Treat Cold without Medicines

Treat Cold without Medicines

Being sick, even when we’re home in bed, isn’t fun. The combination of body aches, fever, chills, cold and nasal congestion can be enough to make anyone miserable. Cold is a common viral infection of the nose and throat. The condition is generally harmless and symptoms usually resolve within two weeks. Symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing and congestion. High fever or severe symptoms are reasons to see a doctor, especially in children. Most people recover on their own within two weeks. Over-the-counter products and home remedies can help control symptoms.

There are plenty of home remedies that can alleviate our symptoms and get us back to normal. If you still feel sick after a few weeks, make an appointment with your doctor. If you have trouble breathing, have a rapid heartbeat, feel faint, or experience other severe symptoms, get medical help sooner.

Keep reading to see what cold and flu remedies we can conjure up at home.

Ginger Water

The health benefits of ginger root have been touted for centuries, but now we have scientific proof of its curative properties. A few slices of raw ginger root in boiling water may help soothe a cough or sore throat. Research suggests that it can also ward off the feelings of nausea that so often accompany influenza.

Honey Tea

Honey has a variety of antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Drinking honey in tea with lemon can ease sore throat pain. Research suggests that honey is an effective cough suppressant, too. In one study, researchers found that giving children 10 grams of honey at bedtime reduced the severity of their cough symptoms. The children reportedly slept more soundly, which also helps reduce cold symptoms.

We should never give honey to a child younger than 1 year old, as it often contains botulinum spores. While they’re usually harmless to older children and adults, infants’ immune systems aren’t able to fight them off.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C plays an important role in our body and has many health benefits. Along with limes, oranges, grapefruits, leafy greens, and other fruits and vegetables, lemons are a good source of vitamin C. Adding fresh lemon juice to hot tea with honey may reduce phlegm when we’re sick. Drinking hot or cold lemonade may also help. Getting enough vitamin C can relieve upper respiratory tract infections and other illnesses.

Stay Hydrated
Water, juice, clear broth or warm lemon water with honey helps loosen congestion and prevents dehydration. Avoid alcohol, coffee and caffeinated sodas, which can make dehydration worse.

Sip Warm Liquids
A cold remedy used in many cultures, taking in warm liquids, such as chicken soup, tea, or warm apple juice, might be soothing and might ease congestion by increasing mucus flow.

Echinacea Tea

Some people use herbal extracts from the Echinacea plant to help prevent colds and relieve nasal symptoms. Research has shown that components of Echinacea may support the immune system. Echinacea has antiviral properties and may fight against flu viruses. Other studies have found that certain Echinacea products may reduce a person’s likelihood of getting a cold by 10–20 percent.

People can use Echinacea as a herbal tea.

Garlic

Garlic may help fight off a common cold because it has antibacterial and antiviral properties. One study found that people who took garlic daily for 3 months had fewer colds. Garlic has long been a home remedy for colds and the flu. People can eat raw garlic, incorporate cooked garlic into meals, or take a supplement. Unless a person has a garlic allergy, it is usually safe to use. Fresh garlic is readily available in supermarkets. People who do not like the taste can purchase garlic supplements.

Menthol

Blocked sinuses and congested airways are common symptoms of a cold, which menthol can help relieve. Menthol comes from many types of mint plant. It has antibacterial and pain-relieving effects and is an ingredient in many vapor rubs. People can also add menthol to hot water for a steam inhalation.

Research found that vapor rub containing menthol, eucalyptus, and camphor significantly improved sleep in children and adults with cold symptoms.

Warm baths

Sometimes we can reduce child’s fever by giving them a warm sponge bath. Warm baths can also reduce cold and flu symptoms in adults. Adding salt and baking soda to the water can reduce body aches. Adding a few drops of essential oil, such as tea tree, juniper, rosemary, thyme, orange, lavender, or eucalyptus, may also have a soothing effect.

Humidity

Influenza thrives and spreads more easily in dry environments. Creating more humidity in our home may reduce our exposure to this flu-causing virus. Increased humidity may also reduce nasal inflammation, making it easier to breathe when we’re sick. Temporarily adding a cool mist humidifier to our bedroom may help us feel more comfortable. This is especially true in winter, when dry indoor heat can exacerbate our symptoms. Adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil might also stimulate our breathing.

Remember, the water used in humidifiers needs to be changed daily to stop mold and other fungi from growing. For the same effect without a humidifier, take a long shower or linger in a steamy bathroom.

Reduce Stress &Sleep Well

Stress or poor sleep may increase the risk of getting a cold or the flu. One study suggests that lowering stress levels through mindfulness meditation practices or exercise reduces the risk of getting one of these illnesses. People who participated in a mindfulness meditation or exercise program lost fewer work days due to illness than people in the control group. A small study in 2015 also found that people who slept for fewer hours were more susceptible to colds.

