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Gargling is a simple and remarkably effective way of killing germs and soothing sore throat. Try one of these homemade gargles next time you’re looking to relieve throat pain:   1. Salt and Water Try grandma’s sore throat remedy by mixing ¼ teaspoon salt in one cup of warm water. (Use the hottest water you can comfortably tolerate. Cold gargles are ineffective). If you have it, add 1 tablespoon of Listerine for germ-killing power. The briny solution helps rinse away and neutralise acids in the throat, relieving the burning sensation and promoting fast healing of irritated mucous membrane. Note: Mix a fresh batch of gargle for every use. Better to waste a bit pouring it out than to leave it in your glass, where it might become contaminated with bacteria. Also, also do not swallow the gargle; spit it out.   2. Lemon and Water Mix 1 teaspoon lemon juice in 1 cup of water for this home remedy for sore throats; the astringent juice will help shrink swollen throat tissue and create a hostile (acidic) environment for viruses and bacteria.   3. Ginger, Honey, and Lemon in Water This home remedy is made up of 1 teaspoon each of powdered ginger and honey, ½ cup of hot water, and the juice of ½ squeezed lemon. Pour the water over the ginger, then add the lemon juice and honey, and gargle. Honey coats the throat and also has mild antibacterial properties.   4. Hot Sauce and Water The capsicum in hot pepper helps alleviate pain and fight inflammation. Add five shakes of ground cayenne pepper (or a few shakes of hot sauce) to a cup of hot water for sore throat relief. It’ll burn but try this gargle for 15 minutes and see if it helps.   5. Sage and Water Sage can soothe a sore throat and ease painful or swollen nasal passages. One traditional home remedy calls for one teaspoon sage, ½ teaspoon alum, ¼ cup brown sugar, 3/8 cup vinegar, and 1/8 cup water.   6. Tomato Juice For temporary relief of sore throat symptoms, gargle with a mixture of ½ cup hot water plus about 10 drops of hot pepper sauce. The antioxidant properties of lycopene may help remedy a sore throat faster.   7. Green Tea Green tea is known to naturally fight infections. Next time you brew a cup, make a little extra and gargle with some of this remedy to kill any bacteria your sore throat may be harbouring.   8. Apple Cider Vinegar and Salt If your throat is left raw by a rough cough, grab a bottle of apple cider vinegar because germs can’t survive the acidic coating it will form on your throat. Gargle with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and one tablespoon salt dissolved in a glass of warm water. Use several times a day if needed. For a gentler treatment, combine ¼ cup apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup honey and take 1 tablespoon every four hours.   9. Myrrh and Water You may be able to speed the healing process with myrrh (a few drop of tincture of myrrh in a cup of water). Highly astringent, myrrh is superb at combating inflammation. It’s an antiseptic too. Gargle six times a day – a bit of an effort, true, but well worth it.   10. Licorice Water Licorice root can soothe a sore throat and reduce cough-inducing phlegm. A 2009 study found that post-operative patients who gargled with a licorice solution were less likely to develop a sore throat post-surgery. Mix one teaspoon of licorice syrup or powder with eight ounces of water and swish.   For more health tips, subscribe to our Newsletters.   About the Writer: Osakwe Richard is an avid follower of tech news and developments around the globe and a Scrabble aficionado.  
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This article was first published on 15th September 2015

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