Dextromethorphan, guaifenesin, acetaminophen, pseudoephedrine and brompheniramine are not only tongue-twisters, they are the ingredients in a lot of cough and cold remedies. If you would rather not put some or all of these multi-syllabic chemicals in your body or your child's, try natural cough remedies.
Honey
Children's cough and congestion are often relieved by oral formulas. Honey is a good base. Honey is easy for a child to swallow, and it soothes the tissues in the throat. One oral formula includes honey with onion and thyme. Heat the honey with bits of onion and thyme in a pan. Strain out the onion and thyme solids, and administer the warm honey.
Soothing Vapors
Children respond well to topical rubs. Bathe in a warm tub with eucalyptus oil. Spread a combination of ground ginger and petroleum jelly on your chest. If eucalyptus oil is not available, but eucalyptus leaves are, boil the leaves, remove them and pour the water into the bath. Some people have concerns about petroleum jelly. An alternative to petroleum jelly is melted beeswax mixed half-and-half with extra virgin olive oil.
Super Juice
One soothing natural cough remedy for adults uses fresh juice. Juice one carrot, one apple and one small piece of ginger. Add a dash of cayenne pepper. Warm the liquid, don't boil it. When it is less than 110 degrees Fahrenheit, add 2 tbsp. of raw, unfiltered honey and stir well. Avoid sugar and dairy products when you have a cough and use this formula. If your throat is raw, gargle with a little apple-cider vinegar before you drink this formula.
Elecampane
Elecampane, or horse-heal, is a wildflower native to Eurasia that is sold in herbal markets all over the world. Its roots have antibacterial and expectorant actions. It is used in particular for productive coughs, that is, coughs where stuff comes up. Many herbal medical practitioners simply suspend the dried roots in a jar of honey, letting the elecampane leach into the honey.
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