Some home remedies may ease symptoms and shorten the duration of a
cold, but early intervention is key. When you feel that scratchy, glassy-eyed
bleh feeling coming on, try these tricks
—
they’re nothing to sneeze at.Frozen foods
“If you have a sore throat, this is your excuse
to have a frozen dessert, but don’t overdo it!”
says Joseph Ladapo, M.D., Ph.D., associate
professor of medicine at the David Geffen
School of Medicine at UCLA. “Anything that’s
frozen—ice itself, ice pops, frozen yogurt —
numbs the tissue and nerves and reduces pain.”Chicken soup
“Chicken soup is the most
commonly prescribed home
remedy for sore throat and
cold symptoms,” says
Caroline Roberts, M.D.,
assistant residency director
at UNC Family Medicine,
“and there is data to show
that it works by inhibiting
neutrophil migration, which
causes inflammation in your
throat.” Adding generous
amounts of ginger, garlic and
black pepper may increase
the healing power of your
soup. For recipes from
the GH food team, visit
goodhousekeeping.com
/chickennoodlesoup.Honey
Some research shows that
a spoonful or two of honey
works better at relieving a
sore throat than a placebo.
Honey gives the throat a pro-
tective coating, and it also
has antibacterial properties.
A humidifier
There’s not a lot of data to
prove that a humidifier can
relieve a sore throat, but
anecdotal evidence abounds,
and it won’t hurt to try, as
dry air may exacerbate
throat irritation.Salt water
If your mom said to gargle
with saline, she wasn’t just
being a mom. “It helps
relieve throat swelling and
keeps the mouth clean,”
says Monika Jindal, M.D., a
physician at Denver Health.
“Most recipes suggest
1⁄4 to 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt
per cup of warm water.”
Te a
Tr y one of these to alleviate
your symptoms:
Chamomile to help
lull you to sleep.
Ginger to soothe a sore
throat and relieve nausea.
Echinacea to boost
your immunity.
Peppermint to ease
headaches, clear out sinuses
and relax airways.Health we
NOVEMBER 2019 GH (^35)