Germaine Cousin-Zermatten: the “Green Gold Fairy” grandmother
22 April 2026 | Comment(s) |
Tanya Lathion
In memory of Germaine Cousin-Zermatten
Germaine Cousin-Zermatten, born on 22 April 1925, passed away peacefully on 4 January 2026. She would have celebrated her 101st birthday this spring – an impressive life, marked by her exceptional knowledge of the benefits of nature. A guardian of traditional healing methods and the author of many recipes, she leaves behind a remarkable legacy that will endure for generations to come. Back in 2019, we had the privilege of introducing you to some of her natural remedies.
In her honour and as a tribute to her great knowledge, we are republishing this article with three recipes that are as easy as they are useful, so that her traditional remedies may endure and continue to inspire you today.
Clove purifying treatment
- Ingredients: cloves, water.
- Recipe: place 6 cloves in a large glass of cold water at bedtime. Leave to soak overnight. In the morning, on an empty stomach, drink all the soaking water and discard the cloves. Each day, add one more clove until you reach 16 cloves. Then, reduce by one clove each time until you reach 6 cloves. The amount of soaking water should remain the same throughout the treatment, i.e. approximately 200 ml.
- Usage: Cleanses the intestines and bladder. This treatment is particularly effective as a preventative measure.
- Precautions: Follow this treatment with care. If your bowels are constipated, this may cause flatulence during the cleansing phase. It may also cause bladder pain, again during the cleansing phase, if the bladder is too full.
To boost your energy
- Ingredients: dried apricots, almonds, water.
- Recipe: Place 3 to 6 dried apricot halves (preferably organic, as they contain fewer chemicals) and 5 to 6 almonds in a large glass of water. Leave to soak for 24 hours, then eat the fruit and drink the soaking water on an empty stomach in the morning.
- Usage: A course of at least 3 weeks and “all winter long”, insists Germaine, assuring us that it gives you incredible energy.
Parsley wine to strengthen the heart
- Ingredients: 1 litre of good red wine, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 300 g of honey, 1 bunch of fresh parsley (about 12 sprigs with leaves).
- Recipe: Simmer the parsley with the wine and vinegar over a low heat in a stainless steel saucepan for 10 minutes. Leave to cool to around 30°C. Strain, add the honey and melt it in, then bottle the parsley wine. Store in a cool place. If you notice a sediment in the bottle, you can still drink the parsley wine; the sediment is not harmful.
- Usage: relieves heart weakness and angina pectoris, and strengthens the body in cases of fatigue. Helps with asthma. Take the equivalent of a port glass three times a day.
- Contraindication: people suffering from low blood pressure.
