In Hong Kong, boiled coke and lemon is a common remedy for cold. Electrolyte drinks like 100 Plus is believed to ease diarrhea. Adding salt to your Sprite, 7Up or Ginger ale helps soothing sore throat. Drink soda to help you recover basic ails, does it sound like hogwash, and how does it work?
Mdm Pang Yet Lan who used to run a coffeeshop at Sim Place had a cold for weeks, then her Cantonese customer recommended boiled coke with lemon to her. “It worked wonderfully,” she says.
Boiled coke and lemon is a remedy that started in Hong Kong. There’s a story about a businessman who was trying to sell his coke during winter time, but people wanted hot drinks, so he boiled it with lemon and claimed that it will cure cold. That business trick became a ‘remedy’ that people in Hong Kong have been practicing for decades.
Many who tried soda drinks as remedy can’t really explain how it works. Mdm Pang believes that boiled coke with lemon or adding salt to Sprite helps detoxify. We consulted Dr Jeffrey Chua at local hospital to find out explanation behind these theories.
“Remedies like these are really a hit and a miss, it doesn’t work on everybody. Most of these remedies are passed on from generation to generation without really a scientific basis for it,” Dr Chua replies in an email.
According to Dr Chua, it’s a known fact that lemon contains vitamin C, which helps with cold. In his opinion, adding coke is just to make it tastes better and balances the tartness and acidity of lemon. Same explanation applies to the remedy of Sprite and salt that is said to soothe sore throat. Dr Chua explains that sore throat means there is inflammation and when there is inflammation, there is accumulation of fluids. “Salt is a natural dehydrator, it draws water out from our cells. Gargling (not drinking) salt water soothes sore throat. Soda like Sprite or 7 Up only add taste to the solution,” he adds.
As for diarrhea, he explains that “electrolyte drinks like 100 Plus and Gatorade taken after bowel movements helps the body replenish its loss fluids and electrolyte.” Again, he advised that this remedy is not a cure for diarrhea. In fact, he says that diarrhea has a lot of causes, as long as it’s not bacterial cause, the body will cure itself sooner or later.
So these remedies have been a theory for long, but it’s never been medically proven. Soda as remedy, is it a hit or a miss for you?
Everywhere you look, you’ll find someone sneezing, sniffling or stifling a sneeze. It’s like everyone has a cold that they’re just waiting to spread to you!
Home remedies for the common cold
The common cold is one of the most widespread and prevalent viral infections out there. It can affect any human being irrespective of age, sex, heredity and geographical location. Although this infection is not considered very serious, it can be a reason for severe discomfort to the individual.
The immunity levels of the person play the most vital role in how frequently an individual contracts a cold. The trouble is that this infection is caused by so many viruses that it is not possible for our body’s immune system to develop immunity against each and every type of virus.
While there is no cure for the cold, there are some precautions and home remedies that can be very helpful in symptomatic relief.
Ease that cold – home remedies
Here are some simple home remedies that’ll help ease the symptoms of the common cold:
Lemon and honey - Lemon in warm water with one teaspoon of honey can be taken three times daily. Lemon increases the body’s resistance against the cold and its vitamin C content can be useful in washing out toxic components from the body and decreasing the duration of the disease.
Go for garlic - Garlic has antiseptic and antispasmodic properties. Boil 4 to 5 cloves of garlic in water and ingest the mixture three to four times daily. Garlic oil also helps in opening the respiratory passage. 3 to 4 drops of garlic oil mixed with 4 to 5 drops of onion can be very helpful in flushing all the toxic materials from the body, hence lowering the fever.
Ginger to the rescue - Ginger is an excellent remedy for the common cold. Boil it with water to make a decoction, which can be taken thrice daily, along with half a teaspoon of sugar. Add ginger to your tea for a soothing a delicious beverage.
Other tips to get over your cold
The best precaution you can take to avoid getting a cold is to eat a nutritious and healthy meal that enhances your immunity. It is better to avoid alcohol and cigarettes.
Use a towel or handkerchief while sneezing or coughing to check the spread of infection to others.
Avoid taking antibiotics, as they have no role in the treatment of these viral infections. They may weaken the body’s natural immunity and kill the healthy bacteria of the body, which will create a further favorable ground for the virus to multiply, with more virulence making the condition worse.
Drink lots of water and try to rest as much as possible. It is advised that when the acute symptoms of the disease are present, like soreness of throat, running nose, fever, chills, congestion of nasal passage etc., the food eaten should be light and diluted. After the acute symptoms are gone, go back to your normal well-balanced diet of seeds, nuts, cereals, grains vegetables and fruits. Avoid fish meat, cheese, and starchy foods.
Labels: articles, facts, Life, Sick
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