Your Justification to Drink Cocktails While Sick
via Cold Remedy Cocktails: Do They Work? – ABC News.
When it comes to adding a shot of alcohol to your cold or flu remedy, it’s hard not to wish those boozy concoctions are doing some good for your health. As it turns out, they are.
Well, kinda.
Drinks like hot toddies, which traditionally contain whiskey, lemon and honey, can actually give cold and flu patients relief from their symptoms, said Dr. William Schaffner, chair of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.
It just can’t prevent or cure a cold or flu virus.
“It would not have an effect on the virus itself, but its effect on the body can possibly give you some modest symptom relief,” Schaffner said. “The alcohol dilates blood vessels a little bit, and that makes it easier for your mucus membranes to deal with the infection.”
Since Sept. 30, more than 5,100 influenza cases have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including 40 cases of H1N1.
Schaffner said warm moisture from a steaming mug of any beverage can offer symptom relief.
“That’s part of why chicken soup is thought to work,” he said.
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Hmmm, I think I feel a cold coming on. . .
My parents used to give us hot whiskey slings when we were sick; I’d wondered if that was for their benefit, but I guess it was for us.
Time for a hot buttered rum…>hic<
When I was about 14, people didn’t go to doctor like they do now unless you were dying or screaming in pain. For any cold/flu you got a mild hot toddy, with above ingredients, whiskey, lemon, honey, hot water. Quieted the cough, made it more productive (steam/heat) and allowed you to get some rest.
When I was snowed in one time I had an awful flu or bronchitis, but I couldn’t get out to go to doctor. I called them and asked what to do. They said hot toddies, just don’t get intoxicated or it becomes bad for you. I complied for two days, until I could get out and get some antibiotics because I did have secondary infection.
And, when my son was baby, decades and decades ago, pediatrician recommended I dip my finger in whiskey and rub it on his gums for teething, since cold rags and other old home remedies weren’t working. Said it worked much better than the what was on market at that time. Just couple times a day, not enough to effect baby. Seemed to work.