This strep throat remedy sounds crazy, but the author actually used it to cure (diagnosed!) strep throat while pregnant and wanting to avoid antibiotics. It worked incredibly well!!
When I was pregnant with my daughter, I got strep throat.
It was awful. If you’ve ever had strep, you know the horrid knives-in-your-throat feeling I’m referring to. Ugh. I shudder just to think about it again.
I do my best to avoid antibiotics quite stringently. Being pregnant, that desire was especially strong. However, strep is a bacterial infection. Many people believe that bacterial infections will only respond to pharmaceutical antibiotics. From personal experience, I’m gonna have to disagree. Here’s how it went down…
It was a holiday weekend. In Tiny Town. The doctor saw me late Friday afternoon and took a swab to send to the lab for testing. He gave me a prescription just in case, though, because I wouldn’t be able to get the results until Tuesday, when they opened again.
I went home without filling the prescription. I told myself I would get it if I was feeling desperate, but I’d try googling for ideas first. I found tons of sore throat remedy ideas online. Most involved things like lemon and honey, etc.
One of the suggestions involved a crazy ingredient: cayenne pepper. I decided to make my own concoction, and give it a whirl. I developed this recipe that day, and have tweaked and perfected it in the couple of sore throats I’ve had since that time.
So, does it work?
Well, I gargled every 15 minutes for about 2 hours that evening. There was noticeable improvement after the first couple of times. I could swallow without tears coming to my eyes. Then, I felt about 75% healed by the next morning, and I felt no more pain at all 24 hours later. By the end of the weekend, I was back to normal, and just taking it a bit easy to allow my body to catch up.
The throat swab came back from the lab on Tuesday. It was a confirmed case of strep throat. And I healed it using the craziest cayenne pepper concoction ever! Natural remedies for the win!
(By the way, if you have a more minor sore throat – i.e. not strep – I’d advise trying gargling with good ol’ salt and water. Sometimes that does the trick just fine!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Strongly brewed lemon herbal tea Other types of herbal teas may work too
- 1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar I use Bragg's raw apple cider
- 1 tablespoon Raw honey
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper Add more if you can - as much as you can stand
Instructions
- Brew tea, then mix everything else in. Stir well.
- Gargle with small sips of the tea. Get it as far back in your throat as you can and keep gargling as long as you can stand it. Spit it out, and repeat every 15-30 minutes for several hours. You should feel the burn of the cayenne (within reason!).
Nutrition
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional, and this post should not be taken as medical advice. Please do your own research. Material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.
brietta
Honey is a known antibiotic. It’s scientific. Also, antibiotics are overused, this is why we have mrsa.
mamad
I say, if it works don’t knock it…
I agree that antibiotics can be lifesaving, but I had strep 12 times in 18 months in my early twenties…antibiotics were not curing it. Visiting my GP for the 13th time lead her to ask if I wanted my tonsils out. I had already previously visited a health food store on occasion for herbals teas, etc. but when a pharmacist at a drug store I worked at part-time suggested ACV to me I got very serious about doing some research. I am dating myself but this was much before the Internet, so back to the health food store I went, bought some books and ACV. It was a nasty and persistent bacteria, but day by day I was felling better and better and within about 5 days I was well. Back to the doc I went and swab came back two days later as negative for strep. Can argue with success. I haven’t, thank goodness, had strep since, and will know my first course of action should it happen again.
johnny
what is ACV?4000
patti
Apple cider vineger.
hj
My Grandma always says to use apple cider vinegar if i have a sore throat. Either to drink it or swab the back of my throat.
Alba Cardoza
Here is a little FYI for those like John who think the natural means is just a bunch of quackery.
I too had a lot of faith in antibiotics until I started to get Strep throat time and time again. I never had it as a child and now at my tender age of 48 I caught it 3 times in the last 6 months.
