A sore throat is a disorder often linked to problems such as colds or streptococcal infections. Treatment for a sore throat usually consists in relieving the disorder until the condition that caused it is completely cured, and therefore the sore throat goes away with it. Most sore throats are caused by viruses or by the kind of streptococcus bacteria. Conventional therapy involves the use of antibiotics and analgesics to combat microbial infections and inflammation; however, there are also alternative treatments used for relieving the discomfort and pain caused by a sore throat, such as some drinks that you can drink cold or hot.
Cold and hot drinks effective against a sore throat
Some sore throats can improve if you drink cold (not iced) drinks as long as they do not contain caffeine and are not carbonated as they may cause dehydration and increase pain due to a sore throat. The drinks that can be drunk fresh are first and foremost the water, and then also the 100% fruit juices and without added additives, and fresh milk.
As for hot drinks effective against sore throats, the best is undoubtedly herbal anti-inflammatory and soothing teas such as ginger root, cinnamon, licorice, thyme, fennel, chamomile, turmeric, cloves, and eucalyptus. It is, however, important to let the herbal tea cool slightly and to avoid drinking it too hot as it may cause more throat pain.
To these tisanes, it is advisable to add the juice of a quarter of a freshly squeezed lemon and finally sweeten with a teaspoon of honey. The lemon helps to dissolve the mucus, if present, while the natural bactericidal properties of honey help to alleviate the discomfort and to protect the throat
Hot water, lemon, and honey
One of the best traditional drinks for a sore throat is hot/warm water, lemon juice, and honey.
Honey, as mentioned above, has antimicrobial and moisturizing properties useful for relieving throat pain. The lemon, in addition to dissolving the mucus, is a concentrate of vitamin C and other antioxidants that strengthen the immune system.
To make this sore throat drink we need:
1 tablespoon of honey, preferably raw and organic;
1 cup of hot water;
1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice;
1 slice of lemon.
First of all, in a saucepan, heat the water bringing it to a boil; then pour it into a cup. Add the honey spoon and mix well until completely dissolved. Then pour in the lemon juice and mix it again. Add the lemon slice. Wait for the water to become lukewarm. Finally, drink.
Drink with apple cider vinegar
The high level of acidity of apple cider vinegar is useful against the proliferation of harmful bacteria that populate the mouth. It does not take much to get good results against a sore throat. The drink we will prepare is composed of the following ingredients:
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar;
1 tablespoon of honey, preferably organic;
1 cup of hot water;
Mix all the ingredients together. So drink while it is still hot.
If the taste of this DIY preparation is too strong due to vinegar, try only gargle using 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar mixed in half a cup of warm water. Repeat 1-2 times a day. If you want to recreate some other homemade drink for sore throat you could try to use this same preparation but adding spicy ingredients such as cinnamon and pepper with some honey to both disinfect and calm the pain and the irritation without renouncing to a unique taste and a powerful action, all in one!