January 4, 2012

Natural Remedy for Sore Throats

Here in Colorado we are in the middle of the winter season, which means cooler weather, lots of now,  drier air than usual, shorter days and all that fun stuff that goes along with winter time!  The biggest factor in all of this is we see less sun than we do the rest of the year.  The sun doesn’t come up until right around 7:00 am and it sets about 4:30 in the afternoon.  Why is this a problem, other than the obvious?  It means we aren’t spending as much time in the sun since it’s not out too long AND it’s not always warm enough to go lounge around outside.  This fact, alone, explains why so many people tend to get colds during this season.  Lack of the much needed Vitamin D.  The world has labeled it the ‘cold and flu season’ and although I don’t speak that over my life and my family – I do know that this is the season where sickness tends to skyrocket.  Simply put, our immune system becomes compromised. 

Now, in this post I won’t go into detail on how we can help supplement during this season to help strengthen our immune system – that needs a post of its own!

But, I do want to share with you a wonderful hot, soothing drink you can make when you feel a sore throat coming on.  I started making this about 2 years ago when I kept getting sore throats and I can’t help but rave about it.  Anytime I start feeling that scratchiness coming on – I will go make me a mug of this natural, home made remedy comprised of items easily found in the kitchen.  A couple hours later I’ll make it again – and that’s pretty much all it takes.  I can tell you that within 6-8 hours of first drinking the sore throat remedy, my sore throat is completely and utterly GONE. 

You know when you get that sore throat, then your nose runs like a sieve, then you’re coughing and the sore throat sticks around for 3-4 days.  It makes it difficult to sleep at night, you get the Rudolph nose from blowing your nose so much and every time you take a breath you cough.  Then after the runny nose decides to thicken up a bit, then you’re blowing your nose every 30 seconds to get all that gunk out, and life can pretty much be miserable.  Well, when I do the drink, the sore throat is gone in just a few hours.  Then it seems to skip the never stopping runny nose phase and just gets to the thicker stuff.  That’s it.  No coughing, no raw nose, no pain.  It’s wonderful. 

I know many people take OTC solutions, but I don’t like them.  They don’t go to the root of the problem and fix anything – they just suppress your symptoms.  Granted, you may get some sleep with the alcohol filled NyQuil, but your ‘cold’ is going to last a good 2 –3 weeks before you are noticeably better.  Why waste all that time being sick?  You don’t have to do that anymore.

I have shared this with family and friends and I’ve gotten rave reviews at how well it worked AND how quickly it worked!  Now, if you have something like bronchitis, I can’t say it’s going to take away all those symptoms – that’s something different than a sore throat as a result of an oncoming cold.  But – it’s a wonderful NATURAL remedy that will help get to the root of the problem  when a sore throat from a seasonal cold arises .

Here’s what you’ll need:

NATURAL SORE THROAT REMEDY

8 ounces of boiling, filtered water

1 tablespoon of RAW honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

 

Mix all these together in a mug and enjoy while it’s hot.  I stir it before each sip I take, because if you don’t then all the cinnamon will goop up in the honey.  So, keep it stirred and sip while it’s warm, since the warmth is comforting to the scratchy throat.

What are the benefits of the ingredients?

Honey is just a great source of wonderfulness all the way around!  Honey is antibacterial and has antioxidant properties.  When eaten in RAW form  (unfiltered and unheated) it will possess many minerals, enzymes and vitamins that are great for the human body. 

Cinnamon is considered an ‘anti-microbial’ food, which means it has the ability to help stop the growth of bacterial and fungi.  It also is a warming spice, which is great for the winter months and for the body when a cold or the flu is trying to take root.  It is also said that cinnamon has antispasmodic effects, which can help mitigate the discomfort of a sore throat and any coughing that may occur.

Black pepper has antioxidant and antibacterial effects.  It is considered a diaphoretic, which promotes sweating.  This is good when there may be an infection present.  So the combination of cinnamon and pepper, both warming spices, are a great combo in this drink.

Lemon is another antibacterial food which helps when dealing with a health issue that can be caused by an infection. 

When you combine all these ingredients, the synergy they create in your body work at attacking the root of what is causing your sore throat in the first place.  I like the fact that these ingredients are safe for us and our children to consume.  Next time you get that scratchy feeling in your throat – don’t reach for an OTC that is harmful to you and won’t even fix the problem.  Go to your kitchen, grab these healthful ingredients and make this natural remedy that is sure to bring you relief.

At our home I also bring out the home made tea!  I have herbs galore and can whip up a concoction for symptoms of a cold, coughing, runny nose, upset tummy and more!

I must note in this post, that the first we thing we do in this house is pray!  The Bible tells us to speak the Word, so that’s what we do!  We don’t receive the symptoms and we thank God that He has already healed us (1 Peter 2:24)! All the natural relief remedies come second as a way to take care of our bodies in the best possible way.  It works! This house rarely has any sickness or colds.  Sometimes an occasional runny nose – but it doesn’t help living a mile high above sea level.  Tends to dry things out a bit, including our nasal passages (which is where nasal cleanses come in really handy)!

Do you have an at home, natural remedy you use for sore throats?

“The longer I live the less confidence I have in drugs and the greater is my confidence in the regulation and administration of diet and regimen.”

John Redman Coxe, 1800

1. Lee Ann Anghis says:

   January 4, 2012 at 11:30 am

   The sore throat remedy really works!

   Reply
2. My So-Called Green Life | Living Strong Health And Wellness says:

   January 20, 2012 at 1:16 pm

   [...] – Glowing Mama: Safe Skin & Body Care- Natural Remedy for Sore Throats [...]

   Reply
3. Roxanne says:

   February 11, 2013 at 9:17 pm

   Just tried this recipe, and it is very soothing on my throat.

   Reply