Updated Sep. 6, 2019. Originally published Jan. 1, 2013.
UPDATE Note: There was a lot of great information in the comments, so I’ve compiled many of the best suggestions into a follow-up post: Homemade Chest/Nasal Decongestant, part 2.
It has been a long weekend at our house (New Year’s 2012-13). Our littlest came down with the flu (or some flu-like virus, anyway) – not such a big deal, except that she had a febrile seizure and momentarily stopped breathing, resulting in a 911 call and many hours at doctors’ offices/the ER. Then the eldest and hubby both came down with it. (Little one is doing much better now, by the way. And by “better,” I don’t just mean that she’s breathing! We’re back to normal temps, etc. and just a few residual sniffles.)
Anyway, this was a great opportunity for me to take some pictures of the homemade decongestant I’ve posted here before, and include an actual tutorial/instructions. Hubby calls this “radish juice.” It sounds like it would be disgusting, but it’s actually not nearly as bad as it sounds. (I don’t like radishes or onions, in general, and I find this tolerable, ‘though it’s definitely not a favorite. Hubby actually kind of likes it – especially if his nose is also stuffy so he can’t smell the onion as strongly.)
As long as they’re old enough to safely have honey, even the little ones can take this. (And I was surprised. Our almost-two-year-old, who has been protesting the cherry-flavored Tylenol, drank this voluntarily, and even got mad at me when I took it away out of concern that too much at once might burn her tummy. She did make some pretty funny faces, though.) The recipe came from a friend, and is good for breaking up the junk in your chest. Keep reading below the recipe for a full step-by-step.
Homemade Decongestant Recipe
Homemade Decongestant
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 5-7 radishes
- 1 small red onion
- 6 garlic cloves If my cloves are super-small, I use a couple more.
Instructions
- Wash, peel, and trim the vegetables as appropriate, and cut the onion into 2-4 chunks.
- Dump everything into the blender and blend until smooth.
- Strain.
- Refrigerate between uses, for up to a week or so.
- TO USE:
- Adults take 2 Tbsp. once a day, or more as needed/desired.
- Children take 1 Tbsp. once a day, or more as needed/desired.
- Should begin expelling within 24 hours. (We have typically noticed it kicking in within the first couple hours.)
Assemble the Ingredients
honey
lemon juice
garlic
red onion
radishes
The original recipe calls for freshly-squeezed lemon juice. This would probably be rather higher in vitamin C, which would be beneficial, but lemons are always super-expensive around here during flu season. And this time, I literally couldn’t find any at the grocery store. So I just used the jarred stuff (make sure it’s regular strength, rather than concentrated), and it works just fine. I virtually never make it with fresh lemons anymore.
This is the equipment I use:
Vitamix Standard Blender, Black
Put Everything in the Blender
If you have a Vitamix or a good blender, you shouldn’t have to do a lot of prep. Wash the radishes, peel the garlic and onion, and cut off top and bottom edges. You might also want to cut the onion into 2-4 chunks. But you shouldn’t have to mince anything, etc.
Because the Vitamix container has measurements on it, I just use that for measuring the liquids, too. I pour in lemon juice to the 1-cup line, then pour in honey ’til it all reaches the 2-cup line, then toss in the veggies.
Blend It
Put the lid on (of course!) and blend everything up ’til it’s smooth. As you can see, it doesn’t look unappetizing at all. In fact, it rather looks like a strawberry-heavy fruit smoothie. (You could have some real fun with someone who can’t smell well! lol)
Strain It
Pour it through a wire mesh strainer. If your strainer is small (about the diameter of a mug, like you’d use for straining herbal teas), strain it into a quart jar, a little at a time. Stir it a bit with a spoon to get the pulpy part out of the way and let the liquid part run through. As each strainerful is done, scoop the pulp out into a separate bowl, to get it out of the way. This is how I did it in the beginning.
Then I got the larger strainer shown here, and it’s much easier. If your strainer is large, you can set it atop a bowl and pour all the decongestant through at once.
That’s It!
It’s done. Cap it and store it in the refrigerator when you’re not using it. I don’t know for certain how long it will “officially” keep in the fridge, but I wouldn’t keep it longer than about a week or so. As you can see, I still had some variation in the thickness/viscosity, even after straining it, so we shake it up before taking it. There’s a picture below you can print out if you want to use it as a label.
Notes
In case anyone asks…
- I wondered, myself, if this can be frozen and used later, or if it would completely lose its efficacy. (We rarely have these ingredients all on hand when everyone gets sick, so it would be nice to not have to head to the store.) Some readers tried it and shared their feedback. I haven’t found it to be practical to freeze it, myself (due to the honey, it doesn’t freeze as hard as you’d think), but I often freeze the solid ingredients in a Ziploc container so I have them on hand.
- What about the pulp? Usually, I just throw it out. If you want to be less wasteful, there are other ways to use it, since it’s all just food. I’ve frozen the pulp in an ice cube tray in order to use it in small amounts. I think one could probably use a little in soup, but I’ve never gotten around to trying that. I’ve also used it as a seasoning when sauteing vegetables.
- Is it okay for pregnant/nursing mamas? I don’t see why not. I’m pretty picky about what goes into my body when I’m pregnant, and I’ve definitely taken it myself when pregnant. All of the ingredients are things I eat as food, so I don’t think any of it is unsafe. The only downside I can see for nursing mothers is that the garlic and onion are pretty strong and some babies might not like the taste of the milk after mama takes it. I don’t think it would be harmful, though. This is just my educated opinion, though, and shouldn’t be considered medical advice. Do your own due diligence. 🙂
- What about babies? Honey should not be given to babies under a year old, due to the rare but serious possibility of infant botulism. I would guess that if you make it without the honey, you could add about 3 parts of the mixture to about 1 part of glycerin or sugar syrup or something and give it to a baby in small amounts. Again, though, this is not medical advice, just the educated opinion of one mom. Use your own judgment. (If you have a baby that young with respiratory issues, I hope you’re talking to someone with medical experience, anyway, and can seek their opinion.)
- Where did I get that lid? I love these one-piece lids for storage; they’re so much less of a pain than 2-part canning lids. You can get metal ones in the regular size, I think (but I haven’t found the wide-mouth size), but the plastic ones are easier to find and work just fine. I found them on Amazon here: regular / wide-mouth.
BTW, just for the legal cover-one’s-rear stuff: None of these statements are approved by the FDA. I am not diagnosing or treating any illness. I make no guarantees of anything, and cannot be held legally responsible for anything resulting from the use of this recipe or information. Your use of the recipe is at your own risk. In short, take responsibility for yourself and don’t try to sue me for anything, ‘kay?
You are correct, it doesn’t sound appetizing! But then, neither are any of the over the counter meds. I’d rather have this 🙂
Thanks for sharing on Wildcrafting Wednesday!
thanks for the information…. Godbless
WOW I JUST STARTED WITH NATURAL REMEDIES! I KNOW THEY DO WORK I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH WALKING PNEMONIA! I WAKE UP THATS WHEN ITS WORST CANT BREATH COUGHING WEEZING LUNGS ARE FILLED WITH MUCUS! SCARY! I FOUND THIS RECIPE AND AM GOING TO MAKE.PRESCRIPTIONS ARE NOT WORKING !FOUND THIS ON WEB AND GOING TO TRY THANK YOU! WILL REPLY ON HOW IT GOES!
Ooh, yuck – pneumonia’s not good! I hope it worked for you and that you’re feeling much better!
can you juice this instead?
I don’t have a juicer, but I believe previous commenters have said they juiced this successfully.
Sounds like a lot of crap that irrates one’s belly and potentially sinuses. Perhaps a responsible alchemist would comment of the individual affects of each ingredient, thx
Can you use any thing else beside onions…..
Thanks for the great info! I guess the heat of the radishes would be good for your throat and as a decongestant. 🙂
Yes, the second time she had it, my toddler indicated that it was “hot.” lol But she still drank it all!
Really – radishes? Who knew?! Thanks so much for sharing this at this week’s Whip It Up Wednesday. Hopefully, I won’t need the recipe anytime soon though!
I hope not, too!
