Natural Home Remedy for Cough and Cold
Cough and cold is probably the most common illness among all such as new born babies, toddlers, adults, pregnant women or elders. Everybody suffers from it one or the other time. Here we will discuss on how to cure cold and cough with effective home remedies. Through season change, it is common to suffer from mild sneezing and coughing if your immunity is low. Though cold and cough is common, you need to pay enough attention, otherwise it can be a serious health problem. There is no immediate cure, cold and cough lasts for a few days and causes discomforts. What can you do get relief from cold and cough?
There are lots of medications available for cold and cough such as nasal decongestants, cough suppressants, antihistamines and expectorants, pain reliever etc. Antibiotics don’t help every time. Medicines also do have some side effects. But there are many home remedies known for years that are simple to follow but can work wonder on your problems. These remedies are almost free from side effects and have lasting effects. Following discussed are some of the home remedies.
Cold, Cough and its Symptoms
Common cold is acute upper respiratory track infection, which is usually caused due to viral reason. It is usually frequent when change of season takes place. It is infectious through expelled respiratory secretions containing a virus.
Some of the common symptoms of cold are coughing, sneezing, running nose etc. If severe, symptoms include sore throat, headache, blocked sinuses, fever, blocked nose etc.
Cough is a breathing reflux that clears your airways of mucus and irritants. It involves several organs such as lungs, peripheral nervous pathways and the central nervous system. The coughing is regulated by cough reflux. Most probably cough is caused by infection to upper respiratory track. Regular cold if not taken care of can lead to coughing. You have to take care that coughing is cured soon. Chronic cough can develop pneumonia or even TB. Chronic cough in children can cause asthma that has no permanent cure.
Some of the home remedies for cold and cough are:
1. Garlic Tea
Garlic is an antibacterial and antiviral herb and is very effective in fighting colds, coughs and the flu. Garlic tea improves immunity to cold and cough. To take the best advantage of it, you should drink fresh garlic tea. You take 2 to 3 cloves of garlic, peel it and crush it. Add two cups of water to it and boil it. Simmer it for 15 minutes on low heat. Strain the tea and let it cool. Strain the garlic tea and allow it to cool. You add little honey, a pinch of cayenne pepper and few drops of lemon juice. Drink it when warm.
2. Red Onion and Raw Honey Cough Syrup
A syrup made from red onion and raw honey is a wonderful remedy for cough that works equally well for adults as well as kids. Take a red onion, wash it, peel it and slice it horizontally. Put the slices in the bowl layering alternately starting with raw honey or brown sugar. You have to start with the base of the onion and repeat the process until the whole onion is reconstructed. You can also use Stevia powder instead. Cover the bowl and leave it overnight or for about 12 hours. It will turn into syrup. This syrup is rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals and it acts as very soothing to sore throat and helps fight infection. You can take a spoonful of it 3-4 times a day.
3. Turmeric Powder and Ajwain (Carom seeds) seeds
Turmeric is antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory and is very effective in removing cough from your body. Ajwain is very well known ayurvedic spice and is the good source of thymol. It has germicide and antiseptic properties and is very effective for cough and cold. You just mix 1/4th ea spoon turmeric powder, 1/4th tea spoon Ajwain and a pinch of salt. Take it with warm water twice daily. You will see wonderful response. No matter how severe your coughing is, you will have a great relief in 2-3 days. You will also feel relief from sore throat and heavy chest due to congestion. You can inhale crushed ajwain seeds frequently.
If you suffer from chronic and recurrent cold, you can continue it for long time. It doesn’t have side effects and will improve your immunity too.
4. Concoction of Basil leaves and Ginger
Basil leaves have many health benefits and has been found very soothing effects on cold and cough. Ginger has also been proved effective in treating cough. Take few leaves of basils and wash then thoroughly. Peel a small piece of ginger and cut it into pieces. Crush the basil leaves and ginger together. You can add few drops of water if needed. Strain it. You can add little honey to it. Take it twice a day for 3-4 days. You will find considerable and quick relief from cold and cough.
5. Herb Tea
Take two cups of water in a bowl. Add few grains of black pepper, ajwain seed, and pinch of turmeric powder, mint leaves, basil leaves, small piece of ginger crushed, and small piece of fresh turmeric crushed. Boil it till it becomes half of it. Strain it in a cup. Add few drops of lemon and a tea spoon of honey to it. Drink it hot twice a day.
6. Thyme for Cough and Cold
Thyme contains thymol which is a major constituent of thyme’s volatile oil and has great medicinal properties that can help cure bronchial coughs, laryngitis, and whooping cough. Make a tea of thyme or a mixture of thyme and plantain and drink it hot. You can also add few drops of lemon and tea spoon of honey to it. You should not use thyme oil as remedy, it is very toxic.
If you suffer from cold and cough, you can treat it with home remedies. If you have a severe problem, you also consult your doctor and take medications along with home remedies.