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Diet Therapy For Cough

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COUGH: FOOD DOES IT BETTER

Humans cough because our bodies are trying to expel an irritant of some sort from the lungs. Coughs can be either productive (of mucus) or unproductive (dry and grating). There are many different types of coughs, from hacks caused by acute allergic reactions to scratchy hay fever coughs to chronic bronchitis.

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DIET:
Diet has a huge role to play in treating disorders of the air-ways. Vitamin C and A keeps the immune system alert,  alicin in onions, ginger and garlic is an anti-inflammatory, and a natural antihistamine. We dietitians advocate the intake of drugs and other synthetic chemicals to the barest minimum. Do the much you can with food and nutrients and let drugs only be a support.

Eat a diet rich in whole foods, with plenty of raw fruits and vegetables. Avoid mucus-producing foods, such as sugar, salty foods, dairy and starches. Eight ounces of warm pineapple juice and two teaspoons of honey can make an effective and natural cough syrup. Another popular remedy is to sprinkle half a lemon with pepper and suck it

Homemade honey cough “syrup”:

There is scientific evidence that honey can be effective in treating coughs and sore throats. You can take it straight, or mix honey with coconut oil and lemon juice for extra benefits. You can also try many a grandmother’s old standby before bedtime: a shot of bourbon mixed with honey.

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Black pepper and honey tea:

For a wet cough, you can try a black pepper and honey remedy that is said to work because the pepper stimulates circulation and mucus flow and the honey is a natural cough reliever. Use one teaspoon of freshly ground pepper and two tablespoon of honey in a mug, and fill with boiling water. Cover and allow to steep for 15 minutes, strain and sip.
Suck a lemon:

Pucker up and suck a lemon? Indeed, this popular remedy calls for sprinkling a section of lemon with salt and pepper and sucking on it. (If nothing else, you will probably be so distracted by having a mouthful of lemon that you may forget to cough.) And if the idea of sucking on a lemon lacks appeal, you can try ahot-buttered lemonade… andswap the sugar with honey for good measure.
Ginger:

Ginger hasa lot of secret powersand it has been used for its medicinal properties since antiquity. Practitioners of Eastern medicine commonly prescribe ginger to treat symptoms of colds and flu because of its antihistamine and decongestant capabilities. You can make ginger tea by adding 12 slices of fresh ginger in a pot with three cups water. Allow it to simmer for 20 minutes and remove from heat. Strain, add 1 tablespoon of honey and a squeeze of lemon, and taste; if it’s too spicy, add more water.
Other Things you should know

Hot Shower:

Crank up the hot water, close the windows and turn off the exhaust fan. Steam can be a cough’s worst enemy, and thus, your best friend. Steam works to soothe the airways and loosen sinus congestion and phlegm in your throat and lungs. (Although take note that steam may exacerbate coughs caused by asthma.)

Stay Hydrated:
An upper respiratory tract infection like a cold orflu causespostnasal drip. Extra secretions trickle down the back of your throat, irritating it and sometimes causing a cough, Mosnaim says.

Skip the vitamin C supplements:

Although getting appropriate amounts of vitamin C is very important for maintaining a healthy immune system, research has found that large supplemental doses don’t seem to do much of anything. In fact, it’s been proven that vitamin C in amounts greater than 200 mg — that’s more than double the RDA — had no additional effects of boosting immunity or preventing colds. For those who feel compelled to take an extra supplemental dose, stick with 200 mg (certainly not more than 500). But nothing beats getting a boost naturally by eating plenty of vitamin C–rich foods such as oranges, and strawberries. Studies have shown that pineapples contain citric acid which eats away at the virus or bacteria which causes the cough. Its vitamin C content 
also makes it 5 times more effective than cough syrups.
Watch your vitamin A intake:
Many vitamin A supplements promise an immune boost, but people need to be careful about overdoing it. There are two forms of vitamin A: First, there’s beta–carotene and other carotenoids, which are found in plant foods like spinach and sweet potatoes. Carotenoids are converted into vitamin A only as your body needs it, so you really can’t eat too much. Then there’s preformed vitamin A, found in animal foods and some supplements (typically listed on vitamin labels as retinol or acetate or palmitate). Preformed vitamin A can build up and cause uncomfortable side effects such as nausea and dizziness. For this reason, you’ll want to avoid vitamin A supplements and get the bulk of your vitamin A from delicious vegetables and fruits like leafy green veggies, carrots, cantaloupe, and pumpkin. If you take a multivitamin, just make sure that at least 50 percent of the vitamin A comes in the form of beta carotene and/or mixed carotenoids.
So next time you get the sniffles or the coughies, please go for a healthy, home made and nutritious remedy; grab some tomatoes, cucumbers also soothe the digestive tract and oranges help a lot instead of getting doped up on Benylin and the rest of them. Stay Informed!
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