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Home Remedies for a Sore Throat

Having a sore throat can be a trial. It’s painful especially when you’re swallowing. Sometimes, talking can also be quite painful. In addition, it’s itchy and there’s no way you can scratch it. If you have a sore throat right now, you’re just one of the 40 million people who are suffering from this condition each year.

So, what exactly is a sore throat? It’s quite simple really. Your pharynx, the tube that runs from your esophagus to the back of your mouth, is inflamed. So what causes the inflammation of your throat? Well, 80% of the time, the cause of your sore throat is a viral infection. Your sore throat could be a physical symptom that accompanies your cold, flu, measles, chickenpox, or mononucleosis (mono) – all of which are illnesses causes by viruses and cannot be treated with antibiotics. The good thing about a sore throat that is caused by a viral infection is that it usually goes away on its own after a few days.

Another common cause of a sore throat is bacterial infection such as streptococcal bacteria. Unlike a viral infection, a sore throat caused by bacteria is often more severe and lasts longer. Generally, an individual suffering from a strep infection is given antibiotics because it can lead to rheumatic fever or scarlet fever as well as heart and kidney damage.

Other Causes of Sore Throats:

Aside from viral infections, other factors can cause your throat to become irritated or inflamed.

  • Allergies
  • Dry air (especially if you breathe through your mouth while sleeping)
  • Pollution
  • Tumors
  • Acid reflux
  • Infected tonsils
  • Food allergy
  • Smoking
  • Throat abuse through singing, coughing, or shouting

Medical Treatment:
The usual treatment of a sore throat caused by a cold is over-the-counter cold medications. Pain relievers are also used to lessen the pain and tenderness of the throat. Some examples are acetaminophen, naproxen, and ibuprofen. Aside from medication, lozenges and sore throat spray are also used to soothe the throat and temporarily relieve the pain.

Number 1

Honey

Honey has long been used as a remedy for sore throat. In fact, it is quite common for professional singers to drink honey before performances in order to soothe their throats. How does it work? Well, honey helps soothe the throat because it acts as a hypertonic osmotic. This means that honey helps draw out water from inflamed tissue which lessens the discomfort and swelling within the throat. In addition, it has antibacterial properties that kill the bacteria causing the infection which speeds up healing. This fact has verified over the years through studies. In 2007, a study was conducted on 139 children with upper respiratory tract infections. The scientists found that there was a significant improvement in the children who received a treatment of honey; honey was seen to have rated better at providing the children with relief from their coughs than dextromethorphan (DM) which is a common cough suppressant. Other studies on honey have

How to Use:
There are a number of ways. You can consume a spoonful of pure honey to soothe your throat. You can also mix four tablespoons of lemon juice, two tablespoons of honey, and a pinch of salt then gargle the mixture. Lastly, you can opt to drink honey mixed with hot water or herbal tea. Just add several teaspoons to your drink.

Number 2

Chamomile tea

Chamomile is a plant with many usages and it is mainly used as a tea or infusions. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and astringent properties so it comes naturally that it is a great soothing for the sore throat. All the above makes it one if the most effective plant that fights germs.

Apart from having great healing properties, it comes with a nice taste and it is a natural lubricant, helping your voice get back on track, in case this is a problem as well.

How to use

Either use it as a tea, drink it to boost your immune system, and help fight the infection, or inhale chamomile steam. This will help relieve the sore throat and any other symptoms of a cold. As a tea, if you want to add an extra vitamin C you can add some lemon juice or a lemon slice.

Number 3

Apple cider vinegar

This is very effective for treating sore throat. It will reduce the infection and prevent the swelling.

It works as a natural antibiotic and kills the bacteria. The positive effect it has on the sore throat is due to its acidity, which helps with thinning the mucus. It is also good for the throw up situations, when you feel throat soreness after vomiting. Taking a bit of it will reduce the burning sensation.

How to use

Make sure you do not use it by itself. Take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and mix it with honey and warm water in a glass. This mix is good to have. You should not use it very often, though as the acidity of the vinegar can damage tooth enamel.

 

Number 4

Lemon

Just like vinegar, they are acidic and they help break up mucus and relief the sore throat. Moreover, they contain vitamin C, which will boost your immune system.

How to use

Take one tablespoon of lemon juice and mix it with a glass of warm water. Drink this and the sore throat will quickly disappear.  If you cannot have it simple, add a bit of honey to sweeten it.

4 Surprising Remedies For Snoring

Snoring is an extremely common problem in adults, and can interrupt your sleep. You just don’t get the high quality sleep you need when you snore. Not to mention it can be extremely annoying for anyone who may be sharing your bed with you. Those of you who suffer with snoring, whether it be yours or your partners, will be happy to know that there are plenty natural remedies to ease or cease snoring. We’ve included four surprising (and simple) remedies here to get you started.

