It’s already the start of rainy season from where I live. Unfortunately, I’m one of those people who are more prone to getting sore throat during rainy season. For a talkative person like me, having sore throat is like a punishment. It’s painful when I talk and my voice is so hoarse I sound like I’m possessed by an unseen entity.
Sore throat (also known as pharyngitis) refers to dry and itchy throat which is also often characterized by swollen tonsils and difficulty swallowing. Most of the time, sore throat often indicates the start of a cold. It can be caused by viral or bacterial infection, allergies, environmental irritants or dry air. Luckily, we can use the following natural remedies (most of them are available in your kitchen pantry) to alleviate the symptoms of sore throat before it gets worse.
1. Ginger
Ginger is a popular spice in Asian cuisines because of its aromatic, pungent and spicy flavor. It is also often used as herbal medicine for sore throat because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger contains a compound called gingerol which is a highly potent anti-inflammatory agent.
To reduce the swelling of your tonsils, you can steep small pieces of peeled ginger in hot water for 3 – 5 minutes. Strain the liquid to remove the ginger bits before drinking. If you are too lazy to do this process, then you can also just buy ready-made ginger tea.
2. Salt + Warm Water
Gargling of warm water (1 cup) mixed with ½ tsp. of salt can help soothe a painful sore throat. Salt draws water out of cells (mucus contains mostly of water) that’s why it can reduce the swelling of the tonsils and help loosen phlegm. This is a method I tried-and-tested myself and it really works!
3. Raw Honey
If your throat feels rough and dry, you can take a tablespoon of honey or drink tea or warm water mixed with honey. Honey has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It can also help coat the throat when it is dry. Just make sure that you bought raw and pure honey, not honey-flavored corn syrup that is commonly found in the supermarket. Honey should also not be given to children younger than 1 year old. It is because honey can grow botulinum spores which are toxic for babies as their intestines are not mature enough to destroy the spores unlike the adults.
4. Garlic
Garlic contains an antibacterial compound called allicin. If your sore throat is caused by bacterial infection, then you just need to place one piece of garlic on either side of the mouth (in between the cheek and teeth) and suck on it like a cough drop. If you don’t mind having bad breath, then you can simply just eat one fresh clove of garlic (just avoid talking to someone or kiss your partner after doing this). Alternatively, you can also fry thin slices of garlic and munch them like chips.
5. Lemon
Have you noticed that most sore throat lozenges are lemon flavor? It’s because this citrus fruit has antiseptic properties that can kill the bacteria or virus causing sore throat. Lemon is also loaded with Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps boost the immune system and shorten the duration of the sore throat. Simply mix juice of half a lemon and a teaspoon of honey in a cup of warm water or tea. Sip this drink slowly for 2 – 3 times daily. If you live in the Philippines, you can substitute lemon with calamansi which is more abundant in the country and cheaper than lemon.
6. Chamomile Tea
Aside from ginger tea, chamomile tea is another herbal tea that can help soothe a sore throat. Chamomile has anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic (relax the muscles) properties which help reduce pain, swelling of tonsils and hoarseness due to sore throat. If your throat is so itchy that you have trouble sleeping, then drinking chamomile tea will give you a good night sleep because it acts as a mild sedative.
These natural home remedies can be combined with store bought remedies for faster relief of sore throat. However, if your sore throat still persist after taking these natural remedies for more than three days, it is best to consult a doctor.
Do you know any other tried-and-tested natural alternative remedies for sore throat? Share them on the comment section below.
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