Sore throat is a painful symptom that is felt when the mucosa of the tract of the upper respiratory tract is inflamed .

It affects many people and certainly in the winter season it is more frequent than in the rest of the year.

It can be triggered by pathogens such as viruses and bacteria that attack the body or can be induced by substances that are irritating such as smoking, the use of alcoholic beverages or exposure by inhalation or contact with other chemicals in the environment.

Honey

Honey is a product of bees that since ancient times has been used by man as a natural sweetener and as a remedy for health.

Currently also several studies and scientific researches have demonstrated the effectiveness of honey to defend our body from the attack of pathogenic bacteria. In fact, honey is a natural antibacterial thanks to the presence of active ingredients capable of directly killing germs and making them even unable to develop resistance. Furthermore, honey supports the activity of our immune system by promoting the activity of white blood cells and aiding the healing of injured tissues.

In particular , Manuka honey obtained from Leptospermum scoparium flowers is the one with the highest antibacterial and anti-inflammatory action.

Honey is also very rich in antioxidants that manage to counteract free radicals and thus help maintain the integrity of the tissues and cells themselves. In particular, this process of prevention and cellular anti-aging helps to better cope with the damage caused by the specific attack of bacteria and viruses to the various tissues. The antioxidants contained in honey are, for example, vitamin C and flavonoids, which are present in higher percentages in darker colored honeys such as in chestnut honey.

Honey with its sweet taste and fluid consistency lends itself very well to use against sore throats even for children . It is able to stimulate the salivation and mobility of the stagnant mucus in the respiratory tract by lubricating the mucosa which will thus be able to heal before expelling the mucus more quickly. The honeys that come from the foraging of aromatic plants such as eucalyptus or thyme honey also have the specific properties of essential oils that in cases of sore throat and seasonal ailments become even more effective.

Finally the honey has a good sedative property that allows to calm the cough often associated with sore throat. In this way the honey calms the reflex of the cough and thus blurs the larynx, pharynx and even the bronchi. The fluidification of the phlegm and its emollient property allow to relieve the pain of the sore throat given the inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.

Read also the different types of honey >>

Use honey against a sore throat

The use of natural raw honey is certainly very well known and it will be sufficient to savor a spoonful of honey to soothe a sore throat. Each different type of honey has its specific beneficial properties but all of them help to fight throat pain and burn the inflamed mucosa. The use of even just honey in herbal teas or beverages such as cow's milk or vegetable milk has its efficacy to help cure sore throats.

Furthermore , honey can be associated with lemon, further enhancing its effectiveness as a remedy against sore throats. Its preparation is easy and consists of squeezing a lemon and mixing it with a teaspoon of honey. This fluid can be sipped every 2 hours to help cure a sore throat.

The combination of honey and turmeric is another excellent remedy against sore throat thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties. Just take a tablespoon of honey and mix a pinch of turmeric powder to be savored so naturally or dissolved in a little hot water or in a herbal tea.

It will also be possible to prepare the honey and lemon syrup : its preparation begins by heating half a kilo of honey over a low heat without boiling because otherwise we would lose its precious health benefits. To this we will add the juice of a lemon and 250 ml of water. Once the mixture is ready we will be able to put it in a bottle or glass jar previously sterilized and can be kept until it is needed. Some recipes add a few cloves or slices of lemon to increase the disinfectant and anti-inflammatory effect.

In the end an excellent herbal tea of ​​cloves, cinnamon and honey is an excellent remedy to soothe a sore throat. This remedy is also easy to prepare and 4 cloves, half a teaspoon of powdered cinnamon or a stick of its bark and a heaping spoon of honey will be enough to be infused for 10 minutes in 200 ml of boiling water. Filtering the whole we can drink this tea up to 2 or 3 cups a day saying goodbye to sore throat.