What Causes Snoring?

Before we get started with our four surprising remedies for snoring, lets take a look at what actually causes the snoring in the first place. Reasons for snoring range from the mundane to the serious, although more serious complications are incredibly rare. Snoring may be caused by any of the following items:

  • being overweight
  • swelling of the tissue during the last month of pregnancy
  • sleep apnea
  • deviated septum
  • sinus issues
  • nasal polyps
  • swelling of the mouth palate, uvula, adenoids, or tonsils
  • bone abnormalities of the face
  • use of sleeping pills, antihistamines, or alcohol at or just before bedtime

Ready to learn how you can fix your snoring issues? Keep reading to find out about our four surprising remedies for snoring!

1. Change Your Sleeping Position

Changing your sleeping position can greatly reduce snoring, or even do away with it completely. Although sleeping flat on your back with just a thin pillow to help support your neck is ideal for your spine, it is decidedly not ideal for those who snore. This position places a lot of extra weight on your chest, neck, and jaw because of the way your body distributes weight when laying flat. If you want to ease your snoring or do away with it completely, there are two sleeping positions you could try.

The first sleeping position is to lay on your back, but with your head elevated about four inches. There are special pillows you can buy to support the ideal position, but stacking pillows is another one. This helps to relax your jaw and throat muscles so you can breath easier while you sleep.

The second sleeping position is to sleep on your side. It can be whichever side you are most comfortable with. Feel free to use a body pillow to help maintain this position throughout the night. Some people have even taken drastic measures to ensure they do not roll over onto their back in the middle of the night, such as taping tennis balls to the back of their pajamas. You might not need to take such drastic measures, of course, but it is always an option.

Additional Tips

  • If you’re prone to snoring and are sick, or suffering from severe allergies, you may want to try sleeping in a recliner. This helps you to properly maintain a good sleeping position which will decrease or prevent snoring.
  • Placing a pillow or two beneath your knees while laying on your back, or one between your legs while sleeping on your side, can not only ease stress on the spine, but can also help to cease nighttime movement.
  • If allergies are lending to your nighttime noises, try a sterile saline spray instead of an antihistamine just before bed. If you must take an antihistamine, use it in the morning so it doesn’t interrupt your sleep.

2. Exercise & Lose Weight

Exercising helps ease snoring in multiple ways. When you tone your arms, shoulders, chest, and other muscles in that general area also helps you to tone your throat. When your throat is strong, you decrease snoring related to a too-relaxed or weak throat. Exercise also helps by generally keeping you healthy. Healthier people are less likely to snore because they are strong, and because they tend to have stronger immune systems.

Exercise, of course, helps you to lose weight, as well. People who are overweight are much more likely to snore, because they have extra pressure put on their throat and chest. Overweight people are also more likely to suffer from sleep apnea, which is a rare but potentially life threatening disease where individuals temporarily cease breathing in their sleep. Even as little as five pounds could cause snoring and other health issues, so if you’ve been saying you were going to exercise but have yet to get around to it, now is the time for action.

Additional Tips

  • Always ease into an exercise program slowly. If you’d like to make running your cardio, for example, you would start by walking, followed by intervals, followed by running. Keep it down to a minimum at first, and slowly add miles onto your route.
  • When losing weight, its important to know that slow is better. Up to two pounds in average/moderately overweight individuals is healthy. Obese individuals may healthily lose up to four pounds per week in the beginning without consequences.
  • Weight loss is easier with support. Find a friend or family member who would also like to lose weight, and do it together. This can greatly increase your results and resolve.

3. Change Your Pillows

We bet you didn’t know that your pillows could contribute to your snoring, did you? Why is that? Well, your pillows are made of soft materials, which easily trap allergens inside of them. These allergens can be extremely difficult to get rid of once they’ve settled into place. As a result, you could actually be triggering your allergies just by laying down in your bed at night! This should be one of the very first things people do to stop snoring if they know they have indoor or seasonal allergies of any kind.

A good idea for allergy sufferers is to buy a protective covering for their pillows. These coverings are made out of plastic or vinyl, or any other number of protective materials. These materials are much less likely to hold allergens than cotton and polyester are. You simply place the covering over your bare pillow, and zip or tie it up. Place your normal pillow case over the top of that one, and you’re all set!

 

Additional Tips

  • Remember it isn’t just your pillow itself. Pillow cases can hold allergens as well, which is why its suggested you wash your pillowcases every other day if at all possible. At least every three days.
  • If you’re buying a new pillow anyways, you may want to invest in a special pillow designed to help ease snoring. These are designed at an angle which will support your neck, shoulders, and head.
  • Allergy suffers with snoring problems will also want to wash their sheets and comforters more often than others. Once or twice a week is good for sheets, while every 1 ½ weeks is a good for comforters. Definitely don’t wait longer than two weeks.

