Home remedies for cough? (infection, natural)

[looking4answers12]

I often drink hot tea, with lemon and honey for sore throats and cough. It's usually soothing and helps me feel better.

But, I'm kind of getting sick of drinking tea now. Are there any other good home remedies that you know of?

Thanks for your help.

[AnonChick]

Well, you can make your own hall's mentho lyptus, but it's cheaper, faster, and easier to just buy them. If you really want to make them though:

you need a candy thermometer, some light corn syrup, eucalyptus essential oil, and peppermint essential oil.

Mix a few drops of euc & p-mint with 1/2 ounce of unboiled corn syrup. Set aside.

Boil the syrup to whatever temperature hard candies are supposed to be heated at (you'd need to check some official candy-making guide for that), and pour out the boiling syrup into molds.

When the candy starts to harden, quickly add with an eyedropper 2 drops of the essential oil/liquid corn syrup mix onto each candy.

There's your hall's mentholyptus.

[looking4answers12]

Why do you know that? I am impressed with your knowledge. Unfortunately, I've come to hate the taste of something in the Halls. It might be the eucalyptus (which I'm guessing is the most imortant ingredient).

I've always liked to tease about what big babies men are when they get sick. But, to be honest, sometimes I'm no better.

Fortunately, I usually manage to feel something coming on and then it goes away before it gets bad. In the past I've guzzled down OJ at the first signs. I don't know whether it's in my head, or if it really works...

I was so busy the past few days preoccupied about my Dad who was in the hospital, so I neglected to take care of me.

Thank you for replying to my question.

[AnonChick]

I used to be a professional aromatherapist. I didn't update my certification so now I'm technically just a hobbyist but I still keep up with the information and still do my own medicinal blending.

Also, since you're lucky enough to sense that you're coming down with something in advance, you might try echinacea with goldenseal. Some studies show little to no change in health, some studies show moderate change, most results are that there's no evidence it actually prevents a cold. However, anecdotal evidence shows it works. At the very worst, you'll feel nausea an hour after taking it (it's a side effect). At the very best, you won't get the cold. It could be worth a try.

I think you just take 1 pill per day for 3-4 days. I can't remember if you need to take it on an empty stomach or a full one though. You'd want to read up on that.

[zoso1979]

In response to your question, while it's not a "home" remedy, I learned about Loquat syrup at a Chinese medicine class. It's pretty effective at soothing an irrited throat and helping alleviate coughing short term.

[richrf]

There are several things you can do, but a lot of it depends upon the specific symptoms you are experiencing at the time of the illness.

1) A nice menthol lozenge made by Zand. The menthol "releases" the cold (actually, to be specific, if you have a sore throat it is a "heat syndrome".

2) Use a natural chest rub with Eucalyptus oil (e.g. Tea Tree Oil) on your chest, your back, and around your throat. This will also "release".

3) Stay away from sugars, meats, dairy, and anything that is warming, e.g. garlic, onion, cinnamon, hot spices.

4) Drink plenty of water, stopping at around 7:00pm so that you are not up all night.

5) Eat lightly, focusing on soups with "cooling" vegetables such as celery, lettuce, carrots, dandelion, chard, etc.

6) Get plenty of rest so that the body can save energy and utilize the energy to purge itself.

7) Self-massage around the throat where there is pain to help move the blood and purge the stagnation in the throat that is causing the infection. Lightly massaging other parts of the body will also help.

All of this will speed up the process of eliminating the cause of the problems. Afterwards, there should be some adjustment to diet and exercise since the cold is an indication that modifications to lifestyle is probably warranted.

Hope this helps.

[parasol]

Kudos to the post above me. Very good info.

Believe it or not, whole peppercorns help stop coughing fits. Also, turmeric mixed in hot liquid of your choice. These are ancient remedies that I've used with some success.

Once you have the cough it can be very bothersome, just try to keep up your immune system with whole plant foods, extra vitamin C, D, zinc, and Echinacea. Lastly, raw apple cider vinegar and raw honey are wonderful things to take when sick.

[theluckygal]

As a kid I was given almonds that were roasted in salted water (until the water evaporated). Also, warm milk with black pepper usually did the trick.

[Rabbidave]

As a therapist I look for the root cause for the chronic cough, which often suggests what we refer to as reflux or gurd
whereby hydochloric acid pumps up from the esophagus into the larynx ,trachea and even the right and left mainstream
bronch's . This causes inflamation and can inflame the epiglottis all of which produces a cough if not reflux asthma! This
is where a MD/DO enters the pic to diagnosis whether you have too much stomach acid (rarely not enough ...a long story).
Anyway holistically you can spray Silver Sol (10ppm) sold over the counter as ASAP,Biotech silver,Silver Solutions,Soverign,
and NOW Silver Sol (Swanson on-line) This is a newly formulated extremely low dose silver (minute micon unlike its old
cousin 100 times stronger (colloidal) not remotely the same. Spray about five times while inhaling and wait a day if you
still cough another hit . It will clear the inflamation and kill bacteria if colonizing in throat. Good luck!

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by Rabbidave

As a therapist I look for the root cause for the chronic cough, which often suggests what we refer to as reflux or gurd
whereby hydochloric acid pumps up from the esophagus into the larynx ,trachea and even the right and left mainstream
bronch's . This causes inflamation and can inflame the epiglottis all of which produces a cough if not reflux asthma! This
is where a MD/DO enters the pic to diagnosis whether you have too much stomach acid (rarely not enough ...a long story).
Anyway holistically you can spray Silver Sol (10ppm) sold over the counter as ASAP,Biotech silver,Silver Solutions,Soverign,
and NOW Silver Sol (Swanson on-line) This is a newly formulated extremely low dose silver (minute micon unlike its old
cousin 100 times stronger (colloidal) not remotely the same. Spray about five times while inhaling and wait a day if you
still cough another hit . It will clear the inflamation and kill bacteria if colonizing in throat. Good luck!

What type of Therapist? I also have a chronic cough and I am a non smoker.

I have a problem with mucus production. Over production. I do not eat mucus forming foods.

You seem to be on to something. I think that might be it. What type of practitioner are you? I live in PA but I am moving to OH after the holidays.