If the illness is not serious enough to need antibiotics, but you want to quell nasty symptoms (such as a cough), there are a few herbs that can help manage. Always check with your physician first, but if they give the go-ahead, consider some of these natural treatments: For sore throats or stubborn coughs, combine the tea with honey to further support immune functioning. Honey has been proven in some studies to suppress coughs and sore throats. Those who are pregnant should avoid using sage medicinally. Traditionally, horehound is prepared as a cough drop, such as Ricola’s natural herb cough drops (which also feature sage, along with lemonbalm and peppermint). Horehound can also be brewed as a tea with honey and lemon added. Again, this is generally not recommended for those who are pregnant. You can use wild cherry as a tea, but it’s most often found as a syrup. This remedy is commonly not recommended for small children, nursing mothers, pregnant women, or people with severe kidney or liver disease. It’s also not recommended for long-term use.
