What is the common cold?
The cold is a viral infection of your throat and nose, its normally harmless
many types of cold viruses cause the common cold. This common cold increases more in the winter season.
Causes of the common cold
There are many types of viruses which causes the common cold, cold virus
enters the body through nose, eyes, or mouth the cold virus can spread
when someone who is sick coughs, sneezes, or talks.
Risk factors
Smoking: you are more likely to be exposed to the cold virus if you smoke
Weak immune system: If you are the immune system is weak your chances to get cold are higher.
Seasonal cold: many adults and children under 6 years of age suffer from cold in the winter season.
Symptoms of a common cold
Common cold symptoms normally appear 2 to 3 days after exposure to cold virus signs and symptoms are different for adults and children.
- Low-grade fever
- Cough
- Chest congestion
- low body pain and headache
- Feeling unwell
- A runny nose
- Take vitamin c tablets. They are good to help boost your immune system.
- Pour lemon juice and honey into a small cup.
- Mix it up together.
- Take various tablespoons of the remedy throughout your day.
- Repeat this process daily until you feel better.
- Prepare your favorite tea but replace the sugar with honey.
- Prepare a lemon tea by boiling half of the lemon into two cups of water. Once the tea is
- prepared, sweetened with either sugar or honey.
- Cook your favorite soup but make sure you add garlic to help fight the microbes.
- Chicken soup will help ease the symptoms and relieve stuffiness.
- Drink lots of fluids. This helps loosen the phlegm.
- The Zinc vitamin can help boost your immune system.
- Take hot showers to alleviate stuffiness.
Turmeric for the common cold
Turmeric contains curcumin which has antibiotic and antioxidant properties. Drink warm milk with turmeric in the morning or bedtime continue this process till you get relief from the common cold.
Ginger tea
Ginger has an aroma that soothes your nose, ginger is also a good remedy for chest congestion because it has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Take inch ginger
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 cup of water
- boil for 1 minute
- Drink warm ginger tea.
- Do this till you get relief.
Honey for baby
When the human body fights the bacterial infection. it usually becomes dehydrated,
recent research published in Pediatrics suggested that taking honey at night time
before going to bed helps to decrease cough and cold. an adult may also take it before bedtime.
Note: honey must not be given to babies under the age of 1 year, due to spores in the honey, it may make the baby feel sick.
Steam for cold
Taking a breath in steam after a hot shower help to decrease nasal congestion
and sinus pressure for some moment, another alternate solution is a hot shower, placing a cotton towel on the head and taking breath carefully do not let your eyes take hot steam, better close eyes and keep a safe distance.
Chicken soup for cold
it has been found in many research that chicken soup cooked with organic vegetables
can slow down the movement of neutrophil in your body, neutrophils are said to be
a common type of white blood cell, their job is to protect the human body from common infection The research found that chicken soup is an effective home remedy for slowing down symptoms of upper respiratory infections.
Garlic for cold
Garlic has been used since centuries for many common health benefits,
garlic contains allicin which is also called antimicrobial, taking garlic
in your diet may decrease the cold symptoms. according to Lissiman E, Bhasale AL, Cohen M. taking garlic regularly might even prevent you from getting sick.
Echinacea for cold
People from native America have been using Echinacea herb and its root to
get rid of cold infections for 400 years, it’s active properties including flavonoids
, chemicals have multiple therapeutic benefits on the human body, flavonoids help to
boost the immune system and decrease inflammation.
Medical study on Echinacea herb is mixed but one study By Dr.SA Shah, S Sander, CM White, M Rinaldi, and CI Coleman about Echinacea Suggests that if you take echinacea than it will lower your risk of getting infected with common cold by more than 50%.
Important
Over the counter medicine should only be used by adults. For children buy drugs appropriate for their age. If the cold persists more than several days 3-10 then it would be advisable to consult a physician. Honey is harmful to babies under one year old. It is advisable to take home remedies at the first sign of the flu. You will get well a lot sooner.
When to consult a physician
For adults:
- Severe sore throat, headache.
- Fever more than 100 (38.5 C)
- Difficulty taking breath
- Fever lasting more than 5 days
- Wheezing
How to prevent cold and cough naturally
Scientists claim that there is no cure for the common cold; however, Yoga Practitioners Several cultures have natural methods of combating this ailment while simultaneously prevent its reoccurrence discover this cure today. A co-worker of mine once had a troublesome cold a while back for weeks on end and because I had to add to my workload by splitting his share up with the rest in the office, I told him of a method to use as a cure for the common cold used by the Indians and some West Africans
(Okay, I m not that insensitive-I told him this because I cared!)
This method is known in Sanskrit (the Indian Language) as Neti or Nasal Irrigation). t is the cleaning of the nasal portion of the respiratory system whose function is to allow air to come in contact with the circulating blood so the exchange of the gasses can happen.
If this sounds a little bit complex if you need a cure for your cold and are not trying to read all these facts, just believe this works as a cure for the common cold the way nothing else can. (well besides a fast) Neti (nasal irrigation) is unmatched in its ability to
-Clear the nostrils for freer breathing.
-Reduce excess mucus. -Moisten the nasal canal; strengthen the eyes, because there is a stimulation of the blood vessels of the nose and eyes via nasal irrigation.
The cure for the Common cold: Using Nasal irrigation (neti)
1. Using un-iodized TABLE SALT, add a level teaspoon of salt to 24 oz warm water.
2. Wash your neti pot (which is available in most health food stores).
3. Re-rinse internally and externally with drinking water.
4. Fill the pot (which holds about 8 oz) with the saline solution
5. Now tilt your head so your right nostril is uppermost over a sink or large basin
6. Pour the solution into the nostril and ensure to keep the mouth open to breathe.
7. After it all comes out, remain motionless for 30 seconds or so then blow the nose
Thoroughly and rinse out the mouth with drinking water.
Repeat steps 1-7 on the right nostril pouring through the left this time.
You can bend forward to ensure it all drips out or preferably perform 10-15 rounds of bellows breath (a breathing exercise that entails forcefully pulling the belly back towards the spine which pushes the stagnant air out of the lungs) to get all the solution out. I found it pleasant and soothing after practicing it only once. Besides aiding as a cure for the common cold, it also ensures that blocked nasal passages as a result of irritants and pollutants are well loosened.
Furthermore, it is said to have a marked cleansing effect on the sinuses and mind and helps to clean the anterior regions of the upper plate housing the olfactory organs. It even helps to cleanse to some degree the inner workings of the ear. Children using this product should be supervised by an able adult.
The cure for the Common Cold: Dietetic Suggestions
Moreover, to target the root cause of the common cold, now will be a good time to try one kind of a fast which could be
1. The use of Fresh Fruit Juices.
2. The Broth of succulent and tasty steamed vegetables such as celery, cabbage, etc
3. A mono-diet of seasonal juicy fruit.
If like most people, you just cannot fast, well see to it that you abstain from all types of Animal Products, Breads, Grains, and beans during this time. These substances have been known to either cause or aggravate the common cold along with other diseases and conditions including but not limited to the flu, asthma, and diabetes. This fact is based on research performed by the renowned French Hygienist, Albert Mosseri, and based on my personal experiences with curing my asthma, I advocate his opinions. A good replacement for the less beneficial items listed above will be fresh fruits, roots, and leafy vegetables for fuel.
So don’t be fooled into spending your money on drugs and nasal sprays as a cure for the common cold, it, like any other disease, can be alleviated by common-sense drugless healing alternatives, if only your know-how. With the steps above, you, like my co-worker, now know exactly how to cure your cold naturally for long-term success.