Sicko

I'm not feeling very well today.  A cold is trying to invade, which is never okay!  So what does one do in Japan to stave off colds? 

My husband's family gorges themselves with gyoza, also known as pot stickers.  Japanese gyoza contain three magical ingredients: Chinese chives (or garlic chives), garlic, and ginger.  Indulging in these ingredients are a mom's secret powerhouse here.  My husband also swears by it, so whenever anyone of us get that little itch, we either make gyoza or go out for it.  Tonight we went with the latter and went to a Chinese restaurant for gyoza as well as hot and sour soup with ramen noodles.

Another popular trick is to drink lots and lots of honey tea.  I prefer zesting yuzu (a popular citrus in Japan) and mixing it with honey.  I typically always have a jar of it in my fridge for any sore throats or runny noses that come my way.  I dig out a spoonful and add it to a cup of hot water.  Sometimes I mix in some julienned ginger as well for added health benefits.

My honey is crystalized because I keep it in the fridge.

This isn't required.

Some of the park moms grind up daikon (the large white radish) and mix that with honey.  Daikon is packed with Vitamin C as well as a special enzyme that helps to dissolve and expel mucus. Honey has natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties which sooth sore throats.  The honey-daikon mixture can be eaten as a syrup or as a tea.  Either way, it is a powerful drink that kick colds to the curb.

Instead of chicken soup, Japanese moms make okayu, a boiled rice porridge.  I like my okayu with some ume (pickled plum), which has it's own natural health benefits, like fighting nausea and fatigue.  I've never made okayu, but my husband has made it for our family many, many times.  I think it is a great food to eat whenever you have an upset stomach.

I've tried every one of these natural remedies and think they all have their merits.  Of course, I also think taking a break to let your body rest and taking wellness vitamins that are intended to stop a cold before it really develops help too.  Good thing I stocked up on my vitamins on my recent trip to the US!