A Homemade Cough Remedy That Works

It's that time of year again. The bug strikes, and is dispatched within a few days by your immune system. But then weeks of annoying coughing ensue.

The caging spells are intermittent, but are sure to come at the worst possible moments. They begin as soon as you crawl into bed a night, robbing you of the rest you so sorely need. You just know it's going to happen during the quiet of the church service, or in the midst of an important meeting. It's sure to happen on the bus, train or airplane, giving your fellow passengers to shun you like a pariah who is spewing the air with disease.

Whatever happened to Cheracol, that wonderful cherry-flavored cough syrup that actually worked? Answer: After years of over-the-counter availability, the FDA decided that small doses of Codeine (Cheracol's morphine-like cough-suppressing ingredient) were dangerously addicting, and this popular remedy became a "Schedule V" drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. It was taken off the shelves ... a casualty of the Nixon "War On Drugs." Rules vary somewhat among the states. For a while Cheracol with Codeine was available upon request at most pharmacies. But evidently druggists, at least in this area (West Michigan), eventually got tired of messing with purchase logs, and quit dispensing it, offering "Cheracol D" (Dextromathorphan or "DXM") as an equally effective alternative (it isn't).

Now the FDA and DEA are wringing their hands about teenage abuse of Dextromathorphan. To get a "high" with DXM (a.k.a. "DM", "robo", "rojo", and "velvet") a kid would have to down 250 to 1,500 milligrams ... that's up to three eight ounce bottles of icky-tasting cough syrup. Provided that the adventure isn't spoiled by puking the stuff up (a rather common reaction), the initial effect is similar to mild inebriation, which a kid with any sense could better achieved ... and much less expensively ... by chugalugging a couple of Dad's beers.

I've found that DXM-based cough remedies actually will work, but not at the usual recommended dosage. If you're going to try this stuff, read the label on all the bottles on the shelf, paying attention to the Dextromathorphan content per recommended dose. Buy the "extra-strength" product with the highest per dose content. Better yet, rather then drinking lots of that awful stuff, consider a cold remedy such as Coricidin (30mg per tablet).

Here's another idea; forget the drugs and make your own inexpensive preparation using ingredients found in your own kitchen. No warnings - no side-effects. The recipe is supposedly from India, but most websites credit the book Herbally Yours by Penny C. Royal, 3rd Edition, June 1982. Not only does this simple preparation seem to be very effective as a cough remedy, a dose just before bedtime also seems to promote a good night's sleep. Although this magical elixir has a little bite, and the taste leaves something to be desired, it's probably no less palatable than commercial preparations.

Here are the ingredients:

	1 part cayenne pepper (1 teaspoon)
	1 part ground ginger (1 teaspoon)
	12 parts honey (4 Tablespoons)
	12 parts apple cider vinegar (4 Tablespoons)
	24 parts water (8 Tablespoons)

Combine the water and vinegar, and warm it to coffee or tea temperature to promote easy mixing. Add a little of the warmed liquid to the cayenne pepper and ginger and stir. Add the honey and the remaining warmed liquid, and mix thoroughly. The measurements given in parenthesis make eight liquid ounces. A typical adult dose is one tablespoon (1/2-ounce), so an eight-ounce bottle is good for sixteen doses. Since the ingredients are all natural, there's no need to worry about overdoses. The mixture will quickly separate, so always shake well before using. Refrigeration is not required.

Enjoy!