Steam

Breathing in steam from a hot shower may decrease nasal congestion and sinus pressure, at least temporarily. An alternative to a hot shower is filling a pot with boiling water, placing a towel over the head and breathing in the steam.

Steam soothes the tissues of the nose and throat and to make steam inhalation even more effective, people can consider adding eucalyptus, which is an essential oil. The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy suggest adding 3 to 7 drops of eucalyptus oil to boiling water and inhaling the steam through the nose.

Mixture of Lemon, Cinnamon and Honey
Another effective home remedy for common cold and cough is a mixture of lemon, cinnamon and honey. This syrup effectively cures cold and cough.
How to make the syrup: In half spoon of honey, add a few drop of lemon and a pinch of cinnamon. Have this syrup twice a day to cure common cold and cough.

Milk withTurmeric
An essential ingredient found in almost all Indian kitchens, turmeric has a strong antioxidant which helps in treating many health problems. Turmeric mixed in warm milk is a popular and effective way to fight against cold and cough. Drinking a glass of warm turmeric milk before sleeping helps in faster recovery from cold and cough.

Spiced Tea
Add tulsi, ginger and black pepper while peparing tea and this spiced tea is great for our health. These three ingredients play an important role in fighting a common cold and cough.

Ginger-Tulsi Mixture
Extract the ginger juice and add crush tulsi leaves to it and add honey. Consume it to get relief from a cough.

Ginger &Salt
Cut ginger into small pieces and add salt to it. Chew these ginger pieces to fight cold, cough and a sore throat.

Carrot Juice

This uncommon home remedy is great to fight common cold and cough. It may sound strange but this interesting drink helps in relieving common cold and cough!

Black Pepper – Jaggery Mixture

Powder of black pepper (kali mirch) half tea spoon (2.5 ml.) mixed with little jaggery (guda) two times a day.

Gargle with Turmeric

Gargle with turmeric powder in warm water 2-3 times a day to relieve sore throat.

Neem - Honey Gargle

Neem, which has antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties, is a good remedy to kill the bacterias that have caused the symptoms of cold and cough in the body. Honey is also a recommended product while suffering from cold and cough. Boil 3-4 leaves of neem in water for 8-10 minutes. Strain this mixture and add some honey to it. Let it cool a little and then gargle.

Green Tea

Green tea has a good store of antioxidants in it which helps in recovering from the symptoms of a cold. Let the green tea bag sit in a glass of hot water for 3-5 minutes. Add one tablespoon of honey and some lemon juice to the green tea. Drink it 2-3 times a day for better results.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is an ideal remedy to take when suffering from cold. It helps in restoring the pH levels in your body and kills the viruses causing cold. Mix half a teaspoon of baking soda to a glass of cold water and drink this solution immediately.

Day 1: Drink it 6 times a day at an interval of 2 hours.

Day 2: Drink it 4 times a day at an interval of 3 hours.

Day 3: Drink it 2 times in a day, one in the morning and one in the evening.

Day 4 onwards: Drink it once in the morning.

Cinnamon Tea or Cinnamon - Honey Mixture
Cinnamon is a highly flavorful spice that is widely used in Asian and Mediterranean cooking and was considered of great value in Ancient Egypt. The anti-bacterial and natural warming property of cinnamon helps in treating sore throat, colds and cough and a nice warm cup of cinnamon tea can heal throat irritation, itching and can prevent the approach of an impending cold effectively. It also acts as a natural cure for bloating and gas, arthritis and reduces the symptoms of PMS. The best way to use cinnamon for treating cold and sore throat is to mix one table spoon of honey with 1/2 table spoon of freshly ground cinnamon and take it 2-3 times a day for 3 days.

Red Chilli - Honey Mixture:
Red chilli or red hot cayenne pepper salsa are not only the perfect dip of chips and crackers it is also a great way of clearing nasal congestion and respiratory passages, sinuses and stimulating sweating to lower high body temperatures and fever. The source of this fiery heat lies in the compound “Capsaicin” found in majority of peppers. In addition, it is also an effective ingredient for natural weight loss, helps in lowering high blood pressure and reducing cholesterol in blood. The best way to use red chilli for treating colds and fever is to mix it in tea with a table spoon of honey. Pour boiling water in a cup and dip a tea bag into it, mix a table spoon of honey and 1/2 tea spoon of red chilli powder and sip slowly.

Raisins
Raisins are yummy and healthy snacks indeed but it can also be used to effectively treat colds and fevers. The phytonutrients present raisins have powerful antibiotic and antioxidant properties that help in treating viral fevers, soothing cough and sore throat. Raisins also helps in relieving constipation, improve bone and oral health and is an effective natural remedy for weight gain in a healthy way. The best way to use raisins for colds is to grind up a handful of raisins, add 2 tea spoons of sugar and water to it and heat the mixture till it forms a thick paste, consume 1 tea spoon of this paste before going to bed.