Take responsibility: Sore throat

Take responsibility: Sore throat

It is important to take responsibility for your own health. There is a lot you can do about minor ailments like sore throats.

Yesterday I've talked about gargling with salty water, and don't forget to spit it out after your gargled.

Sage tea is good for sore throats as well. You put a teaspoon full of dried sage leaves into a mug and pour some boiling water over it. Cover the mug with a saucer and leave it to brew for about 10 minutes. Let it cool a bit more till it is just warm enough to hold in your mouth but not too hot. Gargle with it and spit it out. It tastes a bit nicer than salty water. Repeat it as often as you feel like.

The other thing you can do is a Quark poultice. And this is how you do it:

Take a tea towel and fold it length wise. Fold it again the same way. Put a piece of kitchen towel folded in half on top of the folded tea towel. Then smear the kitchen paper all the way with quark. You find quark in the cheese section of Waitrose or Saintsbury's. Put another folded piece of kitchen towel on top of the quark and wrap it around your neck. Then cover the tea towel and your neck with a woolen scarf you tie around your neck as well. The quark bit of the tea towel needs to be at your throat. Leave it for about 20 minutes or as long as it feels comfortable.

My daughter used to hate it and she would rather have a sore throat than a quark poultice but I find it very soothing. It is a bit of work and if you are not careful it can be messy as well.

Of course, Homoeopathy is so much easier but you need to know what you are doing. The first aid remedy for a sore throat for me is always Arsenicum album, particularly when it is better for hot drinks. If the pain is on the left side and is better for swallowing solid food you can try Lachesis. Right sided sore throats respond quite well to Mercurius. You can get theses remedies at most Holland&Barrett stores. But don't forget: If you don't feel any better the next day it is advised to see a qualified health practitioner. 

And let me know if you need help or have any more questions.