SudoSlayer
Well-known member
When you're feeling miserable - whether it's a nasty cold, flu, or just a pounding hangover - what do chefs and doctors turn to for comfort food? The answer is often not chicken soup, as popularly believed.
For Dr. Ricardo José, a consultant in respiratory medicine, hydration is key when he's feeling under the weather. "It's about taking frequent sips throughout the day to keep the mucous membranes moist," he says. His go-to remedy for a dry, tickly cough is honey in warm tea - lemon or peppermint work well too.
Not everyone shares this love of sweet remedies, however. Dr. Jenna Macciochi, an immunologist, swears by raw honey and thyme tea to ease irritation and support respiratory health. "I also love marshmallow root tea," she says, "which is great for the mucous membranes."
When it comes to soothing a sore throat, smoothies can be a lifesaver. Dietitian Sophie Medlin recommends using frozen mixed berries and kefir for bonus gut health benefits. For Emeritus Professor Ron Eccles, ice cream or an ice lolly are the perfect way to numb the pain and irritation.
But what about spices? Chef Asma Khan, owner of Darjeeling Express in London, rustles up a strong masala chai with fresh ginger and crushed black pepper to soothe her throat. "The warmth of the tea soothes the throat," she says, "but the ginger and pepper do the real work - increasing circulation, clearing the sinuses and helping fight off infection."
Food is also key for specialist dietitian Sophie Medlin when it comes to recovering from a bout of flu. She recommends soups made with different vegetables cooked in bone broth for protein and nutrients, as well as shredded roasted chicken or tofu.
Of course, not everyone can stomach solid food when they're feeling poorly. Dr. Emily Leeming, a scientist and author of Genius Gut, agrees that staying hydrated is essential. For chef Anna Jones, a cure-all remedy is "fire honey", a bright-orange sunshine in a jar made with lemon zest, red chilli, ginger and turmeric.
And then there's the hangover. When you're feeling decidedly under the weather after a night out, Miers says it's all about loading up on vitamin-rich liquids - like green juice or water - followed by whatever delicious foods are available in the fridge. "Grilled sourdough with a fried egg, crispy chickpeas and chilli oil normally does the trick," she says.
For those looking to rebuild strength after a bout of illness, the advice is clear: focus on slow-cooked stews, fermented foods like sauerkraut or kefir, and plenty of colourful plants. As for José, he returns to a balanced diet with a good amount of protein - such as eggs - to support healing.
In short, when you're feeling miserable, it's not just about sipping tea (although that can be a lifesaver). It's about listening to your body and giving yourself the nourishment and care you need to recover.
For Dr. Ricardo José, a consultant in respiratory medicine, hydration is key when he's feeling under the weather. "It's about taking frequent sips throughout the day to keep the mucous membranes moist," he says. His go-to remedy for a dry, tickly cough is honey in warm tea - lemon or peppermint work well too.
Not everyone shares this love of sweet remedies, however. Dr. Jenna Macciochi, an immunologist, swears by raw honey and thyme tea to ease irritation and support respiratory health. "I also love marshmallow root tea," she says, "which is great for the mucous membranes."
When it comes to soothing a sore throat, smoothies can be a lifesaver. Dietitian Sophie Medlin recommends using frozen mixed berries and kefir for bonus gut health benefits. For Emeritus Professor Ron Eccles, ice cream or an ice lolly are the perfect way to numb the pain and irritation.
But what about spices? Chef Asma Khan, owner of Darjeeling Express in London, rustles up a strong masala chai with fresh ginger and crushed black pepper to soothe her throat. "The warmth of the tea soothes the throat," she says, "but the ginger and pepper do the real work - increasing circulation, clearing the sinuses and helping fight off infection."
Food is also key for specialist dietitian Sophie Medlin when it comes to recovering from a bout of flu. She recommends soups made with different vegetables cooked in bone broth for protein and nutrients, as well as shredded roasted chicken or tofu.
Of course, not everyone can stomach solid food when they're feeling poorly. Dr. Emily Leeming, a scientist and author of Genius Gut, agrees that staying hydrated is essential. For chef Anna Jones, a cure-all remedy is "fire honey", a bright-orange sunshine in a jar made with lemon zest, red chilli, ginger and turmeric.
