Friday 25 March, 2016.
Natural cough remedies and home remedies for coughing. Looking for a home remedy for cough or homemade cough remedy?
Have a look at our simple treatments for those persistent coughs which just don’t seem to go away. Using a home remedy for your cough can give relief in a natural and healthy way that does not include medication.
About Coughs
A cough is a reaction or reflex response to irritations or blockages in the airways, such as mucus, phlegm, dust, smoke or a foreign body.
It is always better to help the cough rather than suppress it with drugs.
If you experience continuous coughing for more than two weeks, you need to be checked by your doctor.
If you are coughing up sputum or phlegm, and the sputum is clear or white, then it is a cough which you should try and put up with for a few days. This is probably a cough that is the result of a bout of flu or cold and is the bodies way of clearing the lungs of sputum that has collected as a result of fighting the infection. In this case, natural cough remedies are just what you need.
If you are coughing up yellow or green sputum, you probably have an infection that will need to be treated with antibiotics, and you should consult your doctor.
If the cough is dry, you need to determine the cause and eliminate it.
My Best Natural Cough Remedies
Aromatherapy
Using essential oils to treat everyday ailments is one of my favourite remedies. Try this home remedy for coughs…
- Add three drops of eucalyptus oil and two drops of thyme oil to two teaspoons of vegetable oil. Massage this mixture into the neck and chest.
The old standby, Vicks Vaporub, is essentially an aromatherapy product. Its decongestant vapours come from eucalyptus oil.
Essential oils in a steam inhalation are also great for soothing a cough! Make a blend of lavender, thyme and eucalyptus in a bowl of steaming water. Lean over the bowl, with a towel over your head and inhale.
Coltsfoot, echinacea and hyssop make a good infusion. For dry coughs, thyme and licorice are recommended, and for mucusy coughs, eucalyptus and licorice.
Click here to buy essential oils.
Herbal Treatments
Herbal treatments can relieve many of the symptoms of coughs and colds.
- Goldenseal is a favourite Native American infection fighter. For an infusion, use half to one teaspoon of powered root per cup of boiling water. Steep for ten minutes. Drink up to two cups a day. In a tincture, take half to one teaspoon twice a day. When using commercial preparations, follow the instructions on the package.
- Mint – both peppermint and spearmint are natural cough remedies and also used to relax the digestive tract. For an infusion, use one teaspoon of fresh herbs or two teaspoons of dried leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep ten minutes. Reheat if desired. Drink up to three cups a day. In a tincture, take a quarter to one teaspoons up to three times a day. For a relaxing herbal bath fill a cloth bag with a few handfuls of dried or fresh leaves and let the bath water run over it. Lie back and let the minty steam soothe your cough.
Grow your own herbs with a Gourmet Herb Seed Kit and make sure you have fresh mint and other herbal remedies on hand.
Check Medications Certain blood pressure medications can cause a chronic cough. The most common ones include Vasotec, Zestril and Prinivil. If your are on medication to control your blood pressure, and are experiencing a persistent cough, talk to your doctor.
Gargle
If your throat is irritated by your cough, gargle with salt dissolved in warm water to ease the pain. Dissolve a teaspoon of salt in a glass of water and let it wash over your throat before spitting out. Salt is an antiseptic as well as soothing. Don’t make the solution to strong as you can cause more discomfort. Gargle every few hours.
Eliminate Irritants
If your cough is dry and you are not coughing up any mucous, it may be caused by something in your environment that is irritating your mucous membranes. The best action is to get rid of the irritant, if you can. Smoking and stale smoke, dust, solvents and sprays, such as air fresheners, animal hair and pollen allergies could all be the cause of your cough.
Learn To Relax
An involuntary irritating cough can be the result of prolonged stress. When your nervous system’s fright-flight-fight response is switched on more or less permanently, other systems falter – your immune response is compromised and other systems are unable to provide repair and recuperation…The answer is to change your outlook on life, to slow down yet keep as active as possible, and learn to enjoy simple pleasures and a peaceful life. This is not only good advice for natural cough remedies, but for all dis-ease. Have a look at our relaxation techniques for simple diy stress relief.
Homemade Cough Remedy
- Garlic Cold and Flu Syrup
With antiseptic and antibacterial qualities, garlic is an ideal cough and cold ingredient.
Ingredients
1 head garlic, crushed
300ml/1/2 pint water
juice of 1/2 a lemon
30ml/2 tbsp honey
- Bring the garlic and water to the boil. Simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and honey and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Allow to cool. Then strain into a clean, dark bottle with an airtight lid.
- Take 2 – 3 teaspoons three times a day. Keep chilled for up to three weeks.
If you have enjoyed this page on Natural Cough Remedies, you might also enjoy:
- Diet For Acid Reflux
- Aromatherapy For Relaxation
- How To Use Herbal Remedies
- Simple Ways To Boost Your Immune System
