HERBS FOR

COLD AND FLU

SEASON
IMMUNE - SUPPORTIVE RECIPES
TO HELP KEEP YOU WELL
WEAVING A CULTURE OF WELLNESS WITH
KITCHEN HERBS FOR COLD AND FLU SEASON

The human body! I am in awe of our innate

ability to encounter pathogens without getting
sick. A robust immune system will fend off
common colds and strains of flu, even as they
circulate around us. And while it’s unrealistic
to expect to never get sick, we certainly don’t
need to resign ourselves to catching every bug
making the rounds. They’ll help bolster your
innate immunity with everyday ingredients,
many of which are probably in your kitchen
right now!

One key to success with herbal immune

support is knowing your pre-sickness signals.
You might wake up with crust in your eyes, feel a lag in energy, or notice
a tickle in your throat. Pre-sickness signals are different for everyone and
they change over time. So learning to track the nuances of how you feel
when your energy wanes, is one of the keys to being successful in using
herbs. These recipes are most effective when used at the very first signs
of cold or flu because they give our bodies an advantage while the viral
load is small. By the time we’re feverish or congested, the illness has
already taken hold and herbs will be of less help. It might take awhile to
find your patterns, but will be well worth the effort as you call upon the
help of herbs for years to come.

Taking extra care during cold and flu season by using ingredients already
on our pantry shelves is a wonderful way to bring the herbal healing
arts into our homes. As we build wellness with everyday kitchen herbs,
we become less reliant on pharmaceuticals and deepen our appreciation
for plants and the Earth. Spreading this empowering message has
been my life’s work for nearly four decades, and it happens in the most
unassuming of ways: one recipe at a time.

Kami McBride
ELDERBERRY FIRE CIDER

Fire cider is made of pungent and warming herbs that encourage strong immunity.
This riff on the traditional fire cider recipe features elderberry, one of my most trusted herbs
for cold and flu.

Elderberry has immune-supporting properties, and has been shown to help stop the flu virus
from entering cells.

One of my telltale pre-sickness symptoms is a faint scratch in my throat. I am a child of the

detrimental 1960’s medical practice of removing tonsils at the drop of a hat. So since my
tonsils were cut out at 5 years old, my throat is my weak link, it always tells me when I am
on the verge of sickness. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt something coming on, taken
fire cider, and the itchy throat or tired eyes dissipated. Take up to 5 tablespoons a day as
needed. It is best if warmed up a little or add a tablespoon to ½ cup very warm water.
INGREDIENTS:
• 1/2 cup fresh elderberry or 1/4 cup dried elderberries
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon powdered cayenne
• 4 cups apple cider vinegar
• Honey to sweeten

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Combine herbs in a quart jar.
2. Pour in the vinegar, making sure it covers the ingredients by at least a couple of inches.
3. Cap with a plastic lid to prevent the corrosion that occurs when vinegar touches metal.
Many people recommend parchment paper for this, but I have seen the vinegar eat through
the parchment paper many times.
4. Let sit in a cool, dark place for one month, shaking occasionally and adding more vinegar if
the herbs are sticking out above the vinegar.
5. Decant by pouring through tightly woven cotton muslin and a funnel, into a sterilized jar.
Don’t squeeze the muslin, which adds water, or your fire cider will be cloudy with a shorter
shelf life.
6. Add up to 2 cups honey to sweeten.
7. Shelf life is one year, store in the fridge.
NO MORE COLDS CORDIAL

Across the world, people take small amounts of warm alcohol at the first sign of a cold. It is
all about dosage. Think of a hot toddy, it is warm alcohol with lemon and honey taken at the
first sign of a sore throat or cold. You drink it and start sweating and hopefully go to bed and
sweat out whatever was trying to invade your body.

Alcohol in large amounts is toxic. If you add 1/2 oz of this cordial to 1 cup of hot water,
it is medicinal. Again, it is all about dosage. This delicious herbal drink, taken in small
amounts, can help bolster immunity throughout the cold and flu season. Starring elderberry’s
immune-enhancing and antiviral properties that inhibit the flu virus from penetrating
cell membranes, No More Colds Cordial sits at the top of my list for at-home cold and flu
prevention. Elderberries are also rich in vitamins A and C, and brimming with flavonoids that
tone the cardiovascular system.

