Home remedies to counter cold this winter

Team L&M

With the chill enveloping the city, most people catch cold — it is quite common to see people sniffing, having a watery nose and watering eyes. Common cold is surely not a disease but it can make you immobile for sure. It is common knowledge that common cold gets better on its own in some days but those some days can be very irritating. What if we tell you certain home remedies to tide over this situation? Read on as these are tried and tested home remedies that will do a lot of good to you. Plus, there aren’t any side-effects!

Disclaimer: Consult a doctor if you get fever and throat congestion along with cold.

Steam Inhalation
Inhale steam as many times as you can. If you have a steamer, well and good otherwise even a tea kettle or a pan will do. Just keep your eyes away from the steam. For little cold, normal water if good enough but he you have perpetually blocked nose, put half-a-spoon of ajwain in water. It does wonders.

Black pepper
This one is very effective for running nose. Heat some ghee, put a pinch of finely grounded black pepper and some boora (powdered sugar) or shakkar (powdered jaggery) to make a paste. You can have this with a roti, it tastes divine. There is only one condition, do NOT drink water after consuming this.

Nasal drops
Make your own nasal drops by adding a pinch of salt to lukewarm water.

Mustard oil
Putting some mustard oil in your nostrils gives a great relief from cold, particularly while having a hot water bath.

Garlic and honey
Both garlic and honey are good against cold and cough. Make a paste of garlic with honey and have it two-three times a day.

Gargles
Use lukewarm water for gargles twice or thrice a day. Go for plain water in case salty water makes you feel vomity like it does to me. For better results boil some guava leaves in water and the do gargles with this infused water.

All this apart, make it a habit of drinking a cup of hot water (as hot as tea) after every meal. And while making tea, add some ginger, tulsi leaves and turmeric powder to boiling water.