When you’re trying to get healthy, you want to do whatever you can, right? When I started on my health journey, I wanted to cut out all the chemicals and things that I was finding in the products I used every day. When I embarked on my latest leg of my fertility journey, I became obsessed with being as natural as possible.
This led me to do a lot of research and a lot of experiments. Recently, I was suffering from what I thought was a HORRIBLE cold. (Turned out to be a horrible sinus infection, but the result was the same.) I couldn’t breathe due to all the congestion, so I decided to look into some healthy and natural options so I didn’t have to rely on medications. Imagine my surprise when I found that I had a cold remedy already in my kitchen!!!
Health Benefits of Pineapple
This sticky and sweet fruit is favorite among all the age groups. Other than its sweet and sour taste, Pineapple has many health benefits.
- Pineapples contain bromelain, an enzyme with anti-inflammatory properties. It fights infections and kills bacteria.
- Drinking pineapple juice helps soothe a sore throat and aids the body to expel mucous easily.
- The bromelain present in pineapple also helps to calm cough arising due to the cold.
- Pineapple juice also helps in treating other respiratory ailments like bronchitis, asthma and pneumonia.
- Body pains experienced while having a cold can be soothed by drinking pineapple juice.
The pineapple contains a high source of Vitamin C, which drastically aids the immune system to fight off colds and sickness. Vitamin C is a powerhouse for improving immunity and is also paired with the anti-inflammatory properties of bromelain in pineapple. Bromelain is a unique enzyme found in pineapple and is often utilized to reduce swelling, especially in the nose and sinuses. It’s also thought to have mucolytic properties that help break up and expel mucus. This means that consuming fresh pineapple can help to naturally clear up a stuffy nose when you’re feeling under the weather.
Not only does bromelain help reduce inflammation, it also works to fight off infection and to eliminate bacteria. This means that the perfect pineapple can not only help you get back to feeling well when you’re sick, but it can also help prevent sickness. Bromelain also works to combat respiratory illnesses, including coughing, bronchitis, asthma and pneumonia.
Nutrients in pineapple juice may help soothe symptoms of a cough or cold. One 2010 study found that pineapple juice was part of an effective treatment for tuberculosis, thanks to its ability to soothe the throat and dissolve mucus. According to this study, a mixture of pineapple juice, honey, salt, and pepper reduced cough symptoms up to five times faster than over-the-counter (OTC) cough syrup.
In addition to helping treat your cough, pineapple juice has a lot of other health benefits. The anti-inflammatory properties it contains can help treat pain and swelling in osteoarthritis and sports injuries. The bromelain responsible for some of these benefits can act as a potential anti-cancer agent. The vitamin C can also help prevent cataract development and heart disease.
While pineapple juice can be effective as a cough treatment, other medicines and traditional treatments may be more effective depending on the cause of the cough. If you have asthma, for example, pineapple juice can be used as a supplemental treatment, but you shouldn’t toss your doctor-prescribed inhaler out the window.
If your cough lasts for more than a week or disrupts your sleep, call your doctor and ask what treatments you should consider. People who have a pineapple allergy, or are allergic to other tropical fruits, should not drink pineapple juice.
How to Use Pineapple to Ward Off Sickness
The easiest way to ward of sickness with pineapple, is simply by consuming the fresh fruit. Additionally, drinking pineapple juice helps to soothe a sore throat while aiding the body to expel mucous easily. Fresh pineapples can also be transformed into a natural “cough syrup” to help suppress coughing and soothe a sore throat.
Pineapple juice cough remedies to try at home
Pineapple “Cough Syrup”
• 1 cup fresh pineapple juice (learn how to make your own here)
• pinch of salt
• pinch of pepper
• 1 1/2 Tbsp honey
Simply mix the above ingredients to create your own homemade pineapple “cough syrup”. Those who use this natural remedy recommend drinking a 1/4 cup up to three times a day for best results.
Pineapple juice, honey, ginger, cayenne, and salt
One traditional cough remedy is to blend pineapple juice with honey, ginger, salt, and a little cayenne pepper. The cayenne helps expel mucus while the honey and ginger soothe the throat and offer anti-inflammatory properties.
For this remedy, blend together:
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 tsp. minced or chopped ginger
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Drink 1/4 cup up to three times per day. It’s important not to give raw honey to children under 1 year of age.
Pineapple juice, honey, salt, pepper
Another common pineapple juice cough remedy also uses honey, but omits ginger and cayenne pepper.
For this remedy, mix together:
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp. honey
Drink 1/4 cup up to three times per day.
Strawberry pineapple popsicles
Popsicles can help soothe the throat, they’re easy to make, and strawberries are packed with immune-boosting vitamin C.
To make these popsicles, mix together:
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice
- 2 cups chopped strawberries
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
Pour the mixture into popsicle molds, and let sit in the freezer for at least three hours, or until solid.
Takeaway
You can drink pineapple juice alone, or use it in other recipes. Some great recipes to incorporate more pineapple juice into your life include:
Related Posts
Make sure you grab a copy of my FREE guide 5 Steps To Increase Your Fertile Cervical Mucus & my FREE Self-Care Mini Course. You can access either one by clicking on the title. These are packed full of information that you can begin implementing today to put yourself one step closer to getting pregnant, naturally.
If you’re looking for a group of like-minded women with which to share your fertility wellness journey, be sure to check out my Whole Body Fertility & Wellness Facebook group today!
LATEST POSTS
- THANKSGIVING AS FERTILITY HOLIDAY- SYMBOLS, FEASTING, AND GRATITUDE
- Natural Mothering Begins with Birth
- 12 Signs You Need to Take a Break ASAP
- Babywearing: Everything You Need to Know to Wear Your Baby Safely
- 10 NATURAL COLD AND FLU REMEDIES THAT WORK
Whole Body Fertility & Wellness 