Reviewed by Lindsey Wilson, Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach (IIN). Updated November 2026.
The 2-Day Cold & Flu Recovery kit is simple: one Chicken Bone Broth Elixir, one Vegan Immunity Elixir, one Sinus Spell herbal spray, and an eBook of easy recipes and rest-day ideas. This post goes through what's in each piece, why we put it there, and what the research does and doesn't say. It's a gentle kit for the days you're under the weather, not a treatment. Nothing in it cures a cold or the flu, and nothing we sell will shorten one for you with certainty.
What it does give you is warm fluids, salt, a little protein, and some pungent, traditional herbs, all in a form that's easy when you have no appetite and no energy to cook. That's a more modest promise than most "immune" products make, and we think it's the honest one.
The short version
| In the kit | What it is | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Bone Broth Elixir | Free-range chicken bones simmered 24+ hours with vegetables, herbs and apple cider vinegar | Warm fluid, salt, a bit of protein, an easy meal when you can't face food |
| Vegan Immunity Elixir | Plant-based broth with ginger, turmeric, citrus peel, hibiscus, and two mushrooms | A lighter, tea-like sip with warming, bright flavors |
| Sinus Spell | An herbal spray with 17 herbs, including horseradish and cayenne | A traditional, pungent herbal blend people reach for during cold season |
| 2-Day Cold & Flu eBook | Recipes and rest-day ideas | Something to cook, or not cook, with what's in the kit |
Why broth, when you're sick
Let's start with the part that matters most, because it's the least glamorous. When you have a cold or flu, the useful things are rest, fluids, and eating something when you can. Broth does those last two jobs well. It's warm, it's salty enough to help you hold onto the fluid you're drinking, and it's food you can sip with a stuffy head. Our chicken broth has about 30 calories and 5 grams of protein per 8 ounces, which isn't a meal, but it's something steady when toast sounds like too much.
What broth does not do is "boost" your immune system. There's no good evidence that any food does that on a sick day, and we'd rather you hear it from us. (If you're curious about the broader question, we wrote an honest answer on bone broth when you're sick.) Think of it as support for the basics, not a shortcut around them.
Chicken Bone Broth Elixir
Ingredients: alkaline water, free-range chicken bones, celery, carrots, ginger, fennel, Swiss chard, turmeric, cilantro, lemon thyme, thyme, sage, lavender, parsley, Himalayan pink salt and apple cider vinegar (most of it organic). It's simmered for over 24 hours. There's no onion or garlic in any OWL broth, which makes it easier on sensitive stomachs. A few notes on the ingredients: ginger is a long-time folk remedy for queasiness, and thyme and sage are classic soup herbs. We use them because they taste good and fit the tradition of sipping something warm and herby when you're ill, not because a study says they treat a cold. If you react to leftovers or fermented foods, read our histamine guide first.
Vegan Immunity Elixir
Ingredients: alkaline water, carrots, ginger, apple cider vinegar, fennel, turmeric, hibiscus, fresh lion's mane, sage, orange peel, rosemary, parsley, cilantro, cinnamon, Himalayan pink salt, calendula and turkey tail mushroom (mostly organic). It tastes more like a savory tea than a stock. The name is ours and it's a little optimistic: lion's mane and turkey tail are widely used in traditional and Asian herbal practice, and they're being studied, but the research is early and mostly not in people with colds. We include them because they're interesting, they taste good in a broth, and the Immunity Elixir is the one we reach for when the chicken broth sounds too heavy. It's also the pick if you're vegan, or if you want to keep animal products out of a sick day.
Sinus Spell, ingredient by ingredient
Sinus Spell is the part of the kit people ask about most, so here is all of it. It's a spray with 17 herbs in a base of grain alcohol (37 to 47% by volume), water, vegetable glycerin and organic honey. Most of the herbs have a long history of folk use for colds and congestion. The research on them is a mix of "modest," "preliminary," and "not much." We've grouped them below and said what we know.
The sharp, clearing ones
Horseradish root, cayenne, fresh osha root, peppermint oil, fresh spilanthes. If you've ever eaten real horseradish or a hot pepper and felt your nose open up, you know what these are doing. They're pungent, they make your nose run, and they feel clearing. That's a sensation and a traditional use, not a proven treatment. Spilanthes is the "toothache plant" that makes your mouth tingle. We couldn't find solid human trials on any of these for sinus congestion, so we stay at "traditional use" and "feels clearing."
The "cold season" herbs
Echinacea (angustifolia root). Probably the best-known herb on the list. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says echinacea may slightly reduce your chance of catching a cold, but it's still unclear whether it shortens one. Read their fact sheet.
Elderberry fruit. NCCIH says some early research suggests elderberry may ease cold, flu or upper respiratory symptoms, but there are few studies so far. It also warns that raw or unripe elderberries contain compounds that produce cyanide, which is a good reason to use a properly prepared product. Read their fact sheet.
