Master Tonic, Fire Cider, what is it and why it is good to keep on hand; Easy way to identify "real" garlic; Correction to Berkey Post-please read!

A simple homemade concoction with multiple uses and benefits

Each year since 2020, I have realized how important it is to care for oneself and their loved ones without running to the allopathic doctor for every minor incident.

I am stocking my at-home arsenal, but more importantly, I am putting together products and information for easy access in case I am the one who is sick, and I need my loved ones to know what to do for me.

Today, I wanted to share what I made over the weekend. I call it Master Tonic, but you may also know it as Fire Cider. It supposedly originated with Rosemary Gladstar, an herbalist, in the 1970’s.

I used to put everything into my Vitamix, make a slurry, and let that sit for 4-weeks, but I have since learned I can skip that step, chop everything, and place it into the jar with the ACV. It is much more straightforward and less cleanup!

I was first introduced to the concoction when I was a student at Bauman College. I have since made it numerous times, mostly at the request of others to whom I have given some and swear that it works.

My son has been requesting it, and since his immune system is tested daily with the excruciating types of workouts and stressful demands while in AF special forces training, I made this batch to give to him and some of his fellow airmen.

There are many recipes online, and they are straightforward to make. If you search the master fire cider tonic, many recipes will pop up.

The essential ingredients include ginger root, horseradish root, turmeric root, white onions, garlic bulbs, and hot peppers. I went to three places and could not find any horseradish, so my current batch does not have it, but if you can locate it, include it in the recipe. It has antimicrobial properties and clears up mucus.

To the basic blend, add fresh herbs such as rosemary and oregano and citrus such as lemons or limes and oranges and cinnamon sticks.

I added to this batch, rosemary and cinnamon.

After chopping up all the ingredients, place them into mason jars and pour unfiltered raw apple cider vinegar over them until fully covered in the ACV.

If using a metal lid, place a piece of parchment paper over the top before putting the lid on to prevent rust formation. Let it sit in a dark, cool place for up to four weeks. The consensus is a minimum of 2 weeks. Strain out the ingredients and you are left with a potent ACV blend for immune support. At this point, you can add some raw honey.

Give the jar a good shake daily while fermenting.

I will use ingredients that I strain out for our chickens to eat. Others have said that if they grind it in a blender, they use the slushy remains as a marinade. Otherwise, toss out what you strain out of the tonic.

Why Are These Ingredients Chosen for the Tonic?

Ginger: This has a warming effect on the body, which causes us to sweat and expel toxins.  It also is known to soothe the gastrointestinal tract.  It can enhance blood flow, so if you are on a blood thinner, talk to your doctor before taking the Master Tonic.

Horseradish: anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, clears up sinuses

Onions: They are a rich source of quercetin with anti-viral, antibiotic, anti-fungal, and anti-cancer properties. 

Garlic: Anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.  Are you starting to see the pattern here?  Garlic compounds can also thin the blood, so talk with your doctor if you are on blood thinners before drinking the Master tonic. Chop the garlic cloves instead of putting whole cloves into the mixture, as this is required to make the compound allicin.

Hot peppers: They are anti-inflammatory and aid with digestion. The main ingredient that gives them their anti-inflammatory properties is the capsaicin.

Turmeric: Anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer properties, used to reduce pain

Apple cider vinegar: ACV helps the body to expel toxins, helps with acid reflux, is said to cure a cold, gargle for sore throat, is anti-fungal, balances blood pressure, and much more!

How to Identify Quality Garlic

Here is a quick and helpful video on purchasing quality garlic, not bleached garlic, from China.

How to Use Master Tonic

After sitting for several weeks, the final strained version will look like the picture above. It isn’t the most appetizing color, but a potent tonic!

Take 1 to 2 tablespoons two to three times daily when you feel a cold or flu coming on.  Swish it in your mouth before you swallow.  Don’t dilute it with water; add some raw honey to the mixture as it is strong and intense.  Skip the honey for toddlers under one year old.

If you are already sick, you may need to take it more than 3 times per day

One to two tablespoons daily until symptoms subside for mild colds may do the trick.

Colds and Flu: This is what this Tonic was initially created for.  At the first sign of a cold or flu, take a dose.  Take up to 4 times per day.  Please have some food in your belly first, as it can cause stomach upset.  Chase with honey if the heat from it bothers you. 

Take 4 doses for 4 days or until symptoms subside.  Once cold/flu symptoms subside, you can take it 1-2 times daily for several days.  You can also take 1,000 mg. of vitamin C as frequently as every 15 minutes up to bowel tolerance. 

Immune Support:  Some people want to take this during the cold and flu season to boost their immune system and prevent getting sick.  In that case, I suggest only one dose per day. 

Candida: The tonic has anti-fungal properties, so it is a good addition if you are trying to get rid of stubborn candida.  But the tonic should not be the only product you use for yeast overgrowth.

UTI: For bladder infections, take at the first sign.  Take 4 times per day.  As with candida, this should not be the only product to take for a UTI. Some UTIs may be medical intervention.

Prebiotic: This is considered a prebiotic because the tonic has raw garlic and raw onion.  Prebiotics are essentially the food for your probiotics. This is not a product to replace your probiotics!   But this is a very good product to add in to support your overall gut health.  Continue with your probiotic regimen. 

Can This Tonic “Really” Cure a Cold?

I have heard from numerous people that I have given the tonic to, and it got rid of their cold. However, in nutrition, we cannot say that any natural remedy “cured” you of an illness.

This is strange to me because if someone came to me with scurvy, and I gave them vitamin C, I still cannot say that the vitamin C cured them of scurvy even though that is what scurvy is-a vitamin C deficiency.

But if someone receives chemotherapy, which does not kill just tumors but kills everything in the body, and five years later, they have chemo brain and neuropathy and poor quality of life but have no signs of the cancer reappearing, the medical profession can say the person is cured.

So, can the tonic cure a cold? No, it cannot, but it can reduce or eliminate signs and symptoms and provide immune support. Only you can decide if a non-allopathic remedy cured you!

Some recipe links for you- each have their own variation.

https://goodfoodbaddie.com/fire-cider-recipe

https://experiencelife.lifetime.life/recipe/fire-cider-wellness-shot/
https://www.almanac.com/how-to-make-fire-cider

Additional Sources

Murray, M. Pizzorno J. & Pizzorno, L. (2005). The encyclopedia of healing foods. Atria Books.

Wood, R. (2010). The new whole foods encyclopedia. Penguin Books.

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Please go to this link to read the updated Berkey post, as apparently; the Boroux filter company has not teamed up with Berkey. It was very misleading, and I want to ensure you have the correct information.