Cook up a cure

Urban centres are teeming with cold and flu germs at this time of year. But there is an alternative to rattling with decongestants and flu remedies and it draws on rural wisdom. Napiers' Dee Atkinson is to herbal medicine what Trinny and Susannah are to fashion. She throws open our larder doors, briefs us on the inherent properties of herbs and spices, and advises us on how to become narcotic-free domestic alchemists.

In times gone by, people would grow medicinal herb gardens alongside their culinary gardens. Herbs such as thyme, sage, garlic and rosemary were larder staples and used to make medicines.

Housewives would make up simple cough syrups, throat gargles and ointments to treat the day-to-day health problems of their family. We are so conditioned to running to the chemist at the first sign of a cough or sniffle that we have lost the art of using the plants around us to heal our ills.

The medical moral? Overlook your larder at your peril. The humble leek emerges as an effective blood cholesterol lowerer; parsley is unmasked as having stimulating properties with its high iron content.

For mental alertness, chew on some basil; for a hangover foil, boil an artichoke (to support the liver and detoxify); and to combat car sickness and the nausea of morning sickness, steep some ginger in boiling water.

Colds and flu

Garlic, the herb we have a love-hate relationship with, has been used as a medicine for centuries. It is strongly antiseptic and is often thought of as a herbal antibiotic. Particularly useful in treating upper respiratory problems, garlic tackles coughs and mucus problems. At the first sign of a cold, finely chop up a clove of garlic, put it onto a teaspoon and swallow it before your evening meal. I use this to stop picking up my patients' coughs and colds. To make a simple garlic cough syrup, finely chop a whole head of garlic, place it into a clean screw-top jar and cover with runny honey. Leave this overnight and the honey will extract the active ingredients from the garlic. This soothing syrup can be used as often as needed.

Sore throat

Thyme and rosemary are powerful antiseptics and are active against a range of bacteria. They can be used in their dried form. For a sore throat, take a teaspoon of each and cover with a cup of boiling water. Allow to cool, and strain. This makes a wonderful soothing and effective gargle and it can also be used as a mouth rinse for gum infections.

Sinus problems

Sage has long been used to ease sinus problems, and combines well with ginger, which has antiseptic properties. Take a teaspoon of dried sage and an inch of finely chopped fresh ginger, bring to the boil with a cup full of water and allow to cool. Sip this tea throughout the day. This is a very warming tea and can also be drunk if you feel cold and shivery and need a hot toddy.

Dee Atkinson is consultant medical herbalist at Napiers Herbalists, National Herbal Advice Line 0906 802 0117. www.napiers.net