Easy and Effective Home remedies for cold and cough
Cold and cough are very common especially during changes in
weather. Here are some effective remedies to treat cold and cough at home. Try them as that they are free of side
effects and made from easily available at home ingredients.
1. Ginger: Its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties help to
relive cold and cough.
Method: grate
some ginger and boil it in water. Sip this water 2-3 times a day. You can add
honey to it or even better add the grated ginger to green tea or regular chai.
The aroma and taste of ginger is wonderful. Another way is to simply chop small
pieces of ginger and chew on them very gently to get a long lasting effect.
2. Warm milk with
turmeric: This is an age old method to treat cold and cough. Turmeric
derives its powerful anti-inflammatory properties from curcumin. Besides,
turmeric is also an antiviral and antibacterial. Thus it is efficient to
relieve the cold and cough symptoms. It also helps in falling asleep at night.
Method: Add a
pinch of turmeric in a cup of milk and let it come to boil. Drink it hot to warm.
3. Herbal tea: It
is tea made from a mixture of lemon grass also, ginger, cinnamon and tulsi.
Lemon grass is also called ‘citronella grass’ or ‘gavati chaha’. It has strong
anti-bacteria, anti-oxidant properties and also acts as an energy booster to
alleviate the exhaustion experienced while suffering from cold and cough.
Method: Add a
few chopped leaves of lemon grass, grated ginger, 2-3 sticks of cinnamon, 3-4
tulsi leaves to a cup of water. Give it a boil, strain and your tea is ready. You
can add honey to make it tastier. You can also add this mixture to green tea or
chai.
4. Garlic: It has
sulphur and other ingredients that act as an antiviral.
Method: Use
clarified butter or ghee to sauté a few chopped buds of garlic. You can eat as
it is or add it to your soup.
5. Honey: Honey
has been used to treat cold and cough since a long time. It coats the irritated throat and acts as a
cough suppressant. It reduces night time cough and helps to sleep better.
Method: You can
take 1 teaspoon of honey 2-3 times a day. You can also add honey to your tea to
make it tastier.
6. Warm salt gargles:
This is useful to treat a sore throat which accompanies the cough.
Method: Add a
pinch of salt, you can also add a pinch of turmeric being an antibacterial, to
warm water and gargle with it.
7. Pepper: Pepper
has capsaicin which thins out the mucus and relieves congested nasal passages.
Method: Add
crushed pepper to your soup or meal or smell pepper to relieve a bad stretch of
coughing.
8. Steam inhalation
with Eucalyptus oil: Eucalyptus oil contains ingredients like eucalyptol
that makes it antimicrobial and acts as a decongestant.
Method: Add a few drops of Eucalyptus oil to bowl of
boiling water, place a thick towel over your head and breathe in the vapors for
5-10 minutes. Or you can apply a few
drops of the oil to the handkerchief and inhale it for easier breathing.
9. Chicken soup:
Chicken soup is rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, silicon
and sulphur and proteins that make it a nutritious and anti-inflammatory food
with a boost to the immune system. You can add chopped garlic and powdered
pepper to add flavor and enhance its properties.
10. Warm water: Our body is easily dehydrated as we suffer
from cold and cough due to fluid loss. So it is important to increase the
intake of water. Drink only water that is luke-warm at regular intervals. Also
increase water consumption through soups and stews.
11. Rest and sleep: The importance of rest and sleep cannot be
stressed enough. Getting eight hours of uninterrupted sleep at night will
definitely reduce the intensity of cold and cough making you feel better in a
shorter duration.
