Fire cider for the immune system: what it is, ingredients and recipe

In winter often have to deal with flu, cough, cold and generic seasonal ailments. If it is impossible to completely prevent its occurrence, strengthen the immune defences it undoubtedly represents a way to stem, at least in part, their aggression.

To do it, a particularly suitable drink would be fire cider, a natural remedy made up of several ingredients that also promises to aid digestion and warm up the body numb from the cold.

What is fire cider

Fire Cider, or Fire Cider, is a natural remedy conceived by the herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, particularly popular between the seventies and eighties but returned to the fore in this period.

Its prodigious effect on the body is given by a series of ingredients, all natural, which mixed together would amplify their effects helping the body to increase its defenses against external attacks.

The preparation is simple but before being drunk the fire cider needs a long period of sedimentation so it is not an impromptu remedy for ailments but a preparation to be made in time, so that it is ready when needed.

Fire cider ingredients

In addition to these basic ingredients, some variations of the recipe also include the use of a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary and two cinnamon sticks.

How to prepare it and when to drink it

• Grind all ingredients.
• Mix them together and pour them into an airtight glass jar along with the indicated amount of apple cider vinegar.
• Let it rest for about a month, then filter the liquid obtained and drink it.
• At this stage, if the taste is too intense, a little honey can be added as desired.

Fire cider should not be drunk in large quantities but little by little and constantly over time. It can be ingested alone or diluted in hot water, tea, herbal tea or chamomile tea that mitigate the taste that for many people may be unwelcome.

The indicated dose are one or two tablespoons a dayto be taken both in preventive form and at the first symptoms already underway.

Obviously this is not a pharmacological remedy so if the situation worsens or does not improve, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

Benefits of ingredients

• Apple Cider Vinegar: the main component of this mix contains acetic acid, which is known to be a strong antimicrobial. It also has antihistamine and decongestant properties and the high amount of malic acid makes it a powerful detoxifier from heavy metals and toxins.
• Ginger: used for millennia in Asian medicine, it boasts many beneficial properties including the ability to fight infections and to have an antibacterial, digestive and respiratory tract symptom improvement effect.
• Curcuma: what makes turmeric a panacea is its main active component: curcumin, known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiviral properties. Also, this spice helps keep the immune system strong and fights free radicals.
• Onion: the use of this ingredient for centuries is not limited to cooking but flows into popular and Ayurvedic medicine, where it is highly appreciated for its antibacterial properties which give it the ability to fight respiratory infections and absorb toxins and germs.
• Jalapeno Pepper and Cayenne Pepper: Spicy foods help drain and thin mucus by clearing clogged sinuses. Among the most powerful natural ingredients of this type are jalapeno pepper and cayenne pepper, which among the properties also have that of stimulating the activation of circulation and warming the body. Additionally, the active ingredient capsaicin found in chili peppers is known to be a powerful antibacterial.
• Horseradish: currently little used in the kitchen, it was once present in various recipes and also used for therapeutic purposes given its mucolytic, antibacterial and antibiotic properties. Several studies have also confirmed its effectiveness against respiratory infections, colds, sore throats and sinusitis and other respiratory infections.
• Garlic: there are several elements present inside it that seem able to have beneficial actions for the body. Allicin, for example, would kill bacteria and parasites, while sulfur and bioflavonoids would strengthen the immune system helping to protect against disease and infection.
• Lemon: the antibacterial, antioxidant and alkalizing properties of lemon are known and help restore the correct pH in the body, making it inhospitable to viruses and bacteria and discouraging their proliferation. We must not forget that being part of the citrus family it contains vitamin C, especially in the peel, which helps to strengthen the immune system and, when it is in large quantities in the white blood cells, it is useful for fighting the early stages of infections. Conversely, if its presence is minimal or insufficient, the body’s ability to kill bacteria is markedly lower.