Effective Folk Remedies for Cough Without Medication

1. Eating Oranges

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, oranges have a cooling nature, helping to clear heat and detoxify the body, and are used to treat many respiratory diseases, especially coughs. Modern medicine also shows that oranges contain many nutrients, especially vitamin C and antioxidant compounds.

How to:

• Use a spoon to dig a small hole in the center of the orange and add a little salt
• Then put the orange in the oven for 15 minutes
• Eat the orange while still hot, just taken out of the oven
• You can also cut the orange peel into small pieces and put it in warm tea to drink gradually.

2. Ginger

Ginger is a well-known remedy for cough. Studies suggest that its anti-inflammatory properties may help control or reduce the risk of various diseases, including coughs and sore throats. Ginger contains bioactive compounds that are beneficial for your health. These bioactive compounds are plant nutrients found in some foods that are beneficial for your health.

How to:

• Wash and crush unpeeled ginger. Boil it with salted water until it reduces to half the original volume.
• Strain and drink ginger salt water daily while warm.
• Treating cough with ginger, tamarind leaves, and fresh lime helps soothe the throat, warm the respiratory tract, thereby reducing cough quickly.

3. Honey

Honey is a well-known folk remedy for cough. While it may not make your cough disappear entirely, it is considered an effective soothing and cough-reducing agent. This is because honey acts as a demulcent, soothing the mucous membranes in the throat, suppressing coughs.

How to:

• To treat cough with honey, you can create your own remedies and soothe coughs at home by mixing honey (about 2 teaspoons) with herbal tea, lemon, or diluting it with warm water.
• Additionally, you can use honey to treat coughs by spreading it on bread or substituting it for sugar in some beverages.

4. Kumquat

Kumquats contain abundant essential oils, pectin, sugar, and vitamins that help fight inflammation, phlegm, boost immunity, and effectively reduce coughing. Research indicates that kumquats contain essential oils, pectin, and various vitamins, which have anti-inflammatory, expectorant, and cough-suppressing effects. Particularly, their delightful aroma makes them a preferred solution for cough treatment.

How to:

• For those experiencing mild coughs, try this method. Take a moderate amount of kumquats, halve them, and stew with rock sugar until they turn into a syrup-like mixture.
• Be consistent with 2 - 3 times a day.
• Cough symptoms will gradually diminish.

5. White Radish

White radish contains Raphinin, which helps inhibit certain bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, E. coli... These are bacteria that cause respiratory diseases, leading to coughs. Therefore, the combination of white radish and honey creates a well-balanced remedy, providing comprehensive cough relief.

How to:

• Slice white radish into thin, bite-sized pieces, place them in a clean, dry jar, add a little honey, cover tightly, let sit for about 3 days, then add some rock sugar.
• Each time you eat, simply take a little with warm water to drink for fast and effective cough relief.

6. Turmeric

Turmeric is a common root in folklore that is easily found and treats many ailments. Turmeric is a popular spice among Vietnamese people, used in many different dishes. Since ancient times, turmeric has been a familiar ingredient in medicinal remedies and beauty treatments. Both fresh turmeric and turmeric powder have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, helping reduce cough and treat flu effectively.

How to:

• For coughs, mix warm water with turmeric powder and a pinch of salt to drink; this method effectively treats sore throat.
• In addition, you can brew turmeric, ginger, and lemon with rock sugar (or honey) to enhance effectiveness.

7. Guava

Guava is often likened to a 'nutrition treasure trove' generously bestowed upon us by nature. It boasts high nutritional value, containing minimal saturated fats, cholesterol, and sodium, yet rich in fiber, vitamins C, A, zinc, potassium, and manganese. Regular and proper consumption of guava enhances the immune system, promotes beauty, aids in weight loss, and effectively treats coughs.

How to:

• If you suffer from throat inflammation due to allergies causing coughing, take a guava and grill it until just right, avoiding excessive burning.
• Consume grilled guava once daily for 3 - 4 days, and you will notice a significant reduction in coughing.

8. Watercress

Watercress, known as Fish Mint Herb in traditional medicine, has a sour taste, fishy odor, and cool properties, affecting the liver and lungs. This herb not only cools the liver but also the lungs, making it exceptionally beneficial. According to ancient traditional medicine texts, watercress is effective in treating chronic bronchitis symptoms such as cough and phlegm, soothing the throat.

How to:

• First, take an adequate amount of watercress, wash it thoroughly, and grind it finely.
• Next, mix the finely ground watercress with a bowl of rice washing water.
• Boil the mixture over low heat for about 20 - 25 minutes. Simmer for another 20 minutes, then strain and collect the liquid.
• Consume the blended solution daily.

9. Starfruit

Fruits with a sour taste like starfruit are believed to be effective in treating coughs. In traditional Chinese medicine, starfruit is also known as Five Finger Fruit. This medicinal herb has a sour and bitter taste, neutral properties, non-toxic effects, and helps to cool the body, detoxify toxins. Additionally, it has the ability to dispel wind, clear heat, promote wound healing, especially in the throat area.

How to:

• Wash the starfruit thoroughly.
• Soak the starfruit in diluted saltwater.
• After 15 minutes, remove the starfruit and rinse it with clean water, then drain.
• Cut the starfruit into thin slices or bite-sized pieces.
• Place the sliced starfruit in a bowl, add a little salt, and mix well.
• Suck, chew thoroughly, and swallow slowly the starfruit juice and pulp.

