It is easy to catch a cold, especially during the colder times of the year. It is thus important to be familiar with ways of albeiting a cold with materials in the home. There are lots of home remedies to alleviate the symptoms of cold and get one back to normal. One can protect themselves against some cold and alleviate the symptoms with the following home remedies.
Saltwater
Salt water can prevent upper respiratory tract infections. It may also decrease the severity of cold symptoms. Salt-water rinsing helps break nasal congestion, reduces and removes mucus, which contains bacteria and virus particles.
To try this remedy at home, dissolve1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a glass of room temperature water. Use nasal irrigation kit to drag water into the nose, hold one nostril closed while dragging the salt mixture into the other nostril. Allow to drain and repeat twice before treating the other nostril with the same procedure.
Garlic
This health-boosting substance is naturally antibiotic, anti-fungal, and antibacterial. Garlic can treat almost any illness; it has antiseptic properties that help protect the immune system against the common cold. Garlic also contains the compound allicin that can act as a white blood cells stimulator. The oil found in garlic also helps clear up the respiratory passage. When taken in soup form, it helps to flush out all the toxins in the body system and also bring down fever as well.
To try this remedy at home, add three to six cloves of chopped garlic into boiling water and drink three times a daily. However, if you do not particularly like garlic soup, add three to five drops of garlic oil into your food or drink.
Ginger
Eating ginger raw or drinking ginger tea are both popular home remedies of common cold and can also ward off the feelings of nausea that often accompany influenza. Take about ten grams of ginger and cut it up into small pieces before boiling it in a cup of water, and then you can drink the mixture at least two times a day.
Honey
Honey has a lot of antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. It is not a surprise that natural honey can be useful in reducing the duration of a cold. Drinking honey in tea with lemon can soothe sore throat pain, and it is a productive cough suppressant. Avoid giving honey to a child under the age of one as it could lead to botulism. While honey is usually harmless to older children and adults, infants’ immune systems are not strong enough for the use of honey.
Ointments
Ointments such as vapor rub appear to reduce cold symptoms in children and adults. Ointments can help open air passages to combat congestion. When applied under the nose, ointments also restore the irritated skin at the base of the nose and improves sleep. Camphor, menthol and eucalyptus have mild numbing ingredients that may help relieve the pain of a nose rubbed raw. Be sure to apply the ointments only on the surface and under the nose.
The home remedies highlighted above are effective in both albeiting the symptoms of cold and preventing subsequent episodes.
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