Detox Tonic

You know what’s really NOT fun…? Being sick.

For most of last week I found myself working from home on the couch, exhausted, and completely miserable. Colds are noo fun.

The worst part was that no matter what I did I couldn’t shake my sore throat. I initially resorted to my  and noticed a little improvement, but I was still craving something warm and soothing. That’s when I started making this tonic. I drank two batches of this every day and it was the only thing that even came close to making my throat and body feel better.

This tonic contains 5 powerful ingredients:

• Ginger: fabulous for relieving nausea, gas, and bloating. It adds a nice spicy kick to beverages!
• Lemon: contains vitamin C, antioxidants, and potassium. (Health tip: Since lemon is high in vitamin c, it also helps with absorption of iron in greens so add a little lemon juice to salad dressing or on top of veggies for a nutritional boost!)
• Honey: a tasty anti-bacterial and anti-fungal; it also helps with soothing a sore throat and acts as a cough suppressant.
• Turmeric: a deep orange spice that reduces inflammation.
• Cayenne pepper: a powerful circulatory stimulant that aids the lymphatic and digestive systems. It also aids in breaking up congested mucus and can help relieve cold symptoms.

Because these ingredients provide various health benefits, including supporting the lymphatic and digestive systems, they are commonly used to support detoxification, boost immunity, and help with common allergy symptoms.

Before I say anything else, I want to add a quick note about “detoxes.” If you’ve been around this blog before, you probably have heard my rant about “detoxing.” My version of “detoxing” is this: avoid sugar, eat lots of fresh foods (including as many local, seasonal, and organic green veggies as possible!), drink lots of water, move your body, and get enough sleep. I’m not a fan of specific “detox diets” or skipping meals/fasting. If you’re into that or that feels right for your body, I totally respect that, but I just wanted to be clear that I’m not advocating for anyone to be drinking this in place of regular meals. ... and moving on now…

With spring coming our way shortly, I wanted to share this recipe as a way to banish any lingering colds, help with seasonal allergies, and support our bodies. Hope you have a healthy start to the new season!