How to Gargle Salt Walter to Prevent a Cold
Gargling with salt water is not just an effective way to treat sore throat and inflammation due to the common cold; it may also protect you from coming down with this uncomfortable upper respiratory infection. In a 2005 paper entitled "Prevention of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections by Gargling: A Randomized Trial," Japanese researchers at the Kyoto University School of Public Health note that test subjects who gargled regularly enjoyed a 40-percent drop in upper respiratory infections compared to participants who didn't follow this regimen.
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Instructions
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Warm 8 oz. of water in a saucepan on the stove. The water doesn't need to boil, but it should be as hot as your mouth can tolerate.
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Pour the warm water into a drinking glass.
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Add 1/2 tsp. of salt to the warm water, and stir until it dissolves completely.
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Pour approximately 2 tbsp. of the salt solution into your mouth, and swish it around. Tilt your head back, and let the solution settle in the back of your throat.
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Gargle for 10 to 30 seconds, and spit the solution into the sink. Repeat this process with the remaining solution, if desired.
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Tips & Warnings
For cold prevention, repeat these steps three times daily. If you already have cold symptoms, gargle every two to four hours.
Be careful not to swallow the salt solution.
References
- AARP; "Mom Was Right --- Gargling Helps"; Candy Sagon; October 2010
- Bowling Green State University: Cold and Sore Throat Care
- "The Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies: What to Do For the Most Common Health Problems"; Mayo Clinic; 2010
- University of Minnesota: Colds and Flu
- "American Journal of Preventive Medicine"; Prevention of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections by Gargling: A Randomized Trial; K. Satomura et al.; November 2005
- "The New York Times"; Gargling With Salt Water for Colds; Tara Parker-Pope; September 2010
- Photo Credit Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
