It’s okay, you’re lying in bed dreading going to work because your throat is sore. You may also have a large lump in your throat and find it difficult to swallow. Maybe you’re congested and that nasal drainage in your throat is making it raw. All of these are symptoms of a sore throat. If you do, then I want you to know that I’ve been digging through my mother’s and grandmother’s archives and coming up with some old wives’ tales and other remedies for your sore throat.
Remedy 1: Honey and Lemon
This calming remedy is old and not so much a tale. In fact our GP just prescribed this for my 8 year old who had a sore throat and cough. The kicker to this is the antioxidants in lemon and the soothing ability of honey to coat your throat. In fact, it works. Here is the prescription:
• 1 cup of warm water
• 2 Tablespoons of Pure Lemon Juice
• 1 teaspoon of honey
Remedy 2: gargle with salt water
My mom was a registered nurse and whenever I got a sore throat, I would get out the salt and a glass of water and mix them together. I could have sworn it was a 50/50 mix of salt and water, but I’m sure she wasn’t. All I can remember is the uncontrollable gag reflex when I tried to gargle the mixture. Anyway it worked. Why? Salt is an antiseptic, and gargling it mixed with water helps kill the bacteria in the throat that cause pain. It’s not a cure, but it helps.
Remedy 3: Tickle Cocktail
This one is for those who are familiar with health supplements. Basically, what do I mean by a tickle cocktail? The “tingle” in the phrase refers to the feeling you get in the back of your throat when you know you’re getting sick. The moment you have this feeling here is what you do. You should take a 3-pronged supplement mix: garlic, vitamin C, and echinacea. Take them 3 times a day immediately when you feel a tickle in the back of your throat.
Remedy 4: A little brandy (A Toddy) every night before bed
This is for adults only, obviously. This is one of the wives tales, I think. My grandmother used to make toddy for my grandfather every night. She claimed that she kept colds and sore throats away. I’m not sure about that, but she definitely reddened her nose. Still, I enjoy this wives tale for obvious reasons.
Remedy 5: Gargle with vinegar
I am not sure about this one, but there are people who use this remedy. All you have to do is search the web. Basically all you have to do with this one is mix about 3 tablespoons of vinegar in water and gargle taking a tablespoon at a time. This remedy has an additional benefit. If your garlic is due to tonsil stones, the vinegar in the solution works to dissolve the calcium that forms the tonsil stones. If you’re not sure what they are, they are calcified deposits around your tonsils that can cause bad breath and a sore throat.
So if you have a sore throat, I hope I was able to give you some ideas that your mom will gladly take credit for, and yes, they do work.