I am always on the lookout for natural remedies, so thanks for the recipe! I will definitely keep this on hand.
what a wonderful alternative to scary drug store decongestants! and if you don’t use it all, you could make it into a salad dressing! 😉
thank you for sharing your post with us at the Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up – I hope to see you again this week with more seasonal & real/whole food posts! xo, kristy
I love the salad dressing idea! I just made 1/3 of a batch, wish I had read your post first, I would have made more! lol
I actually like the way it tastes, but would add a few more herbs for the salad dressing.
Printed out today and entire family will take this tonight..I don’t like using the over counter meds so anything healthy with no adverse effects I am going to try..Thanks for the recipe.
You can always freeze the lemons to have them on hand. I also freeze my onions, but that is because I can’t use them fast enough….
Good to know, Tara. Thank you!
you can also freeze lemons to use them to help prevent cancer cells from developing on ur everyday food that you eat all all u do is take the frozen lemon and great the whole lemon skin n all add it to the top of you meal and eat. To help kill bacteria in the air cut a onion in half and place a peice of it in the bed room and for larger rooms place both pieces of the onion in the room it has been proven that the onions will pull the bacteria into it and trap it i do this when one of my kids r sick to prevent the rest of us from getting sick and it realy works I love Safe N Natural ways to help my family stay healthy and not have to take medications for sicknesses Hope this helps
I love the onion information, thanks!!!
Great tutorial! I will have to try this next time we come down with a cold. Thanks for linking up with the Tuesday Baby Link Up! I hope you’ll join us again tomorrow!
I was given a similar recipe by a naturopath for my son’s asthma, only he used white radish(daikon) and rice syrup. I’ve also made it with unsulphered molasses, but I like the honey( unfiltered). I add dginger as this is also soothing for the throat, and many other health benefits.
I like the honey, too, as it has benefits of its own related to coughs. But it’s helpful to hear that the recipe your naturopath used has rice syrup, because I think that should be okay for babies under a year old, where honey isn’t recommended.
Honey also has natural antibiotic properties so other “sweetners” might not have the same effect.
Careful Maria De, Brown Rice Syrup is known to contain Arsenic, as is ALL brown rice and processed foods containing rice flours etc.
Stephen, while the products do contain trace amounts of arsenic. Gerber baby juice which is the very first thing the tell you to give your baby has rather high amounts of arsenic. As do most other apple juices. I am going to try this homemade decongestion remedy I feel that hemopathic medicines are safer than anything OTC. My grandmother used to mix fried onions and lard and make a rub to put on your chest to break up congestion and it worked wonders.
Hi there! I liked Maria’s idea with ginger. I may experiment and add some ginger to the next batch…..
I froze my last batch.
I can’t tell if it loses any efficacy~it tastes just about the same, but changes the thickness.
Is it thicker? Or runnier? We froze some, too, but I didn’t pay attention to this. (I’m not sure about the efficacy either. It’s hard to compare, ’cause it’s never quite going to be apples to apples.)
It had been proven, that onions in a room DO NOT pick up bacteria !
I love natural preventatives and cures, but that one does not work !
Proven? By whom?
Thank you for putting this on facebook. It sounds good, and I am wondering if the lemons, onions, and radishes could be put through a juicer? I use mine a lot when I am canning, and right now with the Master Cleanse, and it leaves just a tiny bit of pulp in with your juice. I also buy the plastic one-piece lids at Wal-Mart and at Tractor Supply Company. They come in the regular and wide-mouth sizes.
I don’t have a juicer, Shasta, so I couldn’t tell you for sure, but I don’t see why you couldn’t put them through the juicer.
And thank you for the lead on the plastic lids! I hadn’t seen them locally, but we have both Wal-Mart AND Tractor Supply Company, so I’ll have to check for them. It would be nice to not pay to ship them. 🙂
I was going to ask this, but I just can’t imagine that it would lose any efficacy going through a juicer. Two things come out of a juicer, juice and pulp. The pulp is drier than anything I’ve ever pulled out of a sieve after straining. That’s got to mean more juice to consume. I’m going to try juicing it. 🙂
Jana, a few people have contemplated that, but I haven’t yet heard from anyone who actually tried it. (I don’t have a juicer, or I’d test it out!) I don’t know of any reason it wouldn’t work, though.
I found my white lids at Safeway, Am going to try this because we all suffer from nighttime stuffyness
Hi, this sounds like a great addition to our homestead medicine chest…. we are on the path of becoming self sufficient and one aspect i am always trying to work on is the medicinal part… I have added this to my website on our “being your own doctor” page in our garden section… I have linked back to your site also this is just great thanks.
Hi,
Could you please tell me how to find your website? Would love to take a look. Thanks. God bless.
Kacie’s name (on her comment) is clickable – if you click it, it will take you to her website. 🙂
Says 404 page not found :\
It didn’t when the comment was originally posted. It would appear that either she’s removed her site, or she’s having technical issues. 🙁
Here’s her G+ page: https://plus.google.com/108691975165949920850/posts
Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts as to another alternative to rice syrup. Cant find it around here (rural). I was questioning Agave or even maple syrup?
I think I’d avoid agave if possible; my understanding is that it’s highly refined like corn syrup, despite being touted as a health food. Maple syrup might taste pretty funky. I think if I had a need to make it honey-free, and didn’t have access to anything “alternative” like rice syrup, I’d probably just make a sugar syrup. It’s probably not ideal, but it would still be better than OTC cough syrups, which contain sugar and preservatives, dyes, etc.
Organic coconut nectar is a great alternative. Safe for all ages and does not alter sugar levels like honey does. You can read more about coconut nectar here.
http://lachicaorganica.wordpress.com/2010/10/20/what-can-be-used-as-a-sugar-soy-sauce-flour-vinegar-and-nectar-with-exceptional-health-benefits/
Coconut nectar is a great suggestion for those who can’t use the honey! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Just “googled” coconut nectar. It is ideal for diabetics and would do very well in this recipe, many OTC for diabetics are so expensive!
Simple syrup made with organic cane sugar would be better then agave. Jmo
Vegetable glycerin! It works great as an alternative. Usually stevia mixed with the glycerin is a great combo. And good for diabetics.
I’ve never tried glycerin as a sweetener, but that’s a great suggestion; thank you! (Note to other readers who may not be familiar with glycerin: please make sure you’re buying FOOD grade. You can get it at Vitacost.com if you have trouble finding it locally.)
Thanks so much for this recipe. I made it up this weekend for my sick son but subbed daikon radish and shallots because that is what i had in the house. He coughed up tons of “gunk” during the day, had a good sleep and woke up the next day feeling a whole lot better. So glad I didn’t resort to over the counter cough syrup for him.
This really works ,don’t knock it till you try it….
How does this effect your stomach? Does it make you cramp or cause diahrra?
We haven’t had any trouble with it, that I’m aware of. If you took a lot, it might clean you out. We typically only take – at most – about 3 doses/day. Of course, if you are sensitive to one of the ingredients to begin with, your results might be different. And the honey/lemon juice sort of “buffers” it so the raw garlic doesn’t burn your stomach or anything.
i use this all the time, not just as a decongestant, but for flu/cold prevention. i add apple cider vinegar to my recipe (and don’t always use radishes as i sometimes cannot find them fresh in winter). the apple cider vinegar works wonders. powdered ginger is also really great to add as well as powdered tumeric.
What is the taste like, once you add ginger and/or turmeric?
And maybe you can add to the answer regarding tummy effects, since you seem to use it more frequently than we do?
When you add the vinegar that should act as a preservative wouldn’t it so that you can store it longer? Also since is canning season you could make up a bunch and store it that way. I like the idea of it being a salad dressing as it serves a dual purpose!
so my 2 1/2 year old has been getting sick all the time this winter and i feel like i am always taking him to the doc and nothing is helping. they keep looking at me like im stupid and don’t know my child. so right now he can’t breath threw his nose and was coughing all night long. it doesn’t sound like it;s in his chest so will this still help? i am willing to try anything right now. i gave him some honey elixer last night but it seemed like his cough got worse. he had to be almost sleeping sitting up..i need some help… these no sleep or few hours a night sleep are for the birds…
If it’s not in his chest at all – I don’t know, to be honest. The stuff clears my head when I make it, because of the onions. 😉 But we’ve not yet had occasion to try taking it for stuffy heads, to know for sure whether it helps with that.
