Monsoons are a much awaited solace from the scorching heat of the summers. Children love to splash around in the water and set their paper boats sailing in little puddles of water. The lovers make plans for romantic getaways while the more adventurous at heart set out for treks and hikes to soak in some greenery. But this newsmaker, the monsoon, brings along with it a flood of hidden bacteria and viruses that surface up in the murky waters, giving rise to colds, cough, throat infections, fevers, etc. If you have plans made up for the monsoon, then the cold and sneeze can be a real party pooper! Let’s have a rapid overview at some home made hacks to save ourselves from the commonest problems of the monsoon by using some ingredients right from the kitchen. 5 simple, effective and common remedies to keep the cold and cough at bay are as follows:
1. Milk and turmeric
A concoction of warm milk and turmeric is a popular and effective way to fight the cough and has been used in the Indian household since centuries as a remedy for the common cold, cough and feverishness. To prepare, add ½ teaspoon of turmeric to 1 or 2 cups of warm milk. Strain the mixture to get rid of any turmeric pieces and drink while still hot. This mixture can be ingested by adults as well as children. Turmeric has been proven to have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that help beat an infection.
Photo credits: (https://lotuseditions.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/turmeric-milk/)
2. Karpooravalli (Coleus Ambonicus)
This is an anti allergic plant and helps to keep common cold at bay. You need to sauté the leaves, grind them and mix the paste with curd. This gives a tangy taste and can be included in the regular diet in any manner possible. Alternatively, one can chew on the raw leaves for enjoying the benefits. The pungent property of these leaves helps in reducing the phlegm and helps improve the digestion and appetite.
3. Ginger tea
Tea mixed with ginger is a great relief for the runny noses. It helps by drying up the running nose and expels phlegm from the respiratory tract. Ginger is also known to speed up the recovery process by boosting your immunity due to the presence of high levels of anti oxidants. Ginger too, like turmeric, has been studied vastly and found to possess strong anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that help ward away infections.
Photo credits: (http://watchfit.com/7-healthiest-teas-health-benefits/)
4. Honey with various ingredients
Honey is known to have a strong soothing consistency, potent anti-bacterial effects and a delightful sweet taste. It can be easily combined with a lot of other ingredients to add flavour and health.
- a) Honey can be combined with lime water or plain warm water to aid in soothing the throat and help in controlling cough and cold.
- b) Honey mixed with cinnamon and lemon. A mixture of honey, cinnamon and lemon helps in preventing cold and cough. To prepare this mixture, put some honey in a pan and heat it till it becomes runny in consistency. After that, add a pinch of cinnamon and lemon.
- c) A teaspoonful of honey enriched with natural pepper can be taken twice a day to fight cold.
- d) Two teaspoonful of natural honey taken after dinner will help in preventing the night cough by soothing the respiratory passages.
Photo credits: (http://www.honey.com/blog/2014/detail/guest-post-nurse-barb-talks-about-honey-as-a-solution-for-winters-challenge)
5. Gargle therapy and steam inhalation
Gargle therapy is a very old method for fighting the cough. To gargle, it is advisable to add a pinch of salt and a little of turmeric to warm water. Cough is often a result of throat irritation or throat infection which results in the swelling of throat. Salt water helps in reducing this swelling of throat caused by the infection or irritation and thereby helps in easing cough. This helps in soothing the throat and loosening of phlegm. As salt water enters the throat, it neutralizes the acidic PH and helps in achieving the normal pH which has been disrupted in a sore throat. This ensures relief from the burning sensations in the throat and helps in a speedy recovery.
Steam inhalation is one of the best home remedies for curing the common cold. Steam helps to relieve the congested sinuses and coughs by adding moisture in the air which helps in thinning the mucus in these air passages and thus reduces the congestion making breathing much easier.
Procedure-
- Hold your head 10-15 inches above a pot of boiled water.
- Keep a towel over your heat to create a mini tent to prevent the steam from escaping.
- Inhale the steam by breathing gently and slowly through your nose. Care has to be taken not to scald your nose.
Also warm drinks like warm water, hot tea or coffee equally help in fighting common cold and cough.
A lot of hidden gems from your very kitchen can help you stay away from the cold and ensure you can enjoy the rains the fullest!
