#cold from hell

First the recipe then the words. Because, y'know.

1 mug or bowl that ideally makes you happy and retains heat well

Broth of your choice (I'm using a vegan mushroom-based box broth I got at the store)

Cayenne pepper from the spice section

Garlic and ginger minced. I have found that the cost of the frozen Dorot Gardens garlic and ginger has been worth it to me because garlic and ginger prep can feel Sisyphusian even when it's not but maybe especially when I'm sick

Rice of your choice (optional)

Any extras you want (optional) (I'm a vegetarian and I'm liking Gardein's morning saus'ge which heat up nicely in the microwave and some roasted bell peppers when I have the energy to be "fancy")

Combine garlic, ginger, rice, and broth in mug. Heat in microwave one minute or put it all in a lil pot and do it the old-fashioned way.

Prepare your extras and add in those, plus cayenne pepper to taste. Check the temperature. If it's not steaming, heat it until it is without making it asplode.

Eat well and also inhale the steam.

I hear "Food is medicine" said a lot by Native Americans of many different Nations and I used to think it was kind of like the Jewish "Food is love" but ACTUALLY it's [maybe also] literal.

I have been suffering with a ridiculous virus I picked up at work for over a month now. Sinus and chest congestion. I've been to urgent care and got prednisone and a huge bill for the effort because yay US healthcare /s. I've been taking the cough syrup, blowing my poor nose constantly, cough drops, all my usual allergy and asthma medicine, but it just keeps re-surging.

For the last few days, I remembered that garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper are known to help with chronic rinitis which is something I have and probably part of why I'm struggling so much compared to my coworkers who were mostly sick for 3-5 days. So I started making this. And it's helping a lot more than the pharmacy stuff. The pharmacy stuff helps too and listen to you doctor blah blah etc. but also...

Food IS medicine.

Yes. This is how I wanted to start my morning. Crying.

Then I found out the hard way that our microwave gave up the ghost finally when I wanted to heat up some broth.