As a mom, I know there that during this time of year there is always someone running around the house with a cold or the beginnings of a cold. Little does the cold know – I have a super secret weapon in my arsenal.
This recipe was passed down from my great-grandmother to my grandmother to my mom (and probably goes farther back than that). Those members of the Hispanic community all have a variation of this I think. Home remedies, such as traditional herbals and massages, account for the most popular modalities. They are administered as syrup mixtures. The most commonly used ingredients are whale oil, cod liver oil, honey/royal jelly, aloe vera juice, oregano, onion/garlic, lemon, and castor and almond oil. A commercial syrup known as Siete Jarabes is often used by Puerto Ricans to treat cough, particularly in asthmatic patients. Siete Jarabes is a honey syrup that contains a mixture of sweet almond oil, castor oil, honey, wild cherry, licorice, and cocillana.
This is my version. Jarabe (Sounds like Ha-Ra-Beh) and in Spanish, literally means syrup.


INGREDIENTS:
6 Large Lemons
1 Head of garlic
1 Cup of Honey
DIRECTIONS:
Peel the lemons (Hint: you can save the peels and use them to make tea)
Place the peeled lemons in a food processor
Separate the cloves of garlic from the head, peel all of the cloves of garlic and add them to the food processor
Process on HIGH until smooth
Add the honey to the food processor
Pulse a few times to combine
Store in an air-tight container and KEEP REFRIGERATED. USE OR FREEZE WITHIN 7 DAYS.
The garlic is fantastic for breaking up mucus and shortening the duration of the common cold: “A well-designed study of nearly 150 people found that garlic helps prevent and treat the common cold. In this study, people received either garlic supplements or placebo for 12 weeks during “cold season” (between the months of November and February). Those who received garlic had significantly fewer colds than those who received placebo. Plus, when faced with a cold, the symptoms dissipated more quickly among those receiving garlic compared to those receiving placebo.” – University of Maryland Medical Center. Honey; purportedly ‘Nature’s Original Antibiotic’ fights infection with tremendous success, and Lemon with it’s super dose of Vitamin C has long been known to aid cold sufferers and bring relief.
Take 1- 2 Tablespoons of Jarabe as needed.
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