These home remedies come with no scientific proof, but the locals swear by their enchanted effectiveness. When a cough and chest congestion hits, Americans (like me) head to the drugstore, where row upon row of foul-tasting remedies are available. Should you find yourself sick abroad, though, a harsh reality awaits: Cold medicine is hard to come by, and in many countries it’s simply nonexistent. That’s the case in Bosnia-Herzegovina. But the locals don’t need Western-style cough medicine that contains ingredients you can’t pronounce (try to say dextromethorphan three times quickly). They’ve got … witchcraft. A first line of defense for a sore throat and cough in this formerly war-torn country is honey. That’s not surprising since “research has proven honey to be just as or more effective in treating coughs than over-the-counter commercial cough syrups,” according to Dr. Josh Axe, founder of DrAxe.com, best-selling author of Eat Dirt and co-founder of Ancient Nutrition. Whether purchased in Bosnia from a local farmer or in Medex’s Apisirup mass-market version, it’d be tough to find someone who would decline the opportunity to eat delicious honey off a spoon without shame or judgment. It’s for your health, after all. (The added thyme in Apisirup is also a helpful cough expectorant, and its most active ingredient, thymol, has shown to possess antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.) | 
