Treat Your Sore Throat With 16 Effective Gargles.
Gargling is a simple and remarkably effective way to kill bacteria and relieve sore throats.
If you do not know this method, it is high time to find out.
Gargling is the action of rinsing the throat with a liquid and then spitting it out - this can be done for hygiene (like mouthwashes) or to treat a sore throat.
The next time your throat is sore and hoarse, try one of these homemade gargles to soothe the pain.
1. Gargle with salt water
Gargling with salt water is a grandmother's remedy with recognized effectiveness.
Mix 1/4 teaspoon of salt with 235 ml of hot water. Then heat the water to the hottest temperature you can tolerate. No need to scratch your throat, but be aware that cold gargles are less effective than hot gargles.
If you have Listerine on hand, add 1 tbsp to take advantage of its bactericidal properties.
Gargling with salt water rinses and neutralizes acids in your throat. It relieves the burning sensation associated with sore throats and accelerates the healing of irritated mucous membranes.
An important instruction: prepare a new mixture for each gargle. Indeed, if you let a solution sit in a glass, it may be contaminated with bacteria. So, better to waste a little salt than risk another contamination, right?
Click to discover the trick.
2. Gargle with lemon water
Preparing this home remedy for sore throat is easy. Mix 1 teaspoon of squeezed lemon with 235 ml of water.
Lemon juice has an astringent effect. This means it will cause the inflamed throat tissue to shrink.
In addition, lemon juice will increase the acidity level, creating an environment hostile to viruses and bacteria.
Click here to learn more about lemon uses.
3. The ginger gargle
For this homemade remedy, mix 1 teaspoon of powdered ginger, 100 ml of hot water, the juice of 1/2 squeezed lemon and a little honey.
Start by pouring hot water over the ginger to dissolve it well. Then add lemon juice and honey and gargle with this mixture.
Honey is also used to line the throat with a protective coating because it has antibacterial properties.
4. Gargle with hot sauce
Chili peppers contain capsaicin. This alkaloid is a natural remedy that relieves pain and reduces inflammation.
Add a few drops of chili sauce to 235 ml of hot water to soothe your throat. You can also use chilli powder, at the rate of 5 pinches for 235 ml of water.
Okay, we recognize it's going to sting a bit - but try this gargle every 15 mins and you'll see how well it works.
5. The sage gargle
Sage has many medicinal properties. It can soothe a sore throat and can also clear inflamed nasal cavities.
For this homemade gargle, mix 1 teaspoon of sage, 50 g of cane sugar, 90 ml of vinegar and 30 ml of water.
6. Turmeric gargle
This yellow spice is a powerful antioxidant (scientists even believe that it would be able to fight some serious diseases).
For an effective sore throat remedy, mix 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. Then, gargle with this mixture. You can find turmeric in organic grocery stores or here on the internet.
7. Wheatgrass juice gargle
Here is another remarkable remedy: wheatgrass juice. Wheatgrass refers to the young shoots of wheat, which are squeezed to extract juice.
Spitting out gargle with this chlorophyll-rich juice will slow the growth of bacteria and relieve pain in your throat.
Wheatgrass juice has many benefits. For example, if it is kept in the mouth for 5 minutes, it revitalizes the gums and puts an end to toothache.
8. The clove herbal tea gargle
Add 1 to 3 teaspoons of cloves (ground or powdered) to 235 ml of water. Then mix and gargle.
Cloves have powerful antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. They will help relieve and heal your sore throat.
9. Tomato juice gargle
To temporarily relieve the symptoms of sore throat, you can gargle with a mixture of 100 ml of tomato juice and 100 ml of warm water. Increase the beneficial effect of this mixture by adding 10 drops of hot sauce.
Tomato juice has a high content of lycopene, an antioxidant that can speed the healing of sore throats.
10. The green tea gargle
Green tea is known as a natural remedy for infections. When making yourself a cup, do a little more than usual. Like that, you can take the opportunity to gargle. It will eliminate bacteria that can be harmful to your throat.
Click here for more benefits of green tea.
11. Apple cider vinegar gargle
If your throat is ravaged by a nasty coughing fit, consider apple cider vinegar. The vinegar will coat your throat with an acidic and protective layer. The bacteria that generate the infection cannot survive there!
Gargle with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 glass of hot water (ie, 25 cl). Repeat the treatment throughout the day, as many times as needed.
If the taste of the vinegar is hard to bear, you can try a less aggressive treatment. Prepare a mixture of 60 ml of apple cider vinegar and 60 ml of honey. Swallow 1 tablespoon every 4 hours.
12. Goldenseal Gargle
This North American plant, surely known to our Canadian readers, produces an alkaloid frequently used in pharmacies.
Mix 1.5 teaspoons of goldenseal tincture with 235 ml of water. Gargling with this mixture will flush bacteria and viruses from your throat and relieve inflamed tissue.
If you don't have goldenseal tincture, you can find it here or in organic stores.
13. Echinacea gargle
Echinacea is the natural hitman of viruses.
Echinacea gargle has 2 benefits for your body. It will relieve the pain of sore throat. And, it will also increase the fighting power of your immune system against infections.
Add 2 teaspoons of Echinacea tincture to 235 ml of water. Gargle with this homemade remedy, 3 times a day.
If you don't have Echinacea tincture, you can find it here or in health food stores.
14. Myrrh gargle
It only takes a few drops of myrrh tincture mixed with 235ml of water to speed up the natural healing process.
Myrrh has powerful astringent abilities, which makes it remarkably effective against inflammation. In addition, it is also antiseptic.
The dosage is a little more trying: 6 gargles per day. On the other hand, the result is guaranteed.
If you don't have myrrh, you can find it here or in health food stores.
15. The licorice gargle
Licorice can relieve a sore throat and also eliminate coughing sputum well. In 2009, a study was conducted on patients who gargled with a licorice mixture after their surgery. Scientists concluded that they were less likely to have sore throats.
Mix 1 teaspoon of licorice (in syrup or powder) with 235 ml of water to prepare your gargle.
If you don't have powdered licorice, you can find it here or at an herbalist.
16. Gargle with raspberry leaf tea
Raspberry leaf tea is an old grandmother's remedy to which several virtues are attributed: from curing the flu to treating an open wound.
A known recipe is to pour 235 ml of boiling water over 2 teaspoons of herbal tea. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes, drain and let cool. Gargle while the mixture is still hot.
If you don't have raspberry leaf tea, you can find it here or at an herbalist.
Your turn...
Have you tried these grandmother's remedies for a sore throat? Let us know in the comments if it worked for you. We can't wait to hear from you!
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Also to discover:
The 16 Best Natural Sore Throat Remedies.
The Magic Cure to Relieve Influenza States.
