June brings in much-needed respite from the scorching heat as it’s the onset of monsoon in India. But the change in climate also ushers in cold, cough and viral fever. With the similarity of the symptoms with Covid-19 people may get worried if it’s coronavirus or a harmless regular cough and cold. In a normal situation, people would take OTC medicine to get relief from mild symptoms. However, we are dealing with a pandemic thus it’s imperative we take very good care of our health while at home. With the onset of monsoons common cough, cold and related headaches become quite common. Our immune system is weakened during the rainy season and this leads to getting affected by various diseases. To deal with the mild symptoms at home we are sharing home remedies for cold cough and headache.

Home Remedies for Cold Cough and Headache

Symptoms of the common cold

• Mild dry or wet cough
• Constant sneezing
• Blocked or stuffy nose
• Running nose and watery eyes
• Painful/sore throat
• Slight tiredness
• Slight fever

If you have these symptoms, it indicates that you are suffering from a common cold. With a good amount of rest and proper food, you can get better. You could try these home remedies to also feel better and get rid of your symptoms

Home remedies for cold and cough

• Garlic- Garlic is quite popular when it comes to the common cold. Most of the household will use a large quantity of garlic in the diet for people suffering from cold. The cold-fighting compound in garlic helps in getting rid of the symptom. You can have it raw, crushed and added to salads or soups. Take small quantities of garlic in your regular diet during monsoon to get rid of any possible symptoms.
  • Garlic necklace- Since childhood, we have used garlic necklace with cold and cough symptoms. Garlic is hot by nature and helps in reducing the mucus formation in the chest. All you need to do is take 7 pods of garlic and make a necklace with a regular sewing thread and pin. Wear it across the neck touching the throat and chest overnight. Repeat this for 3 days and you will see the magical difference.
  • Garlic rich soup- Make a veg man chow or any other soup that you may like with a little more garlic in it. Do not overdo. Have it only once a day as too much garlic is also not good.
  • Sauté garlic- Sauté few garlic pods in ghee
• Ginger-Ginger is yet another root that has medicinal properties and can easily help with cough and cold symptoms
  • Ginger tea- Add grated ginger to your tea and have twice a day
  • Ginger juice– Mix ginger juice along with black pepper, Tulsi juice and honey. Have this mixture twice a day to get rid of mucus formation and cough.
  • Ginger candies- Take a small amount of jaggery, add grated ginger to it and a little bit of turmeric. Mix all these ingredients together and make small balls from them. Keep this in an airtight container and have it twice daily (1-2 candies at a time). It will help relieve cough and sore throat.
  • Ginger & Salt- Cut ginger into small pieces and add salt to it. Chewing this helps fight cold and cough.
• Eucalyptus Steam– Steam is one of the most important things to do when you have a cough and cold. Add few drops of Eucalyptus oil to the steam water and take steam 2-3 times daily.
• Warm liquids– Keep your body hydrated with all kinds of fluids. Especially having warm liquids like chicken soup, veg soup, tea are good home remedies for cough. Fluids also help your immune system fight off the source of the infection or virus that may be causing your cough and soothe the sore throat that is common with a cough.
• Gargle– Gargling with warm to little hot water with a pinch of salt helps in relieving sore throat pain. Do this twice a day.
• Power of 3– Lemon, Cinnamon, and honey when mixed together are quite effective on cold and cough. Add half spoon of honey, few drops of lemon and a pinch of cinnamon. Have this twice daily till symptoms subside.
• Turmeric Milk– Turmeric is an essential ingredient found in all kitchens. The antioxidant properties of Turmeric help in fighting infections. Mix a pinch or two of turmeric in milk at night and have it daily till you feel better.
• Brandy and honey– Brandy has a warm tendency and helps in providing the much-needed warmth and heat to the chest. Few drops of honey and a teaspoon of brandy when mixed together helps in fighting cough.
• Amla– Amla is a strong immunomodulator and helps fights many diseases. One amla a day has many health benefits.
• Carrot Juice– I know this may sound quite unconventional but carrot juice helps in fighting the cold and cough symptoms.
• Pineapple Juice– This one is yet another uncommon home remedy. Add one tablespoon honey in half a cup of warm pineapple juice. It’s an effective home remedy to relieve cold.
• Vitamin C– Having a vitamin C rich diet and supplements helps boost immunity and provide relief from upper respiratory tract infections. It also helps in shortening the duration of cold symptoms in the body. Taking Vitamin C rich food like lemon, oranges and grapefruits are quite effective.
• Thyme Tea– Thyme is a herb and has medicinal properties. It is commonly used to treat cough and sore throat. You can either take syrups rich in thyme or make a thyme tea by adding 2 tsp of dried thyme to a cup of hot water.
• Probiotics– Probiotics may not necessarily treat cold and cough but intake of probiotics helps in good bacteria and gut strengthening. A strong gut helps with better immunity and helps fight infections in the upper respiratory tract.
• Flax seeds– Boil flax seeds until it thickens and strain it. Add few drops of lemon juice and honey to it. Consume this mixture and see the magic on your cold and cough symptoms

Home remedies for headache

• Chamomile Tea- Chamomile tea is known to soothe headaches. Just make a cup of chamomile tea and cover it with a lid for 10 mins. Then drink it up. If you want to enhance the taste add few drops of honey to it.
• Cloves- Cloves can ease throbbing headaches with their cooling and pain-relieving properties. Crush few cloves and put them in a clean handkerchief. Inhale the smell of crushed cloves whenever you have a headache until you get relief.
• Cinnamon– Cinnamon also helps in getting rid of a throbbing headache. Make a powder of cinnamon sticks and mix it with little water. Make a paste and apply it to your forehead. Leave it on your forehead for 30 mins and then wash it off with warm water.
• Ginger Inhalation- Ginger has many medicinal properties and helps in reducing the inflammation of blood vessels. You can either consume ginger like a juice along lemon juice. You could also boil powdered or raw ginger in water and inhale the steam.

Prevention is better than cure 

There are some foods that can aggravate the cold and cough symptoms so it’s advisable to stay away from them till the symptoms subside.  Here are few things you should do when suffering from a cold.

• Dairy products
• Stay off caffeine
• Avoid spicy, processed and fried food
• Increase fluid intake
• Take ample amount of rest
• Steam inhalation twice or thrice a day

Most of the remedies stated above can easily be tried on kids over 1 year with a reduced quantity of every ingredient. In the case of small kids, it’s advisable to also consult a doctor first. You could try generic things like steam, warm bath, probiotics, garlic necklace and few others from above.

More home remedies to help you.

Monsoon is a wonderful season to enjoy which brings rejuvenating showers and greenery around us. However, maintaining your health is highly important to enjoy this refreshing season. Ensure that you boost your immunity by consuming fresh fruits, vegetables, probiotics and an overall healthy diet. Avoid fried and processed food items, cold drinks, ice creams and anything else that can easily cause sore throat.

In my next post, I will be sharing some great tips and home remedies for getting rid of chest congestion. Chest congestion is one problem that leads to increased mucus and other symptoms.

This post is part of Blogchatter Half Marathon

Disclaimer- All the opinions shared in these articles would be completely mine and are not a substitute for medical advice. Weigh your symptoms and problem before going ahead with a home remedy or medical advice. If you are allergic to anything or any ingredient kind refrain from using it. The author won’t be responsible for anything untoward.

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