It’s that special time of year where everyone around you seems to be coughing and sneezing. So, you’re more careful to wash your hands, you make sure to get good sleep, and you try to avoid that guy in your office who sneezes into his hands and then uses the water cooler. Even with all possible precautions, if you’re a parent or work among a lot of people, the odds that you’ll catch a cold are pretty high. Fortunately for you, I’ve got a great remedy for sore throat, congestion, and hacking cough that is made up of ingredients you probably already have in your pantry! Mix it up and stop that cough in its tracks!
Disclaimer
Please note that this remedy is no substitute for a doctor if you need one. However, I’ve found that it can help shorten the duration of sickness and alleviate some of the symptoms. I got that familiar tickle in my throat this morning and mixed up a dose. So far, I don’t seem to be getting worse, but if I do get a full-blown cold, I’m trusting this mixture to make the whole mess easier to handle.
Also, I did not come up with this recipe. I found it on this blog. I have made some of my own modifications, which I’ll talk about. I do NOT advise giving this drink to children. If you do, only do so in small doses and NEVER give infants honey at all.
So what’s the recipe already?
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water (I like to use hot water)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
Mix it all together and drink it up! It’ll be strong, but it’ll cut through your congestion quickly! Organic ingredients may be best (I am cheap and just use regular ingredients), but do what you think is best.
My modifications
The first change I made was adding lemon juice. I got the idea because lemon is often used with a couple of those above ingredients to make a hot toddy. Lemon has vitamin C, which is good for fighting colds.
While we’re on the subject of a hot toddy, sometimes I’ll add a shot of whiskey. The taste of the resulting beverage is POTENT, so be careful! You can also just make a hot toddy (whiskey, lemon, honey and hot water) if you prefer. Whiskey can help you fall asleep and some studies suggest that, unlike other alcohol, it won’t interfere with sleep patterns.
You can also try mixing the ingredients with more hot water than just the two tablespoons or mixing it all into hot tea in order to cut back on the spicy taste. Just know that if you dilute it too much, it may not help your throat as much.
So there you have it! One of the easiest cold remedies you’ll ever find, that you can probably mix up right now. Here’s hoping you won’t have to use it, or use it too much this season. Stop that cough in its tracks! And maybe give water-cooler-sneeze guy some hand sanitizer.