Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best, and honey has long been touted in folk medicine as an effective remedy for coughs. Honey is a sweet, thick golden liquid made by bees from flower nectar. Most micro-organisms do not grow in honey, but botulism is a risk because honey is not processed, so it should never be given to children under the age of one, to be safe.
Spoonful of Honey
The Mayo Clinic reports that straight honey, taken by the spoonful at bedtime, has proven to be an effective nighttime cough suppressant in children with mild respiratory tract infections. Two teaspoons of honey given to children at bedtime was as effective in one study as the common chemical cough suppressant dextromethorphan. Honey is also inexpensive and easily available, making it worth trying as a safe, effective treatment for children's coughs---but only for children over the age of one. Another option commonly considered effective, particularly for a sore throat along with the cough, is tea or warm water with lemon juice and honey.
Ginger and Honey
The Organic Facts Network advises that the combination of honey and ginger is particularly well suited to treating respiratory problems such as colds and coughs. While honey is known for being soothing, ginger also benefits digestion and can act as an expectorant, loosening a tight cough. Add honey to a tea made from chopped fresh ginger root, or mix 1 tsp. of ginger root juice with 1 tsp. of honey, and consume it straight, or add it to warm water. Ginger root juice is available in many natural food or health supplement stores, or make your own by processing fresh ginger root in the blender, then squeezing the pulp through cheesecloth.
Honey and Onion
Onions are known for their antiseptic qualities, as well as for opening up congested sinuses, just as they make your nose and eyes run when you chop onions for cooking. Ayushveda Health and Lifestyle online recommends making a cough syrup by combining 2 parts each of onion juice and lemon juice, heating them to a near boil, and then stirring in 1 part honey and letting it sit for 6 hours before using. Take the mixture straight by the teaspoon for colds and coughs. Onion juice is sometimes available through natural food stores; otherwise, grate a small onion on a fine grater over a small bowl, then press the grated onion through a strainer and collect the resulting juice.
