You wake up with a sore throat, your nose is running and you cannot stop coughing. Sound familiar? The common cold attacks most individuals a few times a year and it is not severe although it certainly leaves one feeling miserable.
The good news is that it is likely that in your kitchen, you have what you need to feel better. Generations of home cures against common cold and cough have proven to be quite effective, most of them. They will not make your cold better in the night, but they may certainly make you feel much easier and able to breathe more comfortably as your body overcomes the disease.
This guide will discuss effective natural remedies that can make your symptoms less frequent, as well as help you recover faster. These are simple remedies, some of which are safe, cheap, and easily accessible at the moment, such as soothing honey tea to the potent-powerful one, garlic.
Why Do We Get Colds and Coughs?
A quick look at the cause of such annoying symptoms is in order before leaping into remedies.
Colds occur when your throat and nose are attacked by viruses (they are normally rhinoviruses). Your immune system reacts by producing mucus to be able to trap and eliminate the intruders. This is what gives it the stuffiness, runny nose and that all over feeling of being unwell.
Coughing is in fact the defense mechanism of your body. When you have mucus dripping on your throat or irritation in your airways, your body responds by coughing to remove this fluid. The cough may be dry, wet and productive sometimes.
Most colds last about 7 to 10 days. The initial three days are normally the most miserable after which things become better.
Powerful Kitchen Foods That Combat the Symptoms of Cold
Some of the most useful remedies are in your pantry. These ingredients have undergone scientific research and have been in practice in various cultures.
Honey: Nature’s Cough Suppressant
Honey is one of the most effective home remedies of common cold and cough. It lubricates your throat making it less irritated and suppressing the cough reflex.
Honey has been found to be effective in the management of coughs as well as certain over the counter cough medicines. It particularly works well against the nocturnal coughs which wake you.
How to use honey:
- 1 tablespoon single dose at bedtime
- Blend two tablespoons in hot water with lemon
- Add to herbal tea all day through
- Add ginger to it to add more strength
Important note: It is best to avoid honey in infants below 1 year. Their digestive systems are not able to cope with it.
Ginger: The Inflammation Fighter
Ginger has this compound known as gingerols; this compound lowers the inflammation and kills bacteria. It also heats your body inside which is awesome when you are struggling with chills.
Ways to use ginger:
- Peel fresh ginger and pour into hot water and leave it 10 minutes
- Grate raw ginger in little pieces (it is spicy but good)
- Add ginger grated to soups and broths
- Combine ginger powder, honey and lemon
Fresh ginger is better than dried powder as the powder has less active elements.
Garlic: The Immune System Booster
Garlic may also make you have bad breath, but it is a strong cold fighter. It is a compound that has antiviral and antibacterial properties; it contains allicin.
Research indicates that individuals having regular consumption of garlic experience fewer colds and when they fall ill, do so at a quicker pace.
How to get garlic’s benefits:
- Smash 2-3 fresh cloves and allow to rest (activation of allicin) 10 minutes
- Take the powdered garlic with water or honey
- Add as much fresh garlic to foods as possible
- Crush cloves and steep them in hot water to make tea
Raw garlic is the best, although cooked garlic is not totally without merits.
Calming Beverages That Are Healing
When one is cold, it is important to remain hydrated. These therapeutic beverages perform a two-fold task of hydrating your body besides delivering therapeutic components to your throat.
Warm Lemon Water
Surprisingly, this is a very effective drink, which is easy to make. Lemon acts as a source of vitamin C to help your immune system and the warm water also relaxes your throat and loosens mucus.
Recipe:
- Add a half of a fresh lemon to a mug
- Fill in warm (but not boiling) water
- Add one spoonful honey if desired
- Drink 3-4 cups during a day
Symptom Relief Herbal Teas
Certain cold symptoms are addressed through different herbal teas. Here’s what works best:
| Tea Type | Best For | How It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| Peppermint | Congestion | Opens airways and cools inflammation |
| Chamomile | Sleep and relaxation | Reduces stress, aids rest |
| Echinacea | Immune support | May reduce the length of the cold period |
| Ginger tea | Cough and nausea | Soothes the throat, settles the stomach |
| Green tea | Overall health | Antioxidant promotes recovery |
Take these teas warm but not very hot. The steam also assists in clearing your nostrils. For more health tips and natural remedies, visit Cakvia.
Golden Milk (Turmeric Latte)
This is an Indian folk medicine that is used to treat inflammation using the anti-inflammatory effect of turmeric and the calming effects of milk.
Simple recipe:
- Boil one cup of milk (dairy or plant-based)
- Add half a teaspoon turmeric powder
- Pinch of black pepper (aids in the absorption of turmeric)
- Sweeten with honey
- Drink before bed
The stuff is warm and creamy and pleasant on a sore throat.
Steam Treatments for Instant Congestion Relief
Steam is your new best friend when you cannot breathe through your nose. The moist air makes your mucus thinner and the warmth makes your nose runny.
Basic Steam Inhalation
This is a simple procedure, it only requires 10 minutes and the relief is instant.
Steps:
- Heat water and put it into a large bowl
- Put the bowl on a table that is stable
- Cover your bowl and head with a towel
- Bend over bowl (do not lean so far)
- Breathe deeply for 5-10 minutes
- Repeat 2-3 times daily
Enhance Steam with Essential Oils
Put in a few drops of eucalyptus or peppermint oil to your steam bowl. These oils include menthol that dilates airways in a better way.