I believe my son is a possible carrier he is bringing it from school he is 8 years old. At any rate, here is my situation that made me a ardent advocate for ACV! My first time I got the Strep I ran to the doctors right away to find out what this was, I was “A” symptomatic no symptoms except for a red rash on my face, mistook it for Roseacea got tested and a bit of a scratchy throat nothing big just thought I was coming down with a cold or something. I got tested and yes it was Strep so I got the usual Penicillin VK and I was find by the second day, I took the 7 day course of pills until 3 weeks later and I get it again! I go back to the Doc and puts me on the same thing for a 10 day course. That did it’s job once again then 3 months or so pass and I get it AGAIN! Same symptoms started at one tonsil then moved to the other and stayed there for around 4 weeks or so I just waited to see if it would go away on its own so I go back to an emergency care clinic my Doc was on vacation they prescribe Amoxicilin for 7 days or so and it did nothing for me nothing at all. I go back to my Doc a week later and tell him whats been happening so he then prescribes Pen. VK again and still into my 4th day on it I still have the knot in my throat to the right of my neck my right tonsil so discouraged I call him speak to the nurse there and she recommends me to take the full dosage and if it is still no change to come in as soon as I am done. OK so I do this until the day before my medicine is finished I have one more day left and I happen to have an appointment at my dentist I told her my predicament she suggested I try ACV a couple to times a day just to gargle with it and from time to time drink it also. I happen to know the ACV is nothing short of miraculous but never thought to use it as a gargle. Well let me tell you that very day I left the dentist and did just what she said with in 2 hours I was starting to feel something change in my throat, I could not believe it thought it was my imagination that I had to be all in my head so I waited till the next morning to see if I had been imagining it and I just was shocked
to see that my throat had cleared up 100% and it was all gone! Now this could not be just a coincidence after all that same morning before going to the dentist I still had my strep and that all too familiar knot in my throat after taking 27 of a 28 pill coarse with virtually a 20% improvement at best. I have to say GOD BLESS THE ACV! Tomorrow morning I will be sending flowers to that dentist for suggesting such an incredible home remedy. I will never use antibiotics again! Unless I am dying or something like MRSA or something that grave!
Now I am so worried with all these antibiotics I have taken if I ever do need them in a life or death situation will they still not work for me? I have taken home made Kefir, yoghurt, sour kraut, etc. while on these meds but still I am so worried for my resistance level now. I so wish I could have Googled ACV and strep earlier I never would have gotten back on antibiotics 🙁
Oh, by the way I was never contagious to my son or otherwise. From now on I will take 1- 2 table spoons with water on an empty stomach every morning just for prevention and detox so if the bacteria decides on rearing its ugly head ever again I will be a step ahead and nip it at the bud! Oh by the way it also does wonders for those suffering from acid reflux! I used to get it months ago and that’s when I started to take it for that never had heart burn again.
Thank God! I now know it is a miracle for Strep sufferers.
David
I’ve been using this same basic recipe, except on steroiids so to speak…In a large mug of herbal tea I add 2-3 tblsp of honey, 2-3 tblsp of Apple Cider Vinegar, the juice of 2 fresh squeezed lemons, 1 tsp of cinnamon and 3 tsp of cayenne…no guts no glory, right?
I drink half the mug and gargle with the remaining. I go through 3-4 mugs the first day…and have never had to go any further on the second day.
Shaina Gibson
Is it ok I use green tea and no lemon?
Dee
i was also wondering if green tea was ok to use instead…. I haven’t any herbal tea.
Beth
That would be fine.
Niccy
My daughter and I both woke up this morning with an extremely sore throat; it started yesterday slowly, but today, it’s full blown. I’ve read through these comments. This is my own opinion as I’m not a doctor, but a mother. Our bodies do heal absolutely wonderful: trash in, trash out so, the opposite for the good stuff. I will not say we eat all organic, but about as clean as possible being a single mother of 2 kids, working full time and involved in sports (read: no eating out or boxed meals!). Regardless, I am against antibiotics. Why? Because I have been hospitalized from them! So has my daughter. We cannot take them. My son gets a rash from them, but not as severe as her and I. So, we are stuck with any natural way we can help our body heal. This sounds absolutely amazing to give it a try. Yes, it’s scary to know the other possibilities (*possibilities*) that can occur from it being untreated, but it’s scary as well for me to have a swollen throat, barely able to breathe, rashes, stomach pain, vomiting and passing out uncontrollably when taking an antibiotic. God created the wisdom in doctors and modern medicine – I totally do not deny that. God also created the wisdom within us. Again, I am not a doctor by no means, but after 4 years of using natural remedies on us at home, it’s worked wonders and we rarely get sick. This is just a weird bout we ended up with right now and I’m willing to give this a try along with another I found mixed with honey, garlic and cayenne to take orally and help coat the throat. And, as with any sickness and doctors orders: Drink lots of water and rest. Why? Because it works!
logan
While this may make your throat stop hurting it is not safe to do this! Reason being is you NEED antibiotics for strep. Rheumatic fever can occur and you can develop rheumatic heart if untreated. Go to a Dr if you have strep, its a necessity!
