You can feel pathetic because of body ache, headache, nasal congestion, chills, fever, throat pain, cough, and many other symptoms while having a common cold. Even with a work-from-home, you might feel uncomfortable even after sitting on your bed. Are you searching for natural home remedies for common cold and seasonal flu? Well, you are at the right place! The common cold is caused by viruses and can happen two-three times a year due to weather changes. Symptoms of common cold include runny nose, sore throat, watery eyes, chills, body ache, fatigue and tastelessness. Usually, the common cold takes 3-4 days to get cured, but if the problem persists, you might have to consult your doctor.
Are you looking for natural home remedies for treating cold and cough? Along with the home remedies, have food that helps in boosting your immunity. Letโs read about some natural ways to treat cold and flu-like symptoms.
These tips can help you in getting a relief from the common cold and flu symptoms:
1. Steam inhalation
Steam inhalation can help you relax by moisturizing your nasal passage. You can add a few drops of eucalyptus oil or peppermint oil to hot water. It can be beneficial if done before bed. Although it will not able to kill the virus responsible for the cold surely it will make you feel better.
How to do steam inhalation for cold
- Use a clean vessel with hot water and add 2-3 drops of eucalyptus oil.
- Keep your face 8 inches above the vessel and cover your head with a towel making a tent.
- Sit like this and continue normal breathing for about 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove the towel, dry your face sweat, apply vapor rub on your chest and back and take a good night’s sleep.
2. Garlic soup
Adding garlic to your meals can help you in reducing the severity of cold symptoms. Garlic soup can be a magic potion for vegetarians, although there is an option of chicken or mutton soup for non-vegetarians. Anyone suffering from cold and flu can have this garlic soup. Let us now check the quick recipe for garlic soup for cold:
How to make garlic soup for common cold
- For a single serving take 10-12 cloves of garlic, 1 green chili, a small piece of ginger, few ground spices like black pepper, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon.
- Grind all the ingredients in a mixer.
- Heat oil in a pan, add a little chopped onion.
- Once the onion gets brown, add the paste of all the ingredients, salt and turmeric powder. Let it cook for a minute.
- Add water as per the quantity of soup you want. Cover the pan and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Turn off the stove, garnish it with coriander leaves and spring onion and serve hot!
You can also add some veggies like carrot, peas, corn, spring onion to the soup.
3. Drink hot liquids
During cold, avoid drinking anything cold not even cold water. Consume warm water and fluid as much as possible. This will help you in relieving nasal congestion and sore throat. Sip warm water just after waking up and before bed to prevent dehydration during cold.
Your own kitchen is filled with herbs and spices that may help you in these times. You can have some sweet hot drinks like lemon tea, ginger tea, honey-lemon tea, or latte. Here we are sharing the effective recipe for honey-lemon ginger tea for cold and cough.
How to make honey-lemon ginger tea for cold and cough (2 servings)
- Boil 2 cups of water in a pan. Add grated ginger to the boiling water. Let it steep for 2 minutes and turn off the stove.
- Add honey and lemon.
- Strain the tea and consume hot.
- Consume tea at least two times a day.
4. Gargle with salt water
Gargling with salt water can help in decreasing the severity of cold symptoms and throat pain. It helps in loosening the mucus that contains bacteria. Gargle about 3-4 times a day, until your cold and cough are better.
Note: For young children, do not give them saltwater to gargle as they may swallow it. This is one of the best effective natural home remedies for common cold and seasonal flu.
5. Ginger Tea
Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and also acts as a decongestant. It can be taken in various ways. Having ginger tea can help you in soothing sore throat.
How to make ginger tea for cold
- Boil one cup of water in a pan.
- Cut ginger into slices or crush it using a crusher.
- Add these slices into boiling water, cover the pan and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
- Sieve the tea. Add honey for sweetness.
- Have this tea twice a day during winters.
Other options are ginger-cinnamon tea, ginger-mint tea, ginger-turmeric tea, or whatever you like to add. If you are not in a mood to make ginger tea, just have a small piece of ginger with a little bit of rock salt and lick it slowly. This will end up the continuous coughing.
6. Masala tea for common cold and seasonal flu
We all grew up watching this recipe prepared by our grandmothers during winters. The masala tea can be prepared with the very common ingredients of your kitchen. There is no need for any fancy items. The masala mix is packed with immunity booster ingredients and can be very helpful in preventing yourself from cold and flu.
How to make masala tea for cold and flu
- Pour water into a pan to boil.
- Take a slice of ginger, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, basil leaves (Tulsi), nutmeg powder, and some carom seeds. Grind them all.
- Add all the grounded ingredients into boiling water. Cover the pan. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Strain the tea and add honey according to the sweetness you want. Sip hot!
You can also add milk and tea leaves to this. Drink this tea twice a day during cold.
7. Other natural home remedies for common cold, cough and seasonal flu
- Have plenty of vitamin C-rich foods as the winter arrives. They are really good immunity boosters.
- Before sleeping have a spoon of warm honey with crushed black pepper. Do not drink water after that. This will help you in controlling nighttime coughing.
- Drink turmeric milk before sleeping during the sore throat. Add a pinch of black pepper powder to it.
- Use vapor rub at night. Apply on chest and back for a sound sleep.
- Blow your nose at regular intervals rather than sniffling mucus backs to your nose.
- Take zinc lozenges that are available in health stores easily.
- Change your clothes, bed sheet and pillow cover if you are recovered from the cold. Usually, it takes 4-5 days to recover completely from the cold.
What is the most effective natural home remedy for common cold and seasonal flu? Well, the best way is to proactively boost your immune system to avoid getting sick as we all have heard about the proverb โPrevention is better than cureโ.
So, we have tried mentioning all the natural home remedies for common cold and seasonal flu that are so common that infect a number of people each season above. If you are reading this now and suffering from cold and flu, make sure to try these above-mentioned remedies and most importantly- Take rest.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article provide general information and are the personal opinions of the author written with the help of many articles and a few experts. For more information, always visit a professional or your doctor. DeepAdvices does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
