Natural Remedies for Strep Throat Infections

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I am pleased to feature a guest post by Corey Walden, a licensed personal trainer dedicated to improving people’s health and quality of life. We’ve all had to battle with strep throat at some point in time or other and know how it feels to make an appointment with our doctor, wait at the clinic and then, come back home with a long prescription. Like it or not, we have to ensure we complete the five or seven day antibiotics which may or  may not leave us with side effects and hope we feel better by the time the course of medications is over. Usually, even after the prescribed treatment, the cough lingers for a few days.

Here are some natural remedies recommended by Corey to ease your strep throat.

Natural remedies for strep throat contagious infections

by Corey Walden

Strep throat is one of the most unpleasant illnesses I’ve had to deal with and I’m sure most people would agree.  The main reason I say this is because of the terrible soreness that strep causes in the throat, sometimes so bad that you can’t talk while infected, or at least you definitely won’t want to!

In most other regards strep throat resembles a very bad cold, and overall is an illness you’ll be begging for relief from.  Read on and find yourself more prepared to soothe your throat and body should you or a loved one catch strep throat!

The first step is most obviously to keep from getting sick!

Strep throat is fairly contagious so taking steps to prevent coming in contact with germs are wise.  Washing your hands when making contact with door handles, other people, etc. is a must, but so is eating healthy real food (not pre-made food), keeping hydrated, drinking lots of water each day, exercising, getting good sleep and getting yourself on a regular probiotic.  If you can say you maintain each of the things on that list, the chances are you won’t ever need the rest of this article!

So that said, you or someone around you has managed to get strep throat, so what to do?

The first thing we want to do is treat the throat so that continued irritation and coughing doesn’t just snowball into a much longer and worse infection.  There are excellent standard treatments, such as:

• using a cool mist humidifier/vaporizer
• drinking lots of water during the infection (which will help thin out mucus and thereby minimize having such problems with swallowing and coughing)

Also, a fantastic option is gargling with a salt water mix (which will also help with mucus) several of times a day, and enjoying cool drinks, lozenges, and even popsicles!

Another stellar traditional treatment is having honey in hot water or tea, which can be very soothing.

My favorite treatment, however, is my own home made cough syrup, preferably using local, unfiltered and raw ingredients.  Take equal parts honey and apple cider vinegar and take one tablespoon every 4 hours as needed for a wonderfully soothing throat balm.

Rest and relaxation!

Unfortunately with strep throat many other symptoms abound, but similar to the throat there is more we can help you with.  The first step you need to take before any other, however, is to rest!  Strep throat has a chance of leading to the serious condition rheumatic fever (something which can damage the heart), so you are doing yourself no favors by ignoring treatments and pushing yourself through it.  If you are unsure of whether it is strep throat, the severe soreness of the throat is your best indication.  Resting will let your body focus its resources on fighting the infection and healing any damage.

If you are experiencing any sinus or head pain, we really suggest applying a warm compress, such as a wet wash cloth (with hot water) and putting it across your nose and forehead.

There are some excellent herbal treatment options as well, such as licorice, marshmallow, and slippery elm which will reduce throat inflammation and irritation.  Echinacea and garlic have been clinically shown to fight the strep infection itself, so are a natural step in your treatment!

With these and other traditional cold/flu treatments, you should be well equipped to get through your infection as quickly and easily as possible!

Thank you, Corey!

Corey Walden is a licensed personal trainer dedicated to improving people’s health and quality of life. With a focus on preventing injuries, correcting misalignments and diet advice, Corey strives to improve people’s lives. Corey is also a writer for a Home Remedies site where he helps answer questions about natural treatments for common ailments. Visit the Simple Remedies Facebook Page and connect on Google Plus
 

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