Home Remedies

Tea for Colds
For early stages of the common cold with symptoms such as headache, runny nose, and concurrent chills and fever where chills are more pronounced than fever. The ginger and scallions will warm the body, settle, the stomach, and stimulate the circulation and immune system.

INGREDIENTS
1) 3 cups water
2) 2-3 inches fresh ginger root, sliced
3) 4-5 scallions/green onions, white part only

- Add peel of 2 tangerines if you have more pronounced phlegm.
- Add small amount of brown sugar or honey if you must add sweetener, but it will be more effective without sweeteners.
- Avoid honey if you have loose stools.

DIRECTIONS
1) Place all of the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.
2) Reduce heat and simmer for NO MORE THAN 3-4 minutes.
3) Strain and drink hot.

- If possible, take a hot shower and wrap yourself up in a blanket after drinking to encourage perspiration. After sweating, immediately get in to clean, dry clothes to avoid chilling the body. Repeat for a few days if necessary.

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Miso Soup For Colds
A Japanese variation of above. Better than chicken soup! A vegan/vegetarian, Zen Buddhist inspired miso soup with ginger and scallions.

INGREDIENTS
DASHI (soup stock) INGREDIENTS
1) 1 cup water
2) 1 pieces kombu seaweed (about 1 inch long), cut in thirds, and wiped with a slightly damp paper towel or cloth
3) 1 dried shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and rinsed
MISO SOUP INGREDIENTS
4) 3/4 teaspoon light or white miso (more or less to taste and depending on the type of miso) 5) 1 inch fresh ginger root, grated
6) 1 scallion/green onion, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS
- Place water in a saucepan. Soak the kombu and shiitake mushroom in the water for three hours or overnight. At bare minimum soak the kombu and shiitake for 15 minutes until they are soft, tender, and the shiitake become noticeably more fragrant. If you are only using shiitake you may use warm water.
- Heat the water over high heat. Remove kombu just before the stock comes to a boil and reduce heat when the stock comes to a full boil.
- Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the shiitake mushroom and save it for use in other recipes. - Ladle a small amount of the hot stock into a boil and dissolve 3/4 teaspoons of miso into it. Then add the dissolved miso into the saucepan and turn off the heat. Do not let the miso boil.
- Add sliced scallions and generous pinch of grated ginger.
- Drink while hot. Make a fresh batch every time. You may, however, make large batches of the soup stock (dashi) ahead of time, but add the miso, freshly sliced green onions, and freshly grated ginger just before consuming.

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Instant Miso Soups
At the office or when you are feeling too sick to cook. Just add hot (not boiling) water (and sliced scallions and grated ginger if possible). These instant miso soups are Vegan/vegetarian, have no saturated fat, cholesterol, MSG, or gluten.

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Instant Ginger Teas

Instant Aged Ginger Tea (No Sugar Added)
Instant Aged Ginger Tea (Sweetened)
Convenient instant ginger teas. Simply dissolve in hot water. Great for the office. Drink at the first signs of a cold to warm the body and stimulate the immune system. Also wonderful for an upset stomach, nausea, and diarrhea. Ginger has also been shown to be safe and effective during pregnancy for the treatment of nausea and vomiting.

Organic Crystallized Ginger
Take the benefits of ginger where ever you go. Just nibble on a piece of crystalized ginger.

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Po Chai Pills

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Stewed Pears for Colds with a Cough & Sore Throat
For later stages of a cold or flu where fever predominates and there is a sore throat and cough. The pears and rock sugar will cool, soothe, and moisten the throat.

INGREDIENTS
1) 6 Asian pears, chopped (a regular pear may be substituted)
2) 1/3 cup rock sugar (do NOT substitute regular sugar)
3) 1/4 cups water

DIRECTIONS
1) Put all ingredients into a 2 qt. double boiler (a regular pot may be substituted).
2) Cook on low heat for about 40 minutes.
4) Eat a few tablespoons a day

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Banlangen for Colds and Flu

Ge Xian Weng Banlangen Grains Compound is an instant/prepared tea for flu and colds with headache, fever, swollen and sore throat, and cough.

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Herbal Honey Loquat Syrup for Cough & Sore Throat

Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa (Herbal Honey Loquat Syrup) to soothe an irritated, dry throat, alleviate coughing, and resolve phlegm. Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa (Herbal Honey Loquat Syrup) may be used on its own for a simple cough or with Ge Xian Weng Banlangen Grains Compound for a cold or flu with cough and sore throat. The Pear Soup recipe below is also great for a simple cough.

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Pear Soup for Coughs
Immune boosting soup for coughs occurring without fever or chills

INGREDIENTS
1) 1 Asian pear (a regular pear may be substituted)
2) 2-4 slices almonds
3) Peel of 1 tangerine
4) 1 teaspoon-1 tablespoon honey (if throat and cough is drier and stools are not loose, use more towards 1 tablespoon)
5) 3 cups water

DIRECTIONS
1) Put all ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil.
2) Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3) Remove tangerine peel and eat for a several days

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Congee/Jook/Zhou

The traditional Chinese breakfast is based around congee (classically hsi-fan or rice water; zhou in Mandarin; jook in Cantonese). Congee is a thin rice porridge that nourishes and supports the digestive system. It is ideal for prevention of disease and promotion of good health as well as being an excellent source of nutrition when feeling unwell.

Congee is made with 1 part of rice to 5-6 parts of water. As little as 4 parts of water and as much as 12 cups of water may be used. However, using too much water is better than using to little. White rice is the most common grain for congees, but brown rice, barley, millet, spelt, or other grains are sometimes used.

1 SERVING/4 SERVINGS
1/4 cup rice/1 cup rice
1 1/4 cups water/5 cups water

Rinse the rice with cold water to remove any residues. Place rice in pot and add water. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 4-8 hours. Alternatively, use a crock-pot on low for 8 hours or overnight.

You may adjust the proportions of grain to water until you get the consistency you prefer, but use at least 4 parts water to one part rice. The longer congee cooks and the more water that is used the easier it is to digest and absorb and the more suitable it becomes for illness or weakness.

Congee may be eaten plain. You may also add a pinch of salt, tamari, and/or your favorite spices. Broth may also be substituted for the water for extra nutrition. It can also be cooked with dates, nuts or seeds, vegetables, eggs, shreds of meat or fish, spices, and medicinal herbs. Pre-cooked vegetables, eggs, meat or fish, may also be added on top before serving, but keep it simple if you are feeling weak or unwell.

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