5 Natural Remedies for Soothing a Sore Throat
It’s that time of year when most of us begin to feel the winter sickness, dealing with stuffy noses, coughs, and sore throats. Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself against the cold and ways to treat the symptoms of a wintertime illness such as sore throat. Natural, herbal sore throat solutions can help you feel better without the costs (both financial and physical) of over-the-counter or prescription medications.
Here are 5 natural remedies for a sore throat.
1. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a product that should be in every natural health practitioner’s kitchen as it is useful in the treatment of so many maladies (check out these apple cider vinegar cures). Its antibacterial properties make it an excellent choice for natural sore throat treatment and strep throat treatment. Simply gargle with a shot of raw ACV several times throughout the day. Alternately, you can dilute it and make a tea with several of the other herbal options below.
2. Honey
Warm water, honey, and lemon is a time-honored practice of natural sore throat soothing. One study, from Penn State University, found honey to be as effective as something called dextromethorphan, an ingredient used in over-the-counter cold remedies. Taking your honey with lemon in a tea is just one throat-soothing option.
3. Cayenne Pepper
You would think cayenne would make your throat hurt even more, but its anti-inflammatory properties have the opposite effect. Again, you can use it in a tea, gargle, or warm water drink.
4. Licorice Root
You’ll find this herb in some natural throat lozenges, but you should be able to also find it from your local herbalist. Licorice root is a sweet root that has been used in home remedies for thousands of years. Not only does it help soothe a sore throat, it can help clear mucous from the nose, throat, and lungs.
5. Slippery Elm
Another herb that has been used for centuries and can sometimes be found in natural throat lozenges, slippery elm bark is able to reduce pain and inflammation. It is most often taken as a lozenge, but you can certainly use it in teas and tinctures as well.
Read: Home Remedies for Cough
When you are fighting a cold with a sore throat being one of your symptoms, eating whole foods and staying hydrated are two of the most important things you can do. With that, using some of these natural sore throat solutions should help you back on your feet in no time.
