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Andrew Weil, M.D., prefers natural remedies to pharmaceuticals and his favorite cold cure is garlic. "Eat several cloves of raw garlic at the first onset of symptoms," he recommends. "Cut it in chunks and swallow them whole like pills. If it gives you flatulence, eat less. I recommend one or two cloves of garlic to people who suffer from chronic or recurrent infections or low resistance to infection."
In The Science and Art of Herbology, her popular course on herbal medicine, Rosemary Gladstar describes how to make a syrup that helps prevent and cure bronchial inflammation, asthma, hay fever, colds and coughs. She wrote:
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I learned how to make this formula many years ago and the story of how I learned it is one I'd like to share. Hari Das Baba was doing a series of small retreats in the Occidental Hills. We'd all gather round him to feel his wisdom, as he had not spoken words for years and years. Sometimes there would be questions and answers time and Hari Das would write his brilliant answers on the chalkboard. Believe me, I thought about all the questions I wanted to ask! I thought for days and finally my turn came. I asked my cosmic question in all earnestness: "What is the best recipe you know of for asthma and hay fever?" And this is the recipe he shared. It's excellent stuff. Make at least one or two quarts. You'll use it all!
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To make the syrup, which treats colds and flu as effectively as it does hay fever and asthma, juice equal parts fresh ginger root and fresh garlic cloves in a juicer. Combine them in a saucepan and sweeten with just enough honey to thicken (1/4 to 1/2 cup honey per cup of juice). Warm the mixture slightly to mix in the honey; do not heat. Remove from the stove and add enough cayenne pepper to make it taste hot, sweet, spicy and pungent at the same time. Pour the mixture into a glass jar and wrap it in a blanket or large towel and cover it with a paper bag. Find an appropriate place in or near your garden, dig a hole and bury the jar for 17 days. At the end of this time, it is ready to use. Suggested dosage: 1 teaspoon three times daily, as needed.

 
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