When cold and flu season hits, natural remedies are the only thing we use.

That’s because they work for us.

It’s also because they don’t come with potential side effects, some of them serious.

Even though these reactions are supposed to be rare, none of that matters when it happens to you.

A number of natural remedies have a long history of use as folk remedies for colds and the flu.

These include honey, ginger, lemon, slippery elm and licorice, the same herbs often used in packaged sore throat teas.

You can buy packaged teas designed to sooth scratchy, irritated throats. Or you can make your own.

Slippery elm is a very popular cold remedy, and it’s one that’s sanctioned by the mainstream medical community. You’ll can probably even find slippery elm lozenges at your local drugstore.

However, these lozenges may also contain ingredients you don’t want, such as dyes, binders, natural flavors and genetically modified ingredients.

Making DIY sore throat tea (instead of taking a lozenge) allows you to avoid these types of additives.

But before I get into the recipes, I need to stress that I’m not a medical professional. I urge everyone to work closely with their own doctor. Never neglect to get proper medical advice.

Be alert for signs that a sore throat is something more serious, such as strep. (Strep or suspected strep require medical attention.)

How To Make Sore Throat Tea

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Sore throat tea is very easy to make. But everyone is different. We all have our personal preferences. So I’ll give you a few recipes so you can choose the one that appeals to you.

Of course, I can’t claim that any of the recipes here will cure your sore throat. But hopefully they’ll provide a soothing natural way to get some relief.

Slippery elm is recognized by the medical community as a potential remedy for sore throats. It seems to work by helping to add a layer of normal mucus to inflamed membranes.

Integrative health expert Dr. Andrew Weil, MD, notes that slippery elm is considered a “demulcent,” or an agent that helps restore normal mucus secretions.

In an article on his site, Dr. Weil doesn’t believe slippery elm poses any risks. But he urges pregnant women to not take it unless their doctor says it’s okay.

Homemade Tea for Sore Throat

To make DIY herbal teas you will need a non toxic tea strainer. You may be able to find one at your local health food store. You can also find tea strainers online.

1 teaspoon of slippery elm bark (You can find it here)

1 teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves (You can find them here)

Raw organic honey to taste (You can find it here)

1 1/4 cups of water.

Put the herbs in a stainless steel tea strainer. Place the strainer in a cup of piping hot water and let steep for 5 to 7 minutes. The peppermint will add a nice flavor. Sweeten with honey if desired.

Herbal Tea Recipe for Sore Throat

Wild cherry bark is another sore throat remedy that’s been around for ages. First discovered by the Native Americans, you can now find this popular herbal supplement in cough syrups and lozenges.

However, you will need to shop carefully to avoid other ingredients you may not want. If you go for a ready-to-use product, try to find the more most natural one.

Or, you can order some wild cherry bark and keep it on hand to make sore throat tea. (Packaged sore throat teas that contain wild cherry are also available.)

1 teaspoon wild cherry bark (You can find it here)

1 teaspoon licorice root (You can find it here)

Raw organic honey to taste (You can find it here)

 1 1/4 cups of water

Put the herbs in a non toxic tea strainer. Place the strainer in a cup of piping hot water and let steep for 5 to 7 minutes. Sweeten with honey if desired.

Cinnamon Sore Throat Tea

Honey and cinnamon is a combination long used in Indian Ayurveda. It’s considered a wide spectrum remedy that can address a number of ills, including the common cold.

Add a little ginger to the mix and you have a throat soothing tea to sip on when you’re down with the flu.

Just make sure to use real organic honey. It’s been widely reported that many of the popular “honey” brands sold in the US may be contaminated with other chemicals.

Also, use real Ceylon cinnamon instead of the cassia root that’s sold in the grocery store. Cassia is related to real cinnamon. But it’s a different species that can potentially cause liver damage in high concentrations. The EU has warned its citizens against eating too much cassia.

2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger root (You can find this at the grocery store)

1/8 teaspoon pure Ceylon cinnamon (You can find it here)

Raw organic honey to taste (You can find it here)

Put the herbs in a non toxic tea strainer. Place the strainer in a cup of piping hot water and let steep for 5 to 7 minutes. Sweeten with honey.

For More Reading

Dr. Andrew Weil Slipper Elm Post