Oh, it’s that time of the season where we are struggling with the cold & flu!!

Guess who has a cold right now? Moi!! I actually did really well this entire season without getting the flu, but I, unfortunately, got this bugger cold.  So I wanted to share with y’all the Greek secrets of keeping the nasty flu away. I hope you enjoy it.

How To Prevent The Flu & Cold The Greek Way

I am pretty sure yiayia would be happy to read this post, so this is to you Yiayia Stavroula. 

Flu & Cold Preventatives

You know all those times your Greek grandparents would tell you to drink the mountain tea? Well, they were right! Read below on the benefits of tsai tou vounou and more.

Tsai Tou Vounou~ Greek mountain tea

This wonderful tea comes from the mountains in Greece. It derives from Sideritis plant, part of the sage family. I remember this tea since I was a little child in Greece. My yiayia would make it instantly if she heard a cough in the house. 🙂

Benefits of Tsai Tou Vounou

Rich in iron, and used as a medicinal tea. It can be a great stress reliever and perfect to relieve any tummy aches. Whenever my stomach hurts, I brew a cup of this tea and add a teaspoon of Karpenisi honey.

Tsai Tou Vounou Recipe

• 1/3 cup of mountain tea (Purchase Mountain Tea Below)
• 1 pot of water
• Optional~
• Greek honey (Purchase Cretan Thyme Honey Below)
• Lemon

Directions:

1. Boil the flowers and water for 5 minutes.
2. Strain out flowers, and add honey and lemon.

Fresh Orange Juice~

First, let me clarify guys. I do not mean the store-bought orange juice crap. (It is full of sugar, and preservatives.) Go to the store, or your neighbors orange tree and grab a good handful of oranges. Juice about 2 or 3 oranges at a time, and enjoy.

Benefits of Orange Juice

• Vitamin c
• Immune system boost
• Good source of fiber
• Antioxidant

Grab yourself a bag of oranges next time you feel a cold coming on!! (You can even reserve the orange peel to make tasty mulled spices.)

Raki/ Rakomelo~ Greek Spirit

You will most likely find “raki” at almost 95 % of restaurants in Crete. We were there in August 2017, and my friend was shocked how often they would serve us this drink for free. (Most of the time you would enjoy this Greek spirit with a fresh plate of fruit.)

Raki

Raki is made from grapes. The word “raki” comes from the ancient Greek word Rax meaning grape. Raki is produced from pressed grapes via distillation. You might also hear the word “tsipouro” which is basically almost the same spirit, but distilled twice vs raki being distilled once.

Rakomelo~ Greek Honey Drink 

The best drink to cure any sore throat or cold. This is my favorite Greek drink, especially during the wintertime. Two ingredients in this drink. Honey and raki, and maybe a dash of cinnamon. 

Ingredients:

• Briki
• 1/2 cup of Raki
• 3 teaspoons of Greek honey
• Optional: cinnamon powder

1. Add ingredients to a “briki” and place over medium heat. Make sure to keep an eye on this because it can boil over very fast.
2. Once the honey has melted, and the mixture is hot remove it from the stove.
3. Serve immediately with a dash of cinnamon powder.

Looking for a briki? Purchase here. >>

I hope you enjoyed this post! If you believe in these Greek tips to keep a cold or flu away, make sure to comment below. 

Looking for Greek mountain tea, Greek thyme honey, or a briki? Check out our TOP brands below. 🙂

Briki

Greek Thyme Honey

Greek Mountain Tea

Cheers!