Andrographis herb. A 2017 review of 33 trials found andrographis seemed to help with respiratory symptoms, though the authors said the trials were generally of poor quality and the results varied a lot, so the findings should be read cautiously. See the review.
Garlic bulb and onion bulb. Both are in Sinus Spell. NCCIH notes that garlic supplements are promoted for colds, but very little research exists. (This is why Sinus Spell is the one OWL product we don't describe as onion-and-garlic-free.) Read their fact sheet.
Goldenseal root. Often paired with echinacea in cold formulas. NCCIH says there's not enough evidence to know whether goldenseal helps any health condition. Read their fact sheet.
The soothers and supporting herbs
Licorice root, wild cherry bark, horehound, yarrow, olive leaf. These are traditional throat-and-chest herbs: licorice and wild cherry bark for soothing, horehound for old-fashioned cough remedies, yarrow for colds in several herbal traditions. We found little to no human research on any of them for colds, so we describe them by how they've been used, not by what they prove.
Honey, glycerin, and alcohol. Honey and glycerin make the spray easier to take. The alcohol is how the herbs are extracted and preserved. It also means Sinus Spell isn't right for everyone (see below).
What does the research say about cold remedies in general?
NCCIH's overview of colds and complementary approaches is worth a read, and it's more sobering than most product pages. It says no complementary approach has been shown to help with flu. For colds it points to a few with "some promise": oral zinc, nasal rinsing with saline, and honey for nighttime cough in children over 1. It rates echinacea, garlic and vitamin C (for most people) as having conflicting or inadequate evidence. That page is a few years old (last updated 2016), so check with your clinician for the latest. NCCIH: Colds, Flu, and Complementary Health Approaches.
We think that's the right frame. A kit like ours is comfort and tradition, plus a little help eating and drinking when you feel awful. It's not a replacement for rest, a doctor when you need one, or the vaccines and antivirals that actually have evidence behind them.
How to use the kit over two days
The eBook has the fuller plan, but this is the shape of it:
- Sip through the day. Warm a cup of broth any time you'd otherwise skip a meal. Use the Chicken when you want something fuller, the Immunity Elixir when you want something lighter.
- Cook with it. Broth works as the base for a simple soup, or for cooking rice into a soft, plain congee when you can face a bit more; our ginger chicken congee is the classic version. 12 ways to use bone broth has more ideas, and this list of simple warm meals is useful on a day your stomach is off too.
- Use Sinus Spell as directed. Start with one spray and work up to a maximum of five. Stop if it doesn't agree with you.
- Rest. The oldest advice is still the best. The kit is there so you don't have to cook while you do it.
Who should check with a clinician first
Sinus Spell is an herbal product with strong ingredients, so a few cautions apply. Please talk to your clinician or pharmacist before using it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, taking prescription medication (goldenseal, for example, has been shown to affect how some drugs are processed, including metformin), have a condition like high blood pressure (licorice root can raise it), or are allergic to plants in the daisy and ragweed family (echinacea is in that family). Because it contains grain alcohol, it isn't suitable for anyone avoiding alcohol, and because it contains honey, it shouldn't be given to children under 1. We also don't recommend it for children.
And please don't use any kit to push through something serious. See a clinician if symptoms are severe, if you have trouble breathing, chest pain, confusion, dehydration, or a fever that won't come down, or if you're getting better and then suddenly get worse. The CDC keeps a list of emergency warning signs of flu complications for adults and children. People at higher risk should contact a provider early, because flu antivirals work best when started within the first two days (CDC).
Common questions
What is in the OWL 2-Day Cold & Flu Recovery kit?
One Chicken Bone Broth Elixir, one Vegan Immunity Elixir, one Sinus Spell herbal spray, and the 2-Day Cold & Flu eBook.
Will it cure my cold or flu?
No. Nothing here treats or cures a cold or the flu. The broths give you warm fluids, salt and some protein; Sinus Spell is a traditional herbal blend; the eBook has simple ideas for resting and eating. If you're worried about your symptoms, see a clinician.
Is Sinus Spell onion- and garlic-free?
No. It contains both garlic and onion. Our broths do not.
Does Sinus Spell contain alcohol?
Yes, grain alcohol (37 to 47% by volume), along with honey. It isn't suitable for children, anyone avoiding alcohol, or babies under 1 (honey).
Can I use the broth if I'm vegan?
Partly. The Vegan Immunity Elixir is plant-based, but the kit also includes a Chicken Bone Broth Elixir, and Sinus Spell contains honey. If you're vegan, the Immunity Elixir is the one to lean on, and you can pick up a second one separately.
When should I start the kit?
Whenever you'd like some support; many people keep one on hand before cold season. It's helpful to have a kit before you need it, because the point is not having to shop or cook while you're unwell.
This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Dietary supplements are not evaluated by the FDA to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, managing a medical condition, or taking medication, check with your clinician before using any herbal product.