It probably goes without saying, but make sure he’s getting plenty to drink. That will make some difference to the stuffiness and also to the propensity to pick up new yuckies. (Dry mucous membranes don’t “grab” things as well before they’re able to get into you.) And if I were in your shoes, I’d boost his vitamin D considerably (for immune purposes), and probably boost his vitamin A a little, too. (I don’t think vitamin A is as critical to an immediate immune response to an attack, but my understanding is that it’s rapidly depleted when you’re ill, so if he’s been sick for a while, he may be a little low.) You should be able to give a considerably higher amount of vitamin D than the RDA before you have to worry about overdose, especially if you’re using D3 from a natural source. For myself, I’m regularly taking 10,000 IU/day. I probably wouldn’t give a toddler THAT much! But the point is you can go a lot higher than we are led to believe. My toddler’s been taking 700 IU/day, and she still got the flu, so my gut says that’s not enough.
(Standard legal disclaimer here: I’m not a doctor, and this isn’t medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, etc. I can just tell you what I would do, as a mom, with my own kids. 😉 )
I rubbed a tad of Vicks under my 4 year olds nose. (not alot, just enough to light smell) This helped my 4 year old considerably.
or run a vaporizer with Vicks menthol in it.
For coughing, put some Vicks on the soles of the feet and cover with socks. Works on both adults and kids!
Yes, Teresa, this works like magic. I used to use a humidifier but no longer have to since I began this remedy. Thanks!
There is a lot of questions about Agave lately. i’d recommend Maple Syrup. It has properties to it that fight certain cancers.
warm lemon and honey water( 1/2 lemon, 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey) breaks up congestion. Also as much fluids as possible, especially chicken broth, or chicken noodle soup, If you have a juicer, you can juice carrot celery onion beet and add to broth. Echinacea- Elderberry Syrup by Planetary works. we also use Flu- Plus by Heel to help boost the immune system. we all take one before we leave the house to go shopping or any public gathering. Oh, and stay away from sugar as much as possible. And an apple a day really does help keep the doctor away.
This is just what our family does. These things used to work fairly quickly, but with the new super bugs of the last two years we found it takes longer to overcome than it used to. during the winter, cooking with oregano and rosemary really helps allot. getting a fresh sprig if rosemary, rubbing it in your hands then cupping your hands over your nose for a few minutes helps to clear up your sinuses.
I really didn’t understand the need to strain it and I didn’t have a strainer any way so I just drank it like it was. If you can save the pulp for later why not just use it? Any how I will let you know how well that worked for me later! lol Thank you for this though I was so anxious to try it as I have been coughing for days and need some relief!
I think that straining it probably just makes it more of a traditional “syrup” consistency. If you keep the pulp in, you might (might!) need to increase the amount by another Tbsp. or so to get the same amount of the honey/lemon as you would with just the syrup, but you’re right – I don’t see why you couldn’t just use it as-is.
thanks for sharing! I just want to make sure… this is for chest congestion not head/sinus congestion right?
That’s what we use it for, yes. It might help with head congestion, too, but I don’t know. If anyone finds out one way or the other, please let us know!
I use it for sinus / head / ear congestion and it works great!
Oh, wonderful! Thanks for letting us know. 🙂
Rachel I went ahead and strained it this morning. After my few good gulps of it yesterday I did end up with a little bit of an upset stomach. I am going to have some of the strained juice this morning as directed and see if that helps with the upset stomach. Good news is even the not strained juice helped start to break up the junk in my lungs! So I am convinced that this stuff works! Thanks again!
I don’t strain mine but I do add it to a cup of water. It makes it a little easier to take without the stomach concerns, which I share.
Maybe you could try a glass of milk before you drink the syrup?
I might not reconmend drinking dairy as it has a congestion effect on a lot of people, defeating the purpose of said remedy 🙂 sodium bicarbonate might help though…
I have sinus and allergies that keeps me congested. This is the best I have ever used. Thank-you kindly! 🙂
I made this last night using fresh lemons. I missed the initial instruction to strain it and used it as it came from the blender, which was fine. When I took the second dose before bed, it smelled a lot stronger – still tasted fine, but I realized that by leaving the pulp in, the onion and garlic were continuing to ‘steep’. So I strained it and put the remainder back into the refrigerator. I’ve had three doses now, and after two weeks of a miserable, often non-productive cough, I feel so much better. I hate the groggy feeling I get with oveor-the-counter cough syrups – I will use this forever!
Hmm, wonder if this would work with cedar fever? Get it every year, and messes with our sinuses.
My Chinese medicine book says that radishes are good for the lungs. Onions and garlic are hot to help dissipate mucus. My 5 year old took this and drank a lot of water afterwards, which is good. He said it was hot, and it does kinda burn going down, like drinking ginger. It smells like a salad, but tastes like lemonade.
Yeah; I think the flavor is more tolerable the stuffier your nose is. lol If you can’t *smell* the onions and garlic, you can’t really taste them as much.
I can’t take OTC decongestants but I have allergies and sinus issues. A friend posted this on FB and I was equally skeptical and intrigued. I love experimenting in the kitchen so I thought I would give it a try. The flavor really surprised me as it doesn’t really taste like anything that’s in it. I don’t strain it and I use fresh lemon juice.
I am pleasantly surprised that this works, it works well, and it works quickly. The sinus pain in my face is gone and it also clears my full feeling in my ears. I usually wake up with a lot of nasal congestion and when I take this twice a day (as directed), the morning congestion is greatly reduced.
I researched all the ingredients and know I understand why this works so well. It really packs a punch of great health benefits as well as being a reliable decongestant. Thanks for the recipe!
I wouldn’t keep it any longer than a week. Garlic CAN have botulism spores, which are anaerobic and will grow in an airless environment. Wash your garlic very well first. Then you MUST keep this mixture (or any other mixture made with raw garlic) in the refrigerator no longer than one week. The refrigerator temperature (between 0C-4C) will significantly slow the growth of any harmful pathogens which could be on the food.
Yeah; we don’t typically keep it (except the stuff I froze to see if that works) longer than we keep leftover food. And definitely refrigerate it!
Do you happen to know whether that’s a concern for garlic oil that would go in the ears for earaches? I was just wondering about that the other day.
For Earaches, I have used a Vitamin E soft-gel tab, 400 mg for years. Puncture one end with a sterilized needle (run needle thru match flame) then gently squeeze the liquid into the ear. More than likely the ear canal will not hold all of the Vitamin E liquid, which is fine. Massage around the ear to help work the liquid down into the canal then place some sterile cotton in the ear. Have the child, or person with earache, to lay still for 10-15 minutes so it will start working and absorbing into the ear canal. A friend told me about this remedy many years ago when my oldest son kept getting repeated acute ear infections. He was 7 years old when I first learned of this, have used it for my other 4 children and have also passed this info on to many others through the years with repeated success on all accounts. My oldest son turned 50 in Dec. of 2012. He has used it with his children and grandchildren as well. I loved using the Vitamin E because it was easy to use, easy to pack to take on trips, can carry a small bottles in your purse, always ready and handy, also very good for healing cuts and scrapes. 😀 I just found your site about 1/2 hour ago, so will be trying your decongestant recipe very soon and will let you know how it works. Up till now, I’ve just been eating raw purple onions and Cayenne pepper with all my food, which immediately started breaking up the mucus and giving me some much needed relief, but I got very, very sick this time and wish I had had this recipe when I first started getting sick. Thanks for sharing!! <3
What a great tip! I love easily-portable, multipurpose remedies. 🙂
If you soak garlic cloves in vinegar for 24 hours before putting in any mixture, that should take care of any botulism issues.
