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NATURAL COLD TREATMENT
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Do you know that there are effective natural
home remedies for colds? Read on to learn about them.
People might say ‘It’s just a cold!’ But you
know the suffering only when you experience it yourself. It may seem like an everyday
nuisance when in reality it can cause severe discomfort and make you feel
really ill. Sneezing, runny nose, and that heaviness in the head—the ‘common’
cold can cause a lot of discomforts! As common as a cold is, it is one of the
easiest ailments to treat with home remedies. This article shall discuss these
in detail. Keep reading to know more!
Let us first examine the causes, signs and
symptoms, and even the stages of a cold. It is important to understand how
exactly a cold can be caused so that the best remedies can be devised and used
for it. Here are the symptoms of a common cold.
v Common Cold Signs
& Symptoms
You may experience a combination of these
symptoms –
Ø
Nasal
congestion
Ø
Muscle
aches
Ø
Postnasal
drip
Ø
Decreased
appetite
Ø
Watery
eyes
Ø
Fever
may or may not be present. Usually, children experience a feverish feeling with
temperatures ranging from 100oF to 102oF. Read on to
know how exactly a cold is caused.
v Common Causes of Cold
When you come in contact with the cold virus,
it can easily infect you and cause the various symptoms mentioned above.
Different types of viruses are known to cause the common cold of which the
rhinovirus is the most common one. An individual with a weak immune system as seen
in infants and children is more prone to getting affected by the common cold.
In most instances, a cold does not persist
for very long. Some people may get relief in a few days, though a cold lasting
for a week or more is not very uncommon. Find below the stages of a cold.
For a majority of people, the OTC (over-the-counter) medications for cold and cough are the most sought-after methods to
battle the condition. However, most of these medications just suppress colds
instead of giving long-term relief. You can opt for various homemade and
natural remedies to get relief from cold and cough (ALSO READ: Know more about Home Remedies for Cough).
Below listed are the top natural and home remedies for the common cold, which you
can try for quick relief.
10 Natural Home Remedies Effective in Treating the Common Cold:
1. Vitamin C for
Common Cold
Vitamin C is one of the most effective
natural home remedies for colds because it promotes
immune response
by the production of white blood cells, and can also help prevent the multiplication
of viruses while reducing mucus and inflammation in the nasal passageways.
USE: Adding fresh lemon juice to hot tea with honey may reduce
phlegm when you’re sick. You
can take vitamin C in a pill form, but other foods that are surprisingly packed
full of vitamin C include oranges, cauliflower, lemons, broccoli, strawberries,
cabbage, peaches, kiwi, tomatoes, and parsley.
2. Garlic for
Common Cold
Garlic contains antiseptic properties that
could help protect the immune system against the common cold, and scientific
studies have shown that the allocine contained in garlic can also act as a
simulator of white blood cells. The oil in garlic also helps open up the respiratory passages, and if taken in soup form it can help flush out all the
toxins in your system and also bring down a fever as well.
USE: Boil three to six
cloves of chopped garlic in a cup of water, and drink the liquid in a soup form
and drink it two to three times a day. Ingest crushed garlic along with the
honey works better as it soothes the respiratory passage.
3. Ginger for
Common Cold
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. It has an aroma that is soothing
to your nose. Besides, ginger is also known for its potent anti-inflammatory
properties. Its natural spiciness helps clear congestion in the nasal passage
to an extent. Ginger, it is known to speeds up the recovery process from the common
cold. Chew these ginger pieces to fight the cold, cough, and sore throat. Research
suggests that it can also ward off the feelings of nausea that so
often accompany influenza. According to one study, just 1 gram of
ginger can “alleviate clinical nausea of diverse causes.”
USE: Eating ginger raw or
drinking ginger tea are both popular natural home remedies for colds that are
known to help treat the symptoms of a common cold. Take about ten grams of
ginger and cut it up into small pieces before boiling it in a cup of water, and
then have your child drink the mixture at least two times a day.
4. Tea
for Common Cold
The key to curing any type of cold is to
drink lots of fluid. Of course, this can come in the form of water or juice, but
tea is a hot liquid that can help prevent the drying of your throat and nose.
Drinking tea is also another popular, natural home remedy for treating flu
because it can help prevent dehydration as well. Drinking
hot beverages will help loosen sinus secretions. Studies have indicated that
those who drink warm beverages during cold get quick relief from cold symptoms
like a runny nose, sore throat, and fatigue. Drinking green tea is advisable as
it contains plenty of antioxidants that can help remove any toxins in the body as
well as bacterial infections and can
speed up recovery.
USE: Spiced tea; by adding tulsi, ginger, and black pepper while preparing your
tea and this spiced tea is great for your health. These three ingredients play
an important role in fighting a common cold and cough.
Gargling
with hot water can help soothe a sore throat which commonly accompanies cold. This is an age-old therapy that effectively treats cough and
cold, it
actually helps remove any bacteria from your mouth and throat. The water hydrates your throat, and the salt helps cope
with the infection.
USE: Mix about ¼ to ½ of a teaspoon of table salt
into an 8-ounce glass of warm water, and stir until all of the salt is
dissolved before gargling. Adding turmeric
to this saltwater is also beneficial.
6. Black
Pepper for Common Cold
Pepper can help break up congestion
effectively thanks to its capsaicin components which are known to thin mucus,
and they are also effective in helping getting rid of the germs in the nasal
passages as well. Ingesting black pepper will stem the
flow of mucus and also stop the sneezing. It will also give relief from the
pain in your throat and the cough.
USE: If you have a runny
or stuffed-up nose, eating pepper with a meal, gargling pepper in hot water, or
even simply smelling pepper can help break apart any congestion in your lungs
or sinuses.
7. Honey for
Common Cold
Honey
is known for its potent healing and antiviral properties. It can be effective
in treating cold and soothing sore throat. Its antioxidants help the immune
system battle virus or bacteria that cause cold. You should take raw or organic
honey to get the maximum benefits in this regard. 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.
You
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.
8. Cinnamon for
Common Cold
Cinnamon is known to help ease the pain of a
dry or sore throat, and it is praised by “naturalists” because of its effective
healing properties. Cinnamon has antiviral and
anti-inflammatory properties that treat the infection and give relief from cold
symptoms
USE: You can try boiling
one teaspoon of powdered cinnamon in a glass of water, and then mixing it with
some pepper powder and honey for extra effect. Or you can add a little extra
cinnamon to your child's food.
9. Chicken soup For
Common Cold
Chicken
soup has long been used as a home remedy for cold. Research suggests that
enjoying a bowl of chicken soup with vegetables, prepared from
scratch or warmed from a can, can slow the movement of neutrophils in your
body. Neutrophils are a common type of white blood cell. They help protect your
body from infection. When they’re moving slowly, they stay more concentrated in
the areas of your body that require the most healing. The study also found that
chicken soup was effective for reducing the symptoms of upper respiratory infections in particular. Low-sodium soup also carries great nutritional value and helps keep you
hydrated. Also, the fumes from the soup will thin the mucus and help it flow
out of your nose, and the nutrients present will boost your energy levels.
10. Sleep for
Common Cold
Even if you're eating and drinking all of the
right things, and taking the right supplements, you're not going to feel better
without enough sleep. Make sure you sleep as much as you can when you're
feeling under the weather, and you'll hopefully be feeling better in no time at
all!
What are your favorite natural home remedies
for colds?
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