For the past 10 days, I had a brutal cold and cough. As I lay supine on the sofa, my kids hovered over me (“Mom, you good?”), and I tried everything I could think of — menthol lozenges, Ricola lozenges, Robitussin, Robitussin PM, Advil, Advil PM, Mucinex, hot lemon tea, a humidifier, two humidifiers, steamy showers, stacked-up pillows, fresh air, the list goes on.

Nothing seemed to help — all day, all night, the hacking cough remained — until finally, my friend suggested something simple.

“Why don’t you have a teaspoon of honey?”

I’d spent a fortune on drugstores medicine and doubted a bite of honey would move the needle. But I figured, why not, and pulled out our honey bear.

YOU GUYS. I stopped coughing almost immediately. Apparently honey coats your throat? I don’t really know the reasoning and you know what I don’t need to know. I wasn’t coughing and felt SO relieved. That night, I slept through the night for the first time in more than a week.

Maybe everyone already knows this remedy, but I figured I’d share in case anyone else, like me, was unaware. I’m sipping honey tea as I write this very sentence, and I’m so glad to know this trick!

Pre-honey discovery.

How are you feeling these days? Any other cold remedies you’ve found helpful?

P.S. The silver lining of being under the weather, and how to make a hot toddy.