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Monday, October 4, 2010

Salt Water Gargles and Colds: Frugal Healthcare

This one is dedicated to Mr. FS: he has been gargling with salt water, lo these many years. Most of the other old wives' remedies to which he subscribed have been proven false. But this one has been endorsed by no less than the New York Times.

According to the Mayo Clinic, for best results, dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a full glass of warm water and gargle the solution for a few seconds before spitting it out. Adults who want a more palatable remedy against cough and sore throat can try mixing warm water with lemon and honey. No need to spit it out.

THE BOTTOM LINE Gargling with a saline solution can ease symptoms of a cold.


Oh, how I love when the frugal way is the good way.

For a good read, check out this former best seller. Frugal Son liked it a lot.

7 comments:

I am the working poor. said...

Yuck! My parents used to try to get me to gargle saltwater when I was little and lost baby teeth. Even as a small child I let them know I actually preferred the taste of blood to saltwater. :)I'm so picky. Glad this works for those that can stand it.

Frugal Scholar said...

@Iam--Note that I didn't say I did it. Mr. FS also uses a neti pot. I leave the room.

I am the working poor. said...

Those neti pots are scary! I would do it wrong and drown. No way!

Anonymous said...

But the neti pots work great! Does he do this as a preventative or only when he is fighting symptoms? I tend to wait until I have symptoms.

Funny about Money said...

LOL! I never found that saltwater gargle did much good. My parents also were sold on it. It may help a little, temporarily...but just a teaspoon of salt in a whole glass of water doesn't make it. More like three or four tablespoons is the recipe.

The efficacy of honey and warm water is much helped be the addition of a jigger of rum...

Duchesse said...

Dad was an opthamologist and otolaryngologist who always advised the salt water gargle and what he called "nasal irrigation", which has gained some trendiness with the neti pot. But Dad just had you soak a clean cloth in saline solution and inhale/exhale through nose.

Frugal Scholar said...

@Terri--ALL the time. But see below for Duchesse's alternative.

@Funny--Oh yeah--honey and lemon juice. Do people still do that, I wonder?

@Duchesse-I will try your Dad's method. No way I could do that neti. Thanks.