The Home Remedies That Actually Help Respiratory Infections (And Which Ones Don’t)
‘Tis the season for respiratory infections!
From the start of fall to springtime, respiratory illnesses fill our homes with coughs, sneezes and piles of used tissues. Flu cases are already rising – this year’s variant is highly contagious – and we’ll begin to see RSV and COVID-19 hit our communities soon as well.
Dr. Juanita Mora, a national medical spokesperson for the American Lung Association, wants people to be prepared for the season ahead.
As a Latina doctor, she’s heard all of the remedies many in the community try at home – from Vicks’ VapoRub to tequila – and she’s here to separate the facts from fiction:
Home remedies that will help you through
Tea and honey is a sure-fire way to make yourself feel better when you’ve got a respiratory infection. It soothes a sore throat, loosens mucus and many teas have anti-inflammatory benefits as well.
Of course, Vicks VapoRub is a well-known and long-embraced remedy in the Latino community – and its popularity as a household cure for all sickness is somewhat rooted in truth! Vaporrub does, in fact, help loosen mucus when it’s rubbed on a patient’s chest.
Another trick to ease the flu blues is to take a hot bath or shower. Not only will it feel great on your entire body, but the steam and heat will loosen up mucus in the chest, nose and sinuses.
When you have a fever, many families put cold towels on the forehead or feet to provide comfort or eat popsicles to ease throat pain. Mora approves of all of this since it breaks down mucus and helps ease a blazing fever.
Healing myths: what not to do
Mora says she’s heard from countless adults that they like to take tequila with tea and honey or a swig of the liquor to feel better. Some bad news: Mora says it’s the tea and honey that’s doing the work to make you feel better, not the tequila!
And many of us have heard at some point during our childhood that if we went into the cold with wet hair or without a jacket that we’d get sick. According to Mora, it’s a misleading claim.
“It might predispose them if they have a respiratory infection already to get worse because of the cold air that hits the lungs,” said Mora. “But in reality, on a daily basis, if they do this, it’s not going to make them sicker or better or anything like that.”
Protecting ourselves this cold season
If you’re not yet vaccinated, Mora recommends getting your seasonal vaccines as soon as possible! According to the World Health Organization, vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective at preventing illnesses or reducing the severity of an illness since the 1700s.
She also recommends the usual precautions people should take to keep themselves healthy: frequent hand washing, using a mask or staying home if you’re sick, and knowing the symptoms to look out for when it comes to the respiratory illnesses of the year. This is especially true for vulnerable populations – including our loved ones, both young and old.
