Recently, it seems as though a black cloud has been following me, and I have had a need to sleep… Lots and more and lots. This morning I woke up and my throat was hurting…bad.

Uncertain of whether I had a voice left and knowing that I had work to do, I got up and set off. Happy in the knowledge that being ill is the reason for my recent depressive self, woo hoo!! It’s okay, I’m not falling into a murky tunnel! This explains why my skin has been getting paler and my mood darker.

Armed with this knowledge I looked forward to finishing off my day and collecting my entire “feel better” essentials. Here are some of my tried-and-tested tricks to helping me through a cold: sans médicaments!

First off when you have a cold you must keep hydrated. Drink lots of fluids. Water, of course, is a fabulous friend and so are my delicious cold fighter brews from the kitchen.

Hot Orange and Honey:

Fill half a cup with hot water and stir in a couple of teaspoons of honey till fully melted. Top up with orange juice. Stir and drink.

A fabulous warm drink filled with goodness.

Lemon and Ginger Tea:

Chop up some ginger and halve a lemon. Squeeze the lemon into a cup and add ginger. Top this up with hot water. To finish, stir in a couple of teaspoons of honey.


I usually make these drinks at the same time. It is best to drink the Hot Orange and Honey as soon as you have made it, I drink this while waiting for the Lemon and Ginger Tea to cool down. If you have to face the office with a full blown cold, fill up a thermos with the Lemon and Ginger Tea and work while sipping your way towards better health.

A Thyme-ly Infusion:

This is the simplest of all my cold fighter recipes and has the most immediate impact, too. Very easy to make–get a bunch of thyme, wash carefully and place in a pan, fill the pan with cold water and bring to the boil. When served, add honey or a squeeze of lemon or lime. I tend to drink mine as it comes, savouring the natural flavours.

Thyme is a great healer! Fighting several diseases that cause bacteria and viruses. It is also a great digestive aid, helps with menstrual aches and pains, and is a fantastic cold remedy. Today, thyme is used to treat whooping cough and emphysema in Germany.

After all this, I make an inhalation of menthol and hot water.

This is me working on ridding the cold. How glamorous!

annesaneries blogs at anne’s-aneries.

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