Common cold is a problem which can affect you not only during winter, but at any time of the year. It can be very irritating and draining. There are around 200 different viruses that can cause cold.
Cold can even be caused due to person to person contact in the form of coughing, sneezing or handshakes. Stress and allergy can also cause cold.
In many cases, antihistamines and decongestants can provide instant relief. Home remedies for cold are very popular as they are easily available and reliable and time tested. Some people avoid taking medicines in the cold and for them home remedies are like blessings.
Below are few home remedies/herbs to treat common cold.
Garlic
It is a very powerful antioxidant and very effective during the common cold. Crush some cloves of garlic and wrap it in clean cotton and place in the ear to ease the pain caused due to congestion because of the cold.
For cold, crush 4-5 cloves of garlic and crush and sauté in some ghee; consume this to ease the cold. You can also make a juice of garlic, two tomatoes and lemon to make an antiviral drink. Also, you can make a soup out of by adding some rock salt.This is useful in common cold.
Turmeric:
It is rich in volatile oils and curcumin. It has a healing effect and a therapeutic action when consumed during cold and cough. If you feel a scratchy sensation in your throat, it is an indication of sore throat and cough. Drink hot milk with turmeric.
Also turmeric can be mixed with tea to ease cold. Boil 2 cups of water and add ½ tbsp. turmeric, keep this for 10 minutes. Strain using a strainer and mix with honey and lemon. Drink this to feel better during cold.
Fluids:
Drink lots of fluids to ease the congestion. Drink juice or water to prevent dehydration, this keeps the throat moist. Drink 8-10 glasses each day. Chicken soup can also be of great help. Limit coffee, cola and caffeine as this can dehydrate you.
Steam:
Inhale lots of steam to ease your drippy nose and congestion. Boil water and put it in a pot, breathe the steam through your nose. Even hot shower or saline nasal spray can help in common cold.
Take Rest:
Take lots of rest and sleep properly, stay warm. This will improve your immune and help you battle cold.
Nasal Sprays and drops:
These can be bought from the local chemist’s shop and be used to relieve cold. They help in getting a temporary relief, but can make the initial symptoms worse if taken continuously.
Salt Water:
Add ¼ tbsp of salt in warm water and gargle to relieve a sore throat.
Neti Pot:
This can be used with children above 3-4 years of age. It is a metallic or ceramic tea-pot; this is filled with saline solution and then used to wash your nose. This liquid poured from one nostril should come out from the other nostril.