10. Treating Cough with Peppermint

Bac ha has a spicy, hot taste and a cool, refreshing aroma. It contains antioxidants and high levels of calcium, vitamin B, and potassium. Therefore, it helps boost the body's immune system. The menthol in bac ha soothes coughs and helps clear phlegm.

How to prepare:

• To treat uncomfortable coughs, simply crush a handful of fresh bac ha leaves and squeeze out the juice to drink daily.
• Alternatively, brew bac ha leaves with tea and drink for 3-4 days.
• After a while, persistent coughs and sore throats will gradually disappear.

Garlic is an indispensable spice in the kitchen, so when we have a cough, we use it as the quickest and easiest remedy (applicable to both adults and children). According to traditional medicine, garlic has warm properties, can enter the lung, clear the five organs, dispel cold and dampness, reduce swelling and pain, and avoid toxicity.

How to prepare:

• Take some crushed garlic cloves, mix them with a few grains of salt, add 2 tablespoons of lukewarm water for about 15 minutes.
• Swallow the garlic and salt water little by little, regularly after a few days, the throat will feel cool, not sore, and the cough will disappear.
• However, this method should be used with caution in young children.
  

Lemon balm leaves (also known as thick leaves) are currently on the list of essential herbal plants recognized by the Ministry of Health. Lemon balm contains essential oils, carvacrol, which inhibits the growth of respiratory tract bacteria.

How to prepare:

• Clean and crush or grind finely, add enough rock sugar, then steam for about 20 minutes.
• Use this mixture 1-2 times/day, after 2-3 days the cough will disappear.

Chives leaves have a mild nature, slightly sour and spicy taste, non-toxic, enter the spleen. Known for their warming, detoxifying, phlegm-expelling, and effective cough treatment properties. Using chives leaves to treat coughs is also one of the methods that many people apply and bring positive signs of treatment. This remedy can be applied to treat coughs for both adults and children.

How to prepare:

• Use a handful of clean chives leaves, add rock sugar, then steam for 15 minutes.
• After the chives leaves are cooked, strain and drink the water. For adults, eating the chives leaves can increase effectiveness.
• Follow this method 2 times/day. After 2-3 days, the coughs will significantly decrease.
• If you don't have chives leaves, you can completely substitute with other natural ingredients such as basil leaves, white rose petals, or roselle flowers, which also have similar cough treatment effects.

Perilla leaves have a spicy, warm taste, a fragrant aroma, and are a common herb in Vietnamese cuisine. Perilla enters the lung, heart, spleen, and has the effect of lowering qi, acting as a contraceptive, expelling pathogenic factors, and effectively reducing coughs for both adults and children.

How to prepare:

• For children: Take 20g of perilla leaves, grind into powder, mix with warm water for children to drink or cook with porridge for easy consumption. Take roselle flowers, male papaya flowers, perilla leaves, each 10g, wash clean, put in a cup with 5g of rock sugar and a little water in a pot, simmer for 15 minutes. Let it cool, let the child drink about 1/2 teaspoon, swallow slowly so that the medicine water permeates the tongue.
• If treating coughs for adults: Take 150g of fresh perilla leaves, 3 fresh onions finely chopped into hot porridge, eating slowly will help relieve colds and reduce coughs effectively.

Licorice is on the list of precious medicines, both the plant and the root have a neutral nature, sweet taste. It has the effect of clearing heat, detoxifying, nourishing the spleen, nourishing the lungs, and effectively relieving coughs. In scientific research, licorice contains many anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory substances that promote healing of throat injuries and reduce coughing effectively.

How to prepare:

• Use licorice powder in 200ml warm water, stir until completely dissolved, cut the lemon in half, squeeze the juice into the licorice powder prepared in the cup, stir well. Drink warm, twice a day until recovery.
• In addition, licorice and green tea can be used to support cough treatment, soothe sore throat. Take 10g of green tea leaves, 10g of licorice powder, wash the green tea and brew with 200ml boiling water for 20 minutes, then add licorice powder and stir well until dissolved.
• Drink warm, use twice daily in the morning and evening.

According to traditional medical documents, coltsfoot has a slightly bitter taste, cool nature, strong aroma, non-toxic. It has the effect of calming the mind, clearing heat, supporting the treatment of long-term coughs, bronchitis, chronic coughs, dry coughs, and coughs with phlegm. In addition, coltsfoot can quickly soothe the throat, making it very suitable for treating coughs, throat irritation in young children.

How to prepare:

• For treating coughs in young children: Take 20g of coltsfoot leaves, clean and select only the leaves and tender stems, chop finely into a cup. Add 2 tablespoons of honey and steam for 10-15 minutes, then take out for the child to drink both the water and the leaves. Perform 2 times/day, in the morning and evening, continuously for 1 week to effectively reduce coughs.
• For treating coughs in adults: Take 100g of coltsfoot, 200g of pig lungs cut into small pieces suitable for consumption, cook into a soup and use it daily to support cough treatment in adults. Additionally, coltsfoot can be mashed and filtered to extract the juice, mixed with warm water, add 1 tablespoon of honey, and sip slowly to soothe the throat.