4. Stay Well Hydrated

There are three reasons why inadequate hydration leads to snoring. The first reason is that dried out nasal passages and throat lead to ‘vibrations.’ These vibrations occur because there is no natural lubrication to stop them, and the result (in addition to snoring) is waking up with a sore throat. The second reason is especially important for allergy sufferers. Nasal and sinus secretions become thicker when you are dehydrated. Water naturally things them out so you can get rid of them. The thicker these secretions are, the more you will be blocked or ‘stuffed up’ and the more you will snore. The third reason is that dehydration is detrimental to your overall health. It can cause many health problems, a lot of which may contribute to snoring.

Experts recommend getting at least eight glasses of water per day. This is equivalent to roughly four average-sized water bottles. There are certain cases in which you should drink more water throughout the day, however. A few of these reasons would be if you’re pregnant, breast feeding, exercise, live in extremely hot/cold climates, live at a high elevation, are sick, drink alcohol, and/or are taking medications.

Additional Tips

  • Don’t chug your water, or it won’t be doing you as much good as you think. Sip water throughout the day for best results.
  • Always carry water with you when out in the heat, or exercising.
  • Drink BEFORE you’re thirsty. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

These four surprising remedies can help you to ease or completely do away with your nighttime snoring. Implement them now, before the issues become worse than they already are. Your body – and your partner – will thank you profusely.

10 Natural remedies for a beautiful skin – part one

No more wrinkles, acne or tired eyes! These are the goals of every woman as she is getting older and older. With age, one can no longer enjoy a beautiful and flawless skin. This is why you should take better care of everything that means “you”. It is what you eat, drink, and treat yourself that eventually shows on your exterior.

One has to drink at least two liters of water per day in order to have a hydrated skin. Anyhow, the more you drink, the better you feel and the better your skin looks. Treating yourself with smoothies daily, will help you treat your senses and stay healthy. Smoothies are both delicious and healthy. What are they made of? They are drinks made of fruits, vegetables, peanuts, milk and other healthy ingredients.

Nowadays the combinations are so various as it seems that there is a wonder drink for any problem your body may have. It is indicated to consume the smoothies in the mornings, as the choices and the actions from morning times will positively or negatively influence the level of energy, the physical aspect and the digest through the entire day.

1. The fighting wrinkles smoothies

This special smoothie contains milk chocolate and this should be reason enough to convince you to try it. The advantage of this recipe is that it helps reduce the fine expressions lines that inevitably mark your face. It has just 135 calories per portion.

The recipe for two portions is – a cup of milk chocolate with low content of fat, 1¼ cup of unsweetened green tea and 1 and 1½ cup of frozen mix of fruits – strawberries, blueberries, raspberries.

2. Chia seeds smoothies for a younger skin

The chia seeds are not benefic only when you eat them in salads. They are benefic added in smoothies as well. Apart from the chia seeds this smoothies also contains yoghurt and tofu cheese. Combined these can boost up your organism with minerals, iron, proteins and many other vitamins.

All these elements work together to protect the cells, to reduce the skin inflammation and to protect the skin against the sun rays negative effects. The fruits contain antioxidants and contribute to restoring the collagen cells.

The recipe – 1¼ cup of fresh or frozen strawberries, 1½ cup of fresh or frozen blueberries, one orange, one banana, 1½ cup of simple, fat free yoghurt, 1½ cup of tofu, 2 spoons of chai seeds and one spoon of agave syrup.

3. Acne fight smoothie

Acne is a skin disease that seems to trouble many women, even after they pass the teens. One should know that there is a smoothie that can help you fight and win this battle. Among the main ingredients of this drink are mango, fish oil and yoghurt. Mango contains vitamins B6, C and E and the fish oil, Omega 3, which diminishes the acne effects.

The recipe – one spoon of fish oil, 1½ cup of simple yoghurt, 1½ cup of frozen mango slices, 1½ cup of orange juice, ice and mint leaves.

4. Dry and irritated skin remedy

Avocado is a wonder fruit that can be used in more purposes than in just preparing the well-known guacamole. This green fruit contains an important number of vitamins C, E and K, which are vital for a beautiful and healthy skin. The oxidants from avocado will make your skin glow and be lighted. Moreover, one of the most important benefits is the anti-inflaming effect. It reduces the absorption of ban fats, which are provoked by alcohol in excess, stress, smoking and improper food.

The recipe – 2/3 of cup with avocado slices, lemon juice, honey, ginger, one cup of fresh mango and ice.

Go to part 2