Cure For Cough? Cough It Out!

Would you believe that coughing is a good thing? Yes it is as it is the body's way of protecting and curing itself from foreign elements that attack it. It is a reflex just like the way you jerk and remove your hand when you touch something hot. So, it is best to let it be. In fact, we are encouraged to just drink lots of fluids and juices and take lots of rest so the body is capable of sustaining itself as it fights the microorganism that invaded it.

But what if rest is no longer possible because of the cough itself? Then, it is time to help the body either naturally or synthetically. I would advice to treat it the natural way. Here're my recommendations:

1. Take enough rest. 8 hours of sleep daily is very good but if that's not possible 6 hours will do. anything below 5 hours per day will lower your resistance.

2. Do a coughing exercise. Breathe deeply and let out a cough by exerting from your diaphragm just like when you're singing. 3 coughs per set. Do 2 sets daily.

3. Do a breathing exercise. Breathe in deeply through the nose and exhale out with pursed lips slowly, about twice the time it took to breathe in.

4. Inhale steam. Boil some water and put in a tall glass. get a carboard and roll it to make a cone with the large hole to cover the glass and the smaller tip for you to inhale from. Add some salt, stir and breathe in deeply. It is ideal to tap your back with a cooking spoon or ask someone to tap your back with his hand. Avoid the spine and the area or your back below your rib.

5. Take ginger. This will be your lozenges and it will soothe your throat. Sometimes a cough originates from an irritated throat.

6. Drink a tonic of 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 clove pounded garlic, and 2 teaspoons honey diluted in 8 oz water. This will make you boost your immune system.

7. Take juice of oregano. You can do this by about 3 large, mature and juicy leaves, heat it a bit only until it slightly changes from opaque to slightly wet or shiny. Squeeze it so the juice comes out. Do this 3 times a day as it will serve as your cough medicine.

8. As a tonic take calamansi. This is a kind of Philippine citrus fruit. Take in about 2 tablespoons of its juice undiluted. I was told once before by a family friend that calamansi can be taken on an empty stomach first thing in the morning provided you don't take anything , not even your own saliva. I was asked to simply cut up the fruit, heat both sides on an open flame (I used the stove) and then squeeze the juice out on a tablespoon. drink the juice after that. I realized that I didn't take any other thing for my cough and it did get well.

9. If the cough is dry, gargle with some salt solution with a mixture of 1 teaspon salt to 1 liter of water. Store this so you don't have to make some for the whole day. gargle with it frequently.

10. It is best to keep your immune system up and running. Drink a liter of tibicos or water kefir. This I find is better than milk kefir for the respiratory ailments. Kefir has a lot of good bacteria that can help you keep your immune system in tip top condition.

11. Drink turmeric, malunggay or even mangosteen infusions/concoctions. when they're all available in my kitchen, I simply mix them in juice and gobble up the concoction. Some suggest to put them in coffee or make a tea. That may work too. I just think that putting any herb in a hot medium will kill the enzymes that are present. So, to maximize the healing potential, I drink my plants in liquid. Just a matter of preference though.

12. don't take coughing lightly as it could be a sign of a more serious condition such as a heart disease. Or if you're taking any drug, consult its literature or your health provider as it could be a side effect. My husband's hypertensive medication (ACE inhibitor) does that to him. If you notice any trace of blood or your cough persists for more than 3 weeks, you have to go to your doctor. For other articles on health, and family, visit my blog "Bahay ni Juana" at http://janecajuguiran.blogspot.com.

Keep healthy.

Jane