There is no real cure for the normal cold, but there are remedies you can use to temporarily relieve the symptoms. In particular, hot punches are a common home treatment for this type of ailment; even a hot tea with a little alcohol can soothe a cold. However, you need to be careful not to drink too much alcohol when you are sick, as it can cause dehydration and make you feel more unwell.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Mix Alcohol and Lemon
Step 1. Make a hot punch
It is a popular remedy for colds; pour 30 ml of whiskey in a cup, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of honey and the juice of 3 slices of lemon; dilute everything with 250 ml of boiling water and mix to mix the ingredients; stick 8-10 cloves into the lemon slices and drop them into the cup.
Honey and lemon have antibacterial properties and can reduce the infection due to bacteria, which usually develops in the airways after contracting a common cold (viral infection); it is quite normal for a secondary bacterial infection to spread after a typical cold
Step 2. Make a tonic with honey, ginger, lemon and add some whiskey
Peel a piece of about 2.5 cm of ginger root and chop it; add 250 ml of water, in addition to the juice of half a lemon and a teaspoon of honey. Bring the mixture to a boil in a saucepan and then pour it into a cup, filtering it through a colander; add 30 ml of whiskey and mix. Drink it while it is still warm.
Step 3. Make cough syrup with bourbon
If you have a cough or sore, sore throat, this recipe is great for relieving discomfort. Pour 60 ml of bourbon and the juice of half a lemon (about 60 ml) into a cup; put it in the microwave and turn it on for 45 seconds. Then add a tablespoon of honey, mix and heat the mixture again for another 45 seconds. Drink this cough "syrup" while it is still hot.
- If you want a less concentrated version, add 60-120ml of water.
- Don't drink more than one serving, or you could irritate your throat and nose, potentially aggravating congestion.
Step 4. Try Irish Punch
Mix the peel of 6 lemons with 12 tablespoons of sugar (150 g), wait an hour or two and then add 250 ml of boiling water; stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Filter the solution, add 750 ml of whiskey and finally pour another liter of water. Sprinkle the surface with a little nutmeg and insert 6 thin slices of lemon skewered each with 4 cloves; drink the mixture while it is hot.
Method 2 of 3: Alcoholic Herbal Teas
Step 1. Make a tea hot toddy
There is also this variant of the traditional hot punch. To start, boil 250 ml of water and add a pinch of ground ginger, 3 cloves, a cinnamon stick and 2 bags of green or orange tea; leave the ingredients to infuse for 5 minutes and then remove the sachets.
- Heat the solution again in the microwave for one minute, add 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 of lemon juice.
- Pour 30-60 ml of whiskey into the cup, stir with a spoon and drink the drink while it is hot.
Step 2. Make a berry and rum tea
A blend of alcohol and hot aromatic herbal tea can help treat colds. Infuse a herbal tea with berries in 180 ml of boiling water for two or three minutes; remove the sachet, add 45 ml of white rum, half a tablespoon of lemon juice and a teaspoon of honey. Mix the ingredients well and garnish with a curl of lemon or its zest.
Step 3. Try whiskey chai tea
It is a tasty drink that combines traditional chai tea with a little alcohol. To start, mix 16 powdered cloves with a teaspoon of ginger, 8 pods of powdered cardamom (without seeds), 20 ground black peppercorns, a pinch of nutmeg, and two chopped cinnamon sticks. Take a medium-sized pot and simmer a liter of whole milk; add the spices and let the various ingredients blend together for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, filter the mixture and put it back in the pot.
- Add 90ml of whiskey and mix carefully.
- Drink your alcoholic chai tea while it is hot.
Method 3 of 3: Risks
Step 1. Drink in moderation
Sipping alcohol to treat colds is no substitute for modern medicine or rest; If you drink too much alcohol, you can cause liver damage in the long run, as well as greatly aggravate the symptoms of the disease, such as congestion, sore throat and cough. You can only do these remedies occasionally.
Step 2. Be aware that alcohol can weaken the immune system
If you overdo it, the body's defenses lose the ability to fight microorganisms and you can get sick more easily. When fighting a virus, your immune system is weaker than usual; this means that if you drink alcohol when you are unwell, the healing process can slow down.
Step 3. Keep in mind that alcohol dehydrates
When you are sick you need to keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids to soothe a sore throat and congestion. Some fluids, such as alcohol and caffeine, create the opposite effect by aggravating typical cold symptoms.
Step 4. Check if the medications you are taking are compatible with alcoholic beverages
Many medicines used to treat colds can cause adverse reactions when combined with alcohol; you may experience dizziness, sleepiness, fainting, headache, nausea and vomiting. Check the instructions for use accompanying the drug before drinking alcohol and read the leaflet carefully. The most common medications for this malaise that should not be taken concomitantly with alcohol are:
- Aspirin;
- Paracetamol (Tachipirina);
- Ibuprofen (Moment, Brufen);
- Naproxen (Momendol);
- Cough syrups (Robitussin);
- Azithromycin (Zithromax).
Step 5. Don't treat colds with alcohol if you have asthma
Asthmatics can suffer from a respiratory crisis triggered by the common cold; one study found that some additives found in alcohol can aggravate this problem. Try other non-alcoholic cold remedies to help you stay safe.
One exception is pure ethanol, which may have some therapeutic effects in the treatment of asthma
Advice
- Most alcoholic beverages that are taken as ordinary cold remedies are effective due to the mixture of herbs, lemon, honey and spices and not due to the alcohol content; if you don't want to feel intoxicated, avoid alcohol altogether to get the same healing effects.
- Drink lots of water; this way, you stay hydrated and reduce the risk of hangover.
- Consider other home remedies, such as getting plenty of rest or making chicken soup.
- Do not drink alcohol to sleep; if you use it before going to bed, you can skip the fundamental REM phase and fall directly into that of deep sleep.
Warnings
- Be sure to read the warning label of any medication you are taking before drinking any alcohol; mixing medicines and alcohol can have serious consequences.
- Do not give alcohol to children, immunosuppressed people or those who do not want to drink to treat colds.
