Honey finds its use as an essential ingredient in a number of homemade cough suppressant formulations. This article tells you about some natural yet highly effective or best cough suppressants.
Coughing is a part of your body’s defense mechanism. It helps the body expel out foreign substances. Since it is a natural response shown by your body and is actually beneficial for maintaining a sound health, many doctors do not feel the need to suppress it. Most coughs are acute in nature and do not last longer than 3-4 weeks. However, suppression of cough requires consideration when it leads to impaired breathing or restlessness. Many natural cough suppressants provide fast and positive results. Following are some highly effective home remedies that help treat cough:
Natural Remedies for Cough
- Take a teaspoon of honey and mix it with 2-3 drops of lemon juice. Take it early in the morning on an empty stomach for 3-4 days.
- Mix half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, one-fourth teaspoon of ground ginger, two tablespoons of water, and one tablespoon each of apple cider vinegar and honey. Put this mixture in a clean and dry container. Take two teaspoons of this homemade syrup twice a day. This will relieve cough within a week.
- In bronchitis, the cough may or may not bring up mucus or phlegm. In case of absence of mucus or dry cough, you may take non-prescription or homemade cough suppressants. However, it will be better if you do not suppress the cough with mucus as it will assist in faster clearing of bronchial tree.
- Quitting smoking will help heal the bronchial tree fast. Taking over-the-counter pain killers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen will alleviate the pain and fever due to bronchitis.
- Inhalation of steam is considered to be the best dry cough suppressant. The warmth and moisture work on thinning the mucus, which in turn assists in its expulsion.
- Take a teaspoon of ginger juice, a pinch of black pepper powder, and mix them with a few drops of honey. Take this mixture twice or thrice a day to get relief within a couple of days.
- Another homemade cough suppressant can be made with honey as one of its ingredients. Mix aloe vera juice and honey in the ratio of 2:1. Mix them well, and take 1-2 drops in an interval of 3 hours for a couple of days. This is sure to provide you with comfort and relief.
- Drink plenty of warm water throughout the day as this will help in thinning of the mucus as well as easing the cough.
- Prepare a mixture of 2-3 balls of black pepper, a teaspoon of caraway seeds, and one-fourth teaspoon of common salt. Suck on it 3-4 times a day at regular intervals.
- Stay away from caffeinated drinks and drink 2-3 glasses of fresh fruit juices per day. This will boost immunity as well as work towards easing cough.
- Mix a teaspoon of turmeric powder with 3-4 drops of honey and suck on it before bedtime. This is another home remedy for cough and is believed to be the best cough suppressant for kids.
Though all the given home remedies for cough have been found to be effective for centuries, yet it is never advisable to use them for longer than two weeks. Cough can be a result of any sort of underlying disease. It is a must to diagnose the hidden cause by well-informed medical assessment. Try the aforementioned formulations of cough suppressants and monitor your condition for two weeks. If the cough does not heal or gets even worse, visit a doctor for necessary help.
Disclaimer: This HolisticZine article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
