When our throat is sore and our nose becomes blocked, it is possible to turn to natural remedies as long as the infection remains mild. Our naturopath tells you all about the tips and recipes you can adopt to get through winter.
It often happens that we suffer from frankly unpleasant sore throats during the winter. With the drop in temperatures, the hot and cold and the drop in light, our immune systems are put to the test. Today, the first reflex when faced with a symptom of a painful throat or a blocked nose is to go for an antigen test, a Covid pandemic requires. If it turns out to be negative, you may want to turn to natural remedies.
Warmly nicknamed “grandmother’s remedies”, herbal infusions and other artisanal recipes exist in number and sometimes leave us perplexed as to their effectiveness. To help you disentangle the true from the false, we spoke with Caroline Tancred, a naturopath who officiates in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. She explained to us how to take care of her immune system in a simple and effective way. And also gave us great tips and tricks on how to deal with the annoying pain of a sore throat and stuffy nose.
A balanced diet is the key to strong health
The main advice that our naturopath gives us to prevent infections in the ENT area is to change your diet to make it as balanced as possible. “There are foods that you should limit or even eliminate from your diet, especially in winter, if you want to avoid colds and rhinitis, she explains. Trans oils and saturated fatty acids, for example, should be banned because they will form what are called glues which will then be poorly absorbed in the blood and risk causing an accumulation of toxins that will then be found in mucus secreted during infections ”.
It also highlights the importance of limiting your consumption of fast sugars which have a real impact on the intestines. Gold “Infections of the ENT area have a direct link with the intestinal sphere”. This is partly why, when you suffer from a cold, you often get constipated. To recover a stable intestinal flora, you can turn to psyllium, which is a plant that is drunk as an infusion and found in pharmacies. It has real laxative benefits but should be consumed at times away from your potential treatment, especially birth control pills.
Miracle foods don’t exist, but fruits and vegetables come close
Fruits and vegetables, cooked as raw, are also very important for strengthening your immune system and therefore avoiding bothersome sore throats. “For example, explains Caroline Tancrède, very colorful fruits and vegetables have antioxidants that are very important for the proper functioning of the body ”. In addition, certain spices, such as ginger or turmeric, can be good ways to change your eating habits while consuming these very effective antioxidants when you have a sore throat.
Also, pregnant people and the elderly need a lot of protein. The naturopath therefore recalls that it is better to favor the proteins present in white meat, fish and eggs rather than those of red meat, which are “Very inflammatory”. While it should not be completely demonized, meat should, however, be consumed infrequently. “If you are vegetarian or vegan, explains Caroline Tancrède, you can completely consume vegetable proteins by eating lentils, chickpeas, split peas or broad beans ”.
It is very important to pay attention to its deficiencies
In general, the French population is deficient in magnesium, zinc and vitamin D. If the first two are found in certain foods, this is not the case for vitamin D. Caroline Tancrède recommends taking 5 to 10 drops in a glass of water once a day, all year round. You can find it in pharmacies and it will help you strengthen your immune system.
Regarding magnesium and zinc, the naturopath recalls that you can find them in foods such as oilseeds for one, and fish for the other. However, if for personal reasons you are not eating it, then it is important to supplement yourself. Unlike magnesium, zinc is often overlooked in our eating routines. However, it participates in the proper functioning of our metabolism. “Zinc maintains the liver in particular in good health, and it is the most important organ for eliminating toxins from our body”, recalls the expert.
Herbal infusions, grandma’s ultimate remedy
To calm cough pains, herbal infusions are unstoppable. Infuse fresh thyme in hot water and add honey to it for extra sweetness. This simple recipe will help you soothe your throat before going to bed. Be careful, however, not to overheat your water as this can irritate your throat even more. Caroline Tancrède recommends the infusion of white broth. This is a plant that was used a lot before in the French countryside and which is now available in pharmacies.
Very effective essential oils
Our naturopath also recommends inhalations with essential oils.“Just pour boiling water into a container and add 10 drops of radiated eucalyptus essential oil., details Caroline Tancrède. Then you put a cloth over your head and close your eyes so you don’t get burned. Then you inhale and exhale slowly ”.
Essential oils are very effective in treating mild symptoms of a sore throat. “You can take two drops of thymol thyme essential oil (a variety of thyme, editor’s note) coupled with two drops of verbenone rosemary essential oil (a variety of rosemary, editor’s note) that you mix with a large tablespoon of olive oil. Taken three per day, this preparation is a very good antiseptic against sore throat ”, she explains. You can also put these 4 drops on a sugar or on a neutral tablet bought in pharmacies. Be careful, however, pregnant people should not ingest essential oils during their pregnancy and, in general, their use should be done with caution.
Clean your nose with a lota
To clean your nose, and thus disinfect your throat, you can also use lota. “It’s a process that comes from Germany and that cleans the sinuses by passing water through one nostril and then into the other, she explains, it is a small plastic structure that you fill with lukewarm water and coarse salt and it is a useful tool to have at home when you are sick ”. The properties of lota are well known across the Rhine but still unsuspected in France. However, this small container, which takes the shape of a teapot, effectively cleans the nose.
Gargling: the right tip for taking care of your oral hygiene
In addition, Caroline Tancrède insists on the importance of oral hygiene in the healing process of a cough or a cold. In addition to cleaning your nostrils, disinfect your throat by gargling. “You can gargle with pure coconut oil or sesame oil as they are very good antifungals and antiseptics. On the other hand, it is important to make large movements of the mouth for several minutes so that the oil can circulate everywhere ”, she explains.
If you don’t have coconut or sesame oil at home, some doctors recommend gargling with lukewarm water and a teaspoon of baking soda. In general, a mouthwash based on bicarbonate water helps prevent tartar and dental infections and therefore better protects the body against diseases.
Soothe your sore throat with poultices
Another original and simple remedy to make at home: the poultice. If the word is scary, it is actually just a water-based paste that you apply, either directly to your skin or through a warm cloth (in the case of poultices of potato, for example).
For Caroline Tancrède, the most effective poultice, when one suffers from sore throat, is the one based on green clay: “She will absorb toxins, she explains, and deliver the silicas it contains which will allow the trachea to be disinfected ”. For this, you just need to fill half a bowl of green clay with lukewarm water so that the mixture forms a homogeneous paste and not too liquid. Then place it on your throat (and not on your bust) and let it sit for several minutes, while its properties take effect. Then rinse it off.
Propolis, the natural anti-bacterial produced by bees
Among the remedies of grandmother that we do not always think of, there is propolis. This gum has very effective antibacterial and antiseptic properties. “Bees use it in their hives to kill bacteria, explains the naturopath, it comes in the form of a hard gum that you can chew on your way to work ”. By chewing propolis, the saliva that you will secrete and then swallow will disinfect your throat. “But for it to work, insists Caroline Tancrède, you have to be regular. ” and take it daily until the throat is no longer itchy and the infection has passed. Propolis gums are available in pharmacies but Caroline Tancrède advises you to go directly to a beekeeper.
These tips, tricks, and other recipes can help you ward off winter infections. They can also relieve pain and even cure mild infections. However, if your throat pain persists and / or worsens, do not hesitate to consult your doctor quickly.