Homestead Medicine Cabinet: Flax jelly for sore throats
Flax Jelly has been used as a medicinal remedy for sore throats for generations. It’s a must-have for your homestead medicine cabinet. Learn how to make this for your family to help with chest congestion, cough and sore throat.
It’s a beautiful sunny day today.ย It seems brighter with the sunlight reflected on the snow.ย The wind is blowing quite strongly and it’s blowing in freshness and life.ย It’s been kind of dark since Solstice and I love to see the sunlight again.ย Lots of my friends are sick right now.ย It’s cold and flu season around here and lack of sunlight is a huge factor in the weakening of our Canadian immune systems.ย I hope you are taking vitamin D3.ย I take 5 tablets a day to keep my immune system working in top shape.
When you do get sick, flax jelly is a great remedy for the cough, sore throat, and the generally cough-hackiness of flu season.ย Here’s the recipe.ย You can print it out using the button at the bottom of the post and save it for when you need it.
Flax Jelly Recipe
Flax jelly is the oldest herbal remedy known. It has stood the test of time. It helps with chest congestion, cough, and sore throat. Make it just before you consume it. It thickens as it cools.
Ingredients for one serving:
- 2 tablespoons of whole flaxseed
- 1 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions:
1. Using a medium saucepan, bring the water and flaxseed to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Strain immediately and reserve the clear liquid in a teacup.
3. To the teacup, add one teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
4. Drink it down immediately, before it gets too thick.
Flax jelly
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 3 min
- Total Time: 10 min
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
Description
Flax jelly is the oldest herbal remedy known. It has stood the test of time. It helps with chest congestion, cough and sore throat.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. whole flax seed
- 1 cup of water
- 1 tsp Honey
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Bring water and flax seed to a boil and simmer for 5 min.
- Strain immediately and reserve the clear liquid.
- Mix in honey and lemon juice.
- Drink immediately, before it cools down and thickens
Notes
Make it just before you consume it. It thickens as it cools. If it cools too much the consistency is similar to egg whites, it is preferable to drink quite hot.
If you let it cool too much flaxseed jelly takes on the consistency of egg whites. Certainly not pleasant, but it is medicine and it doesn’t taste bad. It does help with the symptoms of a sore throat, cough and chest congestion. Mr. Joybilee says, “You get used to it.” Your children may not appreciate it cooled.
The actions of flaxseed are:
- demulcent (soothes),
- anti-tussive (prevents coughing),
- laxative,
- emollient, and
- vulnerary(wound healing).
You can also use flax jelly without the honey and lemon, as an egg white substitute in baking, or as an aftershave lotion. You can also take the jelly and seeds together in a cotton cloth and use it externally as a warm plaster over the chest, to reduce congestion.
Other herbs you can take for a cold or flu:
Willow Bark (for the aches and fever)
To find out more things you can do with flax check out these other posts from Joybilee Farm
Flax plasters, compresses, cold relief, and omega 3:ย The benefits of Flax
DIY moisturizing hand sanitizer from flax
Your Turn:
This isn’t an exhaustive list.ย What’s your favorite natural remedy for colds and flu?ย Share it in the comments.
Learn more about using herbs for health and wellness from my Book
Homegrown Healing From Seed to Apothecary
My book Homegrown Healing From Seed to Apothecary will help you grow healing herbs in your own garden. Focusing on the easiest plants for beginners to grow, Homegrown Healing From Seed to Apothecary covers 30 plants, recommended by professional herbalists, that can be grown in the temperate zone. Initial garden preparation, garden design and harvesting tips lead the novice herbalist into early success. Choose which herbs to grow, learn how to use these herbs for your family’s health and wellness using the guidance in my book. You can find out more about this useful guide to growing more herbs and using them strategically here.
These photos renmid me of the ones in my grandmothers photo album. My mother was raised on a homestead in the then rural area of Williamsburg, OH. Of course, homesteading was the way of life for my grandparents and probably yours too. I sometimes feel that I am not living up to my roots because I don’t know how to can vegetables yet and am not a very good sewer. (Is that part of it?) I remember going into my grandmothers pantry and seeing stacks and rows of canned beans, tomatoes and peppers; I even remember sitting around the kitchen breaking beans. Even being only a first generation city-girl there is still a lot to re-learn about the natural way. Thanks for providing a platform. Do you having any advice about building a small greenhouse for Ohio winters?
This forum needed sahikng up and you’ve just done that. Great post!
Never heard of using flax for sore throats! I learned something new! ๐ We usually concoct a lemon/honey/ginger paste or use slippery elm tea. I’ll have to try the flax idea the next time a sore throat comes to call – hopefully not soon! I’m going to post a link to this post on my blog – hope that’s ok! I enjoy posting helpful info for holistically minded moms!
Hi, Susan
Thanks for posting a link to your blog. I really appreciate it. We found out about the flax jelly when we started growing linen (fiber flax). It works and it isn’t as gross as it sounds. We usually put the lemon and honey in it. You are second person who suggested ginger. I am definitely going to try that with the flax next time. Hoping over to check out your blog now. Cheers,
Chris
I like an Elderberry rob.Tastes like crap,but does the job.Also some red clover/cayenne teas helps with upper respiratory issues.
Thanks for commenting, Kellie. What’s Elderberry rob? I haven’t heard about that one. I’ve also used dandylion wine to advantage with cold and flu symptoms. Cayenne would be great for breaking a fever. I haven’t tried red clover yet but I think I will this summer, when the clover is in bloom. Thanks for stopping by. Chris
Always refreshing to hear a raitoanl answer.
“The consistency of snot” – yum! Like you said, it’s medicine. I like echinacea tea with honey, or just a spoonful of manuka honey left to sit in the back of the throat. Thanks for sharing on Wildcrafting Wednesday.
Thanks for commenting, Laurie. Honey is good, too. I like lemon and honey for a sore throat, too. Manuka honey is difficult to come by around here, so I use local honey which works, too, as long as it hasn’t been super-filtered. Chris
Gidday!I’m enjoying your joernuy carrotchasing! If you haven’t already done so, and get the opportunity on your travels, I highly recommend you do a Permaculture Design Certificate course. Firstly, because it makes you a much more valuable woofer, and secondly Permaculture needs more trained teachers to spread the message, and I’d say you would be prime candidates! Thirdly, Permaculture needs folks like you and Guy in it to help bring in the collapse message’ In my opinion, quite a few Permies want to tinker in the OIMBY (only in my back yard) realm and not be stirring it up enough like Guy has been doing!Thanks for sharing, I’ll be watching for more here, or on facebook!Best RegardsTed HowardNelsonNew Zealand
We like to drink lots of Ginger and Lemon tea!!!
Oh, that sounds very good, Judith. Almost worth being sick to drink ginger and lemon tea. Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. Chris
Unbelievable how well-wrtietn and informative this was.