If you're feeling a little peaked at the start of 2013, then you can do worse than turn to honey for some relief.
The National Honey Board retweeted a link a recipe for "Grandma's Homemade Cough Syrup" from the Mrs. Happy Homemaker blog. It has just three ingredients: honey, olive oil and lemon juice.
A 2007 study by researchers at the Penn State College of Medicine found that "a small dose of buckwheat honey before bedtime provided better relief of [night time coughs]...than no treatment or dextromethorphan (DM), a common cough suppressant." So you don't actually have to make any cough syrup--just take a teaspoon of honey! The Honey Board's website also includes many skin care recipes for soothing chapped skin and lips. My favorite is the simplest: Just smooth about a teaspoon of honey on your dry face and let it sit for a minute or two and then wash off. Your face will feel smooth (and will be sweet enough to kiss!).
Another simple and soothing recipe, especially if you're nursing a cold, is fresh ginger tea. Take about a 2-inch knob of fresh ginger and scrub it well. There's no need to peel the skin, since you'll be straining it out. Slice the knob into about 1/4 inch slices and put in a tea pot. Pour about 2 cups boiling water over the ginger and let it steep for five minutes. Strain out the ginger, pour into a cup and add honey to taste, and breathe deeply while you sip!
