When I was in high school, I came down with a sore throat the week before I was supposed to read a poem for the Thanksgiving program. I drank a tea that was made of equal parts peppermint and eucalyptus. It tastes HORRIBLE! But it kept the sore throat at bay until after the program. It tastes so bad the germs leave on their own. I eat a clove of raw garlic for sinus trouble. It isn't a happy experience, but it works. Licorice is also helpful.