Dietary cures for a Sore Throat

The most common symptom of a sore throat is a raw, stinging throat. It could be an indication of a cold or a flu due to a viral upper respiratory infection or a bacterial infection such as a strep throat.
Doing these simple things could help in reducing the duration and severity of a sore throat -

• Get lots of vitamin C - Atleast 200mg of vitamin C a day is recommended as it helps protect against viruses, bacteria and other infectious agents. One way of doing this can be by having a soothing and beneficial lemon tea made with a dash of honey.
• Take zinc lozenges - As zinc has the ability to strengthen the body's immune defenses. However getting more than 40mg per day for an extended period of time would be detrimental as it would weaken the body's immune system. So taking zinc supplements for a cold or as a preventive measure would not be a good idea. Dietary sources of zinc would include yogurt and other dairy products, oysters and other sea foods, lean meat, eggs and grains.
• Avoid Alcohol - As it reduces immunity and irritates inflammed mucous membranes.
• Eliminate coffee - As its diuretic effect increases the loss of body fluids and results in drying of the membranes and thickening of the mucus.
• Switch to a liquid diet temporarily - As it would help maintain nutrition without exacerbating throat pain. A good choice would be to include milk shakes, fruit juices, broths and shakes and semi liquid foods such as custards and puddings.

A favorite home sore throat remedy to alleviate symptoms is to gargle with salty warm water.