Cough remedies

It's been two weeks of flu season at home, and at last (hopefully), the coughing sounds will fade out in a day or two. My son and I have been taking turns coughing by the minute before, as Solmux (a mucolytic) worked overtime to help us expel sticky phlegm. "What such phlegmatic personalities we have," I thought in jest.

You'd think by this time I knew what to do. Well in a way, yes (rest, drink lots of liquids, consult a doctor, take lozenges). But there are some other things I didn't know I could do, as my friends and family shared some interesting cough remedies you may want to consider the next time you have some serious lung-busting cough:

1. Bayabas gargle. Boil guava leaves and gargle the juice. (from Veron)
2. Garlic juice with honey. Pound garlic, pour water on it and some honey. (from Excel)
3. Oregano juice. Squeeze oregano leaves to get a teaspoon or two of liquid and drink it. (from Aileen)
4. Hot water. Just drink a cup of hot water to soothe sore throat. (from Weng)
5. Hot calamansi juice. (from our household helper who banned Coke at this time)
6. Bactidol gargle. (forgot who)
7. Hot apple cider vinegar (from my parents' book The Home Remedies Handbook)
8. Pei Pa Koa candies. (from my sister)
9. Ginger tea (salabat) (from my other sister)

Ginger tea or salabat

10. Lemongrass tea (from Leah)
11. And the clincher: Tequila. "Isang shot lang, tanggal lahat yan," said Paul.

We only tried numbers 4 and 5 due to supply problems (our guava tree was uprooted many years ago; no oregano, apple cider, Pei Pa Koa, Bactidol, tequila sighted at home, et cetera). I was supposed to meet up with Excel for a taste test of the garlic juice with honey, but didn't get around to doing it. It was mostly just Solmux and Tuseran for us, and when those didn't work, Robitussin DM and Amoxicillin. And lots of prayers and good wishes from wonderful friends.

But our cough's almost gone, our voices kinda back, and we're up and about. :-) At last. Thank God for His blessing.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Do you dread going back to work on Mondays? Then maybe it's time you pick up the book Thank God It's Monday by Kim Hackney (Lighthouse Books, 2003). Geared for women, the book tackles your purpose at work, and how you can celebrate it. Many times, we are full of complaints ("If only they paid me more," "If only I had that position," et cetera) that we miss out on God's blessing of success. A chapter at the end gives tips on how to look for the right job and evaluate job offers.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: This is what the LORD says--your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea." Isaiah 48:17-18