I've been plagued with an extremely sore throat and cough this weekend. I think sleeping for over 2 months with an air conditioner blowing right on me has contributed to this illness. My usual remedy for sore throat is to drink hot tea, as hot as I can take it. Well, 100 degree weather just makes drinking hot tea unbearable. I made some slippery elm and comfrey tea yesterday and drank it on ice. It didn't soothe much.
My mom came to the rescue last night with a tea recipe she had read about and recommended to my sister when she had strep for a few weeks. So, I tried it this morning (after searching for fresh limes in 2 different grocery stores!) and thought I'd share the recipe. I drank just a small amount so far, but feel much improved already.
Heat some hot water. While it is heating take one lime and place it in warm water ( this aids in getting the most juice from the fruit, also works on lemons). Put 4 teaspoons of honey, 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and 1 teabag of choice in a glass measure. When the water is heated (not boiling) pour 1 cup over ingredients and let tea steep. Juice the lime and add to the tea. Sip throughout the day, do not drink all at once. I poured mine over ice and it has already seemed to help soothe the soreness a lot.
Another favorite sore throat remedy is Listerine. I gargle with it before going to bed and the disinfecting power works very quickly to help it heal. Salt water is another great liquid to gargle with when suffering a sore throat. Avoiding sugar is also a must. Sugar feeds any infection. Anytime I am sick and eat any amount of sugar, I immediately get congested and feel worse. Of course, increasing vitamin C in any form and taking garlic are also great for killing an infection.
So, sore throat, beware, I am armed and ready for the battle. I hope you will be gone soon!
