More and more people are finding themselves using home remedies rather than going to the doctor and taking medication after medication for the common cold. There are many home remedies that you can try to cure symptoms related to the common cold and many of the remedies have been used for more than 100 years. The best part is that all of the ingredients can most commonly be found in your home already.
Many of the top home remedy ingredients can be found in your pantries, refrigerators, or in a linen closet. Not only are these ingredients readily available to you… but you also save yourself a copay on a doctor’s visit as well as a copay on the medication prescribed for your cold. Most people don’t know that the more you take a medication the more susceptible your body becomes to the medications the less effective the drug will be. This is why many people have turned to old fashioned home remedies to cure their common cold symptoms. Here are a few home remedies that you use to cure a common cold:
CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP: I’m pretty sure everyone has been advised at least one time in their life when they have had a cold to eat chicken noodle soup. Chicken noodle soup is a great home remedy to use for a common cold and can ease your symptoms associated with a common cold. Chicken noodle soup contains an ingredient called selenium, this ingredient is important because it helps with the function of your immune system as well as for overall good health.
Chicken noodle soup is most commonly served warm. The warm soup helps soothe the throat and the steam from the soup can also help with nasal decongestion and opening up your breathing airways. This makes it easier for a person with a cold to breathe. You can also add different spices to your chicken noodle soup that also helps in cold symptoms, such as garlic, pepper, and onions. These common spices can help the effectiveness of the treatment of your symptoms for your common cold. These spices are also good additions to your chicken noodle soup because you can taste and smell these spices, which are most commonly diminished during the course of the cold. Chicken noodle soup has been recommended for ages and is proved to be a very common home remedy for the common cold.
HONEY, LEMON JUICE & HERBAL TEAS: Many common colds can also be cured by many different herbal teas as well as lemon juice and honey. There are various reasons why each help with the symptoms of a common cold. Lemon juice contains vitamin C, which is very important for the function of your immune system. Using herbal teas that contain mullein work very good when sweetened with honey and lemon juice. All of these ingredients incorporated together can sooth your throat as well as temporarily unclog your breathing airways.
You can also pour and mix honey and lemon juice together and take tablespoons periodically during the course of your cold and this will ease your cold symptoms such as your throat and breathing. Preparing your favorite tea and replacing the sugar with honey can also help with these symptoms. You can also boil two cups of water with a half of a lemon. Once the tea is prepared you can sweeten this tea by using either honey or sugar. Small children however, should not use or be given honey. To help relieve coughing you can also use a tea called horehound tea. You can also increase your energy as well as metabolism with green tea.
ORANGE JUICE, GATORADE, SPRITE & PEDIALYTE: using the helpful source of orange juice can also help with your troubling cold symptoms. Orange juice provides you with a great source of vitamin C, which is a leading vitamin to getting you back on your feet again. Whenever you are feeling sick, doctors always recommend keeping fluids in your body. What better fluid then one that allow you to absorb vitamin C as well. Vitamin C, as studies have shown, is also used to improve your immune system functions, which is the number one thing you want to keep in tip top shape if you are more prone to catching colds. However, do not use orange juice if you have an upset stomach. The acid from the orange juice will only make it worse on you and your stomach.
In a case where your stomach is upset and you are not able to consume anything acidic, using Gatorade, Sprite, and Pedialyte can be handy and useful. Gatorade, as well as Pedialyte, helps in the restoration of electrolytes in your body. Often, diarrhea and vomiting occurs with upset stomachs, and the consumption of foods is just not an option. In this case, Gatorade and Pedialyte can still give your body the nutrients it needs to fight viruses as well as keep your body hydrated. Keeping fluids in your body is one of the top things to keep in mind if you are not able to consume anything solid. Dehydration will only make matters worse for both you and your body.
HUMIDIFIERS & STEAM BATHS: Humidifiers are commonly used with common colds that involve congestion, as well as steam baths. Inhaling steam can not only open your airways but also help you in a speedy recovery from your cold. Placing a humidifier in a small concealed room can trap the steam and help dry out your nasal cavities.
You can also add aromatherapy in the mix of things. Using scents such as cinnamon, peppermint, and Vicks Vapor Solution can not only open your airways but also provide you with an easier more comfortable rest. You can also add these scents to hot bath water giving the shower steam the same effect as a humidifier. You can also add lavender oil to your bath and this will help with decongestion as well as help you with a smoother more relaxed sleep. Using tea tree oil as well as lemon oils, and this will also provide you with the same relief.
You can also try taking a foot bath with mustard in it. I know it sounds crazy, but it really does help in nasal decongestion, as well as those clogged up breathing passages. Some experts believe that using a humidifier or a steam shower is not good for getting rid of the infection and doesn’t relieve common cold symptoms. They believe that a dry nose only leads to making you more susceptible to viral infections. Researchers have found that the rhinovirus and other viruses are more active in lower humidity, which is why people are more common to getting a cold in the winter months rather than the warmer months. However, viruses thrive on more moist and hot conditions that are most commonly always present in your nose. In my opinion and my own experiences, I do however believe that humidifiers as well as steam baths help greatly in clearing up congestion and making your sleeping habits more tolerable.
Useful Treatment Tips
** Eating ginger can help encourage sweating and can also help sooth your aching throat. Simply take 2 teaspoons of ginger powder and boil it in a cup of water, then add about a ½ teaspoon of sugar. This mixture should be consumed very warm in temperature. You can also add ginger to your herbal teas and it can act as a fever reducer. You can do these procedures up to two times a day.
** Ginseng can also be added to your tea to help support your immune system as well as helps your body to fight off infections at a faster rate.
** Garlic can act as an antiseptic as well as carries antispasmodic properties. The oil from the garlic opens up your airway passages. Garlic has also been proven to reduce a fever dramatically! You can try this by making a garlic soup which consists of 3-4 cloves of chopped garlic placed into a cup of boiling water. Garlic soup flushes out all of the toxins that are in your airway passages, which helps drop your temperature if you have a fever.
** Turmeric can also help with the irritation of your throat. Simply take a half of a teaspoon of turmeric powder and mix it in 1/8 cup of warm milk at least one to two times a day to ease the irritation of your throat.
** If you have a dry or stuffy nose you can try using saline or salt water nasal drops. You can make this solution yourself by adding ¼ of a teaspoon of table salt and a teaspoon of lukewarm water. Using a clean dropper you can drop 1-2 drops in each nostril anywhere from 3-4 times a day. Keep this mixture in the fridge and you will want to make a new mixture every couple of days until your symptoms subside.
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