Five foods to cure a sore throat

Despite what the Internet says, forget about tequila as a cure for a sore throat. Snopes says it’s wishful thinking.

If you want to boost your immune system and speed recovery from a sore throat, cough, or sinus congestion, think instead about honey, vinegar, green tea, sea salt  and fiery spices. Many of these ideas are suitable for kids older than two years.

1   Honey

All raw honeys are helpful. Buckwheat honey has powerful medicinal properties at a reasonable price. But the star of the cold-busting honeys is Manuka, from New Zealand. If you can afford it, look for a Manuka honey with certified UMF content. It’s expensive, so beware of phonies masquerading as the real thing. There are several baddies out there.

Slowly dissolve 1-3 teaspoons of honey in your mouth on an empty stomach or between meals, once or twice a day. Or dissolve a tablespoonful in a warm cup of green tea. Avoid boiling water, as high heat spoils most of the antibacterial factors. The UMF in Manuka honey can, however, withstand heat.

Mix with 1 teaspoon cinnamon to enhance the effect even further.

2   Apple cider vinegar with the mother

Choose an organic apple cider vinegar with live probiotics, referred to as “the mother.”

Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt (I buy sea salt) in about 3/4 cup of warm water (not hot and definitely not boiling water). Add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. Gargle with this liquid as often as you like, but at least three or four times a day.

3   Bedtime elixir to sooth a cold

• 3 teaspoons green tea leaves
• 3 or 4 cups water heated to 85C (below boiling)
• a few slices raw ginger, chopped finely
• 1 teaspoon honey (authentic Manuka if you have it)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• juice from half a lemon (1 or 2 tablespoons)

Optional but also good as immune system boosters

• a pinch of chili flakes
• 3 cloves
• 5 pepper corns
• a dash turmeric

1. Add the tea leaves, all the spices and the honey to your teapot and steep them for 5 minutes in the hot water.
2. Add the lemon juice and stir.
3. Strain through a sieve into your teacup and sip through the evening.
4. Use a tea cosy over the teapot to keep the heat in longer.

You should be able to taste the nip from the spices. The honey takes the edge off the lemon juice. This drink should have you feeling better in the morning. Keep drinking it until you feel back to normal.

4   Sea salt for congestion

Here’s a natural method that works wonders for me.

1. If you are badly congested, get a nasal sinus wash from the drugstore. The kit contains a plastic bottle with a rounded nozzle and premeasured packets of sea salt.
2. Use filtered water. Test the water on your wrist. It should feel neither hot nor cold. Body temperature is best.
3. Dissolve the salt  in the warmed water in the bottle and fill it to the mark. Leaning over a sink, squirt the water into one nostril at a time. The water passes through your sinuses and comes out the other nostril. Use half the liquid in the bottle in one nostril and the remaining half in the other nostril. Blow your nose lightly after each application. Follow all the instructions on the package.
4. Wash the applicator and the bottle after every use and invert to let it drain dry.

5  Ripe bananas

Bananas are a rich source of manganese, an essential nutrient that helps promote wound healing for your lung tissues. Moreover, an enzyme called manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is a boost for respiration.

A protein called BanLec is also found in the pulp of ripe bananas. This protein helps to render viruses harmless. BanLec is attracted to the same sugar molecules that cover viruses, giving it antiviral agent properties.

Combine bananas with honey and you’ve got an effective remedy for a sore throat.

• 400 mL boiling water
• 2 medium ripe bananas
• 2 tablespoons of honey (Manuka honey if available)

1. Peel the bananas, cut them up and mash them
2. Add mashed bananas to the boiling water and allow to steep for 30 minutes
3. Once the mixture has cooled, add the honey
4. Drink the mixture four times a day (100 ml per serving)
5. Make and use this remedy five days in a row

These are home remedies, so use them at your own risk. Bless you!