Flem is the thick, stringy mucus created in the respiratory tract as a result of pathogens, inflammation or virus. With an infection in the respiratory tract, the production of flem goes up, and it irritates the throat every time you swallow, breathe or even eat. In this article we share with you how to get rid of flem effectively.
The actual spelling of flem is phlegm, but we have used ‘flem’ in the rest of the story because that is how the word is more commonly spelt and pronounced.
Common causes of flem:
- It can cause due to an allergic reaction.
- When your vocal chords are too stretched.
- Bacterial infection such as common cold, flu or bronchitis.
- Excessive smoking can dry up your respiratory tract.
If you are too bothered with your flem, and want a long-lasting cure, here are some magical home remedies on how to get rid of flem (phlegm).
1. The garlic remedy
The most effective way to cure flem is to eat a couple of cloves of raw garlic before going to bed. You can even prepare your food with loads of garlic in them, this is because the sulphur in garlic fights microbes causing infection in your respiratory tract.
2. The salt water gargle
This is perhaps one of the oldest and most trusted remedies because salt can heal your throat infection by eliminating the bacteria causing the flem. In a glass of lukewarm water, add a teaspoon salt and gargle twice a day. In less than a week your air passage where the flem is stuck will clear up.
3. Make a lemon tea with a dash of honey
How about making yourself a lemon and honey tea? Thinking how to get rid of flem? In a cup of hot water, squeeze the juice of half a lemon and add a teaspoon honey, stir it and drink it up. Have this twice a day and flem production will reduce. Lemon is rich in Vitamin C and also has anti-microbial properties, while honey soothes your throat.
4. Pepper and honey remedy
Take a teaspoon honey and add a pinch of black pepper to it, and have it twice a day. Your respiratory tract will clear and the flem will go away because pepper cures sore throat and curbs the production of flem.
5. The turmeric and milk antidote
In a glass of hot milk, add a teaspoon of turmeric, stir it well, and drink it before going to bed. Milk improves immunity and turmeric’s anti-bacterial properties fight the pathogens causing flem.
6. Eat hot and spicy food
Eat a lot of chillies and pungent food such as chilly, chilly pepper as they help eliminate flem by making the mucus loose.
7. The cinnamon and ginger technique
Take a cup of hot water and add a teaspoon ginger paste and a teaspoon cinnamon. Strain the liquid and then add a teaspoon honey to it. Drink this twice daily and your flem will clear up in less than a week. Wondering how to get rid of flem? Turn to ginger for its anti-microbial properties and make yourself this magical health drink.
8. Do not eat meat
When there is flem in your wind pipe, go off poultry and meat because they boost mucus production, and do not give out the appropriate taste. If you want your flem to clear up soon avoid eating these products.
9. Inhale steam
This is the oldest remedy to cure flem. In a bucket of boiling water, drop an essential oil such as eucalyptus, or even a simple balm, then cover your head with a towel and try to inhale it. Take deep breaths, this will loosen up the mucus and eliminate it from your system. It will unclog your chest and clear up your throat and wind pipe.
10. Drink a lot of fluids
Drinking water, fresh juices frequently makes the mucus thin and it easily comes out of the system when you cough or sneeze. Make sure you are drinking a lot of water to get rid of your flem problem.
11. Stop having butter and cheese
If you have a bad case of flem, you need to stop having daily products immediately. Butter, cheese, ghee, or yoghurt enhance the production of mucus in your respiratory tract.
12. Clear your nostrils frequently
To eliminate flem from your body, you need to blow your nose as frequently as possible. This will stop them from accumulating in your wind pipe and clear up your chest and throat quicker. Try to cough it out because all the bacterial will get evicted from your system.
13. Hum to yourself
Did you know by humming a tune you can loosen the mucus in your respiratory tracts? If you have been wondering how to get rid of flem, this is one of the easiest ways. When you hum, you send vibrations through your throat which works to break down this mucus. Hum for a few minutes everyday, and in a few days there won’t be any flem in your throat.
14. Slurp down some chicken soup
A hot chicken broth is an ideal way to clear up all the flem because it helps in breaking down the mucus and clearing up the air passage. Have two bowls of hot chicken soup for a few days and your flem will disappear.
15. Go off fried foods
You love your fries, and they are your weakness. But if you are suffering from flem you will need to avoid fried foods of every kind as the excess oil in which they are cooked slows down the process of loosening of the mucus and breaking them further apart. Your recovery will be slower. So no French fries!
Now if you have been troubled with flem and keep thinking of ways on how to get rid of flem, try one or more of these natural home remedies and you will surely get relief.
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