How to Cure a Sore Throat

While having lunch with hubby I noticed him sniffling and looked over to see him holding his throat as he swallowed. Turns out he is getting a cold and has had a sore throat for two days now. Instead of telling me about it he decided to go to Wallgreens and pick up an assortment of cold and flu products when I know plenty of at home remedies to fix both. Unfortunately I think it's my fault. 

While in school for Chinese Medicine I learned of a formula to treat sore throats. It's called Superior Sore Throat Powder and for good reason. It works instantaneously and the sore throat usually doesn't return. The catch is it tastes nasty, and I mean real nasty. So bad in fact I wouldn't recommend using it unless you feel like your throat is on fire. On one occasion my husband had a horrid throat on fire kind of sore throat which required the use of said formula. Knowing he wouldn't take it if I told him about the taste I just instructed him to puff some of the powder into the back of his throat and it would be gone for good. Unwittingly he did as instructed and immediately started hacking and gagging from the taste. Cost of the formula, $3, the look on his face, priceless. 

He vowed never again to use it. It's also probably why he never tells me when he is sick anymore. Thankfully I have since found some remedies, while not as effective, that taste much better. 

Remedy #1:  Gargle with salt water. This method make take a few times before you get relief. The salt basically creates an inhospitable environment for the bacteria, thereby killing them off. As a side note, salt in Chinese medicine is cold in temperature and good at drawing out the heat of a sore throat for example. 

Remedy #2:  Gargle with vinegar. Okay so this one tastes awful too but works incredibly. Just like for a sunburn, the vinegar draws the heat out, stopping the pain in its tracks. 

Remedy #3:  Drink warm water with lemon and honey. This one tastes much better and surprisingly cures a mild sore throat. The honey coats and soothes the throat. 

Remedy #4:  This one is just rumor for me so far as I haven't yet had the opportunity to try it out. Eating marshmallows or more accurately drinking marshmallow root tea. The gelatin in the root is said to soothe the throat. 

There you have it folks. Now if only I can get my husband to trust me long enough to try one of these out. He likes marshmallows, maybe I'll try that one first. Wish me luck.