Home Remedies for Sore Throats?
Anybody have a good home remedy for sore throats or other cold symptoms?
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39 Comments:
Hot peppermint tea with a slice of lemon and honey--so comforting and tasty.
thehostess at 4:53PM on 09/24/09
tea + freshly ground ginger + honey.
glüwein.
hmw0029 at 4:58PM on 09/24/09
try a mix of equal parts lemon juice and honey -- maybe a teaspoon each. Very soothing for a sore throat. If you're very phlegmy, try gargling with salt water. Feel better!
gbania at 4:59PM on 09/24/09
Garlic and onions are said to be antibacterial. It's believed that garlic can help kill off the bacteria colonies that form on the back of the throat, which cause the sore throat.
Whenever I start to get a sore throat, I eat raw garlic. Diced and added to salad, or spread on toast with butter. French onion soup, heavy on the garlic-rubbed toast. And for when the cold really sets in, I make a good homemade chicken soup with extra cloves of garlic.
yayfood at 5:07PM on 09/24/09
A second vote for gargling with salt water...Do it every hour or more. With this tactic I haven't had a sore throat get out of hand in years. Good luck...hope you feel better soon.
ericjpdx at 5:21PM on 09/24/09
Slippery elm tea. Or Throat Coat tea by that Yogi Tea Company. (I think it's Yogi.)
moibec at 5:39PM on 09/24/09
Gargling with salt water is amazing!!! I like to use warm water since it feels nicer when you're feeling sore.
Then I follow up with tea with lots of honey.
gingercookiewithlime at 5:51PM on 09/24/09
honey & lemon
goodcooker at 6:03PM on 09/24/09
This isn't very tasty (it isn't like eating liverwurst either), but it is effective and you can follow it with lemon and honey tea. Hydrogen peroxide will not allow bacteria to live in its presence, so take a couple of tablespoons of it and put it in a cup. That should be enough for two gargles-do not swallow. Try to gargle each time for 15-20 seconds. Do this several times several hours apart until your throat feels better.
janaatwg at 6:32PM on 09/24/09
Please do not gargle with hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizer. Sure it will kill all bacteria...and scorch all your entire mouth in the process. If you want to reduce the bacteria in your mouth, gargle with salt water (salt inhibits bacteria growth very well, that's why it's a great food preservative), and thoroughly, but gently brush your tongue with a soft toothbrush (no toothpaste required).
AnnieNT at 6:55PM on 09/24/09
Never scorched my mouth and was suggested by a dentist.
janaatwg at 6:59PM on 09/24/09
My fallback sore throat remedy is herb tea with a jigger of rum, a wedge of lemon and honey. Even if your throat is only relieved for a short time, you're still saying "yeah, baby, that's good stuff."
therealchiffonade at 7:17PM on 09/24/09
Gargle with warm/hot salt water.
Suck on baby aspirin (I think that 8 baby sized=1 adult dose) or other powdered chewable aspirin, like Aspergum or Goodies.
chgoeditor at 7:18PM on 09/24/09
Jack Daniels, honey, lemon.
beth1 at 7:44PM on 09/24/09
lots of water, herbal tea, ginger. Licorice root is also supposed to soothe. But honestly for the really bad ones I get out the throat spray, as it's the only thing which really relieves the pain.
senorjames at 7:57PM on 09/24/09
I have had a sore throat too for a week or so, I think it's our crazy all of a sudden warm weather, its driving me nuts, I'm gonna try the honey & lemon
WSLunch at 7:58PM on 09/24/09
Gargle with salt water. If you don't take vitamin D ordinarily now is as good a time as any to start. Chicken broth is antiviral. Get someone to make you some good homemade stuff and drink as much of it as you can.
If you're stuffed up it really does help to breath steam over the stove. If you can find tincture of benzoin follow directions and add to the water (in a non-reactive pan) google it.
lemonfair at 8:09PM on 09/24/09
Tea, honey, and lemon. Add a bit of freshly ground ginger to it if your stomach feels shaky.
avaryne at 8:29PM on 09/24/09
Grind up fresh ginger with honey so there are no large chunks of ginger left. Swallow a good spoonful of it and let it slowly trickle down your throat. Repeat if necessary. Drink a cup of hot water afterwards.
jo_wang at 9:09PM on 09/24/09
When I was a kid and started to get chest or head congestion, my mom would stir a tablespoon of powdered ginger into hot water with sugar and a little milk as a sort of tea. Trust me when I tell you, this would clean out a sewer pipe! But it did make my brother and I less congested despite tasting like the ass of a dead skunk.
I haven't had it since I was a kid, and just the thought of it to this day will make any head or chest cold run in fear.
