Winter is here. Cold and cough are common health problems, mainly in the months of winter. Currently, cough is one of the most dreaded symptoms of COVID-19 infection. When cold hits you, you feel nasal congestion and a breathless nose. You cannot stop sneezing, your throat becomes itchy, and you get irritated easily.
Causes of Common Cold and Cough
Do you know that over 200 viruses can cause the common cold but are caused mainly by rhinoviruses? A cold may stay in a body for one week. Sometimes it lasts for a long time, especially in children and low immunity adults. As per studies, adults catch colds two to four times a year, and children get infected six to eight times.
While almost everyone expects a seasonal cough and cold, a continuing infection may signify a health issue.
12 Home Remedies for Cold and Cough
1. Warm Fluid
Keeping yourself hydrated by drinking fluids reduces the thickness of mucus and makes it easier to flush it from your nose and sinuses. Researchers say that hot liquid can reduce cough, runny nose, and sneezing.
Some of the good examples of warm fluid include:
- Clear broths
- Herbal teas
- Decaffeinated black tea
- Warm water
- Warm fruit juices
Another hot fluid popularly used in India is masala chai. It helps treat conditions like throat irritation and dry cough. Masala chai holds several antioxidant ingredients, including cloves and cardamom.
2. Hot Steam
Hot steam can release the blockage in your nose. All you need to do is take a steam bath by allowing your bathroom to fill with steam and stay there for some minutes.
Another method, take a large bowl of hot water and put in a little herb and essential oil, such as eucalyptus or rosemary. Face the bowl and cover your head with a towel till you feel comfortable. Repeat the step a few times.
To avoid dehydration, drink a few glasses of water.
Inhaling the warm steam can decrease mucus thickness and make it easier to flush it from your nose and sinuses.
3. Salt and Water Gargle
The most effective remedy for sore throat and wet cough is a saltwater gargle. It can release the cough from your throat with little effort.
Take a cup of warm water and mix half to a quarter teaspoon of salt in it. Allow the mixture to cool down to a drinkable temperature before using it to gargle. Gargling twice a day will help relax your common cough and cold infection.
4. Use Nasal Drops and Sprays
A saline nasal spray is pretty effective to clear mucus from your nose and open nasal passages. The quick action formulation of nasal products helps open the nasal passages by reducing excessive nasal secretion and preventing bacterial contamination.
It helps you breathe fresh air without suffering any conjugation in your nose. Health and wellness products like Lemolate Nasal Spray provide effective relief from blocked nasal congestion and relieves swollen blood vessels in the nose. It also helps ease breathing and is ideal for people suffering from Sinus, Hay fever, or allergic rhinitis.
5. Turmeric and Milk
The use of Turmeric is one of the most popular home remedies from Indian kitchens. Turmeric is an antiseptic, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory agent that helps keep you healthy.
Milk has its benefits and when the two (turmeric and milk) are consumed together, they heal the body better. How to take it? Before falling to bed, mix half to a quarter teaspoon of turmeric in a glass of warm milk, and drink it. This helps recuperation in cold and cough.
6. Antitussive Cough Syrup
Antitussive syrups control all types of coughs and help to relieve voice hoarseness. There is a wide range of allopathic and ayurvedic cough syrups available in the market.
Since we are talking about home remedies for cough and cold, we will stick to herbal products.
Syrups like Lemolate contain ayurvedic ingredients such as Tulsi, Mulethi, Kantakari, Giloy, Banapsha, etc. It works as a natural treatment for relieving dry/chesty cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and running nose.
7. Honey
Honey is one of the oldest home remedies to cure cough. It has an anti-inflammatory agent to fight against cold and cough.
You can eat raw honey with a spoon or add it to your water and tea to consume it.
8. Sleep
Sleep is essential for your body. Your body needs rest to fight against the cold and recover.
Researcher says that sleeping makes a protein called cytokines, which fight infection and inflammation. So when you are suffering from cough and cold, get a good dose of sleep.
9. Marshmallow Root
In the old times, marshmallow root was used as a herb for cough and sore throat treatment. Finding it from its natural habitat can be a pain.
Nowadays it is available in the forms of dried herbs or bagged tea online or at health stores. Just add it into warm water and drink it.
10. Ginger
Ginger is one of the best home remedies for cough and cold. It is almost always available at our home. You can either chew raw ginger, or take it in tea, or any hot beverage.
11. Use an Air Purifier
Pollution is increasing. Many times cold allergies are caused by pollution, dust, and smoke.
An air purifier can help keep the air of your room clean from dust and smoke. Install it in your room, lesser inhaling of pollutants will help your body to recover with ease.
12. Eat Healthy Food
Eating food that has high protein and fiber boosts your immunity, still, almost everyone catches cold and cough. When symptoms of cold hit you, change your diet to increasing food that is rich in vitamin C.
Conclusion
Home remedies and non-prescription medicine can help control or reduce your cold symptoms. Every person’s body responds differently to different remedies. Give them a try if you are looking to cure yourself at home. But if the cough and the cold infection last for over a week, we recommend you visit a medical practitioner.