It’s that time of year. Are you feeling a little under the weather? Are you congested? Do you have a runny nose? Sore throat? Your friend whiskey is here to help.
Science says that a hot toddy, whiskey, honey, lemon juice and hot water, can help out with that winter cold.
The whiskey can help you relax as well as reduce body pain, which is why many popular cough medicines have a little bit of alcohol in them. Yeah science!
Whiskey can also help you fall asleep faster and get rid of that annoying sniffle. Dr. William Schaffner, chair of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told ABC News, “The alcohol dilates blood vessels a little bit, and that makes it easier for your mucus membranes to deal with the infection”.
Like a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup, the hot water in a hot toddy can help relieve nasal congestion.
Honey, which is not actually bee vomit, has lots of antioxidants, and research shows that a few spoonfuls can help soothe your cough. Science has even shown that consuming honey is great even when you’re healthy.
Lemon juice is a great source of vitamin C, but that’s not what makes it great for treating colds. It’s the acidity of lemon juice that helps fight off the sickness. Herbalist Douglas Schar told Prevention that “lemon juice reduces and thins mucus, which makes it easier to unclog a stuffed-up respiratory system”.
So there you go. Whiskey is good for you and science is awesome.
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