I’m definitely going to try this! I’m also glad I looked through all the comments as they gave me the hint to use a juicer instead. That might be an even better idea because it reduces time during which ingredients are exposed to air or metal. I also liked the idea of using daikon radish, as its easier to find than radishes (at this time of year), not to mention it gives more juice.Ginger is definitely another good option, and let’s not forget horseradish! Actually, I know of one recipe for clearing any mucous, anywhere throughout the body, just using lemon and horseradish juice.
Hi Dayana, can you share this recipe. My daughter has been ill and we can seem to get her to expel the mucous. Thank you.
Sure, right away. But first I should say that this recipe here might have the same effect. I believe that any vegetable/root/seed with a hot (spicy) flavour triggers the body to intensively expel mucous – be it in the nose, throat, lungs or elsewhere. I think any combination of the onion family, chili peppers, the radish famiy, mustard seeds and the roots ginger, turmeric (or the powdered versions of any of these) – would do the job, along with citrus and honey. But here’s the exact recipe I’ve come across:
150gr. of horseradish root
the juice of several lemons
First the root is grated, then the freshly-squeezed juice is added and the 2 are stirred together (preferably with a non-metal spoon in a non-metal container, since the touch of metal denatures vitamins). 1 teaspoon is to be taken twice a day at an empty stomach. It also says it’s good for people prone to swelling (holding on to excess liquids).
In case this mixture is too strong to the taste, it could be mixed together with some raw honey. Also I might add your daughter’s issue might be diet related – some people react that way to dairy or gluten. You could try getting her on a clean, safe diet until she gets better. Wishing her the best!
The pulp may be good to use as a hot poultice on the chest. I know it may be a bit sticky, but you usually shower after doing a poultice like this anyway. I’ve given my husband an onion & basil hot poultice on his chest before when he had a little bronchitis left. It cleared it up the rest of the way…now he’s a believer (he did NOT want the poultice). I haven’t looked up about using radishes or garlic for a poultice, but if they work on the inside why not on the outside too like the onions and basil?
That’s a great idea! I don’t know about radishes, either, but garlic can definitely be used as a poultice.
OH gosh, I’d never give glycerin or sugar syrup to anyone for any reason! The honey is not used to sweeten. It’s healing. Maple syrup sounds like a great alternative. I too am surprised by the radishes. I swear by fresh ginger, another good idea. Could add it, wouldn’t hurt, but only help. IF you get organic ingredients, you can use the whole lemon. There’s tons of nutrients right under the skin (like all citrus).
I agree about re-using the pulp. I never throw out pulp. I know everything else are age-old remedies for respiratory illnesses. I have a Green Life/Power juicer, but I’d put into my Blendtec and strain. LOTS faster than cleaning my juicer. IMHO.
I shared on Facebook cos so many of my pals are sick. Found it on pinterest, while looking at doll photos … one link led to another. Thanks, looks terrific. My best wishes for speedy recoveries to everyone affected by flu and cold.
I agree that the honey is a healing element of the decongestant, in and of itself!
Thanks for the tip regarding the whole lemons, too – I hadn’t thought of that. We use a Vitamix, so could definitely throw the whole lemon in and have the machine handle it just fine.
I will have to put another post together with all of the great suggestions that are spread throughout ya’lls comments!
i got my batch from jen worked wonders no allergies at all from the day i first sipped it.
today 2 weeks later i made my own batch. wasnt as good as jen so i stuck another radish and garlic then too hot so i put some more honey in it. meanwhile through out tasting it my eyes and nose started running. i feel great.
oh do u think u could put some virgin coconut oil in it….. i kinda did.
but not enough tho….. mmmmm….
what do u think… could i put some more in it. give it a more coconut taste.?
I don’t see where adding coconut oil would hurt anything. You might have to take a tad more to get the same effect because you’re “diluting” the garlic, etc., but coconut oil is pretty healthy in and of itself!
I see a lot of posts about what to put the “magic elixir” (as we refer to it) into. I have used an empty honey bottle and also a sports bottle. I gave some to a friend in an empty plastic water bottle. You need to use a funnel, but once it’s in there, it pours out easily.
I have taken this myself and given it to my husband with great results. I gave a batch to a friend (Kat, who posted above) and she is now a believer. My 8 year old Goddaughter, who has had respiratory problems and allergies for ever, took one dose last night and Mom reported improvement by morning!
“Drink the Pink!” is my motto 🙂
Would it be safe to just use a peeled lemon or two vs just the juice?
I believe so.
Alternately you can add Red Chili’s ,Horseradish or Both . The Capsacin is the main ingredients in both .. The onion provides Sulfur which is a mild antibiotic .You could also add Liquorice tincture .. or a strong Liquorice tea which is known to be an expectorant in strong dosages .
Hi, Why do you have to strain…Especially if a Via Mix is used? it would seem that the pulp would be good for you too.
just wondering.
I think the original intent of the recipe was to make a sort of syrup, so the pulp was merely undesirable for textural purposes. It should certainly be perfectly safe to take, even with the pulp in it, and a couple people here have tried it unstrained. (You might need to take a tad more to get the same basic proportion of ingredients.) One reader reported some digestive distress after taking it with the pulp, though – prob. because of the raw garlic and onion. It’s totally up to you!
I actually saved my pulp in ice cube trays so I can try using it in soup.
I just made this and I love it. Been sick for 3 days with sinus congestion. I sure hope this helps.
I found this recipe, this morning, when I searched for a homemade decongestant remedy. I made it using bottled lemon juice instead of fresh. I took my first dose about 45 minutes ago; the taste wasn’t really bad. The antibiotic I took did what it needed to do. My congestion is so bad, I was going to call the Dr. again tomorrow but now I’ll wait & see how the pink stuff works. Thanks for sharing your remedy.
Please do not use Vicks – it is filled with dangerous chemicals. Try instead eucalyptus oil (essential oil) – rub a tiny bit on chest and maybe throat area. You can also use peppermint oil.
I am trying this homemade recipe – had my first dose a little while ago. Tastes just fine, but the smell is a tad strong. Thank goodness I eat these foods anyways so it doesn’t bother me. Thank you for this recipe! I might try adding fresh ginger (I put it in my raw veggie smoothie every morning) but I might need extra doses until this congestion goes away.
Put the EO’s on feet too! Your feet absorb stuff pretty quickly, I’ve always done it that way for kiddeos.
Vicks Vapor Rub is a petroleum product (think gasoline)! Yuck!! There are recipes for natural vapor rubs using EO and I make/use several recipes (all very easy to do!) to replace petroleum products in my home (Vaseline, ointments, etc) but when using EOs, be very careful and if using internally, make sure that the product you’re using is safe for internal use! Not all EOs are created equally and some are meant for aromatherapy only (usually cheaper and could be dangerous if ingested). Peppermint, spearmint, camphor, eucalyptus, and rosemary are all wonderful for clearing the mucus out and opening the sinuses. I use them undiluted on myself at times (not often), but not on my kids! Undiluted EOs can be too strong for some folks, even healthy adults, and should be researched before experimenting. I’m thinking of trying this recipe with a drop or two of peppermint oil in hopes of covering that raw garlic/onion punch that no one in my house likes, though my hubby says nothing can cover that! (I’m not a rep or get anything for saying this, but most DoTerra and Eden’s Garden EOs are safe for ingestion.) And anyone who is diabetic or insulin resistant like my daughter, honey is the only way to go here!
Just made this and tried it yesterday. (without radishes, but used cayenne and raw beet root) It may be a coincidence, but after being sick and stuffed up for over 3 weeks, my sinuses and chest immediately started clearing up. Not stuffy at all today! Yay!
So glad you’re starting to feel better!
This recipe sounds amazing, as do all the recipes I have found on your site. I am a smoker who has set a quit date and have been looking for something natural to help with clearing my lungs out, so I am wondering if this would work. I plan to make up one of the amazing detox recipes to go with it as well. Thanks.
You’re the first person I’ve heard to have been trying it for this particular purpose. I would love to hear about your experience with it!
I’ll be praying for you as you quit. Breaking long-term habits is HARD, even when there isn’t nicotine involved.
