What are your best sore throat & cold remedies?

**Libby** · 01-03-2011, 04:18 PM

I use Cold Fx - or store brand/generics - I find it lessens the duration and severity of the symptoms. Its not a medication which actually relieves symptoms but more like a supplement or vitamin. If really sick, I take both.

Drinking excessive amounts of water/hot herbal decaf teas (I drink decaf green for the antioxidants), eating/drinking chicken soup and resting do help a lot.

Fresh hm ginger tea works wonders as well - seems to make me feel better and kill germs/settle stomach. Thinly slice fresh ginger root - about 1/2"-1" of the root and simmer/low boil in about 2c water max for 20 mins. Sip while hot. You may want to add honey to lessen the severity of the ginger and coat your throat as well.

And I agree with the overdosing on Vit C til you need to go to the potty to know your max dose to take while sick.

**mimijolene** · 01-03-2011, 04:23 PM

Colds and sore throats have been going around like crazy! DH has had it for the last 2 weeks! I have always liked NICE cough drops, but I don't know if they carry them anymore.

**renmerc446** · 01-04-2011, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by mimijolene

Colds and sore throats have been going around like crazy! DH has had it for the last 2 weeks! I have always liked NICE cough drops, but I don't know if they carry them anymore.

I like the Ricola cough drops. There's also a brand of honey based cough drops. I can't remember the brand name but I do recall they donate part of their proceeds to help beekeepers.

Thanks for the ginger tea recipe, Libby. I just found out that the little Indian Grocery store across the street from me carries fresh ginger.

**Squidge** · 01-04-2011, 10:49 AM

As posted above, I agree about gargling with warm salt water and, as Polly said, Vicks VapoRub is fantastic if you can get it where you are.

What we've found is pretty handy to keep in the house when one of us has a pretty intense cough - the kind of cough where your tummy and back muscles ache after a while - is Deep Heat rub. It's fantastic for easing the back and rib pain of a racking cough although you wouldn't necessarily think of it.

**cab54** · 01-05-2011, 06:16 PM

I like what Squidge has to say about it. I Try not to use decongestants of any kind. I think they restrict drainage and just keep the cold 'in you'.

I ALWAYS use something for the pain, (aches and sore throat) such as aspirin or Ibuprofen. I wouldn't take Tylenol if you paid me. DH calls it Placebenol. It does NOTHING IMO. Good for babies, and their fevers and such, but no anti-inflammatory effects and therefore sucks for muscle and bone pain. JMO. Give me aspirin or one othe popular Nsaids any day.

Also love Vicks Vapo-rub, Deep Heat, hot baths, and STEAM going of any kind---all day. I use sugar-free Halls, and drink a LOT of fluids, especially hot tea with lemon and honey, and lately (I have a HUGE cold or flu right now) spiced apple cider. I also saw on a movie where someone recommends a tea-like drink with lemon, honey, cardomom, and ginger. It was an Indian woman suggesting it. I've tried it. Meh. Good for getting fluids in.

**McD** · 01-05-2011, 08:02 PM

Moo has a cold right now and we are pretty limited on what we can do for her due to her age/weight. Right now we are running a humidifier in her room with a few drops of peppermint extract in it. Hoping it works.

Are you feeling better Muse? Did one of the home remedies work for you?

**lparker** · 01-06-2011, 10:20 AM

All the above...but if that doesn't work -

Before you go to bed

4-6 oz ginger brandy
Tbsp lemon juice
Tbsp honey

In a cup, microwave for a minute or two, but short of boiling the alcohol.

Chug it down, go to bed with extra covers. It will help later if you sleep on the side of the bed you don't normally sleep on - you may sweat like a pig.

This may or may not cure you...you will not feel a sore throat and you will sleep.

Lee

**McD** · 01-06-2011, 10:43 AM

Update on the peppermint extract in the humidifier. At first, I was really nervous because once we put her in bed, she was coughing so loud that I could hear her from downstairs, over the noise of the humidifier and the t.v. and Wesley.

But this morning, she wasn't coughing much at all. I think it just got her all loosened up to where she could hack her lungs out.

**Josephhgoins** · 01-06-2011, 12:23 PM

For me Vodka or something harder mixed with honey taken liberally with lots of rest.

**The Muse** · 01-06-2011, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by McD

Are you feeling better Muse? Did one of the home remedies work for you?

Thanks for asking

I tried most of the home remedies and was feeling better by Xmas. Not sure if it ran it's course or if one of the remedies helped, but I wasn't sorry to see it go...lol!

Reading the non-home remedy suggestions made me realize how lucky I was when I live in the US. There is very little over the counter medicine here. Hope I can manage not to get sick again.