And then there's the hangover. When you're feeling decidedly under the weather after a night out, Miers says it's all about loading up on vitamin-rich liquids - like green juice or water - followed by whatever delicious foods are available in the fridge. "Grilled sourdough with a fried egg, crispy chickpeas and chilli oil normally does the trick," she says.
For those looking to rebuild strength after a bout of illness, the advice is clear: focus on slow-cooked stews, fermented foods like sauerkraut or kefir, and plenty of colourful plants. As for José, he returns to a balanced diet with a good amount of protein - such as eggs - to support healing.
In short, when you're feeling miserable, it's not just about sipping tea (although that can be a lifesaver). It's about listening to your body and giving yourself the nourishment and care you need to recover.
. Like, nope! Doc José's right, hydration is key, but honey in warm tea? Come on, that's cute 
. I mean, have you tried a good ol' fashioned cup of strong black coffee? Now that's what I call medicine 
️. And don't even get me started on the so-called "expert" advice about raw honey and thyme tea... like we're all missing out on some ancient cure or something 
. Give me a break! 
... doctor ricardo jose is all about hydration, while dr jenna macciochi loves raw honey and thyme tea 
... meanwhile, others like emily leeming (aka genius gut) are all about staying hydrated too 
... what i think is cool is that theres no one-size-fits-all answer here 
. like we should just listen to our bodies and figure out what makes us feel better 
.
i think what's crazy is how many people swear by different stuff but it all boils down to hydration imo hydration is key to keeping mucous membranes moist & that's what really matters when your body's trying to fight off an infection 
omg have u guys tried this fire honey 
anna jones mentioned it in the article & i gotta say its a total game changer 4 hangovers! its like a sunshine in a jar 
plus its got all these amazing health benefits from the lemon zest, red chilli, ginger & turmeric i mean who needs ice cream or an ice lolly when u can have fire honey lol 
. Like, don't get me wrong, it's comfy and all, but there are way more effective remedies out there! I mean, have you seen Dr. José's honey and warm tea combo? That sounds like a total game-changer for a dry cough 
Those spices are literally magic for your throat 
... anyway, I think what's really important is finding something that works for you and just going with it 
.
- but I know people swear by all sorts of weird and wonderful things. Raw honey and thyme tea, fire honey, masala chai... it's like each person's got their own secret ingredient to make them feel better.
. There's just something about that soothing warmth that gets me through a bad day. I love how some of these docs are getting into the benefits of spices and teas, though - ginger and pepper combo sounds like a total game-changer for sore throats! 
, I had this chat with a food blogger who knows a celeb chef from Darjeeling Express in London, Asma Khan, and apparently she swears by that masala chai recipe with ginger & black pepper for when she's feeling miserable 
. She says the combo increases circulation & helps clear sinuses. I'm like, yeah no wonder it tastes so good 
! Anyway, I think what they're saying is that hydration is key & listening to ur body matters. Don't @ me 
. And honey in warm tea is a total game changer too... I have this one brand of honey that's like, organic and raw and everything 
. Dr. Jenna Macciochi's thyme tea recipe is also super easy to make and tastes amazing - I'm definitely gonna start making that ASAP 
!
I'm loving this article on comfort foods for when we're feeling down 
, and honey in warm tea is literally the best thing since sliced bread 
! But what really gets me is that everyone has their own go-to remedies 
Sophie Medlin's smoothie idea sounds like the perfect hangover cure 
! I mean, who doesn't love sucking on something warm and spicy when they're feeling crummy? As for me, I'm a sucker for a good ol' fashioned chicken soup 
... just kidding 
.
I'd love to see some actual studies on this! 
I'm so done with everyone trying to one-up each other with their "miracle" remedies for when we're feeling rubbish! 
Like, honey in warm tea is great and all, but what about those of us who are lactose intolerant or vegan? 
Do we just get left out of the party because nobody bothered to think about our dietary restrictions? 
drinking warm tea with honey is defo the way to go when u got a cough! 
. And don't even get me started on the weird stuff like marshmallow root tea - who thought that was a good idea? 
