Natural remedies for a cough include many items you may already have in your kitchen, including apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion, and flax seed. These home treatments are not only inexpensive, but they also work very well! Other remarkable cures for a cough include supplements like vitamins C and D.
A cough can have many different causes. Coughing may be a symptom of:
Fortunately, with natural cough remedies, you do not necessarily need to know the exact cause of your cough. Many of these remedies work very well for various types of cough. However, if your cough has lasted a long time or is getting worse instead of better despite treatment, it would be wise to seek a medical opinion.
One of the most important things to do when you cough is to stay hydrated. This will help keep any mucous thin.
Dairy products are not a good source of hydration when you have a cough. Dairy products and milk tend to make mucous production worse. Consider a milk substitute during a cold or flu if you need "milk." Almond milk is a delicious alternative and can even be used in coffee instead of cream.
Hot tea is an excellent way to stay hydrated when you have a cough. Not only is hot tea soothing, but many types of hot tea also have healing properties for a cough.
A teaspoon of coconut oil taken can alleviate a cough fit fast. Coconut oil soothes irritated bronchial passages and is anti-bacterial.
Five teas that help loosen phlegm and soothe an irritating cough are:
Apple cider vinegar or honey alone make great cough remedies. Putting them together in a tea will give you a delicious and powerful cough remedy.
Add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and one tablespoon of raw honey to a mug and add hot water. A pinch of cayenne or a dash of hot sauce will add a kick to the tea and may even kick your cough out!
Regular black tea, sweetened with honey, is another excellent cough tea. If you prefer this tea iced, that is fine, too. Do not sweeten with artificial sweetener, though, as it has been linked to coughing for some!
Mullein tea bags, found at your health food store or large grocery stores, is an excellent remedy for a cough. This mild tea is easy to drink. If you desire a sweetener, again, use honey. Peppermint is also a lovely addition to this tea.
Fresh lemon and fresh ginger make an excellent and tasty (albeit a bit spicy!) tea. Add one teaspoon of grated fresh ginger to a mug. Pour hot water over your ginger. After 10 minutes, remove the ginger (or leave it in if you don't mind it!) Add one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. Add honey or raw sugar to sweeten your tea. If you do not have fresh lemon and ginger, by all means, try dry ginger and bottled lemon juice. They may be less effective but will still be helpful.
Pour 1 cup boiling water over one tablespoon of flaxseed. After 15 minutes, strain out the flaxseed. Sweeten if desired. You can also add a bit of vanilla, cinnamon, or lemon juice for flavor.
Let food be thy cough medicine. Garlic and onions are two potent foods that have helped people with coughs worldwide for centuries. Consuming garlic or onion raw will benefit the most, although adding them to a soup will also bring healing.
Make up a fresh green salad and add some raw onion and garlic. Use olive oil and apple cider vinegar seasoned with sea salt and cayenne pepper to dress your salad. This salad includes four great foods that help a cough, all in one meal!
Combine the ingredients and bring them to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Eat this healing broth with crackers as a soup, or enjoy it in a mug as a savory warm drink. Add 1/2 cup of cooked chicken pieces and 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta for a heartier soup. (You can cook the rice or pasta in the soup while it is simmering; it will take longer.)
You can also use onions and garlic for a cough without even consuming them.
If you are plagued by a non-stop cough that will not let you sleep, cut up one onion and place it in a bowl by your bedside. Usually, this will stop a very stubborn cough. You can even nibble on a bite or two of onion during the night.
Mince up four garlic cloves and put them in a small saucepan. Add ¼ cup olive oil. Heat the oil lightly, just enough to thoroughly warm but do not saute the garlic. Maintain the light heat for 30 minutes. Strain out the garlic. Use the resulting garlic oil to massage your back or chest. Repeat as needed.
Chocolate can help a cough! For best results, use dark chocolate instead of a regular candy bar. Or try this hot chocolate drink with multiple remedies blended into one to soothe your cough.
Blend in a blender and enjoy!
Add ½ cup of baking soda, ½ cup of Epsom salt, and two drops of eucalyptus essential oil to a tub of warm water.
Soak for 20-30 minutes. If you only have one or two ingredients, try the bath anyway.
Each has the potential to relieve your cough and make you feel better for a while.
The above remedies have the potential to bring relief to an acute cough. Used faithfully, they can cure many coughs as well. However, if your cough is a result of an infection, you can add other supplements that will help to get you back to yourself more quickly:
Do you have a natural cough remedy? Please send us some feedback! Or continue reading below for reader-reported cough remedies.
