Soothe a Sore Throat with Cayenne-Spiced Tomato Soup

Reader Contribution by Corinne Gompf and Heritage Harvest Farm
article image

We’re on the brink of cold-and-flu season, which in our house means a lot of snotty noses and sore throats. With a first-grader, a fourth-grader, and a husband who teaches high school, my family is basically a triple threat of illness, usually ending up with some sort of plague-like gunk during the winter months.

Over the years, I’ve drilled into the kids the importance of hand-washing and coughing into their elbows (Or, basically anywhere other than directly into my mouth … sigh.). As they’re running to the bus, I’m sure I can be heard yelling: “Don’t let anyone breathe on you! Don’t touch anything with your bare hands!” while throwing handfuls of kale and hand sanitizer at them.

And while I can’t send the kids to school wearing hazmat suits, being around other kids means that all of our efforts don’t always go in our favor, and someone ends up getting sick (usually my husband … with the dreaded “man cold,” which we all know is way, way worse than a regular cold.).

I’ve found that using small amounts of spices, such as cayenne, can help alleviate a sore throat and sinus pain. Cayenne is an analgesic, meaning a pain-reliever, and an anti-inflammatory, which can subdue swollen tissue, which is why it is also great for sinus infections.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368