Kerdragon I use tea tree oil a lot. For sore throats, salt water does best immediately, but it does not last long. I get mouth sores and the only thing that works is tto.A few drops in 1/4 cup water and gargle and hold for as long as you can stand it. I don't swallow it but if some dribble down your throat, its OK. It works for me first time, every time. I don't think it works for a sore throat, because I had a mouth sore, used it and my throat seemed sore, got sorer and developed into a cold. I did use tto several times and it had no beneficial effect on the sore throat.Good luck, Gloria

I finally saw it, late last night. I felt a knot in my gut get tighter and tighter as the scenes passed and the drama of desperation accumulated. But other than that, the movie did not cause any intense or unusual emotional disturbance in me. I thought it was exceptionally, commendably well done. DW even went with me, and for once, we both came through about identically, emotionally. DW was offended because it seemed to her like the military characters were singled out for put-downs. It looked to her like there was an imbalance of portrayal of the military folks, compared to the other responders, as the least intelligent, most disorganized and otherwise most inept. I didn't take it that way, although I understand why she would. But really, the attacks were not something anyone was well-rehearsed in responding to. (Who's all set to execute plans to respond to an earthquake in Chicago? Or a bee swarm in a shopping mall, for that matter?) There probably would have been unnecessary shootdowns if the President's orders had been passed. That's the kind of thing that happens simply because of the "fog of war," absent any blood lust, overreaction, or insubordination. I thought the commanders' declining to pass the shootdown orders was as brave and admirable an action as the passengers' revolt. I guess I brought that up because I'm familiar with air-to-air scenarios. For irony in personal experience, just this past week I watched The Godfather Part III on DVD. Weird movie, but I suppose it was a way to bring some kind of closure to the first two parts. Anyway, one very good line in it was: "Don't hate your enemies; it clouds your judgment." I think United 93's most clever quality was its portrayal in a way that did not strive to focus viewers' empathy toward either hijackers, or passengers, or other responders, or other less involved characters. Portrayal with any hint of "partisanship" would have disserved the public and cheapened the movie. The media are already far too full of historical portrayals that stoke already existing hatreds (and create new ones), such that too many people are fighting the war we are in with clouded judgment. It's one thing for combatants to adopt, or reject, one another's strategies, tactics, methods, ideas or styles. But it's self-defeating to the warrior who lets propaganda affect how he "feels about" his enemy. I ached after the movie, not because of it, but because there aren't more like it, especially covering the current war.

The best thing for a sore throat is a gargle of salt water. It was not mentioned in your list of herbal remedies, maybe because salt is not a herb. Contrary to what most people who have never heard of it think it does not sting, but soothes. Salt has antiseptic properties and is kills germs and bacteria. I had a cold once that I could not shake. A few days of gargling with warm salt water and it was gone.

I had severe sinusitis for at least 5 months. Three rounds of antibiotics and prednisone didn't touch it. My ENT (finally was referred there) was surprised that I didn't have a sore throat, but I did have headaches every day, ear aches, eye pain, toothaches, you name it. Very debilitating. Ended up having sinus surgery in Sept. and I am still recovering from that, very slow healing. Also been diagnosed with allergies, which I think may be slowing the healing. But, no more pain and no more infection. If mononucleosis doesn't check out, I sure recommend seeing an ENT.