DIY Immune Boosting Tonic

Terry Walter's book Eat Clean Live Well introduced me to a DIY immune boosting tonic. This recipe was passed on to Terry by a wise woman, the founder of The Institute of Sustainable Nutrition, it is a vinegar based tonic which helps with everything, literally! The concoction destroys both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. It is also a potent anti-viral and anti-fungal or yeast, and will increase blood and lymph circulation to every part of the body. 

It is so effective that it is said to be the cure for colds and the flu, and infections!  

Immune Boosting Tonic

Take one tablespoon of immune boosting tonic each day during the flu season. I suggest mixing it with juice or tea as it is quite strong.  You can also incorporate the tonic by adding it to salad dressings, marinades, soups…..

recipe from Eat Clean Live Well

ingredients

1/2 cup fresh ginger root, peeled and grated

1/2 cup fresh horseradish root, peeled and grated

1 cup onion, chopped

10 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tablespoons fresh turmeric root, peeled and grated

1 fresh cayenne pepper, minced 

1 lemon, zest and juiced

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

3 slices of dried astragalus root 

Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

Local raw honey 

preparation

Tips: 

Use gloves to peel and grate the turmeric as it stains (badly!)  Terry recommends wearing the gloves when mincing the hot peppers.

When grating the horseradish, make sure to be in a well ventilated room as the fumes from it are strong and overwhelming! 

There was no fresh cayenne peppers at Whole Foods, so I substituted with a serrano pepper. 

You will not find dried astragalus root at Whole Foods, only in liquid and capsule form, so you have to head to a Chinese herbal store like Vinh Hoa  in Uptown or order it on Amazon. 

preparation

Place ginger, horseradish, onion, garlic, turmeric, cayenne, lemon zest and lemon juice in a non-reactive bowl. I recommend using a large glass bowl. Use your hands to mix ingredients together and pack firmly into a 1 quart mason jar. 
Wedge the rosemary and astragalus root down along the sides of the jar and below the top layer of ingredients. Pour enough of apple cider vinegar to cover the ingredients. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the top of the jar and screw on the lid. Shake the jar and set it aside in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight. Let cider sit of 1 month, but make sure to shake it daily. 

After one month,  drape a piece of cheesecloth over a large bowl and empty the contents of the jar into it. Pull up sides of the cloth, twist the top to close and squeeze as much juice as possible into the bowl. Discard the solids and fast cider. Add honey, a little at a time , to achieve desired taster and return to jar.