Cristina & I first tried this homemade cough syrup when we both felt a cold coming on, and we paired it with our healing tea (recipe available in our free DIY Wellness Pack). End result? We both got horribly sick for 10 days. HAHA joking! That would make a terrible blog post. It worked! It really did work for us, and we are sold on the benefits of this homemade cough syrup 🙂

 What’s in this homemade cough syrup?

Garlic, onion, and honey. Garlic is a great immune system booster, and is especially apt at treating colds & sore throats. Combined with onions, which are full of antibiotic, antiviral and antioxidant properties, they make a great team to kick your cold. Onion is also an expectorant, which will help thin & loosen up any mucus you have and cause a productive cough. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, which is why honey joins the party! Other than tasting delicious, honey soothes sore throats, and also boasts antimicrobial properties that will fight your cold.

Total Time: about 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• honey (support your local beekeepers!*)

(*) Want to learn more about beekeeping? Check out the Orange County Beekeepers Association in Hillsborough, NC and sign up for their Bee School! Otherwise, check out The Eco-Institute at Pickards Mountain to go on a tour or sign up for their Odyssey Fellowship residential program to visit the hives and learn about beekeeping.

Steps:

• Put the onion and garlic clove in a pan and cover them with honey.
• Cook on low heat, stirring periodically, until the onions and garlic are soft.
• Remove the onions and garlic from the cough syrup. Eat them or compost them.
• Transfer your concoction into a jar, and store the syrup in your fridge for a month.

Have a spoonful of your homemade cough syrup! The warm honey will have a strong taste to it. If you feel a cold coming on and want to prevent it, take 1 tsp. every couple hours. If you’re trying to kick your cold or cough, take 1 tsp. at least morning, noon and night.

We hope that you kick that cold & feel better! You might also enjoy our immune-boosting remedies, such as our turmeric infusion and our homemade elderberry syrup recipe.

Warmth and snuggles,

Christelle & Cristina.

P.S. Herbal remedies target the root of chronic health issues. They should be part of a holistic approach to your health, including diet and exercise. If your cold symptoms don’t improve in a timely manner or get worse, ask your doctor about relieving them with conventional medicine.

Related: DIY Heating Pack