This may be gross, but it was my AHA moment for anything involving colds, sore throats, sinus congestion, etc. It is not even new to some people, but everyone needs to be given a good ol' fashioned home remedy from momma. There is a reason why they say, "mom knows best."
So, one day, I had a cold. My nose was stuffed. My mucous was not running clear, and it was just going to get worse. I had been coughing and mucous came up, so I spit it in the sink. We have all been there. Your chest and throat are raw, and that coughing is painful. You just want to get better. It seems that the longer that stuff stays in your chest, the longer the sickness lasts and the more it hurts. Coming back to my story- I spit the glob of mucous in the sink. I needed to rinse it down the drain, but the cold water was doing nothing for it. I was gonna have to wipe it down if it was going to move anywhere. I decided to try the hot water. Surprise of surprises- it rinsed down the drain all by itself. This got me thinking that maybe drinking hot liquids would help to drain the mucous that was clinging to my throat, sinuses and stuck in my chest!
Lemon has citric acid in it and can help break up mucous. Honey also soothes sore throats. Honey and Lemon together is an age-old combination, but drinking it, is not so pleasant. Have you ever tried the honey lemon cough drops? They are disgusting. If you can't stand to drink it, then you won't. I decided to add a packet of applecider to the mix to make it palpable. It was so good. I love drinking it anytime I feel a cold coming on or when my sinuses start to get backed up at all-whether it is for allergies or anything else.
I call it hot, honey-lemon water when I make it in our home. I use 1 packet of apple cider for about 16 ounces of water, about 2 lemons worth of juice, and a good dollop of honey. That is usually about 1 tablespoon. You can change the ratio depending on your preference. It balances all the flavors out, so that you don't mind actually drinking it. Serve it hot!
My kids have also gotten hooked, and it may be part placebo effect, but we aren't sick as much or nearly as long because I truly think that it flushes everything out.
I hope this helps someone who may not have known about it. If you don't have fresh lemon, you can use the bottled lemon juice at the store as well. Enjoy!