Sore Throats

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What do football games, cool evening temperatures, and fall allergies have in common?

Give up?—sore throats and laryngitis.

Your throat may be sore because you're an exuberant football fan or it could be a little something more—a cold coming on or fall allergies. Either way, there are things that you can do to soothe your throat and even help build your immune system so that the cold or allergies don’t keep you away from the next football game.

Fall Allergies

A sore throat may be a symptom of allergies as when your nose runs, it creates a nasal drip that seeps in your throat, thus irritating the skin there. Taking CounterAct Allergy gives 24-hour antihistamine relief. Taking it once a day can help you breathe easier as it contains loratadine. 

As stated in The Melaleuca Wellness Guide “allergies can be the result of an unhealthy immune system, so maximizing your nutrition is essential.” The Vitality Pack, CellWise, and Provex-Plus give extra protection against allergies by providing antioxidants. Many people find relief from Provex-Plus for allergic reactions. This may need to be taken at the rate of 1 capsule for every 50 pounds of body weight in order to provide the most relief and prevention.

Probiotics, like Florify, may also help treat and prevent hay fever symptoms.

Quercetin is a natural antioxidant with several anti-allergy properties including inhibition of histamine release and decrease of pro-inflammatory messengers. One of the ingredients in ProvexCV is quercetin. Both Provex-Plus and ProvexCV contain grape seed extract which acts as a natural antihistamine.

When your nose and throat are affected by hay fever, dust, pollen, or food reactions, try this: breathe hot steam from either a vaporizer or bowl of steaming water with 10 drops of T36‑C5 and 2 capfuls of Sol-U‑Mel for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes twice a day (all night is even better). This gives welcome relief.

Laryngitis

Laryngitis is inflammation of the larynx. It is characterized by hoarseness or loss of voice and throat pain. It is usually caused by excessive strain on the vocal cords, like yelling during a football game, or by a viral or bacterial infection.

The Melaleuca Wellness Guide suggests inhaling steam with T36‑C5 and 2 capfuls of Sol-U‑Mel as stated above.

The Common Cold

If and when you come down with a cold, The Melaleuca Wellness Guide tells us to act quickly to shorten the duration of a cold and possibly avoid a secondary bacterial infection. Because colds are caused by viruses, most doctors no longer prescribe antibiotics for the common cold. T36-C5 is effective against viruses. You can dab one drop of T36-C5 every four hours directly under each nostril. Cool Shot Fresh Breath Spray also contains T36-C5 tea tree oil, along with bacteria inhibiting xylitol.

Drinking warm fluids will soothe a sore throat and quench thirst. Activate-C Immune Complex Immunity Booster Drink Mix can be made with either cold or hot water providing 1200 mg of Vitamin C, 15 mg Zinc, Vitamin E, Astragalus Extract, and Aronia Melanocarpa (black chokeberry). Just a note: Never drink hot water from the tap, heat cool water for a hot drink. Plumbing, in even newer homes can have contaminates that are more easily dissolved by hot water.

The Melaleuca Wellness Guide recommends we take Activate Immune Complex Immunity Booster at the first hint of a cold. Activate contains a combination of 3 herbs and 3 nutrients that work together to give our immune system a cold-fighting boost.

Echinacea has long been used as a natural herb to help speed healing. A review of 700 studies showed that the herb has a substantial effect in preventing and limiting the duration of a cold.

Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry) is also found in both Activate formulas. It is a powerful antioxidant. A PubMed study of this North American black chokeberry showed that it has activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli (E-Coli), and type A influenza virus.

Astragalus is one of the most researched immune stimulant herbs. It is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.

Activate also contains 15 mg of zinc powered by Oligo for better absorption, 550 mg Vitamin C, and 15 IU Vitamin E.

Essential Oils for Sore Throat

There are several essential oils that are commonly used for treatment of the common cold, cough, and sore throat. Peppermint has properties of being an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and a decongestant. Diffusing or using it combined with carrier oil and massaged onto your throat can help to soothe and calm sore throats.

Lemon essential oil is known to cleanse toxins from any part of your body. Just like peppermint, diffusing or using directly onto your body helps with breaking up mucus and stimulate lymph drainage.

Eucaplytus oil helps to reduce inflammation and pain caused by a sore throat.

And of course, gargling with T36-C5 helps not only to reduce bacteria and viruses, but when used several times a day after a sore throat first appears, you will notice a dramatic change in the soreness within a day or two. As The Melaleuca Wellness Guide suggests, when using T36‑C5, add 10–12 drops of T36‑C5 to 1/2 cup of warm water. Gargle with this solution, then spit it out.

If you can’t tolerate the taste of T36-C5, you can also gargle with Breath-Away Essential Oil Mouth Rinse. Some of the essential oils contained in Breath-Away Essential Oil Mouth Rinse are peppermint, cinnamon, Melaleuca, and myrrh, all have proven antibacterial properties to combat a sore throat, whatever the reason.

Use CounterAct Cough Drops as needed to help relieve throat pain. Spray the throat with Hot/Cool Shot Breath Spray as often as needed.

For more information on more essential oils that help with sore throats and colds, or hoarseness and sore throats in general, see The Melaleuca Wellness Guide.

~ Richard M Barry