Who said that? I did; weren't you listening? Now, I may have been ill for nearly a month (poorly, not hospitalised), but it didn't kill me. No no, I have learned from it. It has made me stronger. I have learned the ancient art of What To Drink.

We'll skip the damson gin for now, I'm afraid, and move straight on to Hot and Healing Punch. When you're feeling cold and flu-ey and altogether sorry for yourself, and have a throat full of sandpaper, this is the one for you. Take note.

Take one large mug, the kind you can cradle in both hands in a comforting sort of way. Fill it with two-thirds orange juice, one third water. Empty it into a small pan, add a good glug of lemon juice, a few tiny drops of chilli sauce, a pinch of cinnamon and either a pinch of ground ginger or a bruised lump of root ginger. Heat slowly but do not boil. Allow to steep for a few minutes - remove the lump of ginger (or not, it's up to you), pour it back into your nice mug and add brown sugar or honey to taste. It'll see you right, and no mistake.

And for my next trick, a yummy fruity smoothie. This vitamin injection will take you from Bleah to Ba-da-bing - make when feeling run down, hungover, tired or just poorly. Or any time in between.

I'm using frozen fruits here because a) I'm lucky enough to know people who like to fill my freezer each year with surplus home-grown fruit and b) it's winter, duh. Not exactly raspberry season.

OK, take one jug blender and chuck in a couple of handfuls of raspberries, a few blackcurrants and redcurrants (optional, I just found them lurking in my freezer), two broken up bananas, and top up with apple juice. Whizz until smooth, add more water to thin it if necessary.
Drink deeply, and feel your body soak up the nutrients like a desert soaks up rain.

Velbekomme.