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Next up in our Winter Herbal Health series, we have the small but mighty Oxymel! A preparation of raw honey and vinegar infused with herbs, this powerful herbal helper is invaluable during the winter months. Today, we will take a look at what exactly is an Oxymel, and what on earth do I do with it?
Part of my role as a mama is to take care of my family’s health.
A part I take very seriously.
I don’t want to leave my people’s health to chance, and part of that is preparing for the coming seasons.
I’m naturally a planner by heart, and like to be prepared ahead of time ( I always say I don’t like surprises, but what I mean is, I’m not fond of the unknown) and for me, planning for cold and flu season means making use of the bountiful healing to be found all around us on God’s green earth.
I showed you my Elderberry syrup recipe a couple of weeks ago, ad now I thought I’d show you my go-to for sore throats and coughs.
It not only does you good, but tastes yummy too, which, I don’t know about you, but really helps me to take it!!
But first..
What is an Oxymel?
An Oxymel is a simple probiotic preparation of raw honey and raw apple cider vinegar which is taken orally to help soothe and support the body during illness.
The probiotics in the ACV help to calm and feed the stomach what it needs to support the immune system, and the honey has antibacterial properties that can help reduce inflammation, and enzymes that work with the ACV to soothe and support the immune system. (Remember honey is not recommended for babies under the age of 12 months old)
Pair that with herbs known to do the same jobs, and you have a little herbal powerhouse that can support your body to properly heal itself.
What can I use Oxymels for?
Oxymels are a great support, alongside other remedies, to soothe sore throats and help calm a cough. This is for a similar reason as you take honey, lemon and hot water when you have a tickle. The honey has a calming effect and the acid (Lemon, or ACV in the oxymel) is antibacterial. This takes out the germs right where they are.
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is probiotic too, and as most people are aware nowadays, most of our immune system is in our gut.
With 70-80% of immune cells being present in the gut, there is an intricate interplay between the intestinal microbiota, the intestinal epithelial layer, and the local mucosal immune system.
PubMed Article, 9/3/21 1
So it means that oxymels can help support the immune system in lots of ways!
How long will Oxymel keep for?
Since oxymels are acidic, they are shelf stable for a long time, think 12-24 months or more.
Once the preparation has finished infusing, you strain the liquid from the organic ingredients. That means we remove the chance of mould for long term storage.
So now you know what to use it for, lets take a look at how to make it!
Sage and Ginger Oxymel
So all you’ll need to make this winter herbal helper is:
- A glass jar (with a plastic lid, or greaseproof paper under the rim)
- Raw honey
- Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
- Dried sage leaves
- Fresh ginger
It really is as simple as putting equal parts honey and ACV in a jar with a hand full of sage and a peeled, sliced thumb-sized piece of ginger!
I recommend using a plastic lid or a piece of greaseproof paper as a barrier, as the acid in the vinegar can react with the metal ring lids after a while.
Place on the lid and give it a shake. If you have particularly thick honey, like I do, it will take a while for it to dissolve into the vinegar. But don’t worry, it will.
Label it with the ingredients and the date, and place it somewhere cool and dark. Give it a shake every few days (or every day if you can remember!)
In 4-6 weeks, Strain out the sage and ginger, and place back in the jar.
Now you have a mighty little natural remedy to take when you feel that little tickle in the back of your throat of a cold starting..
Dosage: always do your own research, but 1 tsp every 30 mins -2 hrs during illness is within the recommended doses.
Don’t forget to check out the other entries into out Winter Herbal Health series. Until next time friends x
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I’ve been loving learning about natural remedies lately. I’ve been trying to stay away from store bought meds when something natural will do just as well (or better!). It’s truly amazing what we can do with just the things God’s given us in nature. I’m going to make some of this for winter! Thank you!
It’s truly incredible, isn’t it! I am in just the same position, learning to live from what God has given.
Ooh I haven’t heard of this, but I’m definitely going to give it a try!
I’ve been learning and using natural remedies for my family for a few years now. I am definitely adding Oxymel to our preparations for the fall/winter season. Thank you for sharing!