Over the past couple years I have been learning about and collecting a lot of natural remedies for fighting off cold and flu symptoms, because who has time to get sick? Not to mention, working with clients and being a full time medical student puts me in a particularly susceptible place of being in contact with a lot of outside germs. The amazing thing is there are so many plants and foods in nature that are immune boosting and today we are going to talk about two: garlic and honey. Honey fermented garlic to be exact. Yep, two of my favorite things combined AND they have powerful benefits - I’ll take it.

Fun Fact: Fermented foods are an amazing way to get healthy bacteria in your body, (probiotics), which can aid in digestion, healthy skin, immune function, and even healthy weight management.

Garlic has many medicinal benefits and has a ton of research looking at all the specific health benefits it has. This superfood has been shown to reduce and prevent four of the leading causes of premature death in the United States: Heart Disease, Stroke, Cancer, and Infections. Intrigued? I thought so. Garlic has cardioprotective qualities that help prevent and even reverse diseases of our cardiovascular system like atherosclerosis. It has been shown to aid in removing plaque buildup from arteries and prevent any new plaque deposits. It also is one of the few plants proven to have anti-cancer effects, which is believed to be due to the bioactive sulphur compounds contained in garlic. It also has been proven to be an effective anti-hypertensive supplement in many research studies as well as an effective blood-sugar modulator in people with Diabetes mellitus. But wait there’s more- recent studies have found that garlic has antioxidant properties which help to combat oxidative damage in our bodies and help prevent diseases of the mind like Dementia. Lastly, garlic has antiviral, antimicrobial, and anti-fungal properties making it nature’s antibiotic in kicking infections butts. Need to get rid of cold and flu symptoms? Raw garlic.

Now on to honey. First, I want to clarify that medicinal properties come from raw, unpasteurized honey. The process of pasteurization heats up and filters out most of the good bacteria in honey, reducing its healing benefits. For raw honey though, the benefits are amazing and healers and medicine makers have been using it for a very long time. Like garlic, honey has antimicrobial, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant qualities, making it good for fighting infections and healing wounds. It also aids in seasonal allergies because it contains bee pollen which aids in boosting immune function and serving as a natural allergy relief. Other things honey has been found to be good for include serving as a healthy alternative sweetener, aiding in promoting sleep by signaling release of melatonin in the brain, and also serves as a natural cough suppressant and reducer of mucus secretion.

So you can see how combining these two would make for an amazing natural remedy, right? And the best part is how simple it is to make. Everyone should have a jar of this in their medicine cabinet! Here’s how you make this:

Materials/Ingredients:

2-3 bulbs of organic garlic

1.5 cups of raw, unpasteurized honey (local is best)

A glass jar with a sealable lid (sterilize your jar before using)

Steps:

1. Peel your 2bulbs of garlic and place the shelled cloves into the glass jar (make sure jar is filled halfway to 3/4 way full)

2. Cover your cloves with the honey. Make sure all the cloves are covered (prevents anything from growing on your cloves - like mold)

3. Cap your jar and flip upside down a couple times to coat your cloves fully.

4. Place your jar in a cool dark place (like a cupboard) and let it ferment for 4-5 weeks.

5. Check on your jar weekly and burp it (this means loosening the lid to let the gases out).

6. After your 4-5 weeks is up, reap the benefits of your beautiful new natural health remedy!

Benefits/Uses:

• The fermentation process mellows out the garlic so it has a sweeter, less pungent taste. You can eat a clove raw daily or whenever you may feel symptoms of a cold or flu coming on.

• You can cook with either the honey or garlic. It is an amazing marinade for coating your meats/tempeh, tofu, fish. You can also use it to make dressings or sauces for salads, grain bowls, veggies, everything!

• Strain your honey and use it as a natural throat soother or cough suppressant. You can use it in your tea or take a spoonful by itself.

• Dab some of the honey on blemishes on your face and watch them heal/disappear.

With your new powerhouse immune booster, you’ll be equipped to fight every cold and flu season!! If you make this at home, post a picture and tag @c3wellness on instagram or facebook to show me your creations!