The start of the holidays brings with it, as always, the start of cold winter weather. This, in turn, brings with it an increased threat of colds or the flu or an array of other respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis or even pneumonia. This illnesses are not only painful and tiring, they can take a long time to recover from and really put a damper on the holidays.
The best way to treat such a problem is – to not get it in the first place! Prevention literally is the very best treatment, but in order to prevent illness effectively, you have to have a healthy diet, plenty of rest and good hydration. It also does not hurt to try consuming a tonic like the one given below, designed specifically to help your body fight off disease-causing pathogens and keep you healthy throughout the winter.
Recipe for a Simple Immunity-Boosting Drink
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, halved
- 2 medium cloves of garlic, peeled
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons honey
Directions
Juice the lemon and add the fresh-squeezed juice to a mixing bowl. Add garlic to the lemon juice, along with the honey and cayenne pepper. Stir until well-blend. Then put this mixture into one of the squeezed halves of the lemon. Let it set for 5 hours, then repeat with the other lemon half. After this, the drink is ready to consume.
Why this Works
The secret to the immunity-boosting potential of this drink lies in the properties of the individual ingredients. Lemon, for instance is a well-known detoxifier that improves the immune system by boosting liver function and allowing it to remove toxins and other potentially harmful substances from the body. Garlic is one of the best known foods there is in terms of supporting the immune system: it has strong antioxidant properties to promote healthy immunity and also is a natural anti-microbial, effectively eliminating a variety of bacteria, viruses and fungi from the body before they can cause illness. Cayenne pepper is a warming, carminative herb which also has powerful antioxidant properties. And enough can never be said about honey, which is an antioxidant and antimicrobial, as well as providing a wealth of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phytochemicals that all have positive impacts on the immune system and on overall health.
So try this drink today. While the final step in processing does take a while, it is something you can leave to set while you are doing other things throughout the day. And the extra time you take to make it is well worth the effort. This drink is excellent for supporting a healthy and strong immune system that will effectively ward off infection and illness and keep you healthy and safe this holiday season.
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