Lady’s Fingers reach for the Chocolate – curing your cold without chemicals

Okra, also known as Lady’s Fingers, is high in vitamin C, magnesium and folic acid, so it’s not hard to see why this benefits your struggle with the sniffles. There’s also a high presence of mucilage, which has natural anti-inflammatory properties to ease a dry and swollen throat.

Chop 100g of Lady’s Fingers into small pieces, boil in a ½ litre of water, allow the liquid to cool and drink. What’s more, there is an added bonus as whilst the liquid is boiling you can inhale the steam given off to help clear sinuses and aid breathing.

Our second tip is a little simpler, and easier to find in your corner shop. It’s a surprising fact that dark chocolate, with a minimum of 70 per cent cocoa solids, can help soothe your sore throat. It’s all down to the naturally occurring theobromine, which acts as a suppressant on your splutters, meaning 2oz of the tasty treat can do you as much good as any syrup sold over the counter.