Honey, ginger… four natural cough and scratchy throat remedies

Apart from the heat, a common feature of the dry/harmattan season is dust.

For a lot of people, inhaling dust causes sneezing and catarrh while the dryness causes sore throat, itchy throat and cough.

The decrease in temperature around December and January allows the viruses causing flu to thrive and spread at a faster rate.

Patients suffering from a cough are administered pharmaceutical syrups to relive them and make them better. If you are not a fan of syrups or you prefer natural remedies, here are four natural ways to combat cough and sore throat this dry season.

Honey

Apart from being a sweetener and skin exfoliating agent, honey is even a better cough-relieving agent than drugs that contain dextromethorphan (DM), a cough suppressant, according to one study. Mixing honey with herbal tea, ginger tea, fresh lemon juice will soothe the coughing and sore throat.

Salt and Warm Water

Gargling warm water mixed with salt has been believed to soothe scratchy throat and cough. Mixing half or one-quarter tablespoon of salt in a glass of warm water is a recommended dosage for the salt water solution.

Pineapple

Pineapples are not typically associated with relieving cough and sore throat. However, bromelain, an enzyme found only in the stem and fruit of pineapples can help suppress coughs as well as loosen the mucus in the throat.

Eating a slice of pineapple or a glass of fresh pineapple juice thrice daily is the recommended dosage to relieve cough and sore throat.

Mint leaves

There are several species of mint leaves. One of them is peppermint. Brewing mint leaves by boiling the fresh leaves in water, and drinking it, is a sure way to soothe sore throats and cough.

Fresh Ginger Drink

Extracting the essence from fresh ginger roots by boiling them in water and drinking also help to relieve cough and sore throat. Also, you can add honey and a little lemon juice to the ginger drink.

Avoiding catching a cough is an easier task to accomplish than curing the ailment. The easiest way to avoid catching a cough is to avoid contact with a coughing patient.

Also, staying hydrated will ensure that it is difficult to catch a cold. Importantly, washing hands often and using a good hand sanitizer will also reduce your chances of catching a cold.