8 Natural Cough Remedies That Are Safe And Effective
Stop Coughing! Naturally, Of Course. Humans have been coughing since the beginning of time. With so many centuries of coughing experience, we’ve had ample time to test out a number of different natural cough remedies. Here are 8 home remedies for a cough that are time-tested. Why Do We Cough? Your sinuses and the surface of your throat are protected with thin layers of skin called mucous membranes. These membranes secrete a thick fluid (mucus) that collects and traps dust, dirt, bacteria, and viruses, and then removes these invaders from your body. But when these defenses are breached, and germs pass through to the membranes, then your nose and throat can become inflamed and irritated. Sneezing and coughing are reflex actions to expel these irritants. To make matters worse, when these membranes are infected, normal mucus production is compromised and your body produces either too little (reducing defenses) or too much (causing congestion). To stop the coughing, your body needs to resolve the underlying infection and then get back to healthy mucus production. Honey – The One-Two Punch Raw honey is a near perfect cough fighter. First, thick and sticky honey covers the surface of your throat and acts as a substitute mucus. This soothes and calms your raw and irritated throat. Second, raw honey has anti-bacterial properties that target and destroy the infection-causing bacteria. So cough syrup made with raw honey may be the best natural remedy for cough that is available today. Get Salty Saltwater gargles are simple, safe and effective. Just remember not to swallow the saltwater! This remedy works through osmosis. When the saltwater surrounds a bacteria cell, it creates an imbalance in salinity. This causes the water inside the bacteria to diffuse outward in order to reach an equilibrium in salt levels. As a result, the bacteria cell is dehydrated, the cell walls collapse, and the bacteria is killed. With the bacteria gone, your sore and irritated throat can now begin to heal. Try Some Tumeric Tumeric has been a popular medicinal herb in India for generations. Tumeric with milk is a common treatment for many Indians for coughs and throat infections. Curcumin (an active ingredient in turmeric) helps to reduce throat inflammation and infection. Breathe in Steamy Relief Steam inhalation has been around for thousands of years. While steam therapy is unlikely to cure a cough or cold, it will provide relief from several symptoms including headache, congestion, throat irritation and cough. This remedy works by loosening excess mucus in the nose, throat and lungs. This, in turn, provides relief to inflamed and swollen blood vessels in the sinus and throat areas. Marshmallow (the Herb, Not the Candy) The marshmallow plant (althaea officianalis) is a perennial herb. The root of this plant has been used for thousands of years to treat respiratory and digestive ailments. When the root is crushed and soaked in cool water, you get mucilage (a thick and viscous substance) that has proven to be an effective cough suppressant in clinical studies. Ginger Zinger Ginger root is most often associated with digestive relief. But it has also proven effective as a cough suppressant. A 2015 scientific paper reviewed many of the medicinal properties of ginger root. The authors concluded that eating ginger helped with treating sore throat, laryngitis, congestion and inflammation of mucous membranes. Ginger can be taken by chewing on small pieces of peeled root, or by infusing thin slices of peeled root in a small jar of honey. Allow the infusion to seep for at least 2 days before using and then consume within 2-3 weeks. Garlic Power It may be strong in flavor and odor, but garlic also contains an active compound called “allicin.” Allicin contains sulfur, which gives garlic its powerful taste and smell. But allicin also stimulates the growth of white blood cells, which are a critical part of your immune system. White blood cells attack and destroy foreign materials and infectious agents inside the body. Once your infections are resolved, then the inflammation and coughing will subside. Taking garlic capsules (rather than eating raw garlic) will help moderate the garlic odors. Time for Thyme The popular herb thyme contains an active compound named thymol. Thymol is a natural expectorant and is often used in a store-bought cough and cold medicines. When the sinuses and lungs are infected, they can produce too much mucus and this leads to congestion. An expectorant thins and looses the mucus, thus clearing up your airways. The best way to take thyme is to make an infusion. Seep 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme sprigs in a cup of hot water and then strain. Add some honey for flavor and repeat up to 3 times a day until you see improvement in your symptoms.
Should I Give My Child Omega-3 Fish Oil Supplements?
If your child is not eating a meal of fatty fish like salmon or sardines at least once a week then it is a good idea to give him a daily fish oil supplement. Oily fish includes salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, eel, pilchards and fresh tuna and if your child eats a meal with one of these fish once or twice a week then he will probably receive the level of omega-3 fatty acids his body requires. Popular fishy meals that kids like are
Can an Herbal Remedy Stop the Sniffles?
In my household, winter time usually means one thing–runny noses. My children’s noses are like a faucet that never turns off–and if it does, it just starts running again a few days later. I don’t think much of this until I get a bad cold. Like right now–I’ve been perpetually sick for the last two weeks–and I’m miserable. So my poor kids, who have been dealing with this since the day winter hit, they really must be miserable. What’s a mom to do? (Especially since cough and cold medicines are not advised for children under 2, according to the FDA.) The Canadian company Afexa Life Sciences wants to change this and give moms an option, herbal remedy.
My Baby Has Reflux – Now What?
By Cyndra Neal You’ve just come back from your pediatrician with a diagnosis of reflux for your baby and a prescription for an acid reflux medication in your hand. Now’s the time to do some research into the different types of reflux medications prescribed for infants, how they work and are they safe for your infant.
Homeopathy for Children
First introduced in 1796, homeopathy is an alternative type of medical treatment that uses diluted formulas that are believed to create effects within patients that are very similar to the symptoms that are present in that individual. These non-traditional remedies are prepared by a process known as serial dilution, which involves a series of steps to dilute the substance of a particular solution, followed by forceful shaking. Homeopathic practitioners refer to the dilution process as potentization.
The History of Gripe Water
By J. Andrews Gripe water has long been a home remedy for the treatment of gastrointestinal discomfort, colic, and teething pain in infants. Gripe water was first developed in 1851 in England and the discovery was actually made by accident.
The New Colic
By Cyndra Neal Colic. That word strikes fear into the hearts of new moms and pediatricians everywhere. Although theories abound, very little is known about colic. It comes on as mysteriously as it disappears. Parents inundate pediatric offices and emergency rooms, sure that something is seriously wrong with their infant. Some pediatricians send the parents home with only assurances that their baby will grow out of it. But a disturbing trend is developing among many pediatricians to diagnose colic symptoms as acid reflux and to prescribe Zantac, Prevacid or other acid reflux medications without doing any diagnostic tests. Many pediatricians prescribe acid reflux medications as a test for reflux. Some mothers report their pediatricians prescribed acid reflux medications over the phone without even seeing the infant. The parents are happy because they have something to possibly alleviate the obvious pain their baby is suffering. The pediatricians are happy to be able to prescribe something that might help. The pharmaceutical companies are certainly happy. And the baby…well the baby could still be suffering from colic as well as the added side effects (restlessness, constipation) of the acid reflux medications. The baby may now be prescribed other medications to help counteract the side effects.
Colic and Shaken Baby Syndrome
by Cyndra Neal Your baby has cried with colic for the last 2 weeks almost non-stop. You’re scared. You’re frustrated. You are sleep deprived. You’re not thinking clearly. You are shaking your baby.
A JAB IN THE DARK. Are our children being over vaccinated?
By Sara Mulholland, Empowa Pty Ltd. Triple Triple Antigen, Triple MMR, Triple Hib, Triple Hep B, Quadruple oral Polio, Meningococcal C, Pnuemococcal, Varicella, boosters and more boosters. When will it end? Sara Mulholland examines the evidence.