Adam
Logan….I take it you weren’t paying attention earlier. Herbal/natural remedies are antibacterial and antibiotic….just in a naturally occurring way instead of a pharmaceutical product. Nature’s cures are better for you. The scare tactics of things like rheumatic fever, etc without commercial antibiotics is a load of horse manure handed out by the conventional medical community so that they can push more artificial drugs.
Teresa
AMEN!!!
David
Thanks so much for taking the time to share this. My throat was feeling like I was being stabbed every time I ate, drank, or swallowed spit. I just put together a mix following the instructions, and I am expecting good things (very) soon \(^.^)/
Tiffany
I recently went to the doctor and he told me he does not like prescribing. Antibiotics to healthy people (such as I). I coulnt believe that came out of a doctors mouth, I fell in love (lol). I wish he wasn’t an E.R doctor. Anyway, he actually told me to research home remedies, BUT he said my case was very mild. He gave me a prescription just in case… I am a big advocate for natural living but this morning I woke up in a panic so I got the prescription… Took 1 pill and barfed 30 min later -_- nonetheless I will be trying this and throwing out those pills.
And just a side note… I’ve done a lot of research on the human immune system, all the nasty chemicals you put in your body kills your immune system slowly yet surly (in simple terms).
Eli
If you have open sores on your throat, you should NOT BE TAKING THIS!!
Carie
This formula make have worked but there are easier ways to combat strep without going to such uncomfortable lengths. Zinc is a natural bacteria killer. It helps prevent bacteria from adhering to the mucous membranes in our throats. A course of zinc for a few days will kill the strep bacteria and you can take Tylenol to help with the pain. Take it at night with water and make sure you have eaten something without dairy 20 minutes prior. Calcium negates the effects of zinc. Homemade chicken soup loaded with garlic is good. Start with 25 mg and depending on how sick you are you can go up to 100 mg in a day. It will make you throw up if you overload your system. You have to start slow and balance it out. I had strep for 3 months a while ago and I took zinc everyday for a year to rebuild my immune system. If you don’t recover quickly, then get the antibiotics. Strep is nothing to mess around with and we have modern medicine for a reason. You can also use essential oils to help combat infection. Oregano, clove, cinnamon are all good choices. Use with a carrier oil and apply directly to your throat.
Liz
I am a big fan of natural remedies, but I agree that some situations require more. The name “strept throat” is misleading because Streptococcus doesn’t just effect your throat. The markers your immune system uses to attack strep also stick to your heart valve! You need to quickly eradicate the bacteria THROUGHOUT your system or risk permanent damage that leads to valve replacement surgery later in life.
My husband and I were both confirmed to have strep yesterday and immediately started on antibiotics. We have two small children and will be taking them to the pediatrician right away if either start showing any sign of being unwell. Antibiotics are a serious thing, so it is important to use them not just sparingly but also properly. People start to feel better long before their targeted infection is eradicated and will sometimes cut their antibiotic regimen short. This is very dangerous because not only would the strongest versions of that bacteria survive (and proliferate unopposed, creating a drug-resistant strain), but, in the case of strep, those heart-threatening markers will also continue to be produced!
So yes, my husband and I will take our antibiotics exactly as prescribed. Our kids will too, if they test positive for strep. But as for the SYMPTOMS, I will be treating them as naturally as possible. There’s nothing saying you can’t use them together. In fact, my doctor actually recommended honey over Tylenol or Motrin for throat pain! And once the strep has been purged from our systems, we will use low-sugar yogurts and other such healthful things to bring ourselves back into balance.
l
this is true… my grandmother had it when she was young and needed valve replacement later in life, her eyesight also was effected by the strep…. but acv is a good healer… as well as…
Carole
Totally agree. Treating the bacteria in your throat (through gargling) is not the same as treating it system-wide — and the bacteria IS system-wide. Strep can even be present without a sore throat at all!
And now we have PANDAS/PANS, as well as the heart issues, which is when the strep bacteria crosses the blood-brain barrier and causes seemingly psychiatric symptoms — OCD, anxiety, tics, personality changes, depression, etc. I have a sweet nephew who battles this every day. And PANDAS doesn’t just go away with a round of antibiotics. It’s a long-term fight to get your child back, and can be a lifetime-long issue.
PLEASE, everyone, PLEASE don’t take strep lightly!! Treat it system-wide, don’t just treat the symptoms. Strep bacteria is a serious thing, and can cause very, very serious problems (even if it seems like it just went away on its own — sometimes it does, but that is a BIG gamble with your health and the health of your children).
And if you’ve seen an overnight-type change in someone, look into PANDAS/PANS.
