Coughs and colds are the most common and frequent of all health ailments. These usually develop due to seasonal changes, with the average adult contracting between 2 and 4 infections a year and the average child contracting between 6 and 12. Although not serious they are extremely troubling because of the irritation and discomfort the symptoms cause. While cough may be caused by inflammation of the larynx or the pharynx, the common cold (also known as nasopharyngitis), is caused by the infections of the respiratory tract. Common symptoms include cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, pain in the joints, fatigue and fever.
Remedies for Cough and Cold
In most cases of common cough and cold, a medical treatment is not required. Natural remedies along with some changes in diet and lifestyle prove to be effective in relieving the ailment. Here are some of the time-tested traditional folk remedies to treat common cough and cold.
- To cure cough and cold, mix turmeric (Curcuma longa) powder and salt in equal amounts and take a tsp of the same with warm water.
- During tea preparation, add powdered 2-3 black pepper (Piper nigrum), ginger (Zingiber officinale), a clove (Syzygium aromaticum) bud and a few basil (Ocimum sanctum) leaves. It is known to relieve cough and cold.
- Licking a tsp of turmeric powder with ½ tsp of honey is also good in cough and clears chest congestion.
- Take equal amounts of powdered cumin (Cuminum cyminum), black pepper, cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) and mix well. Sniffing this formulation induces sneezing, thus, opens blocked nose due to cold.
- A tsp of turmeric with a quarter tsp of carom (Trachyspermum ammi) and honey can be taken with hot water to treat cough and cold.
- For dry cough, grind 5-6 black pepper. Mix with honey and lick.
- Take 1/4th tsp powdered black pepper and add sugar to it. Have it with clarified butter to treat all types of cough.
- Boil about 5 clove buds in a cup of water. Make it into decoction and have it with honey thrice a day as an expectorant.
- A drink of lemon (Citrus limon) in hot water with added honey (twice daily) is effective against cold.
- Mix a few drops of clove oil and garlic (Allium sativum) in honey. Take this formulation before retiring to bed. It is said to be beneficial in spasmodic coughs during asthma, bronchitis and tuberculosis.
- Mix equal amounts of powdered ginger and mulaithi (Glycyrrhiza glabra) in honey. Licking the formulation provides relief from cold and cough.
- Chewing a clove with common salt is said to give relieve in cough.
- Heat a tbsp of sesame (Sesamum indicum) oil. To it, add a pinch of black salt and massage onto the chest followed by eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) steam inhalation. This remedy is effective during chest congestion.
- Chewing roasted clove helps in curing pharyngitis (inflammation in the pharynx).
- For bronchitis, mix equal proportions of powdered clove buds, ginger and black pepper. Half tsp of the same can be taken with honey twice daily.
- Grind together equal amounts of ginger, dried basil (Ocimum sanctum) leaves and black pepper. Add a little honey so as to have a consistency to make it into pellets. Suck these pellets thrice daily to treat cough and cold.
- To treat cough and cold, massage the chest with warm clarified butter with a pinch of salt for few minutes followed by a steam inhalation.
- Having a tbsp. of onion (Allium cepa) juice with equal amount of honey taken twice a day is said to treat cold.
- A tea made from the spice, aniseed (Pimpinella anisum) can be taken regularly for treating the condition of cough.
- For cough, crush betel (Piper betel) leaves and make its paste in water. Apply the same topically over the chest.
Diet during Cough and Cold
The best way to counter cough and cold is to strengthen our natural defense mechanism. The patient should eat a light diet, avoiding rich fatty and processed food. The meals should include lots of fresh fruits, green and leafy vegetables and grains. Vitamin C rich fruits such as lemon, orange, sweet lime and strawberries are extremely effective in treating cold and cough. The high vitamin C in these fruits boosts body's immune system helping it to fight more efficiently against infections. Eat fresh and fibrous foods. The intake of fluids should be increased to keep body hydrated. This would keep the mucous and secretions from causing congestion and help to dispel them faster from the body.Salt water gargles prove to be quite effective for soreness of the throat.
The person suffering from cough and cold must cut down the intake of sugar, pickles, spicy, canned food, candies, chocolates, cold drinks and ice-creams. Consumption of nuts such as cashew nuts, walnuts, almonds, ground nuts and pistachios should also be avoided.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Source:
- Andrew Chevallier, Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine: The Definitive Home Reference Guide to 550 Key Herbs with all their Uses as Remedies for Common Ailments , Dec, 2000
- Garima Sancheti, Stay Healthy with Traditional Herbal Remedies, Suite101.com, July 22, 2011
- Garima Sancheti, Home Remedies with Black Pepper, Suite101.com, October 7, 2009
- Garima Sancheti, Home Remedies with Clove, Suite101.com, August 15, 2009
Garima Sancheti - Dr Garima Sancheti is a PhD in Radiation and Cancer Biology from Rajasthan University, India. She has written various research articles in ...
