Cold and flu

Cold one of the most common and oldest ailments known to mankind, there is still no permanent cure for it. At the most, we can get temporary relief. Cold and flu are rampant at all times, even in summers. A few centuries back, granny had her own set of home medicines to cure this but now, we just pop one of the drugs available over the counter at pharmacies and push the disease away. What we don’t realize is that due to heavy intake of these drugs, the immune system suffers. Here are some natural ways to deal with cold and flu –

1.Ginger- Ginger has antiviral properties and helps to treat viral infections fast. It breaks up the mucus and congestion. Just boiling it along with your tea daily can boost your immune system and help you to fight viral infection better. Also honey with pure ginger juice is a time tested remedy for sore throats and severe colds. In some cultures, it is also added to daily recipes.

2.Foot Soak- Soaking your feet in water for a long time also helps to get rid of the cold fast. Water also detoxifies your body and soothes your leg muscles.

3.Back rub- A gentle back rub helps increase the blood circulation on the back which boosts the immune system. Doing this with some menthol oil or a products containing menthol keeps the heat trapped on the back for a longer time.

4.Garlic- Garlic in the form of a paste or raw form helps to get rid of the mucus that is trapped in the sinus. This herb has antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral propertiesYou can also add them to some vegetable soups.

5.Cumin- Boil a tea spoon of cumin in a cup of water, strain and drink. Repeating this twelve times a day gets rid of the cold.

6.Gargle- Gargling with warm salt water or sage tea gets rid of infections from the mouth and the throat.

7.Vitamin C- Daily intake of vitamin C boosts the immune system to fight the viral infection better.

8.Herbal tea- This remedy works best if taken at an early stage as it can cure the cold altogether. Add equal parts of elder (Sambucus nigra), peppermint (Mentha piperita), and yarrow (Achillea millefolium). Add a teaspoon of this mixture in 1 cup of water and have it before going to bed. It soothes sore throats, cures cold and lowers the chances of getting fever.

9.Inhalation- of chamomile, eucalyptus or thyme loosens mucus, heals the throat, nasal passages and bronchial tubes.

10.Hot steam- Inhalation of hot steam clears the airway, melts the mucous and helps to breathe better.

11.Cold socks- A lot of people swear by this treatment. It states that if you sleep with wet socks, your body heat dries the socks by morning. For some unexplained reason it also helps to clear the air passage and by morning your cold miraculously disappears.

12.Mullein flower tea- Boil mullein flowers in a cup of water strain and sweeten with honey. This tea has a pleasant taste and is good to soothe inflamed condition dos the mucous membranes