Ayurveda and Science

Natural/Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Common Cold

Home remedies

Ayurveda terms common cold as Prathishyaya. Vitiation of Vata and Kapha individually or together, is generally involved in the ailment. Cold is probably the most commonly encountered ailment in the human body and thereby, it becomes 'common cold'. Allergy to changes in weather or an infection by a virus are considered as important causative factors of the common cold. As a result, the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract get inflamed. This leads to symptoms like sneezing, running nose, headache, sore throat, body pain etc.

Get Rid of Cold

Ayurvedic ingredients

Ingredients for Common cold

Black pepper

Black pepper is antibacterial and antibiotic in nature, due to the presence of immunity-boosting Vitamin C in it. It is commonly used to remedy cold by crushing black peppercorns and adding them to a teaspoon of honey.

Ginger

Drinking a cup of ginger tea has been a traditional go-to remedy to manage cold, flu and cough. Its active component gingerol helps bolster your body from within and provide instant relief.

Honey

Honey has antimicrobial properties, which allow it to fight some bacteria and viruses. It is effective in relieving coughing as a symptom of a cold.

Cinnamon bark

Cinnamon bark is used for gastrointestinal (GI) upset, diarrhea, and gas. It is also used for stimulating appetite; for infections caused by bacteria and parasitic worms; and for menstrual cramps, the common cold, and the flu (influenza).

Milk

A glass of cold milk or a few bites of frozen yogurt may soothe a sore throat and provide some nutrients and calories.

Lemon

Lemons are a good source of vitamin C. Adding fresh lemon juice to hot tea with honey may reduce phlegm when you're sick.

Turmeric

Turmeric's anti-bacterial properties can assist in treating minor skin wounds and burns by preventing infection, speeding up the healing process and reducing bruising and scarring.

Common Recipes:

Boil about 5-10 gms small slices of freshly cut ginger in a glass of water for 5 minutes. Add a teaspoonful of sugar to enhance the taste. Strain the decoction through a tea strainer. Drinking this tea 4-6 times a day would ensure instant relief from common cold.

Grind 4-6 seeds of black pepper. Add this powder together with a pinch of turmeric to a cup of milk and boil it for 2 minutes. Strain the milk through a tea strainer. Drinking this at bed time helps you sleep better by preventing a stuffy nose and nocturnal dry cough caused by a common cold.

Coarsely powder the cinnamon bark. Boil about 20 gms in a glass of water, adding a pinch of black pepper powder and a teaspoonful of honey. Strain the decoction and drink it when hot. This would cure you of your cold.

Lemon is an important remedy for the obvious symptoms of a common cold. Dilute juice of one lemon in a glass of warm water and make use of honey by adding a teaspoon of it to the mixture. Take this lemonade twice or thrice daily. This vitamin C rich lemonade increases body resistance, decreases toxicity and reduces the duration of illness.

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