PREVENT & TREAT COLDS & FLU WITH FIRE CIDER

Fire Cider that was sitting in the flu and cold section. I asked the clerks if it was any good and I was told that several customers thought it really helped them and an employee had told her that she was getting sick with a cold, took several doses of the fire cider and the symptoms very quickly disappeared. I decided to try it and was totally impressed. I also aborted a cold in one day by using it. I loved the potent zingy taste and wanted to use it all the time but because it is fairly expensive , I began looking for a recipe so I could make my own. I found a video by Rosemary Gladstar that shows how she makes  Fire Cider and I basically followed her directions. The video is included at the bottom of this post.

The photo at the top of the page features the ingredients I used in my fire cider which I made just the other day. In my previous batches I used cayenne pepper powder as Rosemary often does but this time I had hot peppers from my garden and thought I would try just using one red pepper chopped up as you can see in the photo below.

The list of ingredients that I used (you can experiment with other ingredients) is
horseradish, garlic, fresh ginger, some onions, one red pepper. and natural unpasteurized vinegar with the mother bacteria. You chop all the ingredients fairly small as in the photo above, layer them in any order, leaving a few inches at the top of air space and then pour the vinegar over all to cover. After a few hours recheck the jar. If the ingredients  absorbed some of the liquid just add a bit more vinegar to cover. The video below shows you what proportions might work for you. Let the recipe sit in a dark cuphoard for 6 to 8 weeks while the vinegar draws the healing properties out of the ingredients. Oh yes…and when your remedy is finished steeping, strain the liquid out of the ingredients into a jar where you will be storing it…and then add some raw honey to taste. I use it almost every day as a salad dressing. If I am exposed to someone who is sick or if I feel as if I am coming down with something… I will take a tablespoon in a half glass of water…several times during the day. In the two years since I have begun using this …along with elderberry tincture….I have not experienced any colds or flu. See this article about the health benefits of elderberry, how to use it and where to buy it.
http://foodfreedomrevolution.blogspot.com/2010/09/elder-berry-for-flu.html

Now I will go over the basic health benefits of each ingredient in the fire cider.
1. Horseradish: a root with a sharp, hot and pungent flavor…..clears the sinuses! Horseradish belongs to the mustard family and has many healing properties. It is used as an ingredient in sauces, dips and dressings. It works well as an accompaniment to meat because it aids in digestion and is antiparasitic. Horseradish is also a potent antibiotic, an expectorant, cardiotonic, and increases appetite and stimulates the immune system. Some even claim it is an aphrodisiac . Horseradish is a very good preventative treatment for flu,colds, sinusitis, bronchitis and asthma.

2. Ginger: Famous for quelling inflammation and pain, boosts the immune system, powerful cancer remedy, improves digestion, helps headaches, nasal congestion, and nausea

3. Garlic: One of the most powerful herbal remedies. It reduces cholesterol, is an anti-fungal, antibacterial and antiviral. Garlic thins the blood so it helps to prevent blood clots. Garlic helps to prevent cancer and fights free radicals.

4. Onions: Are a potent source of quercitin which is a strong antioxidant. Quercitin thins the blood, fights asthma, lowers “bad” cholesterol, aids in treating hay fever, diabetes and infections. Onions help to detoxify the body.

5. Hot Peppers: The capsaicin in hot peppers helps to relieve pain and inflammation. Consuming hot peppers may reduce blood pressure.

6. Raw Honey: provides a natural source of energy, promotes restorative sleep, contains antioxidants, supports good bacteria in the digestive system, promotes healthy enzyme activity. Honey is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. Slows aging due to its enzymatic functions and can actually regulate blood sugar.

The jar on the left shows all the chopped ingredients covered with unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. That is the state that you store it in for 4 to 6 weeks. Some people let it steep for only two weeks but I figure if I am going to go to all that work I want to make sure all the goodness is drawn out of the chopped ingredients. Every day or so it is a good idea to shake the bottle to make sure all ingredients are in contact with the vinegar. After one day I went to check my brewing fire cider and discovered a turquoise color at the bottom of the jar. This never happened before and my first thought was that the whole batch of fire cider must now be toxic. However, after a bit of research I found out that in some cases garlic when mixed with vinegar can sometimes form this harmless but bizarre color change. Here is a link explaining a bit about this mystery. http://hubpages.com/hub/Why-Does-Garlic-Turn-Blue-and-Is-Blue-Garlic-Safe-To-Eat