Life
Your kitchen cupboard could contain more throat soothers than you realise.
With the UK still technically in hay fever season and the weather changing so dramatically, it's prime sore throat time. It's a pretty scary time to develop symptoms of a cough or cold, and GP practices are still requesting that people stay away unless it’s absolutely necessary to go in. Luckily a new study from the University of Oxford research suggests that honey may be a better treatment for coughs, blocked noses, and sore throats than conventional medicines. So if you're wondering what else you might have in your cupboard that could help you avoid a trip to the doctors, here are some natural sore throat remedies that are backed by science.
Per the NHS, the main symptoms of coronavirus are a new and continuous cough, a high temperature (feeling hot to the touch on your chest or back), and a loss or change in your sense of taste or smell. If you have any of these symptoms, you should get tested for COVID-19. More information on how to visit a test centre or order a test online is available on the NHS website. Unfortunately some coronavirus symptoms do overlap with symptoms of more typical coughs and colds, but even if you're not sure whether you have coronavirus or not, it's better to get tested. Sore throat is not considered to be one of the main symptoms of coronavirus, per the NHS, however Kings College London does note that some coronavirus patients do experience sore throats. If you believe there's any chance you could have COVID-19, you should get tested.
A cough and sore throat can be a sign of a bacterial infection, viral infection, or allergies. While some conditions require medical attention, research has suggested that there’s common household foods and products that you’re likely to have in your cupboards that may serve as a great treatment. It’s likely you’re being hyper-vigilant with your health at the moment and coughing in public comes with a lot more negative associations than it once did. So, if you need to get rid of a sore or tickly throat that you know isn't caused by coronavirus, here are some natural remedies backed by science.
This article was originally published on