Beth
Thanks for sharing this info, Carole. I definitely agree that taking bacterial infections seriously is of utmost importance. I agree that treating your entire body (not just your throat) for infection is important, whether you choose pharmaceuticals or natural remedies. Thanks for your comment!
Yuko
So I’ve been dying of a sore throat and a fever for the past three days now. My son spiked a crazy high fever and a sore throat last week but he bounced back in three days so I figured I would follow the similar path. I have not yet gone to the doctors so I can’t confirm but I see spots on the back of my throat and every time swallow it feels like I am swallowing needles! I honestly can’t remember having such intense sore throat in my life so I am guessing this could be strep.
After doing some research I came across your blog here. I just followed your recipe exactly and I can’t believe the persistent pain that I wanted to cry every time I swallowed quickly dissipated! I have been living on crushed ice lemonade for the past few days and I am quite miserable. I really didn’t want to drink anything that might upset my stomach when I am already feeling so crappy. Whether this cures Strep or not I don’t know but after the weekend is over I am going to a doctor and get a strep test just to be sure and I’ll post my results again. The complication sounds scary and I don’t want to risk it but for now I am just so grateful for this remedy and hope it’ll continue to work it’s magic! Thank you!!
Yuko
by the way, I used this Manukah Honey, 16+
mickey
I just wanted to make a comment on cayenne pepper in general. I drink cayenne pepper daily with just water. I have never ever had it burn on “exit”.
Don
You are all crazy!
Firstly, the enzymes from your body’s natural response to the strep bacteria also attacks the heart. You are literally eating away at your own heart valve.
Secondly, however much pepper you put into the hole at the top of your neck has to come out the hole at the bottom tomorrow. As my old mining friend would say, “eat yourself a big bowl of ice cream at the end so tomorrow you have something to look forward to.”
Seriously, get some antibiotics.
If not for you, then do it for the other poor souls who come in contact with the giant petri dish you still call your mouth.
Like it or not, you’re aspirating that stuff around the house and it wants to be free, oh yes, it wants to share.
How do you think you got it?
Melissa
Don – I need to chuckle at your second point. Nowhere in her instructions does it say ‘swallow’. How can something come out your rear, if it never enters your digestive tract in the first place?
And for those of you who are on the ‘GET YOUR ANTIBIOTICS AND TAKE THEM ALL!!!!!’ bandwagon – there are plenty of us who are not able to take them and so we need to have alternatives to heal ourselves. The reason these remedies are still ‘antecdotal’ is because there is no money in curing us, only in poisoning us more, so they are not able to get funding for a proper study.
God created everything on this earth to heal us – everything to be in balance. Are there cures for cancer? You bet! But again, they get squashed because there is no money in healing, but treating.
beth@redandhoney
Melissa – I completely agree – thanks for replying with those great points. Unfortunately “Don” probably won’t ever see our replies, as the email address he used is as fake as his crazy assertions.
Michelle
Just an fyi, I believe in natural remidies, but 15yrs ago both my husband and son got strep, we didn’t know at the time it was strep we thought it was just a sore throat withthe flu, neither had antibotics but they both contracted “Kawaski desease” thats where strep opened them up to a germ that attacked their hearts, my little son was under observation with sick kids hospital with rounds of blood work to keep track of it, and my husband ended up having a heart attack at the age of 32. (my husbands sickness came with a sinus infections that bothered his teeth so he went to the dentest and had a cavity filled. the strep went right through his blood streem to give him the heart attack)
None the less both ended up with the disease from strep, son not iin all cased does wresteling through it make you come out better in the end. also side note strep isn’t the worst of it, its the 28 other things strep opens you up to thaqt you have to keep in mind.
This is my true story, & for the record I will take oil of oragano before I take any drug’ but we should keep in mind God didn`t make doctors if we didn`t need them. Balance is where we need to be with things.
Ellen
Michelle, I take one drop of oil of oregano when I oil pull to kill bacteria in my mouth and also on my toothbrush at night to kills germs and had a fabulous year of good health last year(I work with 1st graders so I was thrilled). I have never been able to find an amount you are supposed to consume to kill something like strep throat. Do you have any links on that?
Teresa
Amen again I say Amen ?
Dominique
You should really do your research before speaking such nonsense.
Dominique
Don is probably one of those pill poppers who has never tried a natural remedy and just follows the herd. I’m gonna try this tonight. My boyfriend is suffering from strep and I’m pregnant. I can’t catch it!!!
