Hippocrates, who some call the father of Western medicine said,
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”
The Chinese feel the same way! For any ailment, there is a remedy using food as therapy. In fact, for thousands of years, the Chinese have used food as a functional tool for health.
Why am I speaking of food remedies? They are simple to do at home and easy enough to use every day. Secondly, you may have friends or family members who are still suffering from the common cold or the flu. But the Winter is over, you say. Yes, it is but we still need to protect our immune systems.
To help you do this, I will share a few easy recipes to either strengthen your immune system, or if you’ve already fallen victim to a virus or bacteria, to treat what ails you.
Scallion and Ginger Porridge for prevention of the Common Cold
Place 1 cup of washed, round-grained rice in a medium-sized pot Add 8 cups of clean water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the temperature until the water is simmering. When the rice is about 2/3 of the way cooked, add ½ cup of washed and finely sliced scallion stalks. Add 2 tablespoons of fresh, crushed ginger. Cook the rice for about 15-20 minutes longer or until the rice is of a porridge-like consistency. Finally, add 6 tablespoons of brown sugar. Serve immediately. This tasty and comforting dish is effective for fending off the common cold.
Roasted Orange for Curing the Common Cold
Wash a whole orange. With a pair of metal tongs, hold the orange 1 to 2 inches over a stovetop burner. Turn the orange frequently to roast it. Once the entire orange peel is emitting a strong aroma, you may stop roasting it. Let the orange cool. Peel the orange and add it to a small pot. Add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Add 1.5 cups of boiling water. Drink the liquid while still warm. You may also eat the orange as well. You have thus completed the first dose of this medicine. It is recommended to make and consume one dose every 2-3 hours. This preparation is highly efficacious, especially for a person who has just a caught cold. It should shorten the duration and reduce the severity of the cold.