Okay, so, I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather lately, you know, that scratchy throat, the sniffles, the whole nine yards. A friend of mine told me to try this homemade tea thing – honey, ginger, and lemon. She swore it was like magic. Figured I had nothing to lose, so I gave it a shot.

First, I went and grabbed a knob of ginger from the fridge. It was kinda old and wrinkly, but hey, it’s what I had. I peeled it with a spoon – it’s way easier than using a knife, just scrape that skin right off. Then I sliced it up into thin little rounds, about a quarter inch thick maybe? Didn’t really measure, just eyeballed it.

Next, I took a lemon and rolled it on the counter with my hand. This helps get the juices flowing, you see. Cut that bad boy in half and squeezed the juice into a mug. I tried to pick out the seeds, but a few probably slipped in there. Oh well.

Then, I boiled some water in my trusty old kettle. While that was heating up, I put the ginger slices in the mug with the lemon juice. Once the water was bubbling like crazy, I carefully poured it over the ginger and lemon.

Now for the honey. I used some local wildflower honey I picked up at the farmer’s market – the good stuff. I scooped in a generous spoonful, maybe two… who’s counting? Stirred it all up until the honey dissolved.

I let it steep for a good 5-10 minutes. You want to let those flavors get all friendly with each other. While I waited, I curled up on the couch and put on some trashy reality TV. It was my day to relax. Once the time was up, I took a sip.

Honestly, it was pretty darn good. The ginger gave it a nice little kick, the lemon was tart and refreshing, and the honey smoothed it all out. It warmed me right up and that sore throat started feeling a bit better.

• Feel better now: I drank a few mugs throughout the day, and you know what? I actually started feeling better.
• Will try it again: I’m not saying it’s a miracle cure or anything, but it definitely helped soothe my symptoms. Plus, it was tasty. I’ll probably make this again next time I feel a cold coming on.
• Recommend to do: It is absolutely a natural way to combat the common cold.

So there you have it, my little honey, ginger, and lemon tea adventure. Easy peasy, and it might just help you kick that cold to the curb.