Cold and flu season can be horrible, especially when it comes to getting through a pandemic and symptoms can be confusing. Food, drinks specifically, can either help or hurt your immune system and clear up your mucus. Drinks that make mucus thicker and harder to get out of your body are probably some of your favorites. So avoid drinks like alcohol, coffee, and other caffeinated drinks.
Staying hydrated thins mucus, making it easier to expel by coughing.
According to a 2008 study, hot beverages provide “immediate and sustained relief” from congestion and accompanying symptoms, such as sneezing, a nagging cough, a sore throat, and chills.
A person can benefit from drinking:
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– Broths
– Alkaline-rich Drinks
– Root teas
Let’s take a look at each one of these and how they work.
Cayenne Pepper Water
Cayenne pepper is a popular spice that can help to shake up the phlegm in your throat and clear airways. To make a drink from this spice, boil a cup of hot water and add a half of a teaspoon to it; then stir and sip. If you can’t stomach the bold spicy flavor, add cayenne to your favorite hot tea blend or some beef, chicken or veggie broth to sip on.
Ginger Water
Ginger is a healthful root that can be utilized for phlegm treatment. The added bonus with ginger water is that it can also reduce inflammation in the throat, ease upset stomachs, lessen coughs and muscle aches, all of which can be symptoms that accompany phlegm. Mix a teaspoon of powdered ginger with a cup of hot water — steep a couple of pieces of ginger root in boiling water for 10 minutes — or mix it with honey and cayenne for triple the phlegm-fighting power.
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Bone Broth
A traditional folk remedy for colds and flus, bone broth provides a rich array of nutrients (especially gelatin) that support your immune system. Cysteine, an amino acid found in chicken, helps to thin mucus so it can be expelled more easily. When fighting a cold, make a chicken broth with added spices or peppers to help keep the mucus moving.
Kobe Bryant drank it for faster injury recovery and Manhattan’s East Village recently became home to a broth bar, where clientele replace their morning coffee with a steaming cup of broth.
Bone broth is in most grocery stores and health food stores. But, if you want to go old-school, you can make your own bone broth with this recipe below:
Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken bones (approximately two carcasses)
1 onion, rough chopped
1 head garlic, sliced open horizontally
2 carrots, rough chopped
2 stalks of celery, rough chopped
1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 bunch of parsley
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
12 cups water
Directions:
Place chicken bones, rough chopped vegetables, vinegar, parsley, spices, and kombu in a large stockpot.
Fill the pot with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low heat for 24 hours.
Remove from heat and let cool. To strain broth, place a fine mesh strainer over a large pot or bowl and carefully pour contents of stockpot over the strainer.
Alkaline-Rich Drink
According to many experts, diseases cannot exist in an alkaline environment and begin to occur when your body becomes too acidic.
By following a diet that is rich in alkaline foods, many have seen a restoration of their body’s natural alkaline state, resulting in mucus leaving and detoxifying your diseased body. Here’s a quick recipe:
“No-cold” Nectar
Ingredients:
– 2 cups daikon radish
– 2 cups dark kale
– 1 cup black radish
– 1 large bunch of dill
– 4 large carrots
– 4 oranges, peeled
– 1 lemon, peeled
– 1 inch fresh ginger root
Directions:
Run all of the ingredients through a juicer and enjoy immediately (or store in the fridge for no longer than 4 hours).
Root Teas
While licorice might not be your first choice as a candy treat (yuck), it can help with your phlem. Licorice root has been long been used in traditional medicine for a variety of conditions, including coughs, infections, and digestive problems.
StudiesTrusted Source has indicated that licorice may be effective at stopping the growth of several species of bacteria, fungi, and even some viruses. It also appears to haveTrusted Source both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Additionally, a study in mice found that components in licorice could decrease cough frequency by between 30 and 78 percentTrusted Source. The study also found that the licorice compounds can act as expectorants, which may help loosen up mucus.
Pregnant women should avoid using licorice root. Also, keep in mind that consuming large quantities of licorice root can potentially cause high blood pressure or drops in potassium levels.
