posted on February 5, 2013 by
9 Comments

Bust that Sore Throat and Hacking Cough with 5 Simple Ingredients from Your Kitchen

Bust that Sore Throat and Hacking Cough with 5 Simple Ingredients from thesoftlanding.comIt’s been a tough Winter for our entire family with various strains of flu flying here, there and everywhere!

I suffered through the good old upper respiratory virus, only to be smacked with a terrible follow-up case of bronchitis.  The sore throat and cough were the worst I’ve ever experienced, keeping me uncomfortable and sleepless for a full week.  I had no choice but to find some relief apart from medications, so I tried absolutely EVERY natural remedy I could get my hands on.  I finally ended up finding a truly magical elixir that really got the job done!

DIY Recipe

This little mixture couldn’t be much easier to make, considering that you most likely have all of these ingredients in your kitchen right now.

  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey (use a locally produced raw honey, if possible.)

Using a glass container with lid, first dissolve cayenne pepper in vinegar.  Stir in the ginger and garlic, then add the honey and shake well.  Take 1 tablespoon as needed for cough or sore throat. Note that fresh squeezed ginger and garlic juice can be used as well if you’d rather not run into potent little crunchy bits.

I’ll be honest: I dreaded trying this crazy concoction, but I was pleasantly surprised at just how palatable it was.

P.S.  I also sipped on Earth Mama’s Organic Heartburn Tea for its marshmallow root which helps suppress coughing.

Why These 5 Particular Ingredients?

Garlic

Garlic is a strong antiseptic with antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antispasmodic, antiparasitic and expectorant properties. Garlic has also been used for children with whooping cough, giving the juice of a garlic clove 2-3 times a day.

Keep in mind that odorless garlic capsules may not be as effective as fresh ingredients, whose odors can be minimized by chewing fresh mint.

Ginger

Ginger has antiviral, antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties. It boosts the immune system, warms and induces sweating (which helps push fever and toxins out of the body), and calms coughs and sore throats quickly. It also stimulates appetite, which is important to sick individuals weakened by infection.

Cayenne Pepper

The hotness produced by cayenne is caused by its high concentration of capsaicin.

Topical capsaicin has been shown in studies to be an effective treatment for cluster headaches, osteoarthritis pain and pain caused by diabetic neuropathy.  I can verify that it certainly helped take the edge off my ultra sore throat!

Capsaicin not only reduces pain, but its also stimulates the mucus membranes lining the nasal passages to drain, helping to relieve congestion and stuffiness.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Vinegar has a litany of amazing uses.  It just happens to be very helpful in soothing a sore throat, fighting the flu, and decreasing chest congestion.

Germ-busting vinegar also helps nip the infection process in the bud, as most germs can’t survive in the acidic environment it creates.

Honey

Honey is proven to have antibacterial and antifungal properties.  Its consistency and coating ability make it very soothing for sore throats, coughs and bronchial ailments.

And let’s not forget that honey hides a multitude of pungent tastes, making it the perfect companion for magic elixirs like this one!

 

Filed Under: Eco Hacks, Holistic Health, Real Food
  • Kate

    What is the youngest age you would give this to? Obviously not an infant due to the honey but is it kid friendly?  (I’m new to this stuff).  :)

    • http://thesoftlanding.com/ The Soft Landing Sisters

      We wouldn’t recommend giving it to children under 2, and it’s probably better to use the recipe without the cayenne for younger kids. It also depends on how palatable it is for your specific child. We use it with our children who are over 2 years old, but we do it carefully and just a little at a time. We also use a variant of the ingredients when needed. Maybe a little garlic oil instead of minced garlic, and a little extra honey always helps.

  • http://www.defensesoap.com/ antibacterial bar soap

    I loved this DIY recipe and the ingredients those you have mentioned above. I would love to get this tried at home. Really Informative and I enjoyed it a lot.

  • Ron Heart

    This is really good information. I find that honey helps a lot. Just the other week I had a very persistent sore throat that would not go away. So I needed to talk to a doctor. I am glad I can talk to one any time day or night and get treatment.

  • ecokaren

    Oh my lord! It totally works Alicia! She stopped coughing as soon as she swallowed it! And the best part? She said, and I quote, “It tastes like that dumpling sauce.” <—I think she meant the duck sauce. I cook with these ingredients so it was a no brainer to put them together. Thanks for the recipe! 

    • http://thesoftlanding.com/ The Soft Landing Sisters

      We’re thrilled it helped, Karen! Thanks so much for sharing.

  • P J Rodger

    if i dont have cayenne what can i use in its place???

    • http://thesoftlanding.com/ The Soft Landing Sisters

      Unfortunately, we can’t recommend any substitute that equals the effectiveness of cayenne. It’s a unique substance that really packs a strong punch, but you could try adding a bit more of the other ingredients to boost your recipe’s cold-fighting power.

  • Pingback: How to Prevent Flu and Colds Naturally — ecokaren