Some home remedies that your mother told have proven ineffective, and some may even be dangerous.
But to your mom or grandma’s credit, some of them actually do work!
So here are just a few of those pieces of advice that you can keep using, and pass them down to anyone who needs them.
- Honey soothes the throat. Many cough suppressants and cough drops are about at the same level of effectiveness as honey. When it comes to reducing the severity or frequency of your cough, you should really just do whatever works for you. Of course, honey can soothe a sore throat, but it may not get rid of it—if the infection is serious, you may need antibiotics.
- Neti Pots can help clean out your nose. It’s the same thing as a steam flush. This method of pouring saline water in one nostril and out the other can really clear out and hydrate those nasal passages. If you’re a little wary of using a teapot to wash out your nose, saline spray works just as well.
- Chicken soup can fight a cold. This isn’t necessarily because it’s prepared with love. It is because warm and salty fluids are good for hydrating your system and removing mucus. It’s also full of nutritious ingredients, which certainly doesn’t hurt.
- Sleeping with your head propped up can help you drain your sinuses. Propping your head up helps you drain your nose and throat by using gravity. If you lay flat, all the congestion just pools in your nose and throat. This may not work for you if you’re a restless sleeper, however.
- Peppermint tea can soothe your stomach. Peppermint relaxes the muscles in your gastric tract, which can provide pain relief. However, the relaxation of the muscles can also lead to acid escaping, especially if you’re prone to heartburn.