Great for you!!! What a wonderful and natural way to go about the process. You can do anything you put your mind to.
are you kidding add some oil and vinigar its a great salad dressing
Just made this for the men in the house. I used my processor and somehow forgot to add the garlic! But both men took it (the 4 year old and the hubby). Hubby felt better almost immediately. It didn’t taste bad either! He was so afraid of the flavor that he added it to his orange juice and slammed it. He only had a faint onion aftertaste. I diluted it with orange juice by 1/2 and the 4 year old drank it down with little protest, and he has strong opinions. THANK YOU for this recipe! Definitely will recommend this one!
I don’t think I’d like it very much with OJ, but I’m glad they didn’t mind it!
Is the lemon juice used for vitamin C only? I’ve been reading through the comments to see if anyone mentioned swapping out the lemon juice completely for orange, lime or some other juice. My daughter’s eczema flares up pretty bad from lemon so we usually sub lime juice for lemon. Do you think this would work?
I don’t know, Tracy, but it’s worth a try! I don’t think I’d use lime juice, though – I’m thinking lime juice is a lot stronger. I’d be inclined to try apple juice or apple cider vinegar.
I was able to find both kinds of plastic lids at walmart. Love those lids!
Will definitely try your recipe. My husband has indigestion problems with onions. Is there anything we can use as a replacement for onions? Thanks.
I don’t think I’d try to replace them; I’d just leave them out and figure he’s getting the benefits of the other ingredients. (Although I will also say that onions don’t like me much, either, and this recipe doesn’t bother my gut. Maybe because it’s strained?)
For those who are having digestion issues as a supportive treatment for IBS, reflux, girds, etc.. I use an otc suppliment as follows
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Spring-Valley-Multi-Enzyme-Probiotic-200-Tablets/11997236
3 tablets with each meal for 2 -3 weeks and then as neeed with trigger foods…it got me off anti-acids were eating like candy for me
How about for sinus congestion??
Tammy, I’m not sure. We have generally not been dealing with head congestion when we’ve tried it, so we can only vouch for it for throats/chests. I know it clears my sinuses to breathe the onions when I’m making it! lol And a couple of commenters have said it helped with their head congestion, as well. No personal experience, though – sorry.
if you use ice cube trays to freeze them they would just about be serving size. Think I will try this. Thanks for the recipe. : )
That is a great point!
Much tastier than I anticipated! I have a nasal cold and am trying it for those symptoms. I’ll let you know how it works. Very easy to make too. 🙂
Please do! Yeah; it’s not nearly as nasty-tasting as it sounds like it would be.:)
I have a severe honeybee allergy and cant even have honey or beeswax. Would it still work if I sub in corn syrup instead?
Possibly not quite as well (the honey itself plays a medicinal role in the formula, I think), but I think you’d still get the benefits of the other ingredients, yes. Someone else suggested maple syrup, too, farther down (up?) the comments.
I was wondering, does it help nasal congestion too?! That is where my main problem is… especially in Spring & Fall? THANKS!
Judy, I have not tried it for that purpose, but other readers have said it did for them.
To make this recipe last longer in the frig, pour it into an empty wine bottle and suck the air out with one of those cork and pump contraptions you get at the wine store. I use this method to make my juices I make with my juicer last longer in the frig. It works great! It’s the oxidation that causes fresh juices like this to turn bad.
I actually made this and it does not taste that bad and let me tell u something it really works to break up the gunk in your chest and your nose. Thanks for a great recipe for homemade decongestant.
You can get those lids at WalMart by the canning supplies.
I saw the comment about freezing, but I wonder if this could be canned for long term storage?
I think that if you canned it, it would lose a good deal of efficacy, because it would “cook” a lot of the enzymes and such out. It certainly seems worth a try, though, and I’d love to hear how it works for you if you do!
If you heat honey, it destroys the healing properties in it. I wouldn’t advise canning because you have to get the jars to such a high temperature that the honey would be useless, except for flavoring.
I would can it but omit the honey. Everything else should be ok in the canning process. If you are at sea level I would can it at 10 lbs of pressure for 25 minutes for pints and 30 minutes for quarts. (I’m at 4500 feet so I would do mine at 15 lbs of pressure). If it’s a little on the thickish side, like applesauce (but NO THICKER) I would increase the processing time by 10 minutes each. When someone got sick, then I’d add the honey after opening a jar. That way it’s FRESH honey that everyone is getting.
Thank you for this information, Emily!
“1 c. honey” what does the “c” stand for?
“1 sm. red onion” What does the “sm” stand for? …small?
1 cup of honey; 1 small red onion
I hope that helps!
That really looks good. Looks like something I could tip the jar up and drink it down! 🙂
But no, seriously, thanks for sharing this!
Hi, I just stumbled across this and, since I’m pregnant and already caught a horrible sinus attack, I’m hoping it will help. My thing is… I’m sensitive to citrus – the lemon juice would mean an instant, blinding migraine for me. I’m thinking, maybe if I substitute apple cider vinegar, it might work just as well?
Fingers crossed and I’ll definitely be letting you know!
A migraine would not be a good trade-off for sinus troubles. 😛 Cider vinegar sounds like a good option!
I would use molasses for under 1 yr.
why could you not juice the organic radishes, onion, garlic and lemon then use the pulp for compost.
also you could use the pulp in sauces, in meat loaf or in a salad dressing or tossed with a grain or pasta.
I drink coffee and use unsulphered molasses (instead of sugar) in half n half with for creamer or on whole grain cereal it is yummy.
PS I like to take vinegar so I hide it in my creamer
Those are all great ideas! I don’t juice the veggies because I don’t have a juicer, but that would probably be a lot more efficient than blending it all, then straining.
Hi, Wondering if you can suggest a substitution for the lemon juice as I have a significant citrus allergy (no lemon, lime, grapefruit, oranges, etc.) and also a pineapple and birch allergy (no xylitol). So many of the natural recipes hinge on lemon, orange or lime elements. I can’t use those essential oils. In cooking, I often sub apple cider vinegar when lemon is called for, but it is usually in small doses whereas this is calling for a full cup of lemon juice.
Thanks for your help!
Chris just commented today with the same concern, and said she’s going to try the apple cider vinegar. That’s the best thing I can think of to use, as well. (You only take this a couple tablespoons at a time, so the total amount of ACV in a dose would not be huge.)
I think vinegar would be an equal substitute for lemon juice…don’t you?
Yes; I think apple cider vinegar is the closest non-citrus substitute for the lemon juice.
I just made a batch of this, I have not read all the post so someone may have mentioned this already, but have you tried this in a juicer. I think the next time I make some I will try the juicer as it seemed tedious to strain it after the blender. Will let you know how it turned out. I love the taste, my husband not so much
I don’t have a juicer, so I have not tried it that way. Another commenter mentioned that as a possibility, but I haven’t heard from anyone who’s actually tried that, yet. I agree with you – the straining is the most tedious part of the process for me, so if you try it that way, I’d love to hear how it worked for you!
Do NOT try this!!! This is the most the disgusting stuff ever! I lost my dinner after the first dose. I would rather be sick. Great for losing weight, NOT for being sick!
I’m sorry you had such a bad experience with it! Most people have not had such issues, though, so it’s still worth a try for those who need this sort of remedy. My 2yo actually asked for more. 🙂
I’m glad I tried it. I’ve been fighting a horrid painful cough for 5 days and hours after taking this, I feel much better.
Thanks so much for sharing this Rachel.
Yuck, red onion. I guess THAT is the key ingredient to getting your sinuses clean! I’ve experimented with unsafe veggies to juice like leek and green onion.. what a bad idea for when your sinuses are working 100%! I’ll definitely give this a try though, as I am not feeling completely 100% sometimes. Bleh.
Oooh. Yeah; juicing onions doesn’t sound like a very pleasant everyday sort of activity! I don’t even like cutting onions. Last time I did, I decided it was worth paying for them already chopped at the store!
Hi, I was just wondering if this clears your sinus as well?
Based on my experience with making the stuff, I think it would.
I get those one piece lids at our amish store. They come in. about 20 sizes, everything from chilli sauce, baby food, old 3/4ever jars and wide, even gallon pickle jars. They are ment to can with and seal perfectly. Keep looking they are out there and are so handy. I really enjoy your site.
