Q. In India we offer fennel seeds after meals. This helps avoid flatulence. Fennel is also good against sore throat and sinus problems.
I use the following recipe for my sinus trouble: Combine 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon powdered ginger, 1 clove, ½ inch piece of stick cinnamon and 1 teaspoon brown sugar in 2 cups of water. Boil it until there is 1 and ½ cup of liquid left, strain it, and drink it hot with a little milk. You can substitute honey for the brown sugar.
In India we use many such home remedies from our grandmothers to avoid overusing antibiotics. I also rinse my nasal passages with a home-made saline solution and find it very helpful.
A. Your recipe sounds delicious. Traditional uses for fennel include preventing flatulence and treating upper respiratory infections. Whether that extends to sinus congestion, we are unsure.
