Naturopathy has a huge treasure trove of plants and substances that can often be applied effectively and without side effects for a wide range of ailments. Due to their natural and time-tested effects, such remedies are still favoured in many cases, especially when it comes to strengthening the body's defences.
In this blog post, we share three simple natural recipes that are inspired by traditional medicine, but are easy to incorporate into our modern everyday lives thanks to their simple preparation. These little natural helpers provide the necessary boost during the winter months to better equip our body for its defence tasks.
Recipe 1: Natural Classic Oxymel
Oxymel comes from the Greek and means something like ‘sour-sweet’. In fact, the delicious sour honey immune booster probably originated in ancient Greece. But it was also valued in this country in the Middle Ages - it is even mentioned in the famous writings of Hildegard von Bingen. Oxymel is said to have an all-encompassing positive effect on health - both on the gut microbiota and on the cardiovascular and immune system. It is also one of the easiest natural remedies to make yourself.
For the basic recipe, it is sufficient to mix 3 parts honey with 1 part vinegar. You can put 6 soup spoons of natural organic honey in a small preserving jar. Add 2 soup spoons of organic apple cider vinegar (natural and additive-free) and stir well. And the Oxymel is ready! If you wish, you can add healthy herbs or propolis to the mixture.
During the cold season, you can take one teaspoon of Oxymel pure (or dissolved in water) three times a day. The sour honey can also be made into a delicious and healthy salad dressing with a little salt and olive oil!
Recipe 2: Kitchen Miracle Garlic Oil
Garlic is a true all-rounder from the natural pharmacy and is widely used in naturopathy. You can find out more about its numerous health benefits here. One of the most interesting properties of this miracle bulb is that it only develops its full healthy properties once the garlic clove is cut. This is because it is only then, in combination with the air, that the substance alliin contained in it is converted to allicin - the actual ‘all-rounder’ substance.
Therefore, for our simple garlic oil recipe, the garlic is crushed with a mortar (definitely recommended if you have a mortar to hand), placed in a garlic press or crushed with the flat side of a wide knife and then finely chopped. One large clove of garlic or two small ones are sufficient. Place the processed garlic in a small bowl (or a small espresso cup), add approx. 30 ml extra virgin olive oil and stir well. You can add a pinch of Himalayan salt if desired. The garlic oil is now ready!
Homemade garlic oil tastes great with practically any savoury dish. We find it particularly delicious as a pizza sauce (it also gives gluten-free and vegan versions that certain something!), but it also goes very well with potato dishes, fish or salads. Leftover garlic oil can also be used the next day (it is best to store the oil at room temperature until then), e.g. added to pasta sauce, stews or cream soup.
Recipe 3: Propolis-Lemon ‘Magic Potion’
For the third (unbeatable) immune booster recipe, you need some lemon and propolis. We use our 100% natural organic propolis tincture. If you know us, you already know that we are firm fans of this valuable bee resin. Propolis not only protects the health of the bee colony, but is also widely used in naturopathy (we tell you more about this in this blog post), e.g. to support the immune system. Nowadays, the substance is often referred to as a ‘natural antibiotic’.
The lemon is also an all-rounder when it comes to health: the sour fruit is rich in vitamin C, has an anti-inflammatory effect, promotes digestion and supports the body's defences. However, be careful when buying lemons. Citrus fruits from conventional farming are not only grown using pesticides, but are also often treated with additional chemicals after harvesting. So it's worth opting for organic quality.
To prepare the propolis-lemon ‘magic potion’, you need a small glass of water. Squeeze the juice of approx. ¼ lemon into it and add 10 drops of our highly concentrated (30%) bienenblatt organic propolis tincture. Your booster drink is ready. It is best drunk first thing in the morning, but the propolis-lemon water is also a healthy drink during the day, especially in the winter months.