I have COPD and this works great to get the gunk out of my lungs, thanks so much for this recipe!
Dear Rachel,
I wanted to thank you for this post! It has been my SUMMER’S goal to turn my household cleaners, hygiene products and ‘most’ simple medicines into all-natural ones. It just so happens that ‘my’ littlest woke up with congestion and a stuffy nose this a.m. and what did I do? I immediately reached for the almighty medicine cabinet just to find that our supply of store-bought, over-the-counter decongestant had expired 2 years ago! I thought, ‘This is my opportunity to begin what I wanted to do all summer!’, and yours was the first website I saw. I LOVED the story leading up to this recipe as it created a very warm and personable, trusting feeling and I’ve now copied the ingredients, saved your site and will comment later on how it worked! Thank you for taking the time to share this beneficial information with your visitors and I apologize for my lengthy reply!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! I hope your little one feels better quickly!
What about just fresh horse radish? Cleans my sinuses out every time!
Is there any way to make this without the onion or substitute something else? I love the sounds of this recipe, but onion (particularly raw) really triggers my gag/vomit reflex and I simply cannot keep it down. I can only handle it powdered or cooked in things for some reason. I would really appreciate your advice, thanks! 🙂
Hi, Candice. That wouldn’t be good! I can’t really think of anything to substitutes, but you could try it with just the other ingredients. It might not be as effective, but the other ingredients are also medicinal.
Hi, I was wondering if this decongestant is just specifically for cough/chest congestion or does it work in general in the body. That sounds weird LOL let me explain: my pediatrician wants me to give my son (2 1/2 yr old) Robitussin because he has fluid behind his ear and the decongestant he says will help expand the passage or something like that, to try to get the fluid to drain. I was hoping to find a natural alternative and came across this but wasn’t sure if it’d work since you specifically mention just cough/chest congestion. Thanks!
I really don’t know if it will help with fluid behind the ear but, if it were me, I’d try it. It oughtn’t hurt anything.
Also, just an FYI – I don’t know what all is in Robitussin, but check the labels. A lot of cough syrups, cold meds, etc. have several different active ingredients combined, to serve multiple functions. If you’re like me, you want to avoid anything he doesn’t have to have. I think pseudoephedrine is the decongestant. Guaifenesin is an expectorant (breaks things up). Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant (proven pretty useless for young children in studies, btw).
Drugs.com says that pseudoephedrine “is used to treat nasal and sinus congestion, or congestion of the tubes that drain fluid from your inner ears” and that it works by “shrink[ing] blood vessels in the nasal passages” (or, presumably, in the ears). (It also says not to give it to a child under 4 years old.)
So if this doesn’t work for your purposes, and you still want something natural, you’re looking for something that will contract the blood vessels.
You might also be interested in this post: http://creativechristianmama.com/natural-remedies-for-ear-infection/ and/or in knowing that my chiropractors say that they are often called on to adjust children to help with ear infections. Apparently, chiropractic can often help, especially if it’s a chronic thing.
Hopefully that wasn’t way more information than you wanted. 🙂
I would like to know why not we can eat the pulp ?
I believe the pulp is filtered out simply to leave you with a syrup so it’s more like a “typical” cough medicine. I don’t know of any reason you couldn’t eat the pulp, though.
Children under THREE should not have honey.
Crystal, could you tell me where this information comes from? You’re the first person I’ve ever heard say this – the warnings I’m reading still all say one. (I’m not saying I don’t believe you! I just need more information. 🙂 )
I’ve never heard three as a benchmark either. Where are you sourcing your info from? I’d love to learn something new today.
I didn’t have radishes on hand, so I substituted them with horseradish root. I can’t wait to try it! TY!
Going to try this with the inevitable next round of colds. Sorry to hear about the febrile seizures. That’s scary! Those run in our family. Once an infant has one they are more inclined to have others. Stay on top of breaking fevers with that one! Drs warned us to never wait it out w/fevers since the seizures could do damage. Most of the kids grew out of it.
Thanks! About how old were your kids when they outgrew the seizures? We’ve been through more Tylenol this year than in our first ten years of parenting. I *hate* not letting the fever do the job with her – she stays sick so much longer that way – but we aren’t comfortable just letting her run a fever like the others.
Willow Bark is an alternative to Tylenol for fevers. Also Feverfew works wonders too. If your child is running a fever, run a bath with water matching the temp and let the child sit in the water until it reaches 98 degrees. This will lower the body temp naturally.
I am a holistic nurse. I’ve worked in holistic medicine for almost 10 years, nursing for 18 years.
Thanks! Is willow bark safe in contexts where aspirin is not (given the salicylates)?
How does it taste in conjunction with Nyquil? i prefer the licorice tasting liquid over anything else, and it works bam! bam! for me over anything else. i would prefer to us natural since i am now diabetic, but if its nasty, its a waste of time. i also dont like onions, and i dont care for a strong garlic smell. especially when i am sick, my stomach just wont have it. can you smell or taste onions or garlic when taking it? if you can, this might now be for me, though i am sure it would be better in the long run.
With Nyquil…I honestly have no idea. It doesn’t really taste oniony/garlicky to me. (I don’t like the taste of onions, either, or raw garlic, ‘though I like cooked garlic.) It does smell like onions, though.
I used this several months ago when all 4 of my children got sick. What a difference compared to OTC’s. There were no side effects and they spent only a couple of days home from school. My girls are sick again and I’ve been giving them OTC’s and they are recovering slowly and suffering OTC side effects. I asked my daughter if she wanted the radish medicine she said, “OH Yeah, get that! it was good!” This time I’m going to make Popsicle’s so I can have it ready in the future. Amazing.
When the kids prefer it, that’s definitely a win!
I just made a batch of this this morning and my wife is the guinea pig. She said I put a little too much onion and its a little spicy, but she’s in so much pain from coughing and congestion she would try anything hahaha.
Fantastic recipe, just wondering if there is any possible issues say if I were to use this and a homemade decongestant salve along with a homemade cough syrup simultaniously?
I’m not a doctor or pharmacist, so the usual disclaimers apply, but…I really don’t think so. It’s all just food.
Excuse me, but why did you take off the pulp? wouldn’t it be ‘creamier’ if you’d just left it in? and thus healthier than ingesting it in a ‘liquid’ form?. thanks
I believe the pulp is strained out largely so it has a “syrup” texture/consistency. I think it’s okay to leave it in, but since it will change the proportions you might need slightly more.
I would say this is an expectorant if it clears your chest. Maybe it does clear your nasal passages too?
Maybe use ice cbe trays to freeze single servings then pop out and store in a ziploc?
Because of the honey, this doesn’t freeze completely solid, so you have to be careful not to “mush” them together too much in the freezer or they’ll stick. But you can freeze it. I’m not sure if it’s quite as effective once it’s been frozen, but it’s got to be better than taking nothing because nothing’s on hand!
I really want to make this but my 7 year old has a severe garlic allergy 🙁 Wondering if it would still be effective minus the garlic? or would it be pointless?
I don’t know that it will be as effective, but I think it will not be pointless.
I am horrible at taking any kind of medicine, supplement, what have you. I just drank down 2T no problem. Now to see how it works 🙂
Was wondering how the freezing worked? Did it freeze well? Did it thaw well? Did it change the taste or effectiveness of it?
It would be interesting to make a batch and then have it on hand all year long 🙂
Does this work for sinus?
I haven’t noticed one way or the other, but a few commenters have said it does.
Hi, I have just made some of this and reading some of the comments they have said that it tasted hot when taken. I have had some of mine and it doesn’t taste hot at all. I followed the recipe exactly.
Thanks, Jacky, for adding your experience!
Do you think this would work with a juicer instead of a blender?
I think so.
What else can I use aside from radish?
I just REALLY hate it when people make their websites so you can’t cut and paste. Am I supposed to remember where the heck this is if I become congested? Whatever.
Kerry, I don’t know what you mean by “so you can’t cut and paste.” I don’t have anything disabled.
Oh, how weird. I don’t know what’s wrong with it. You definitely can usually copy-and-paste. The print-friendly button is missing from the recipe, too. How frustrating; I’m so sorry! I am looking into it; in the meantime I’m going to email you the recipe.
