Dealing with a Sore Throat

If you have a sore throat, gargling with warm salt water is an instant, although short-lived, cure. To keep a sore throat at bay, eat lightly and keep meals vegetarian. Have fresh vegetables, tropical fruit such as mangoes and papayas, whole grains, legumes, and other mineral-rich foods. Zinc is especially beneficial. Sucking on zinc lozenges has proven to be an effective therapy. A time-honored remedy for a sore throat is to have a cup of tea sweetened with honey, which has antibacterial properties, especially if it is raw honey. Honey is used to soothe and coat throat tissue. This may help you feel better in the short term, but having a lot of honey can actually make your sore throat worse.

A better choice is unsweetened tea made with slippery elm bark, and try some licorice tea, which can relieve pain.