Pavlov at 9:12PM on 09/24/09
Simmer 1/4 cup water, add two jiggers of Bourbon and squeeze of lemon. Between the alcohol fumes, lemon and warmth, you'll feel better.
SuzyHomemaker at 10:50PM on 09/24/09
I'll add another vote for gargling with warm salt water. If I catch it early and do it a few times a day and right before bed, I can usually avoid a sore throat.
If I have a cold and a subsequent sore throat, I'll treat it by sipping on a tea made with fresh ginger, honey and lemon. In a saucepan simmer a little more than a quart of water with about two inches of fresh ginger peeled and sliced with the peel of a whole lemon (try to remove the white pith or it will be very bitter). Allow to simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes. The water should become somewhat amber. Pour or ladle into a mug, add about 2 tbsp of honey and a squeeze of fresh lemon. I pour the rest of the tea into a clean coffee pot and use the burner on the coffee maker to keep the rest of the tea warm and drink it throughout the day.
When my grandmother used to make this for me she always threw in a couple of cloves of whole garlic and a dried chili (from her own garden), sometimes dried jujubes or a piece of ginseng if someone needed some real fortifying...but that's a whole 'nother thread.
wookie at 12:35AM on 09/25/09
honey, lemon and aloe... even better when warmed up a bit.
MadelynRodriguez at 1:57AM on 09/25/09
Gargle with salt water, then rinse out your mouth.
Then do what wookie said- Make a infusion with ginger, honey and lemon. Or just honey and lemon in a cup with hot water.
Take some echinachea for two to three days.
The Yogi brand throat tea works pretty well too.
CJ McD at 8:46AM on 09/25/09
I'm with Beth jack and whatever!
huneybumper at 9:00AM on 09/25/09
clear your nasal passages with a powerful heat source... wasabi works extremely well. do your best to blow your nose clear. obviously, dont hurt yourself to the point of a bloody nose. then rinse throat with salt water. at this point, your throat and nose should be clear. lasts a minute or so. maintain breathing through your nose. sit/stand up. shun fashion and wear a scarf. drink your tea with honey lemon.
blizcheetah at 9:21AM on 09/25/09
@wookie - your grandmother's brew sounds great .... i'll have to keep this one in my m ind for the upcoming season.....
pooch at 9:23AM on 09/25/09
Countrytime lemonade powder made with hot water....we drank it this way as kids on backpacking trips when the water HAD to be boiled, and we could not wait for it to cool.....the only time I drink the stuff now is when I have a sore throat. Quick and easy.
Cary at 9:56AM on 09/25/09
I agree on the gargling with warm saltwater! Never fails. It might be best to avoid getting in the habit of gargling with hydrogen peroxide (or using it regularly for things like teeth-whitening), as you can end up with a condition called Hairy Tongue. It is just as gross as it sounds...
Junie at 11:03AM on 09/25/09
Neti pot and gargle w/ salt water.
honeybea at 11:16AM on 09/25/09
Mix the juice of one lemon with 1T of honey until the honey is dissolved.
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice and add the lemon honey mixture, one shot (1 1/2 oz) bourbon and 1/2 shot Cointreau. Shake and strain into a martini glass.
After four or five of these, your cold symptoms will seem to disappear.
MarvinDog at 11:46AM on 09/25/09
Have to go with gargle with salt water. Also the honey/lemon/ginger and some brandy mixed togther works well too.
pjracz10 at 11:47AM on 09/25/09
Gargle with apple cider vinegar and water, warm. Or warm salt water. When we were kids, my mother used to give us a big spoonful of light Karo syrup. YUM!
I like hot tea with lemon, honey, and brandy best.
petailk at 11:57AM on 09/25/09
I make a broth with chicken stock, a few slices of ginger, a couple of cloves of garlic, smashed and a few shakes of hot red pepper flakes. Let it steep, and drink it hot. It helps!
FoodieSearching at 12:27PM on 09/25/09
Hah! I just read through all the posts, and was excited to post my favorite remedy, but @FoodieSearching beat me to it.
If you don't have any stock on hand, boullion works in a pinch. I also add black pepper and sambal paste.
If this sounds horrible to you, or like it will make your throat hurt worse, stick to honey/lemon/ginger preparations. But I swear by it! It actually seems to relive my throat pain.
Kerosena at 4:33PM on 09/25/09
Hot regular or green tea with fresh lemon and a bunch of honey. Makes it feel better! I have cup after cup of this when I'm sick.
Chew on That at 6:23PM on 09/25/09
Rest, and whiskey.
david at 4:19AM on 09/28/09
Rest, and whiskey.
david at 4:20AM on 09/28/09
Rest, and whiskey.
david at 4:20AM on 09/28/09