I just write it down in a book for future reference. It’s pretty simple.
you can always use the print screen button when website do disable stuff 🙂
I find it helpful to bookmark items like this page and tag them with something that will help me locate them later. For example, I might file the bookmark under Health.
To Chris and all mamas-to-be, 🙂 I would NOT take this as is, since the baby in the womb should not be given honey until one year of age … You might try other natural sweeteners the clearer the better as it might change the colour of the end product.
As a general rule: “Remember what goes through you, goes through your baby as well.”
Thank you, Lucille, for your concern! And of course every mama has to make the decision she believes is best for herself and her baby!
However, it isn’t quite accurate that “what goes through you, goes through your baby.” There is a placental barrier – nutrients and similar elements pass through, but not every “feature” of a food impacts the baby. For instance, the baby doesn’t get fiber; that passes through the digestive tract.
The issue with honey for babies is NOT that there is anything in honey that is inherently unhealthful. The issue is that there is the potential that it could be contaminated with botulism in small amounts. If so, the spores/toxins’ rate of multiplication is too much for an infant’s tiny digestive system to handle, but generally not too much for an adult digestive system. To the best of my understanding, this is a concern that is contained specifically within the gastrointestinal tract. I’ve never known a midwife or doctor to recommend against the consumption of honey during pregnancy and, in fact, many midwives encourage it, for sweetening pregnancy tea or even for a quick energy boost.
The lids can be purchased at any amish store. They come in about 20 different sizes from chilli sauce, baby food , reg and wide as well as gallon jars. They are safe to process once then can be used for storage.
I made this and used it at the onset of a pretty bad cold. I’m not usually one to get sick, but someone coughed right in front of me and that evening, I had that tickle in my throat – I just knew. So, yes, I had all these ingred’s on hand and did just as suggested. Within 10 minutes of the first dose – it was working. I felt warm and my nose was runny. On day 2 the cold had already moved down into the chest and I was coughing. I continued dosing and it kept everything loose. Mind you I was also increasing fluids and taking a blend of herbal antivirals as well as vit. C. I am positive that this helped me completely get over my cold ahead of schedule with no lingering cough that some folks seem to be burdened by. Thanks for sharing this awesome brew. [btw – and imo – gets stronger with age… so make small batches] [Herbal antiviral blend – a strong decoction {20 minutes} of elderberries, cinnamon stick, ginger, clove with added local honey. 2T every 4 hours]
Laurie, thank you for sharing!
hi what c stands for?is it a cup of lemon juice and a cup of honey?
Yes, c = cup. 1 cup of lemon juice and 1 cup of honey.
I saw your article from Herbs and Oils on face book, and liked your page. The reason for this recipe working like it does is because of the sulphur in the radishes, onions, and garlic. Sulphur detoxes the body, liver and other things. Sulphur is very important, it is a mineral,and the body needs it for many things. It is synthetically made as well, but some people have negative reactions to sulphur. . I was told by a doctor 30 years ago to eat a bowl of radishes when I start feeling like I’m competing down with a bug. Not sure how it expels mucous from the lungs though, will have to read up on that one. I had the flu over Memorial Day and a friend made a home made cough syrup, it really helped my throat, but it calls for whiskey. It it equal parts whiskey, and Honey, then you add enough lemon juice to taste, I use a tbsp at a time about every 4-6 hrs. Thank you for sharing this. Will be making this when I get back home. Look forward to reading more. Merry Chriistmas, may you all be safe, warm, healthy, and richly blessed.
Thank you for adding your information!
I wonder if “hot” veggies like garlic and onions are minor irritants, and that’s why they encourage the body to expel mucous?
I have COPD and take 2 Max strength Mucinex every day. I’m trying to incorporate more natural remedies into my routine, as much as possible, and thought this might be a good substitute to the Mucinex. Any thoughts on using it daily?
It’s all just food, so I can’t think of any reason it wouldn’t be okay to take every day. Of course, if your particular body is sensitive to something in it that could become a problem, but that’s true for anything! There are no dependency-forming herbs or anything in this, though.
I rarely get sick but have just come down with a whopper of a virus that has me very congested. I am trying to get away from the commercial preps b/c of all the chemicals and junk that are in them. I made this recipe tonight and it was really easy. I took 2tbsp right away and was surprised how good it tasted. My husband may opt to sleep on the couch though! 🙂 I’ll have to let you know how it works. Thanks.
I really like this decongestant recipe and I was wondering if you could use juicer for same results.
I don’t know, Shirley. A lot of people have asked that, and one or two said they might try it, but I’ve not heard back from anyone who actually did try it in a juicer. (I don’t have one, myself.)
Thank you for posting this recipe. We made it today and I noticed it working after just one dose. Worked great on sinus/head/ear congestion.
We found that the pulp makes a great salsa. Just dip your tortilla chips in it. 🙂
My 3 year old asked for seconds! 🙂 We all liked it and I’m hoping it will knock out this illness we’ve all had for 3 weeks now!
There are no lines or boxes to show where to type..
Could this recipe (cough/expectorant) be frozen in ice cube trays to pull out for later use?? In small amounts for just as much as you need and not make another whole batch?
I’m sorry about the boxes! I don’t know what happened to the outlines, so I haven’t been able to fix it yet. 🙁
You can freeze it, yes. Just be aware that because of the honey it doesn’t free “hard,” so if you dump them into a bag or something once they’re frozen, you have to be careful to not squish them together. It may or may not be quite as effective as if it were fresh but let’s face it, when we’re sick, we really don’t want to run to the grocery store!
My husband struggles with frequent sinus infections and congestion. It doesn’t often move to his chest, but could this recipe work for nasal congestion as well?
My mother learned to make this when we were children. Although it took time adjusting to taste we grew to love it. We even took it as preventive medicine especially during cold/flu season in place of getting a flu shot. I now make this for my children and they look forward to “the pink medicine” when they know I’m going to prepare it. Thankfully my children are quite healthy and if they do begin to come down with any respiratory symptoms this clears it right up. My oldest has seasonal allergies and with the start of spring in our area comes a bit of wheezing for him which I’m sure is uncomfortable. So of course he asked “are you going to make the medicine?” I did a google search of the ingredients and found your site. I simply wanted to remind myself of the proper measurements so I would be waking my mother with a phone call at a crazy hour 😉 Most times I just throw everything together to taste. I wanted to be a little more organized and proportionate this time. And I’m sure I’ll be writing it down to save for reference. 🙂 I appreciate and prefer natural remedies that strengthen the body and its systems overall rather than conventional medicines which can “cure” one thing but leave one with ten new conditions that need treatment. The body is a temple! Keeping it healthy is important at any age.
Thanks for sharing your recipe. God bless!
*Wouldn’t be waking my mother…
{I hope that makes sense now 🙂 }
Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your experience with this! I never thought to use it for seasonal allergies, but that’s a great idea.
I was wondering if you could take the ingred. needed for the decongestant recipe and freeze them in a container so that when the need arises, you can just take them out and blend and your set? Please advise. Thank you!!!
Terri, I haven’t tried that yet, but it has crossed my mind. I think it would work.
Tried this recipe today, though I added two carrots since it’s also said to help asthma. Worked quicker and better than robitusin! Hoping it really gets me through this abismal cold!
I’ve never heard of carrots for asthma; that’s interesting! I hope you feel better soon!
Can’t wait to try this!!
Hi
I wonder did anyone first time made decongestant and it made u feel gagging want to puke out? My body is fight it out I didn’t I keep close my mouth. Then my head became hot n red when I swallowed it . And makes ur mouth feels watery like drooling. ? I hate go doctor they all telling me take pills I rather natural so I’m learning.
Is it possible you’re sensitive to one of the ingredients? The only other thing I can think of would be that if you overdid the garlic or had an exceptionally large or potent onion, that might make it extra “hot.” (I’m not a fan of this if we get a really BIG red onion. If our onion is really big, I’ll just use half or 3/4 of it.)
I’d suggest trying a smaller dose and maybe even diluting it with a small amount of juice or water.
would a cheesecloth work for straining this?
