Natural remedies for cough and cold that really work!

You are most likely to suffer from cough and cold due to sudden changes in the environment. If you are one those numerous people falling prey to frequent cough and cold this season, then here’s a wonder remedy or you — herbal tea. Although medicines might help you combat it completely, taking the natural route is always the best bet to reduce symptoms.

Natural home remedy using milk, turmeric powder and black pepper powder:

1. Take 1 glass of warm milk

2. Add 1 tsp of turmeric powder

3. Add 1 tsp of black pepper powder

4. Mix well

5. Drink 2 times everyday

Natural home remedy using carom seeds: 

1. Crush 1 tbsp carom seeds

2. Put 1 tsp of this powder in a clean cloth

3. Tie the cloth in a bundle

4. Hold this bundle close to your nose and inhale

Natural home remedy using ladyfingers:

1.Take 100 gm ladyfingers or okra

2. Cut them into small pieces

3. Add them to ½ L hot water

4. Heat for 10-15 min

5. Inhale the steam coming from the mixture

• This gives relief from dry cough and throat irritation

Drink protective herbal tea

Besides the turmeric tea mentioned above, there are other herbal teas that also help people who suffer from frequent cough and cold. These teas combine the beneficial effects of different ingredients such as pepper, ginger, tulsi and cinnamon to help relieve the symptoms of cold and cough and keep the condition at bay.

How to use:

Tip#1: Mix in 4 pods of cardamom, 4 corns of black pepper, 4 cloves, a few small slices of fresh ginger and a small piece of cinnamon in water. Allow the mixture to boil, turn the flame to low, cover the vessel and allow it to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Then strain the tea, mix in a little milk or honey and drink it while it is still warm.

Tip# 2: You can also prepare a simple tea with tulsi by adding about 15 washed leaves of tulsi into 1.5 cups of water and boiling. After about 10 minutes, strain this liquid, mix in one tablespoon of lemonjuice and drink it while it is still warm. Lemon juice contains vitamin C and this, in combination with the medicinal ingredients of the tulsi will improve your immunity against the cold.

Tip# 3:You can also prepare a gargling solution at home using neem and honey. Take about 3 leaves of neem with a medium-sized glass of water and boil the mixture. When the liquid has cooled, mix in one teaspoon of honey and gargle to get relief from a sore throat.

Homemade medicinal lozenge 

Much before the time of Halls and Strepsils, homes in India used to have their own lozenge-like remedies for cough and cold. Not only does this remedy help reduce the irritation you feel in your throat, but it is also a natural way to treat a cough.

How to use: 

Here is a simple remedy you can easily prepare. Chop a small quantity of ginger and extract the juice from it. Also, roast and powder a few corns of pepper. Mix the ginger juice, pepper powder, a pinch of turmeric and add a little honey to make it a thick paste. Now roll it into small balls to make it into toffees. Place these inside your mouth like you would a lozenge, and keep sucking on this for about 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat two or three times in a day for relief.

Remedies for productive cough

If you develop a productive cough (cough that causes phlegm), you can help your body expel the sputum with these simple home remedies. A productive cough can be a symptom of various conditions right from an infection in the chest to serious ailments like bronchitis,pneumonia and even TB. So if you rcough persists for more than one weeks, visit your doctor for a proper diagnosis.

How to use:

Tip#1: Take a few peppercorns with a little cumin and jaggery. Add a little water and keep boiling the mixture until you get a concentrated decoction. Cool and drink it to help expel the phlegm blocking your airways.

Tip#2: Take a few betel leaves and crush them to extract their juice; take about 2 teaspoons of this juice, mix in 1 teaspoon of honey and consume the mixture twice a day about half an hour after food. This will provide relief in case of productive cough.

Tip# 3: Along with the home remedies, you could also try some OTC cough formulations meant for your cough type in order to get relief from some of the symptoms which may be keeping you ‘under the weather’. However, if you find the cough and cold persisting beyond a week, make it a point to consult a doctor to find out if there is some other underlying health issue. You may like to read about medicines for cough and cold.