This is not a remedy for once you are sick. This is best taken at the very onset when you feel
your pre-sickness signals. Also, alcohol may be too heating for some folks. If you don’t want
an alcohol-based remedy, no worries, there are other options here for you.

This cordial recipe comes from my book, The Herbal Kitchen. I make it every year, giving
bottles away to students, family, and friends interested in using herbs for cold and flu
support. I love hearing their stories of robust health throughout the winter.

Cordials contain alcohol and are meant to be sipped in small quantities. Try a half an ounce
before or after dinner, or drink warm at the very onset of a cold or flu.
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 cup chopped fresh calendula (or 2/3 cup dried calendula)
• 1 cup whole fresh elderberries (or 2/3 cup dried whole elderberries)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh rose hips (or 1/3 cup dried rose hips)
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh orange peel (or 4 teaspoons dried orange peel)
• 1 tbsp whole dried juniper berry
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger (or 1 tsp powdered ginger)
• 4 cups brandy or to cover by 2 inches
• Black cherry concentrate or honey to sweeten
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Fill a clean glass jar with the herbs.
2. Pour brandy over the herbs, filling the jar to the top.
3. Put a lid on the jar and label with the date and contents.
4. Store in a dark place for 1 month. Make sure your herbs stay covered with brandy by about 2
inches. Occasionally check to see if you need to add more brandy, as some of it may have been
soaked up by the plant material.
5. Place a funnel into the mouth of a clean, sterilized jar and decant by pouring through tightly
woven cotton muslin on top of the funnel.
6. Carefully pour the infused brandy through the muslin and funnel. Allow all the liquid to strain
through the cloth into the jar.
7. Discard the herbs. Add it to your compost or just put it on the dirt in your garden.
8. Sweeten the liquid to taste with black cherry concentrate or honey. Traditionally, one-half part
sweetener is added. Pour the liquid into a measuring cup to see how much you have. Divide
that number in half, and that is the measurement for your sweetener. However, this is just a
suggestion; adjust things to your taste.
9. Shelf life: 2 years, no need to refrigerate.
 SAGE HERBAL STEAM

Herbal steams are no more difficult to make than a pot of tea, but instead of drinking this
brew you’ll breathe in its benefits as you lean above the steaming pot. Sage is one of my
tried-and-true favorite herbs for cold and flu because the terpenoids in it help break up
mucus, making it easier for the body to clear respiratory passages. Sage has been cited as an
effective remedy since at least the Black Death of the 14th century, but has likely been used
in folk medicine for much longer than that.

I find sage steams simple and reliable, and use them to clear out congestion from my sinuses,
ears and chest. They also help my son with his spring allergies! There are many herbs that
you can substitute for sage - or use in addition to the sage - including hyssop, chamomile,
and calendula.

Brew an herbal steam at the very first sign of congestion or irritation in your upper or lower
respiratory system.
INGREDIENTS:
• 4 cups water
• 8 tablespoons freshly chopped sage.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Put water and sage into a pot.
2. Put lid on pot and bring to a boil.
3. Turn off the heat and let infuse for at least 20 minutes and up to a 2 hours.
4. Strain the sage from the tea.
5. Re-heat the sage tea in a pot.
6. Sit down with the pot of hot tea.
7. Put a towel over your head and lean carefully over the pot.
8. Lean over the steam and breathe it in. Only do what is comfortable and don’t burn your skin.
9. Do this 4 or 5 times or until the steam has stopped.
10. Rest after your herbal steam.
CRAVING MORE HERB-INFUSED IDEAS FOR
HEALTH AND SELF CARE?
You’ve stepped into the right kitchen. I’ve been teaching students to bring the herbal healing
arts into their homes for more than three decades. Pour yourself a cup of tea, stir in a
spoonful of herbal honey, and discover the delicious path to good health, one recipe at a time.

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