Main Piece:

Participant – “If you’re sick you put… you get hot water…. And then put honey in it and you put like a quarter of a lemon and you squeeze the lemon but then you also put the lemon in it and then a little bit of cayenne pepper and it gets rid of your cold. It actually works, I mean it doesn’t actually work but… it works… it makes you feel better.”

Context:

Participant and I were sitting in her dorm, sharing random personal home remedies.

Background:

Participant was born and raised in Mill Valley, California and is currently a second semester freshman engineering student at the University of Southern California. Participant was given this advice from her mother who has always made this for her when she was sick as a child. Now the participant makes this for herself and her friends to help them feel better.

Analysis:         

I have heard many home remedies similar to this one in order to help sooth someone’s throat while they are sick. Although the recipe varies slightly from person to person as everyone puts their own spin on it, many people, especially online, claim this folk medicine works.