, Zingiber officinalis: Ginger is energetically warming which to the circulatory system makes it a blood mover. Ginger is added to many formulas not only for it's healing properties, but also because it helps drive other herbs to where they need to be in the body by increasing circulation. Ginger helps with inflammation of any kind in the body through various mechanisms. According to natural medicine database it is also great for most ailments of the stomach (Nausea, Diarrhea and general stomachaches and pains) as well as migraine headaches and motion sickness. Ginger can treat just about anything. Feeling chilly, take some ginger it will warm you right up.
• Honey: Well besides being sweet and amazing it is also

What you will need:

• 1 Red or Yellow Onion, sliced evenly
• ½ head of Garlic 
• Sliced ginger Root
• Roughly a cup of organic raw honey 
• And roughly a half of granulated white sugar or brown sugar*
• A jar or something similar with a tight fitting lid that will comfortably but snugly hold your onion.
• *the amounts may vary slightly with the size of container you use*

Instructions:

1. Place the base of the sliced onion in your jar, and then pour honey in a layer over it (or cover in a layer of sugar, if that’s your sweetener of choice.) 
2. Then add a layer of garlic and ginger. 
3. Don't skimp on the garlic, onion and ginger, the more you add the more powerful your syrup.
4. Continue with another layer of sweetener and then onion. repeat until you reach the top of the jar. 
5. When you’re finished, cover tightly and let it sit in a cupboard. Check it after a few days. 
6. After it has sat out, there will now be liquid in the jar. 
7.  The sweetener draws out the antimicrobial constituents. 
8. Once the liquid has formed strain it out into a new jar
9. Use a spoonful as needed to control your cough (3 spoonful’s an hour, if needed.)
10. You can use the ginger, onion and garlic to add to a marinade, stir-fry or other dish. 
11. Repeat the process to keep your fridge stocked with this magic cough syrup.

Far Left side: Starting layer of onion, garlic, ginger and sugar. Bottom Right a few days into the process and the syrup is starting to form in the bottom. Top right: the delicious, antimicrobial syrup.

Resources:
Botanical Medicine Course - Bastyr University
Natural Partners Research database - onion and garlic and ginger 

Disclaimer:

Information is for health education only and is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease or medical condition.

Always see your health care provider for proper diagnosis and treatment

Information on herbs and supplements has not been evaluated by the FDA