Coughs can be an annoyance, particularly when they disturb your sleep at night. While there are many cough syrups on the market, they can come with side effects and may not be appropriate for small children. In this article, you will learn how to make a simple homemade cough syrup that is effective for both adults and children.
Ingredients: The cough syrup is made from onions, sugar, and peppermint tea bags. All of these are common ingredients that most people have in their house. It doesn’t matter what onions you use to prepare this cough syrup.OnionsOnions have been shown to have antispasmodic and antimicrobial properties that can help to inhibit the reproduction of viruses and bacteria. This means that they will help to relieve the hacking cough and help to support the immune system. Onions have been used for generations to treat all kinds of respiratory diseases from bronchitis to the common cold and flu.Peppermint/Mint tea bagsPeppermint tea contains menthol, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-antitussive properties, which can help to prevent or reduce coughing. Additionally it gives the syrup a lot better flavor.
SugarSugar is used in this recipe to help draw the juice from the onions.Instructions to make the cough syrupTo make the cough syrup, coarsely chop 3 to four onions and mix them with sugar. Add enough sugar to coat the onions, and then lay five to six peppermint tea bags in the bottom of the container you are using to make the syrup. Add the onion and sugar mixture on top, making sure it covers the peppermint tea bags. Cover the container with a lid and refrigerate the mixture for a 6-8 hours or overnight. The sugar will draw juice from the onions, which can be extracted using a small syringe or a tablespoon.Directions for useTake one to two tablespoons of the syrup three to four times a day. The syrup is particularly effective for night coughs, so take it before going to bed. You can keep the syrup in the refrigerator for up to three days.Once the onions stop producing any more juice (in two days in general), you will take the tea bag and squeeze the juice out. Don't squeeze too hard so that you don't break the tea bag. Each tea bag will produce just about one tablespoon of juice. You can take 2 tablespoons each time. This will give you additional three doses of syrup if you use 6 tea bags to make the cough syrup.
Importance of hydrationOne of the most important things for a cough is hydration. In many cases, cough is a sequel of fever. When the body is losing lots of fluids and we don't keep up with the demand, the mucous membranes get dry and that's what will drive the cough. This is also one of the reasons why we wake up at night with a cough. When we sleep, we obviously do not drink liquids. We usually get warmer at night under our blankets and as a result, we wake up with a dry cough.If you wake up with a dry cough at night, it could be due to dehydration. Drinking lots of liquids during the day is great, but it's not advisable during the night, as it will keep you up going to the bathroom. Instead, try taking two tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt to moisten your mucous membranes.
Cough and dairy productsWhile dairy products can help moisten mucous membranes, they are not suitable for everyone. In general, it's best to avoid them if you have a productive cough or congestion. Cold dairy products can make congestion worse in many individual- especially during winter season.When does cough become dangerous?There are many reasons why you can have a cough. In this video, we focus primarily on dealing with dry cough related to upper respiratory infection also known as the common cold. If you, however, develop a sudden cough and you do not feel that you are sick or are getting sick, we strongly suggest you consult your health care provider.If your cough is very severe, we strongly urge you to go to the nearest emergency room since there are several life-threatening conditions with the primary presentation being a sudden cough. If your cough is related to an upper respiratory infection, then you should be aware of the fact that your cough may last even several weeks after you recover from the common cold.Managing Asthma Exacerbation Caused by Upper Respiratory Viruses.It is also important to note that if you have history of asthma you should go to see your health care provider as soon as possible. Upper respiratory viruses frequently cause asthma exacerbation. This leads to unrelenting cough and even wheezing despite taking all prescribed medication. In these cases your health care provide may decide to prescribe a short course of oral steroid medication to help you bring the asthma under control.Expectations for recovery from coughI personally had many patients who were coughing for almost five weeks after a bad upper respiratory infection. Most patients recover from the upper respiratory infection within 7 to 10 days. At that point, there are usually almost back to normal except for one thing and that is the annoying dry cough throughout the day which becomes worse at night.This is particularly the case after you had a bad bout of bronchitis. Most bronchitis is viral and does not require antibiotics. You may have even seen your provider and they might have diagnosed you with upper respiratory infection instead of bronchitis. And that is perfectly acceptable since many health care providers including myself don't like to use the word bronchitis not to scare our patients into thinking that they have some serious disease.If your cough lasts more than two weeks, however, we recommend getting evaluated by a health care provider to make sure that there are no other reasons for your cough. The syrup that you learn to make in this video is great for these instances.It is made of natural ingredients and will not only help you relieve your symptoms but may also help your body recover faster by exhibiting some antimicrobial properties. Lastly, we prefer making the syrup rather than the tea since hot water tends to either destroy or decrease the effectiveness of many powerful substances both in the onion and in the peppermint.
ConclusionIn conclusion, this homemade cough syrup is a simple and effective remedy for a dry cough. It is safe for both adults and children and has no side effects. It can be made easily from ingredients available at home and can be refrigerated for up to three days. If you're looking for a natural remedy to deal with a cough, give this recipe a try!
