Herbal Teas to ease Sore Throats

When a member of your family suffers with a sore throat, its great to have a good tasting herbal remedy on hand. These can be either sipped during the day or used as a gargle.

For example: Slippery elm (1 tablespoon of bark to 1 cup of boiling water, steeped for 10 minutes and strained) eases your sore throat by coating it with a gel-like substance to protect it.

Ginger Tea ( 2 inch piece of fresh ginger to 4 cups of boiling water simmered for 20 minutes and strained)

Honeysuckle Tea (1 cup of honeysuckle flowers to 1 quart of boiling water, steeped for 10 minutes and strained)

Teas to gargle with: Raspberry leaf, thyme, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne and ginger.
These teas should be consumed or gargled warm.

Potential Health Benefits of Tea

Green Tea: Made with steamed tea leaves, it has a high concentration of EGCG and has been widely studied. Green tea's antioxidants may interfere with the growth of bladder, breast, lung, stomach, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers: Prevent clogging of the arteries, burn fat, counteract oxidative stress on the brain, reduce risk of neurological disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, reduce risk of stroke, and improve cholesterol levels.

Black Tea: Made with fermented tea leaves, black tea has the highest caffeine content and forms the basis for flavored teas like chai, along with some instant teas. Studies have shown that black tea may protect lungs from damage caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. It also may reduce the risk of stroke.

White Tea: Uncured and unfermented. One study showed that white tea has the most potent anticancer properties compared to more processed teas.

Oolong Tea: In an animal study, those given antioxidants from oolong tea were found to have lower bad cholesterol levels. One variety of oolong, Wuyi, is heavily marketed as a weight loss supplement, but science has'nt backed the claims.

Pu-erh Tea: Made from fermented and aged leaves. Considered a black tea, its leaves are pressed into cakes. One animal study showed that animals given pu-erh had less weight gain and reduced LDL cholesterol

Source: WebMD

Buckwheat Honey for Coughs in children

Buckwheat honey is brimming with vitamins and minerals, essential for the day-to-day functions of healthy living. It can help prevent malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies common in the modern diet and has been linked to improving mental health.
It is said to relieve hypertension, anxiety disorders and relax the body which lowers the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and motor dysfunction in later life. This particular type of honey is slowly gaining the confidence of doctors around the world. Chronic respiratory infection, difficulty breathing and a nagging cough in children may be relieved through the ingestion of buckwheat honey before bedtime, allowing them time to sleep and recover. Dr Ian M Paul of the Pennsylvania State University has supported the research and use of buckwheat honey to treat cough and cold symptoms in children over the age of one. Cough medicines for toddlers can be inefficient and often dangerous to the very young ones. This honey is 100% safe, has no side effects and cannot lead of over dosage. It is inexpensive, builds the childs immune system and is easily available.