Your home is no longer a hostel, the Palma to Alcudia road isn’t jammed with tourists and the air now smells of wood burners not sweat – Fall in Mallorca is here! And, so is cold and flu season. Before you start inhaling your own body weight in decongestants and pumping your body with wretched antibiotics, we grab a chat with Mallorca based health expert Melanie Mack and talk cold cures and immune boosters!

We met up over a cup of ginger and lemon tea at the newly opened mymuybeuno Deli in Palma to discuss cold cures – all the natural remedies us islanders use to fight a cold and keep ourselves on our  feet throughout Autumn.  

COLD CURES

Oil of Oregano

Why you should take it

A potent anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory which boosts your immune system by ramping up production of white blood cells which are your body’s natural defense arsenal. This power fighter acts as an expectorant, helping to loosen and eliminate mucus and phlegm in the respiratory tracts and sinuses.  

How to take oil of oregano

Take a few drops diluted with water, a few times a day. Don’t take it for more than 14 days and start slowly.

Keep up your good summer hydration habits and drink plenty of water to flush out toxins.

Cold Busting Tip

Make sure that you buy organic Oil of Oregano with a higher percentage of carvacrol.

Where to buy it in Mallorca

Herboristeria Maria Antonia Bergas in Santa Catalina in Palma carries it or can order Oregano Oil for you.

Ginger

Why ginger is your new best friend

Gingerol contained in ginger is a powerful antioxidant. It is anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and antibacterial. Ginger acts as a natural relief for nausea and is safe for pregnancy. Ginger helps to cleanse your lymphatic system which is a source of elimination in your body. I personally juice daily with raw ginger in my green veggie juice which helps to keep colds at bay.  

As a bonus it is ideal for motion sickness and altitude sickness which is why you will often see those hardcore cyclists taking it before they ride the serpentine roads of the Tramuntana.

Where to get a ginger shot in Mallorca

You can grab a raw, strong and spicy ginger shot at Ziva or Simple Smart Food Bar .

How to take ginger

Like tequila, it is best if you knock it back in a shot glass in one go!

You can also make a hot tea with raw ginger root. Simply take about half a thumb size of peeled, organic ginger and place into hot water and let sit for a few minutes. For an extra kick of vitamin C, add fresh, organic lemon juice to the glass.  

Lemon juice is also an anti-inflammatory which helps to soothe sore throats. Grab some lemons straight from the tree next time you are in Soller.

Eucalyptus

When you are sick and your head feels like a palm tree has landed on it, one of the most soothing and simple remedies is to inhale steam with a few drops of eucalyptus oil in it. Eucalyptus oil helps to open your sinuses and moisturise dry nasal passages. It works as an expectorant and cleanses the body of toxins. Eucalyptus aids respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis. It also cleanses the air and makes your home smell like a luxury 5 star spa in Mallorca!

How to free up your airways

Boil a pot of water (turn off once water is boiling), place 5 – 10 drops of eucalyptus oil in the water and place a towel over your head. Inhale deeply and feel your sinuses open!  

You can mix eucalyptus, peppermint and coconut oil together into a vapor rub which you can rub on your upper chest.

Expert Health Tip

Make sure you buy organic and therapeutic grade oil.

Where to buy it in Mallorca

You can buy Eucalyptus oil in Soria Natural, the Herbodietetica in Ecovegeteria.

Mallorcan Chicken Soup for the Island Soul

Chicken soup helps to break up congestion, soothe sore throats and usually contains onions and garlic. Onions and garlic contain phytonutrients to support your immune system. Chicken contains the amino acid cysteine which helps to thin and eliminate mucus. Simmering organic chicken bones for 12 -24 hours releases  all the amazing amino acids in the bones. The soup then contains nutrients which are easy to digest, boost healing, support detoxification and boost collagen.

This all has the added benefit of helping to seal the lining of your gut which may need a rest and some TLC after a summer of Rosé  and pa amb boli.

Recipe

Buy an organic chicken and roast in the oven. Then remove all the meat from the carcass and take the bones and put them into a slow cooker or tall pot. Cover bones with water: add 1 -2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar plus 1 whole onion, a few cloves of garlic, fresh parsley and thyme, carrots and celery. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 12 – 24 hours. The longer the broth cooks, the more amazing nutrients will be released. Strain the broth and then add back in your chicken and freshly chopped carrots and celery.  

Expert Health Tip

You can freeze your bone broth. I make a batch once a month and drink it after the gym as it’s amazing post-workout as well!

Where to buy organic chicken in Mallorca

You can buy organic chicken and a variety of other organic products at Eco Milla in the Santa Catalina Market. They also have a selection of 100% ecologically produced seasonal fruit and vegetables.

Where to buy apple cider vinegar in Mallorca

If possible, buy apple cider vinegar with ‘The Mother’. There are a few places in Mallorca that stock it, such as Peras and Pears , Britvid and Nice Price.

Rest and Recover

Rest is the most important thing you can do to help your body fight off a cold. And where better to do that than Mallorca?

 

Written by Melanie Mack

About the author Melanie Mack is a health and fitness enthusiast who has been passionate about holistic wellness for over 12 years.  After dealing with the uninspiring approach of Western medicine, Melanie decided to change careers and work towards truly healing people through functional and integrative medicine. With a core belief that you can heal the body through food and lifestyle changes, Melanie’s approach is “let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates.  Melanie is currently studying to become a Nutritional Therapist and Naturopath at the Natural Healthcare College & College of Naturopathic Medicine, both out of London. She looks forward to opening her own practice in Mallorca in January of 2018. Melanie currently lives in Mallorca with her husband and 2 dogs.