With cooler weather, kids returning to in-person school, adults returning to their workplaces, and after limited contact with folks outside of our households thanks to COVID protection measures, we are all anticipating a more challenging than normal cold and flu season. Of course, in the event you have any symptoms that you may suspect could be COVID-related, it is best to go ahead and quarantine until you have obtained a negative COVID test. However, incidents of the common cold are already on the rise this fall, and a little rest, self-care, and the addition of a few simple teas can help ease symptoms and speed recovery.
In East Asian medicine, one of the most common herbal remedies for symptoms of the common cold when accompanied by chills, stiff neck or headaches, achy muscles, clear runny nose, foggy head, and fatigue is called Cinnamon Twig decoction. In this herbal remedy, five herbs including cinnamon twig, fresh ginger, white peony, red dates, and honey fried licorice are combined and boiled as a tea for a delicious and supportive formula. You can make your own homemade version of the recipe with several ingredients you likely already have available in your kitchen.
Homemade Cinnamon Twig Decoction (Gui Zhi Tang) Tea Recipe
2-4c water
2-3 slices fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
1/4-1 tsp black strap molasses OR honey
Directions
Bring small pot of water to a boil
Add ginger slices and cinnamon stick to boiling water, reduce to simmer and cover
Simmer for 15-20min to keep aromatics inside the pot
Add small amount of black strap molasses or honey to taste
Drink as tea – yum!
Cinnamon is a commonly used household spice and a highly utilized herb in traditional medicinal formulas throughout Asia for its warming, blood moving properties. According to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center “About Herbs” herbal pharmacotherapy reference guide, in vitro studies have shown that cinnamon has antioxidant, ant-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, antitumor and antiestrogenic properties, and may indicate its varied uses in many traditional medical formulas.
Ginger is also a highly useful food-grade herb found in many medical traditions throughout the world. Perhaps best known for its anti-nausea effects, ginger has other properties that help to relieve indigestion and calm the digestive tract, reduce inflammation, and may even help support the respiratory tract in protecting against viral infections.
Black strap molasses is a naturally occurring source of iron, helps support building blood and good quality sleep. It is an easily available household substitute for the tart, astringent properties of dried white peony bulb.
We hope you enjoy this tea and that you and yours stay warm and healthy this fall and winter season!
1.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. (2021, June 8). About Herbs: Cinnamon. Retrieved from https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/cinnamon
2.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. (2021, June 30). About Herbs: Ginger. Retrieved from https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/ginger