Have four thieves help you ward off the flu.

Reading and hearing the talk about this swine flu, I thought about the Four Thieves' tea that I'd buy at Rainbow Pharmacy in Seattle (on 15th Ave., next to Victrola).

The historical remedy is an herbal vinegar. The remedy's name comes from a story about four thieves who (depending on which version you read) robbed the homes or corpses of the dead during an old-time plague. The thieves ought to have died because of their repeated exposure, but since they didn't, the authorities wanted to know the secret of their immunity.

Preparations vary, but the mainstays of this remedy include:

1 tablespoon of rosemary, peppermint, sage, thyme, lavender and fresh, chopped garlic
1 teaspoon of ground clove and ground cinnamon
2 cups unpasteurized apple cider vinegar

Blend the dry ingredients in sealable glass container, and then pour in the vinegar. Close your container and let it sit at room temperature for two to six weeks, shaking daily. (Here's a point where recipes diverge. Some say store it near a sunny window, others say a cool, dark place.)

After the time has passed, strain out the solid material. The liquid can be used as a spray, an ointment, or a liquid to soak a breathing cloth/facemask. You can also, of course, drink it.

If you want a remedy a little sooner than a few weeks, then make a tea with the mixed herbs (skip the garlic) and add apple cider vinegar. Drink this three times a day.

A couple of sources that detail Four Thieves' vinegar preparation:

http://www.earthspirits-herbals.com/fyi/fall05.htm
http://prettysmartnaturalideas.wordpress.com/2007/12/11/four-thieves-vinegar-oil-recipes/
http://theherbgardener.blogspot.com/2008/01/four-thieves-vinegar.html

The first page also lists other beneficial oils, extracts and foods.