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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Home Remedy for Cough



The ingredients are a combination of spices and nutrients with no unpleasant medicinal side effects -- no drowsiness, no dry mucous membranes, no cautions about using machinery or driving.

The recipe is from Herbally Yours by Penny C. Royal, 3rd Edition, June 1982. It seems to work for all kinds of coughs but especially for that dry hacky cough that keeps you awake and hangs on long after the cold is over. 

It soothes an irritated throat and relieves chest congestion and phlegm. The bad news: it tastes terrible -- it really does -- but if you have a persistant cough, it's worth a try.
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons water
    Mix and take by the teaspoon. 
Consider the beneficial effects of the individual ingredients:

  • Ginger (zingiber officinale) has long been used and recommended for arthritis and bursitis, because it is a natural anti-inflammatory. According to Home Herbal, by Penelope Ody, D.K. Publishing, June 1995, ginger is a natural antihistamine. It has also been used for for motion sickness and nausea, and in addition, it's known for relieving chest congestion, according to Dr. Andrew Weil, Herbal Medicine Chest http://cgi.pathfinder.com/drweil/herbal/medchest
  • Cayenne (capsaicin) reduces pain. The same substance that makes cayenne peppers hot relieves the pain by suppressing a chemical that carries the pain message from nerves in the affected area to the brain. According to Home Herbal, by P. Ody, cayenne is warming and stimulating, it is a good cold remedy and eases chills and will even ease the lingering pain from shingles.Drinking 1/8 teaspoonful of cayenne mixed with 8 ounces of juice 2 to 3 times a day helps you get healthy quicker

  • Vinegar has so many healthful uses. 
  • Honey, according to Home Herbal by P. Ody, will draw pus and poisons out of wounds and it is useful for relief from colds.
  • Water is probably added to make it less strong tasting but it is still strong

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