Trying Master Tonic

According to Mother Earth News, Master Tonic is ". . .  a natural anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic tonic to take through the fall and winter months of cold and flu season when you are surrounded by coughing, sneezing and contagious people, or whenever you're feeling under the weather." It can be purchased from Amazon, Etsy, but I couldn't find it at Walmart or Walgreen's. I can find it on my daughter's counter, though, as she introduced me to it. She's been making and using it for some time.

When my husband was nursing a cold (well, I was being a nurse to him, too) I decided to try some of her Master Tonic when my throat felt sore. Can I tell you it is an acquired taste and some people may never accept that it tastes potable. However, it is safe to drink and what would have been 7 to 10 days of a miserable cold turned into two days of Master Tonic and a sinus headache. Well and good! Then two weeks ago I came down with a general feeling of unwellness (look up "frobly mobly" an Old English word: Neither well nor unwell) and a slight fever by Saturday noon.  Took a tablespoon of Master Tonic, another at night, and two the next day. Monday, no fever and much better. Okay, I'm sold on it. Got her recipe - there are several on the web, but I know hers worked for me - and here it is:

• 1 part fresh chopped garlic preferably organic
• 1 part fresh chopped onion preferably organic
• 1 part fresh grated ginger root preferably organic
• 1 part fresh grated horseradish root preferably organic
• 1 part fresh chopped cayenne peppers or any hot peppers seasonally available preferably organic
• raw apple cider vinegar

Yes - each and every one of the items would preferably be organic. Then chop and grate.  I had a problem grating, so my ginger and horseradish roots were finely chopped and I can only hope that works. If not, I'll fess up - but I did not have a good grater. And, I think I got the jar too full. We'll see.

1. Fill a glass mason jar 3/4 of the way full with equal parts by volume of the above fresh chopped and grated herbs. Wear gloves when chopping the hot peppers.
2. Fill jar to the top with raw ACV (apple cider vinegar - but get used to ACV. It's used a lot on the web). Close the lid tightly and shake.
3. Shake at least once a day for two weeks, and then filter the Master Tonic mixture through a clean piece of cloth, bottle and label.
4. Make sure that when you make this tonic that you shake it every time you walk by it, a minimum of once per day. Remember that all the herbs and vegetables for the Master Tonic should be fresh and organically grown if possible. Use dried herbs only in an emergency.

There is a veritable ton of information on the 'net about this tonic. Just do a Google search on "Master Tonic" and you find a lot of information. There was one note I ran across and will try - save the vegetables after draining, dry in low oven, and use for soups or sauces to add flavor - judiciously. There is a lot of flavor left in them.