oh honey!

It's that time of year again...The transition from warm to cool weather brings sniffles and sore throats. It's time to work harder at protecting ourselves against colds and the flu that are so darn easy to contract! Especially in NYC. Studies show that colds stick around three to seven days longer in people living in New York City. The best thing to do is to prevent them from even happening. I haven't had a full blown cold or the flu in over one and a half years because of eating honey and garlic at the onset. Honey is a wonder food! Honey in its raw form helps soothe sore throats, burns, bruises and minor cuts. It's a natural anti-inflammatory and antiseptic. It helps alleviate seasonal allergies, eases digestion, and is an excellent food to turn to when you need a burst of energy during an afternoon slump. It's packed with energy boosting B vitamins. I often use honey in salad dressings, in my tea, on toast and right off the spoon. I intend to start making mead very soon too. Mead is a very tasty wine made from honey.

I'd like to share the recipe I swear by for fighting colds and the flu. It's best to take this at the onset of symptoms. It will definitely help alleviate seasonal allergy outbreaks too. You may only have to take this once a day before symptoms go away or you may have to take several doses. It's good to be persistent until all symptoms are gone. More than four times a day isn't necessary. Once a day every day and you'll be in excellent health!

You'll need:

Raw honey (raw is recommended, though the honey bear works too)

1 very fresh head of garlic (if the stem of the head is very tight and the cloves are sticky, you've got some very fresh garlic)

Mince or press finely one clove of garlic and let sit for a few minutes to be exposed to the air- this helps release its antibacterial properties.

Add garlic into a small bowl and mix with a small amount of honey (about 1 to 2 teaspoons).

Scoop out garlic and honey mixture (this is one dose) onto a spoon and swallow whole like you're swallowing a pill. Sip some tea afterwards if you'd like.

If you let raw garlic sit on your tongue it will burn your mouth a bit, it's quite an unpleasant taste/feeling.

warning: do not chew honey-garlic mixture and do not eat this on an empty stomach

To make a batch that will last you the day simply press or mince 3-4 cloves of garlic and mix with a tablespoon or more of honey. Store in a baggie or small tupperware container if you're on the go.