The business of coughs and colds always fall to the responsibility of the GP and right now, we are having a busy time with it!  As I look back at previous years, I have noticed a spike of this type of ailment in June.  I think this co-insides with the abrupt change in weather from from dry to rainy season in Belize.  On-call, off-duty, on-duty….it’s all the same to a doctor…everywhere we go right now, we are bumping into people with coughs.  Just a few days ago, I stepped into a man’s shop and he was lying on his back (on crates) coughing and spluttering.  I can’t get away from the call of duty.  😉

I am now armed with a stethoscope and medical paraphernalia as I walk down the streets of Punta Gorda.

We have noticed that some  people do start off with a benign cold here…they call it “fresh cold” in Belize.  It usually goes away by itself with a bit of rest, good wholesome food and TLC.  There are however some people who don’t rest and continue to erratically go through life in the same stressful and deleterious way.  These are the ones who get into trouble and the upper respiratory tract infection develops into pneumonia.  We end up seeing these people as patients.

Anyway, for all you people who have recently developed the sniffles…STOP.  Give your body a rest!!  Doctor’s Orders!!  And here is an easy drink that you can make at home (3 times daily for the next 7 days) to help reduce the phlegm and cough.

Cough And Cold Remedy.

Put the following in a mug:

Juice of one lime

1 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/8 tsp chili powder (or a quarter piece of fresh habanero, finely chopped)

1/4 tsp of ground dried ginger (or 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped)

Top up with hot water.  Allow to steep for 5 minutes and then drink up.

Also, go to sleep early, rest and stop running around!