Ways to Kill a Sore Throat

Sunday, I felt a sore throat coming on--then awoke in the middle of the night with the chills and a definite fever. Today, I'm home sick for the second day in a row. I went to the doctor today to confirm that I didn't have strep throat. I was right--just a virus. I've been gargling with salt water and drinking lots of tea with lemon and honey. However, I discovered a couple new remedies for a sore throat here and also here.

If you have a sore throat, try gargling with cayenne and salt. Apparently, the cayenne helps to bring circulation to the affected area and draws away the infection. Both websites I came across suggested gargling or drinking a concoction of apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, salt, honey and warm water. Trust me--its not as gross as it sounds! Its not half-bad, and the spice won't kill you either (though it will make your nose run)!

Strange, you're thinking. Well, the acidity of the apple cider vinegar will kill the bacteria in your throat on contact. According to Health911, this method will even work on cases of strep throat.

I've gargled with the cayenne and salt a couple times and once with the apple cider vinegar and honey/cayenne concoction. It feels like it's helping. Try it next time you get a sore throat. Let me know what you think. Has anyone used these remedies before?

I've heard of drinking a spirit such as brandy or whiskey when your throat is sore, but have never tried it. Some of the sites I checked out online suggested gargling with it, or making a tea with a shot of whiskey. According to Wikipedia, the alcohol will numb the throat and also work as an aniseptic. Pretty interesting! I didn't try this one!