To kick off 2022, most (if not all) of us knew at least one person infected with COVID-19. These people were either asymptomatic or experiencing mild symptoms. One of the most common symptoms we hear of nowadays? A sore throat, along with a mild fever. Thankfully, Pinoy culture has equipped us with the knowledge of a number of sore throat remedies — a lot of them home remedies that we can easily try ourselves.
Are you suffering from a case of sore throat? Try out some of these home remedies that’ll provide your throat with some much-needed relief.
Also read: COVID-19 Home Care Starter Pack: 10 Things You Need in Your Kit
Home remedies for sore throat
1. Salabat (fresh ginger tea)
When a member of the family is struck with a nasty cough or sore throat, most Filipino households know to make a comforting cup of salabat or ginger tea. It’s also known to aid in digestion and treat nausea; plus, some people simply enjoy drinking it because of its taste, especially when it’s mixed with honey and lemon juice!
Wondering how to make salabat? Thankfully, it’s really simple. Just add two inches’ worth of thinly sliced ginger to four cups of water, then boil. You can mix in a few tablespoons of brown sugar or honey as needed — or, simply add it right before enjoying your tea. Alternatively, you can also buy instant salabat that you’ll simply have to mix with water.
Note: Other soothing teas include chamomile, peppermint, clove tea, and green tea.
2. Honey
Raw honey not only improves the flavour of our salabat or tea, it’s also quite effective for soothing sore throats and taming stubborn coughs. While you can certainly mix it in with hot water, juice, or tea, honey on its own already works as a sore throat treatment.
3. Salt water gargle
Here’s another quick and easy sore throat home remedy: the salt water gargle. Just add half a teaspoon to a full glass of warm water, then gargle it little by little. This will help reduce swelling, as well as help kill the bacteria in your throat. Do this every three hours or as needed — and make sure not to swallow the salt!
4. Baking soda gargle
This particular sore throat treatment isn’t as widely talked about as the salt water gargle, but has also proven to be effective at soothing the throat and killing bacteria. Just add half a teaspoon of baking soda to a glass of warm water, and gargle it every few hours as necessary.
5. Apple cider vinegar gargle
Also known as ACV, apple cider vinegar is known for its many handy uses — and one of them happens to be the treatment of sore throats. All you need to do is dilute one to two tablespoons of ACV with water, then gargle. While you can do this one to two times hourly, you’re reminded to drink lots of water in between gargling sessions.
6. Lemon juice
Lemon can help relieve a sore throat as well as boost the immune system with the help of Vitamin C. Enjoying this sore throat home remedy is quick and simple: Mix a teaspoon of lemon juice with warm water and treat yourself to a soothing drink.
Also read: COVID-19 Home Care Saved Us When Our Household Tested Positive
Tips for soothing a sore throat
Besides home remedies, there are other things you can do to help soothe a sore throat.
1. Stay hydrated
Drink lots of fluids! It’s something we hear all the time, and for good reason. This will help keep the throat moist and prevent you from getting dehydrated. Avoid drinks that have caffeine and alcohol, as this will dehydrate you and irritate your throat instead.
2. Avoid eating food that’s hard to swallow
This one’s practically a no-brainer, but just in case you need some extra reminding: Stay away from food that’s hard to swallow! These can irritate and abrade your throat, and will in turn slow down the healing process. Instead, stick to soft food and soups for the time being. (Hello, lugaw!)
3. Use a humidifier
Dry air can aggravate your sore throat. So if you have a cool mist humidifier at home, turn it on — breathing in moist air can help alleviate the pain. Alternatively, you can run a hot shower in your bathroom and breathe in the steam.
4. Take food supplements made to provide you with relief
Yes, we are indeed talking about supplements that include good ol’ Lola Remedios! This particular supplement is inspired by traditional remedies (aka our lolas’ home treatments, passed down from generation to generation). It’s packed with all-natural ingredients like mint, citrus, ginger, and clove — all great for soothing the throat.
Also read: ‘Tita Gadgets’ Make Life Easier — This List of 20 Must-Have Items Is Proof
5. Inhale calming scents
Titas, this is where your essential oils and diffusers will come in handy! Try scents like thyme, peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, and lavender. You can make use of your trusty aromatherapy inhalers, too.
My personal favourite calming scent, however, would have to be Golden Mint Molecule: a mix of mint, citrus, and Philippine frankincense. Choose between a roller or a spray — just spread it on your hands and inhale, or apply it on the affected area and gently massage!
Also read: 7 Things You Need to Turn Your Room Into a Spa
Have any more tried and true sore throat remedies you’d like to recommend? Share them with us in the comments section!
Featured image credit: aaboikis via Canva Pro
