Skip the Medicine Cabinet: My Go-To Herbal Tea Recipe for Colds and Flu
Here’s the best herbal remedy out there to kick out a cold and flu out your system in no time! For all the natural remedy lovers out there, this tea is best taken during the onset of sickness in order to get ahead of the infection.
The First Sign You're Getting Sick Isn't Congestion
The first sign is constant fatigue! When you start feeling unusually fatigued despite your regular routine, it’s a sign that your immune system is attacked and your energy is used to fight the infection before the obvious signs of sickness: aches and pains, congestion, sore throat etc. Most people wait until they have obvious symptoms before taking action. But your body gives you these subtle warning signs first. Unusual fatigue, brain fog, low energy, and a sudden lack of motivation can all signal that your immune system is already working overtime.
This is the time to boost your immune system with this tea and stay away from food that will feed bacteria and infection in your body. Avoid food with added sugars, dairy and processed foods when you’re feeling under the weather. They feed bacteria and prolong your recovery. Instead, nourish your body with whole foods whole foods, warm liquids, fruits, vegetables, and nutrient-dense meals that support recovery and the potency of this tea.
6 Powerful Ingredients That Naturally Support Your Immune System
• ONION SKIN: Contains 80% of the nutrient content found in the whole onion! Has high concentration of quercetin, which speeds up recovery, especially from viruses like COVID-19. Highest amount of quercetin is found in red onions. Onion skin eases congestion. It also contains other flavonoids and vitamin A, C and E, powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. Additional benefits include:
Improves digestion
Lowers bad “LDL” cholesterol
Lowers high blood pressure
Can promote hair growth
• GARLIC SKIN: Rich in allicin and quercetin, which has high amounts of antifungal properties. It protects the body from free radical damage and is good for your heart health. Additional benefits include:
Same benefits as onion skin
Boosts collagen production & reduce the appearance of wrinkles and skin damage.
Decreases hair shedding and regenerates new hair follicles
• GINGER ROOT: Contains gingerol, when consumed fresh fights germs and bacteria such as the cold and flu. And it calms nausea and upset stomach. Additional benefits include:
Reduces joint pain
Helps with period pains for women
Helps with indigestion
Lowers bad “LDL” cholesterol
• TURMERIC: Contains curcumin which has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, helping allergies, infections and more! Additionally, turmeric helps arthritis and joint pains, degenerative eye condition, lowers cholesterol, helps anxiety and metabolic syndrome, helps muscle soreness after a workout, and boosts kidney health
• LEMON JUICE: Packed with vitamin C, an antioxidant that strengthens your immune system. Additional benefits include helping body produce collagen, absorb iron, prevents kidney stones and anemia
• RAW HONEY: Natural preservative rich in phytonutrients and propolis, which has antifungal and antibacterial properties. Raw honey has minimal processing; it is only strained before being bottles unlike regular honey which goes through more processing that can remove health properties and its nutrients. It also contains prebiotics to improve gut health, bee pollen can alleviate sinuses, can improve brain health specifically with memory
Tea Recipe For Colds
Ingredients
• 3 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 tbsp meyer lemon juice
• 2 tbsp minced ginger root
• 4 whole garlic skin
• 1 whole onion skin (red or yellow)
• 12 tbsp or ½ jar of 1 lb raw honey
Instructions
Rinse and dry the onion and garlic skins
Mince the ginger and squeeze the lemon juice
Slowly melt the raw honey if it has solidified, taking care not to overheat it to preserve active ingredients.
How to Preserve Raw Honey's Natural Properties
Place honey container in a pot half full of water (making sure the top inch on the container is not submerged)
Use low heat to bring water to a slow simmer
Once the honey starts to melt inside the jar, take it our the water and stir to melt any solid pieces
Mix all the ingredients (this can be done inside the honey jar) let sit in an airtight container for 2 weeks to draw the nutrients out
Use the mixture whenever you feel the onset of a cold or need an immunity boost
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it's incredibly practical. I make one batch and keep it available throughout cold and flu season so it's ready whenever I start feeling run down. That’s because honey is a natural preservative, and even better, the longer it sits, the more potent the ingredients! However, always store carefully and check for any signs of spoilage after 4 months — smell, look mold or any indication that it might have gone bad. Please use your senses on the edibility of what you consume, including this tea.
Continue the Herbal Tea Series
Looking for healthier hair, skin, and nails? Read Hair Nail Skin Tea.
Need more energy? Try TLC Tea.
Want to improve digestion? Read Ginseng and Cerasee Tea.
Need mental clarity? Read CBD Tea + more.
Conclusion
With this herbal tea recipe, you can fight off the early symptoms of colds and flu while giving your body a natural immune boost. The powerful combination of onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric and honey works together to protect your body from infections and aid in a faster recovery.
At Drip Training, I believe that health isn't built through quick fixes. It's built through consistent habits. Whether that's movement, nutrition, better sleep, or simple daily rituals like drinking herbal tea, the small choices we make every day shape our long-term health.
About the Author:
COACH DEE | Certified Strength Coach, CSCS, ACE—CPT
Deborah Park, known as Coach Dee, is the owner of Drip Training LLC and an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach. With a background in architecture and kinesiology from the University of Virginia, she has extensive experience in personal training and athletic coaching in a clinical (physical therapy) setting. Coach Dee combines her scientific knowledge with years of hands-on experience and generational knowledge of food as medicine to create programs that empower clients to regain control over their bodies and minds.
Her journey into personal training was deeply influenced by her personal struggles, including recovering from a life-changing car accident that led to PTSD and pain from scoliosis. This experience gave her a unique understanding of the connection between mental health and physical well-being. Coach Dee is committed to helping clients develop resilience, build strength, and rediscover their confidence—no matter the challenges they face.
