Thursday, November 12, 2009

Natural Remedies?


I’m trying to fight off a scratchy throat and cough today, and I’ve been wanting to try a homemade cough syrup recipe that I found online. I made it at lunch time and thought I’d share it here. It sure tastes good and soothes the throat. We’ll see if it helps keep this bug from getting any worse. There are few over-the-counter medications I can safely take while pregnant, and I also like that I can give it to Jodi if she catches a cough. Most over-the-counter cold and cough medicines are not safe for little ones, either.

This got me thinking about remedies from the past when people couldn’t just run to the drugstore like we do now. Have you historical writers ever come across a good natural remedy in your research that you’ve tried and found effective? I’d love to hear about them!


Honey Lemon Cough Syrup


Lemon helps promote health by quickly alkalinizing your body, and honey will kill any bacteria. This is a perfect choice for a quick cough remedy.
  • Put a pint of raw honey in a pan on the stove on VERY low heat (Do not boil honey as this changes its medicinal properties) .
  • Take a whole lemon and boil in some water in a separate pan for 2-3 minutes to both soften the lemon and kill any bacteria that may be on the lemon skin.
  • Let the lemon cool enough to handle then cut it in slices and add it to the pint of honey on the stove.
  • Let mixture cook on warm heat for about an hour.
  • Then strain the lemon from the honey making sure all lemon seeds are removed.
  • Let cool, then bottle in a jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator.

This syrup will keep for 2 months in the refrigerator.


To soothe a cough, take 1/2 teaspoon for a 25 lb. child and 1 teaspoon for a 50 lb. child, about 4 times a day, or as often as needed. Adults can take 1 tablespoon doses.

6 comments:

Shannon Taylor Vannatter said...

I don't have any remedies, just a prayer for you to feel better. It's horrible being sick and not being able to take anything.

Kyley said...

I use this cough syrup recipe too. If my chest is congested, I add 1 drop of peppermint essential oil and let it steam off a bit. Makes it minty and helps decongest.

I also use a home-made chest rub instead of petroleum-based products (they're bad for you.) Here's a link to the recipe...

http://www.easy-aromatherapy-recipes.com/aromatherapy-for-colds.html

Feel better!

Mary Connealy said...

All that healing power and I thought it just felt good on my throat. :)

I drink a lot of hot tea and especially when I've got a cold.

Such a year for worrying. Every time I sneeze or clear my throat I catch myself worrying, "Is this it? Swine flu?"

So far, so good.

Jan Cline said...

My husband swears by his very hot tea with honey when he has a sore throat. Actually, I think the hot tea burns off all the bacteria!

JoAnne said...

Well, it was Thursday when I posted this blog, and my throat and cough were feeling like they could get pretty bad. I took two tablespoons of this cough syrup over six hours, and by Friday morning the sore throat and cough were completely gone. I think this helped! Not sure whether I should give it all the credit or not but I'll definitely try it again in the future.

And thanks for the prayers, Shannon. I know they are the best remedy. :)

Anonymous said...

Great post. I just finished Love is a Battlefield. Must reat. It was great. Hope you feel better. Drink lots of liquids.Blessings.
tarenn98[at]yahoo[dot]com