How I Use Food as Daily Medicine in Our Home
You don’t have to be an herbalist or have a pantry full of tinctures to start healing your family. If you’ve got a kitchen, you already have a medicine cabinet.
That’s something I learned over time—between scrapes, colds, tummy aches, and long days that needed comfort. My favorite remedies? They’re not always fancy. They’re food. They’re simple. And they work.
I will say it again, once you know how toxic so many things are that are sold to us, you can never go back. I had to learn how to make medicine for my family.
Here’s how I use common ingredients from my own kitchen to support health, healing, and everyday wellness.
1. Garlic – Nature’s Antibiotic
Garlic is probably the most powerful medicinal food I use regularly. It’s antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, and packed with immune-boosting compounds.
These are a few ways garlic is used in our home:
#1. Raw. A clove or 2, finely chopped, let it sit out for 10 minutes then mix with honey. Do this at the first sign of illness. It is spicy, but it can be a real lifesaver.
#2 In soups and broths during cold season. If you keep your garlic intake up during cold season, you may very well keep the nasty germs at bay and vampires too!
#3 Infused in olive oil and used topically for earaches (cooled and strained, of course)
#4 Toothache or abscess? Garlic essential oil is our go to.
If I could only keep one thing in my medicine cabinet during winter, garlic would be it.
2. Raw Honey – Sweet, Soothing, and Antimicrobial
Real honey is more than a sweetener. It coats the throat, fights infection, and supports healing from the inside out.
We love honey in our home, this is how we use it.
#1 Mixed with cinnamon and ginger for sore throats
#2 Combined with garlic or onion for homemade cough syrup
#3 In dressings or tea for a gentle daily boost
#4 Small cuts? Put a little honey on it! You can also put honey on a gauze bandage and cover it up.
Manukah Honey is the best for this. I actually punctured my leg while splitting wood. I immediately used honey gauze, kept it sealed and changed it daily. It was the best method I have ever used!
We keep a jar of raw, local honey on the counter at all times.
3. Bone Broth – Liquid Gold for Healing
Broth is one of the most comforting and nourishing things I make. I always say it’s like giving your body a warm hug from the inside. If you can make your own, the better!
Lets talk about uses.
#1 As a base for soups, stews, and cooking grains
#2 Sipped straight with salt, garlic, and herbs when anyone’s under the weather
#3 Frozen in cubes for quick defrosting
#4 Gut issues…. I will explain more in another post, but I will tell you this, bone broth is a healer!
It supports the gut, joints, skin, and immune system—especially when it’s simmered low and slow with love.
4. Onion – The Underrated Ally
Onions are full of antioxidants and sulfur compounds that help fight inflammation and infections.
I love onions.
#1 In every soup and broth
#2 Sliced raw and placed near the bed during illness (yes, it sounds weird—but I swear by it for clearing up congestion)
#3 Cooked with turmeric and garlic as a cold-fighting stir fry
5. Fresh Herbs – Everyday Preventatives
I don’t reserve herbs for special occasions. If I’m cooking, I’m tossing in something medicinal—because why not?
How I use them:
#1 Basil, rosemary, thyme, and sage in stews and sauces
#2 Cilantro for gentle detox (I love cilantro in salsa and tacos, also mixed in rice with garlic).
#3 Lemon balm and mint in tea for calm and clarity
#4 Parsley for digestion and mineral content
These herbs don’t just flavor your food—they feed your body and steady your spirit.
This Is Everyday Herbalism
You don’t need a cabinet full of tinctures (though I love those too). You just need to think about food differently. Every meal is an opportunity to nourish, support, and heal.
And honestly? The more I learned about herbalism, the more I found myself circling back to the kitchen.
From Spoon to Salve
Rock Creek Sundries was born out of this mindset. From infused honeys to healing balms, everything I make is rooted in the belief that nature already gave us what we need—we just have to remember how to use it.
Want a printable “Healing Kitchen Essentials” list with simple remedies and how to use them? Grab it here:
https://rockcreeksundries.com/food-as-medicine
