It’s flu and common cold season and more and more people feel a sore throat after the symptoms of their cold are long gone and have trouble sleeping because of cough. In this case, the solution is not to go to a drug store but to a grocery store or a supermarket because you can prepare yourself affordable all-natural cough remedies that really work, are 100% bio and less expensive.
1. Colsfoot, horehound, licorice, lobelia, brandy
Combine 1oz. of wild cherry bark, 1oz. of mullein (leaf), 1oz. of slippery elm (powder), 1/2 oz. of coltsfoot (leaf), 1/2 oz. of lobelia (leaf), 1/2 oz. pleurisy (root), 1/2 oz. elecampane (root), 1/2 oz. Licorice (root) and add to 1-quart water. Simmer liquid over a low heat, condensing the liquid down to a very thick concentrated tea, then strain the herbs, place the liquid back into the pot and add either 1 cup of honey, (for children over 2 years of age) or 1 cup of white grape juice concentrate and warm the mixture together. After it cools down, add some Brandy (or vodka or whiskey) to flavor and preserve. This syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-6 months.
Why it works: the brandy relaxes and sooth the throat muscles and calms spastic coughing, Licorice, a sweet herb, is soothing and makes a good edition to a cough syrup remedy, while coltsfoot and horehound are expectorant herbs with very strong properties.
2. Onion, garlic, sage and honey
Mix a half-cup of honey and a half-cup of water and add one whole chopped onion and one chopped clove of garlic, a dash of sage, thyme or oregano and allow to steep overnight at room temperature. In the morning, strain the liquid that is ready to be used as a cough syrup or stored in the refrigerator.
Why it works: the mixture is not boiled so it contains all the antimicrobial properties of the onions and garlic, which lose some of their potency when heated. Honey acts as a demulcent, meaning it relaxes the cough reflex and soothes the throat, while sage, thyme or oregano increase the antimicrobial properties of the ingredients.
3. Cayenne pepper, ginger, vinegar and honey
Thousands of mothers have tested this syrup recipe successfully for about three decades. It has been published in 1982 in Herbally Yours by Penny C. Royal and is not complicated at all. Mix 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons water.
Why it works: it tastes terrible but it soothes an irritated throat and relieves chest congestion and phlegm, it works for all kinds of coughs but especially for that dry hacky cough. Ginger is a natural antihistamine, it relieves chest congestion, cayenne pepper reduces pain by suppressing a chemical that carries the pain message from nerves in the affected area to the brain, it is warming and stimulating.
4. Horseradish syrup
Add a dash of grated horseradish to a quarter cup of honey, let it steep for a few hours then use as a cough syrup. It’s very important not to add essential oils because they are very hard on the liver. It’s true that essential oils have antimicrobial benefits but not in combination with this horseradish syrup.
Why it works: mixed with honey, horseradish can be an effective remedy for hoarseness and cough from colds and flu because it promotes perspiration, stimulates appetite and promotes digestion.
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