All About You FRIDAY – Reclaim Your Voice (and your health)

It’s that time of year again, when viruses have their reunion parties and run amok amongst us. I recently went head-to-head with a virus and lost. I recovered, but my voice was taking its sweet ole’ time. The good thing about my life is that I interact with a lot of well-meaning people who care about me and so today, I thought I would share some of the best home remedies I have learned (and mostly tried) to fight upper respiratory infections, sore throats and laryngitis. Let’s get started:

Chicken soup – This isn’t just a myth. Chicken soup has long been lauded as medicinal for the common cough/cold. Research has indicated it actually moves mucus better than warm water and improves function of the cilia, the tiny hairs in your nasal cavity that prevent contagions from entering the body. It has also been shown to inhibit the movement of neutrophils, the white blood cells responsible for fighting infection, allowing them to fight infection better. The classic Lithuanian recipe that was used in the study: chicken, onions, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, carrots, celery stems, parsley, salt and pepper
Nasal irrigation – This has been my go to for a long time. Nasal irrigation has shown to be effective by thinning mucus and removing it from the nasal cavity. I use NeilMed Sinus Rinse. Twice a day.
Gargle salt water – A teaspoon of salt dissolved in a cup of warm water may turn out to be more effective than the seasonal influenza vaccine in preventing the common cold, according to this study Gargle it in your throat for as long as you can and then swish it around our mouth before spitting it out. The salt draws the fluid out of swollen tissues, reducing inflammation and pain.
Honey and lemon in warm water – Drinking a cup of warm water with one teaspoon of raw honey and juice from half a lemon is one of my favorite remedies. The vitamin C in the lemon plays a huge role in fighting infection and honey has been shown to be better at suppressing cough (and more natural) than cough medicine in children. (Raw honey should not be given to children under 1 year old).
Honey onion syrup – This is one I haven’t yet tried, as I received the recommendation late in the game, but it sounds like it could be a game changer. Combining honey and onions (with an option to add garlic, turmeric and ginger), this concoction sounds like an infection-fighter powerhouse. Here’s the recipe.
Gargle tea – This sounds like a waste of a totally great cup of tea, which I would rather sip and enjoy while reading a good book. But gargling tea has been shown to be effective in fighting influenza. Read about it here.