Natural Health: What can I take to ease a sore throat? 

Plus: what to do when your teenage son can't (or won't?) stop belching

It is interesting that you have identified stress and fatigue as factors in developing a sore throat, as both these situations are known to impact immune function, leaving us more vulnerable to illness.

I often get a painful sore throat — it tends to happen when I’m over-tired or stressed. I find gargling with salted water helps. Is there anything else I can do?

Gargling with salt water is a great place to start. It works by reducing inflammation and swelling, loosening mucus, and creating a hypertonic environment that makes it harder for some bacteria to thrive.