The 10 best home remedies for coughs

1. The most important home remedy for coughs is to drink plenty of fluids. The fluids moisten the mucous membranes and thus help to prevent dry coughs. They also help to liquefy the mucus in the respiratory tract, making it easier to cough up.
2. Cough tea, e.g. with thyme or aniseed, has the added benefit of loosening mucus, in addition to the general advantages of fluids, and thus promotes coughing up. Marigold tea also soothes the inflamed respiratory tract thanks to the mucins it contains.
3. Home remedy for coughs for those with a sweet tooth: cough sweets. These sweets increase the flow of saliva and thus help to keep the mucous membranes moist. This is particularly helpful for dry coughs.
4. Inhaling steam moistens the mucous membranes, loosens stubborn mucus and relaxes the airways. Additives in the water can intensify these effects, e.g. salt, sage or camomile.
5. Sweet home remedy for coughs: honey. It contains natural cough suppressants. You can take the honey pure or sweeten your cough tea with it.
6. Hearty home remedy for coughs: homemade onion cough syrup. Finely chop an onion and boil briefly with 150 ml of water, allow to cool briefly and stir in 2 tablespoons of honey. After about half an hour, strain. The mixture should then be stored in the refrigerator and taken one teaspoonful several times a day.
7. A tried and tested home remedy for coughs: radish juice. Even if the taste takes some getting used to, radish juice has been recommended for coughs since grandmother's time – often in combination with honey. It contains essential oils that render pathogens harmless and soothe the respiratory tract.
8. Chest compresses no. 1: cabbage compresses are a tried and tested home remedy for coughs. Wash a few savoy cabbage leaves and remove the thick, white centre ribs. Place them on a sheet and roll out the savoy cabbage leaves, e.g. with a rolling pin, until juice comes out. Spread the leaves over your chest, cover them with the sheet and secure the whole thing with a scarf or gauze bandage, for example. Let the cabbage poultice work for about an hour.
9. Chest compress no. 2: Cottage cheese compress. Place the cottage cheese in the middle of a sheet and fold in the ends. Warm the cottage cheese compress slightly with a hot water bottle. Place it on the chest and secure it with a scarf. You can wear the compress until the cottage cheese has dried, e.g. overnight.
10. Chest compress no. 3: potato compress. These have long been used as a home remedy for coughs. However, their effect is probably due to the long-lasting moist heat, because potatoes store heat and release it gradually. Other cough-relieving ingredients are not yet known. To make a potato compress, boil a few potatoes. When they are soft, place them on a sheet and crush them roughly. Let the potatoes cool a little and then place them on your chest, securing them with a scarf or gauze bandage. You can wear the potato poultice for as long as you find the warmth pleasant. Important: Make sure that the potatoes are no longer too hot. Otherwise, there is a risk of burns!