Stop That Sore Throat

So I created the cure for the common cold (find it here) that doesn't mean you won't suffer to some degree. My family was hit twice in four months with RSV. Kids from daycare were all hit and stayed home, One coworker after the other, as well. Everyone kept saying "Wow, what a tough cold!" Little did they know, that's no cold. RSV is no joke. In addition to all the cold symptoms, there is a pretty heavy degree of muscle weakness and exhaustion. My littlest was put on a nebulizer for wheezing. As a mom, going to that level for an illness is a little scary. My little guys unfortunately cannot gargle, so I bought a whole cabinet of cold remedy stuff. A few really worked well especially Zarbee's Child Natural Cough Syrup and Little Remedies Little Noses Decongestant Nose Drops. These were just life savers. 

For us adults, this method is amazing. I was at my cold's peak, my remedy curbed a lot of the symptoms that could have been worse, but I started to get a sore throat. I have the best gargle in the world, I whipped it up, gargled away. Woke up the next day, like it never happened. I continued once a day and whenever I felt it coming on. Take that RSV!

Four ingredients you will need: water, hydrogen peroxide, oil of Oregano, and sea salt. That's it. And in minimal amounts. I put about 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide in a glass jar, about 4 drops of oil of oregano (yes, only 4 drops, trust me) and enough salt to make it salty, no more than a tablespoon is needed. Top off with filtered water and keep it in a dark place.

I, of course, have provided a little research for your reading pleasure. Every ingredient has its purpose. And it seriously works.

Hydrogen Peroxide

 A study published in Nature found that hydrogen peroxide plays a role in the immune system. Scientists found that hydrogen peroxide presence inside cells increased after tissues are damaged..  which is thought to act as a signal to white blood cells to converge on the site and initiate the healing process. ~Wikipedia,

Oil of Oregano

Oil of oregano contains a compound called carvacrol, which has been shown to help break through the outer cell membranes that help protect bacteria from the immune system. Studies have shown that oil of oregano is effective at killing bacteria, and could also help the immune system take action against viruses, fungi and parasites.~Dr. OZ

Sea Salt

Sea salt helps to neutralize acids by restoring the pH balance in the throat region, thus alleviating the pain and burning sensation in the throat. The salt will also dissolve excess mucus and increase blood flow to the throat in order to speed up the healing process. Gargling with sea salt and warm water can help relieve the pain of coughs and the symptoms of dryness in the throat due to the common cold. It can help to relieve and eliminate that dry, itchy or scratchy feeling one might have. One reason for this is that salt absorbs moisture and causes osmosis; for example, if a person puts salt on a tomato or a cucumber more liquid will come out of it. Likewise, in a person’s mouth, salt absorbs by drawing moisture and harmful bacteria from swollen tissues; thus providing relief. Moreover, an environment composed of salt will block harmful bacteria from growing in the first place.~Living Food 101