​I remember when I was a child suffering from a nagging cough and Mom would get out the tablespoon and what would now be a vintage cough syrup bottle, sold by a well-known American company established in 1868. As I recall, the cough syrup had a slight cherry flavor but was dark-colored and had a pleasant, mild burning sensation that was soothing to an irritated throat. It was a little thick, too, so that it would coat my throat. I loved it. Unfortunately, that formula is no longer sold.

I had recently read that pineapple juice was good for inflammation, breaking up mucus, and even allergies. Therefore, it’s good for coughs. Shortly after I read about it, I had a chance to find out whether it really works. I came down with one of those coughs where you sometimes cough uncontrollably until the muscles around your ribs hurt.

I had just bought a fresh pineapple on sale and had chopped it up. I took a few bites when I started coughing, and . . . What do you know? It seemed to work! Before I went to bed, I placed some pineapple chunks in a little plastic container, broke off a plastic fork so it would fit in the container, put on the lid, and put it beside the place I planned to sleep. When I first started to cough that night, I tried a menthol cough drop so that I could compare how well they worked. By the time the cough drop melted, it had helped a little, but not as much as I wished. Then I tried a few bites of the pineapple. As I bit into each juicy chunk, the juice squirted into my throat. It seemed the benefit was almost instantaneous. It calmed my cough right away. I laid my head back down on my pillow peacefully, probably with a slight smile on my face. Maybe next time I have a cough I’ll try drinking pineapple juice to see if it works just as well.

I love fresh pineapple, so it’s a very pleasant medicine for me. Maybe you’ll want to try some pineapple juice or fresh pineapple chunks on yourself or another member of your family next time a cough invades your home. I hope you or your family member will find welcome relief from your nagging cough.