And also, would raw honey work too?
Those are both really good questions! Raw honey should be fine. I think a cheesecloth should work, but I’ve never tried it. I think that’s pretty comparable to the mesh strainer that I use, though, in terms of the fineness of the filter.
I used a cheesecloth today to filter it to a fairly fine liquid. I’m making it for the first time so I’ll see how much separates!
It was nice because I could wrap up the cheesecloth and squeeze as much out as possible! ?
Great idea! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
I am going to try this have had congestion for most of the summer, is it safe for my daughter in law who is 3 months pregnant and has very bad sinus. Thanks for all your helpful information
I, personally, am comfortable with taking it myself while I’m pregnant.
Why does the pulp need strained?
Trying this in a juicer tomorrow. We don’t have a great blender like you 😉 but did receive a handmedown juicer!
Also, I have those kids in regular and wide mouth 🙂 found them at Walmart or target I think.
As far as those lids go…. If you pay attention to jarred items you might buy from the grocery store (Peanut Butter, Mayo, Nuts…) you will eventually come across lids that fit on your Regular Mouth jars and once in a great while stumble across a few wide mouth ones too.
Can’t wait to try the recipe – not that I want to get sick but it sounds so much better than store bought junk. Thanks for sharing.
Great tip!
I make a version of cole slaw using raw radishes and raw onions. If you added some mayo (I’d start with a half of a cup and add more as I zizzed) to the pulp along with about a half a head of cabbage, a splash or two of white vinegar and you will have a delicious coleslaw. It might be a bit sweet, but you can balance this out with acidity. I personally prefer fresh lemon juice over jarred, but would use it in a pinch.
That is an awesome idea; I’ll have to try that!
I agree the fresh lemon juice is probably better, but it’s harder to come by during the winter months when the decongestant is most often needed.
I am always on the look out for home made remedies 🙂 thanks!
and now that i can pin things i will not loose all the recipes 🙂
haha I know that feeling! I had SO many bookmarks before Pinterest…and could never find what I was looking for.
PURE BUNK… and onions and garlic can cause severe gastric distress in preschool children or persons with ulcers.
If you have ulcers, then, yes, I’d think onions, garlic, and probably lemon juice, as well, would be contraindicated. Most people who know they have ulcers are probably well aware they oughtn’t eat onions and garlic and can exercise common sense. 🙂 However, the dosage given here is not enough to be a notable concern for most people who don’t have ulcers, intolerances to one or more of the ingredients, etc. By the time you blend the onion and garlic with all the other ingredients, strain out all the solids, and drink only 2 Tbsp. (or, in the case of a child, 1 Tbsp.) at a time, it’s really not that much onion/garlic. I’ve given this to my toddlers/preschoolers on numerous occasions — in even larger doses than this, at times, because they like it and ask for more — and none of them has ever experienced gastric distress as a result.
As always, do your own due diligence and make your own informed decision. 🙂
If it’s pure bunk… why does it work for so many people? I’m considering trying and modifying it for my 9m/o. Ooops he got dairy, and now has allergy head congestion.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will make it for myself and gladly take it, but I don’t think ANY kid is going to touch this stuff, even with a ten-foot-pole. I know mine won’t. If yours does, you’re one of the lucky one 🙂
My older kids hate it, but my toddlers/preschoolers literally drink it and ask for more. 🙂
I don’t think it would lose it’s efficiency if you froze it because it’s basically relying on the natural acidity of these items to work as a decongestant rather than using an actual chemical. Freezing would not change it’s acidity and lemon juice has often been used as a natural type of preservatives (citric & sorbic acids) so it would probably be fine for quite awhile. Saying that however I think that as it is a natural remedy using fruits and vegetables it’s peak efficiency would be when it was as fresh as possible. The salad dressing base/marinade is a great idea of re-purposing leftover.
There are other medicinal constituents in the garlic, as well, and, I would presume, in the onions and radishes. I don’t know how they’re affected by freezing. I agree that it should still be effective, but I don’t know whether it may be more effective fresh.
I have been home sick for the last 7 days with a horrid cough and congestion. Nothing has really been helping. I found this recipe on Pinterest and tried it. Worked like magic. It is drying up my nasal drainage and I hardly cough. I did not get rid of the pulp but took a 2 tablespoons of it at a time and it worked great too. I probably would not give that part to the kids though.
Here it is two days before 2016 and I find your blog which was written some years ago, but never the less I am greatful… Our family had to travel this winter in the middle of flu season ugh.. Now I am really good with my children’s “sick” cycles which normally last 7 no longer than 10 days and that’s when things are really bad..this time around we all picked up something that just won’t let go so I am on my way to the store and we will be giving this remedy a go! So again thank you.
I’m about to make us a fresh batch, too. I’m sorry you all are feeling cruddy, but I’m glad you found the recipe and I hope it works quickly for you!
This recipe is potent!!! Definitely packs a punch. Came across on wholenewmom’s blog. Reading the ingredients, knew that it will it was going to be strong. It seems to detox the whole body. Today in my 3rd day but on my 2nd day, i don’t feel so congested that i can sleep at night lying down instead of upright. I am using the pulp with my food actually and i simply love the taste since i do like my food hot and spicy. Thanks for sharing.
Got me thinking… How about turnip kimchi? It’s a fermented food, made with cayenne pepper and garlic. Haven’t tried it for mucus but I have read the Koreans claim they escaped the worst of the bird flu epidemic that swept through Asia because they eat kimchi daily.
I’m just getting over a bout of flu and thinking about trying your recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Kimchi is a great idea! I haven’t ever eaten it, so I didn’t even think of it, but it’s probably very effective to the same end.
Hello,
Thanks for posting this I am going to make this tomorrow and give it a try. I will post back after giving i t a try. Thanks
Michelle
Hi, I made the remedy tonight and take some I don’t feel anything should it be burning or something. From all the ‘hot ingredients, ty
No, you won’t necessarily feel anything. Especially if you’re used to eating onions and garlic. It shouldn’t burn, although some people may find it uncomfortable to their guts if they have sensitive stomachs and take it on an empty stomach, or take a LOT. We’ve also found that some onions are more potent than others. It’s more uncomfortable for me to cut up the onion (tears!) than to drink the decongestant. 🙂
It really works! I addes one inch of ginger….
My nephew has allergies and asthma When his allergies are bad he develops a cough that doesn’t want to go away. I tried this miracle cure and it worked wonderfully. The weather changed and he start again. Just came from the farmer’s market made a batch and he’s back on it.
Thx for the information..will work for sinus too?
In our experience, it does.
As an IBS-sufferer, I wouldn’t be able to have this due to the raw onions and garlic, which would cause me to have violent stomach pains. Would you happen to have an alternative Low FODMAPS home remedy recipe for a decongestant?
what if you are allergic to lemons is there something that you can use in stead of this ingredient
Hmm. That’s a good question. Probably the first thing I’d try would be a different citrus, like lime. But I’m guessing if you’re allergic to lemon, then perhaps all citrus is off the table. If so, maybe try apple cider vinegar?
My whole family enjoyed this. The kids are in the throes of some virus and we are using it as a preventative. Thank you!
I’m going to try this tonight! Coughing and congestion is everywhere right now.
you can use a lids from salad dressing jars on the quart jars even the wide mouth ones from Miracle whip fit the wide mouth jars.
You know instead of radishes how about ginger ?
I have added a small piece of Ginger in the mix. I have taken less than half quantity of syrup in a small bottle for regular use and rest kept refrigerated. So I could use it for 3 to 4 weeks.
Just tried this! Yikes is it terrible! Hoping it works 🙂
I agree with all ingredients besides the real lemon juice I would use real natural non engineered lemons and as long as the individual was not consuming products that produce mucus those ingredients could place the body in a state to fight off congestion. If you suppose to come from the earth we should consume from the earth. Genesis 2:7
great idea, can’t wait to see what more u have to offer, just ran across this as I was browsing, hope to see email updates as I will be browsing your site front to back…love these websites…keep up the good work and glad you’re all feeling better!! Thanks for your knowledge. Sincerely Tony Moscak