10 last-ditch attempts you can make when you know you’re going to have a sore throat soon

Having a sore throat is one of the most annoying sicknesses ever; it can be mild and undetectable or sore and painful when it gets seriously infected. While it can be harmless, sore throats can often lead to high fevers followed by flu and coughs. It takes time to recover and meanwhile, you just have to deal with the itch, pain and all the “you cannot eat spicy or fried food” crap. Here are 10 last-ditch attempts you can make while you know you’re going to have a sore throat soon.

Swallow honey
This is the most common household remedy if you have good honey at home. What you require is pure natural honey or Manuka Honey. Though slightly more expensive,good quality honey really helps and you don’t have to endure drinking bitter soups or medicine just to soothe that sore throat of yours.

Drink Korean citrus tea
Also known as honey Yuzu, this syrup for making tea is great for relieving sore throats. Korean citrus is known to be an excellent source of Vitamin C and has lots of health benefits too. Korean citrus can be bought in neighbourhood supermarkets, and they’re easy and fast to make. You can simply add a few spoons to warm water, and stir well before consuming.

Drink apple cider vinegar with honey
Mix 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with 1 teaspoon of honey. You can also add a little lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper too. Stir the mixture in a cup of warm water and sip slowly. You can drink to 4 times per day for quicker results. Apple cider vinegar helps balance the pH levels of your throat’s tissues, and its anti-bacterial properties enable it to fight the infection that causes sore throats.

Gargle with warm salt water
This is the household remedy usually passed down from older generations like your grandmother or mother. They will either tell you to gargle with salt water or drink it in the morning. Salt is good for killing germs. This can be quite useful and convenient for mild sore throats. Don’t drink too much salt water though (or don’t even drink it at all); you’ll get a high level of sodium in your body.

Cut down on drinking and smoking
Drinking alcohol or smoking can cause your sore throat to worsen and eventually lead to the major throat infection. Cut down on it in the meantime, and drink plenty of water like the old traditional way.

Take vitamin C or health supplements
Take your dose of Vitamin C to prevent your sore throat from getting worse. You can also help in preventing the flu and coughs from happening too if it’s not too late. Consider investing in health supplements if you’ve often prone to sore throats or other flu and cough sickness, it will help your immune system become stronger in the long run and protect your body against more viruses.

Herbal Tea
There is always herbal tea to expel heat. They work effectively in balancing the “yin and yang” in your body and will some types of herbal tea can also help soothe your sore throat. Just do it without excessive consumption.

Strepsils or other throat medicine
If you’re experiencing mild sore throats, strepsils or throat lozenges can do the trick. Just note that excessive use of these lozenges often results in a cough due to the growth of phlegm in your lungs.

Get more rest and fluids
If you’re still burning midnight oils despite the warnings and symptoms of your throat, then you really need to cut back on the work. You should get proper rest and fluids, letting your body have a speedy recovery so you can focus on your work later. The doctors weren’t exaggerating this; your body won’t repair itself if it’s constantly overworked without enough rest and fluid.

Just continue what you do best
Just go ahead and eat all the forbidden food, because have you heard before “以毒攻毒?” Go order your laksa, spicy chilli crab, satay and fried chicken. Who knows if you might just recover? But let’s face it: these spicy food doesn’t necessarily cause your sore throat. I’ve no idea why there’s a correlation between spicy food and sore throat!

Of course, this serves merely as a basic guide and should not be substituted for real medical advice. Seek medical attention if required!

Top Image: ruigsantos / Shutterstock.com

This article was first published on goodyfeed.com