Sherry
Wow! This really work, I’ve been suffering from soar throat and my meds don’t work that much but this is very effective and instant. Thanks for this post.
fibermcgivver
Please, people… do not fool around with strep. Yes, you will most often get “well on your own” however, this organism can create an immune response that can attack you heart, kidneys or brain if untreated. . Please don’t take a chance when you are pregnant. Ask your Dr. or RN for guidance if you test positive for strep and take ALL your meds or you can end up with a drug-resistant organism. Don’t rely on antedotal stories — this is NOT science. She was lucky; don’t rely on luck.
j
Agreed. 100%. Unfortunately the medical system is not designed to treat patients on an urgent basis. Imagine waiting 4 days for lab results. Even waiting 2 days can be dangerous.
Lat
Excellent point. I’m pretty sure I have some bacterial ucky in the back of my throat…but it’s Labor Day weekend. That means I wait until after work tomorrow to go to Urgent Care, then wait for culture results…not super helpful just to wait. May as well try this in the meantime!
Janna
I have to agree here. I have dilated cardiomyopathy because a strep infection attacked my heart muscle when I was young. I have an ICD/pacemaker, and will have to take several meds for the rest of my life. (I was diagnosed at 33!) Please don’t mess with strep. Otherwise, I’m all for natural remedies, but modern medicine is required in some cases.
beth@redandhoney
Actually, using natural remedies is *not* getting well “on your own”, nor is it just dumb luck… it’s simply using alternative methods to TREAT the illness. The medicine that comes from the earth can be just as powerful as synthetic pharmaceuticals. Unfortunately there’s a good deal of fear-mongering out there these days that ensures most people remain firmly in the pocket of pharmaceutical companies making billions of dollars every year from the drugs they peddle. It’s quite sad, really, because the side effects of antibiotics are absolutely a significant concern, but the medical community throws them out like candy.
Everyone needs to go with whichever method of treatment they are most comfortable using. For some of us – the effects of antibiotics can be scarier than the illness itself.
Shannon
This is very true. Because of strep, I have developed an allergic reaction to penicillin. So the next time I got strep, I got a Z pack which has no penicillin in it. Broke out again. So now am I allergic to Z pack? At this point, I just think my body is very sensitive to antibiotics period. Not only does the antibiotic kill the bad bacteria in your body, it kills the good bacteria. So it’s probably very hard for my body to find a balance after that. It took about 3 months for my skin to finally go back to normal after that Z pack. Now here I am waking up with a sore throat & white stuff in the back of my throat & the last thing I want to do is take more antibiotics to screw up my entire system again. So I am giving this a try. Between natural remedies & the grace of God, I am praying I will be healed permanently!
Emily
Hi Beth!
Does this method claim to ‘treat/cure/kill’ Strep, or just the symptoms? I’m assuming not the latter, but just wanted to make sure this isn’t just a ‘band aid’ if you will.
I am 100% for natural treatments, but Strep scares me so much and ignites a sort of hypochondria (in regards to contracting other horrible illnesses from Strep).
Help.
Jesus
Very effective but very scary because it’s so hot spicy!!!
You really need to have the guts to do it.
http://www.autokreditnet.club/
Reports over the weekend were that Seaside Park up to Barrier Island sections of Brick (Mantoloking) were forcibly evacuated and will be closed for up to 8 months as the entire Natural Gas infrastructure has to be rebuilt. There were videos on App.com with reactions from locals and a short interview with Seaside’s mayor, but I can’t find them now.
Tanya
This is great! I will have to try this next time I have a sore throat. I have always made a ginger tea from freshly grated ginger with lemon juice and honey and it feels great on the throat and helps clear out sinuses.
somari
Hi
I would like to know if I must gargle and swallow the remedie, (the cheynne pepper and viniger remedy as posted above).
This is the first time im going to try this, I have been struggling with a sore throat for over 2 years now and none of the ear, nose and throat specialist could help or give me the right meds.
Lets see if this can help.
Beth
I don’t swallow it – I just gargle really well and spit it out.
joski
I’ve used the cayenne-garlic-honey concoction for tonsillitis and it worked wonders. I ate nothing but that mixture for 3 days straight and I was good as new by the end.
Considering that was all I ate, I was certain I would get heartburn or the other “burn” when it came out the other end but surprisingly there was none. I’ve noticed that cayenne pepper is the only pepper that has never given me the “burns” when I go to the toilet no matter how much of it I’ve consumed.
Kenn
I use jalapeno peppers. Just eat a few and then drink earl grey tea with honey and cinnamon