Note: Be careful not to come too close to the hot water (at least 12 inches) in order to prevent burns. Check the temperature using your hand.
Hot Shower Steam
Don’t feel like setting up a bowl? A hot shower works too. Spend 10-15 minutes in the hot bathroom breathing deeply.
Close the windows and the door of the bathroom to lock the steam in. Even when you are weak or dizzy you can sit on a stool.
Salt Water Solutions for Throat and Nose
Salt water does not seem the ideal ingredient to be effective as a home remedy to common cold and cough, but it is one of the most effective. Salt helps to remove the excess fluid in the swollen tissues and to kill certain bacteria.
Gargling for Sore Throat
Warm salt water gargles are fast in the treatment of throat pain and inflammation.
How to gargle properly:
- Add half teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm water
- Swallow a mouthful and put back your head
- Gargle for 30 seconds (attempt to make a sound of “aahh”)
- Spit it out (don’t swallow)
- Repeat 3-4 times a day
This should be done in the morning and just before bedtime.
Saline Nasal Rinse
Clearing your nostrils gets rid of mucus, allergens and viruses. Neti pots or nasal rinse bottles are available in all pharmacies.
Safe rinsing instructions:
- Go with distilled, sterile or prior boiled water (never tap water)
- Add the saline packet or prepare your own using salt
- Bend over a sink and turn your head
- Add solution into the higher nostril
- It empties out of the lower nostril
- Repeat on the other side
This is strange initially, but it gives incredible relief after one gets adjusted to it.
Rest and Sleep Strategies
Most of the healing of your body takes place when you sleep. One of the home remedies that are very important in common cold and cough is to get quality rest.
Create the Optimal Sleep Environment
Get ready to sleep profoundly and restfully:
- Keep your bedroom cool (65-68°F)
- Add a humidifier to add moisture to the air
- Use additional pillows to raise your head to assist in draining
- Darken the room completely
- Reduce noise using earplugs when necessary
When to Rest During the Day
Don’t push through a cold. Your energy is required to combat the infection. When you feel tired, take naps and do not do exhausting things.
Light movement such as stretching is fine, but you can leave your exercise program until you are already back on your feet.
Foods That Speed Up Recovery
The foods that you consume impact your rapid recovery. Focus on nutrient-enriched foods that boost your immune system.
Chicken Soup: More Than Comfort Food
Grandma was right about chicken soup. It is found that in fact it is anti-inflammatory and helps with cold symptoms.
The chicken helps with your healing, the vegetables give you vitamins and the warm broth keeps you hydrated. Hot soup also clears congestion due to the steam.
Vitamin C Rich Foods
Although vitamin C does not prevent colds, it may reduce their duration slightly. Get it from:
- Oranges and citrus fruits
- Red bell peppers
- Strawberries
- Kiwi fruit
- Broccoli
These are best eaten fresh.
Foods to Avoid
Certain foods may increase your symptoms:
- Dairy products (they can make mucus thicker in some people)
- Sugary products (they are able to reduce immune activity)
- Junk food (they have minimal nutritional value)
- Alcohol (it dehydrates you)
When you are sick, eat simple and wholesome foods.
Other Natural Remedies Worth Trying
These are additional evidence-based practices that are useful to many individuals.
Zinc Lozenges
Zinc lozenges taken within 24 hours of the onset of cold may cut the duration of the cold by a day or two. Swallowing the whole is not a good idea—let them dissolve slowly.
Do not take excessive doses of zinc because it may lead to nausea.
Vitamin D
Respiratory infections occur more frequently when the levels of vitamin D are low. When exposure to the sun is minimal, then take a supplement especially in cold weather.
Probiotics
These friendly bacteria help your gut health that is tightly connected with the work of your immune system. Consume live cultures of yogurt or use a probiotics supplement.
Staying Warm and Cozy
Make your body temperature comfortable. Wear warm clothes, use heating pads and do not go out in the cold and wet weather.
Coldness does not lead to colds, yet it may put a strain on your immunity.
Creating Your Daily Cold Fighting Routine
Together they should work into a daily routine:
Morning:
- Gargle with salt water
- Drink warm lemon water with honey
- Take a steamy shower
- Have a healthy breakfast that contains vitamin C
Afternoon:
- Sip on herbal tea
- Rest or nap if tired
- Have homemade chicken soup
- Do a steam inhalation
Evening:
- Gargle with salt water again
- Drink ginger tea with honey
- Take zinc lozenges
- Run a humidifier in your bedroom
Before Bed:
- Have golden milk
- Take a final dose of honey
- Prop up pillows to elevate your head
When Home Remedies Aren’t Enough
A majority of colds can be cured at home. Nevertheless, consult the doctor when you have:
- Fever higher than 101.3°F for more than 3 days
- Severe sore throat with white patches
- Breathing problems or chest pains
- Coughing with green or bloody sputum
- Symptoms longer than 10 days
- Ear pain or severe headache
Such indicators may be a bacterial infection in which antibiotics are necessary, or a different disease that needs to be taken care of. For more information on when to seek medical care for cold symptoms, visit the CDC’s common cold resource page.
Preventing Future Colds
Although home remedies for common cold and cough are useful when one is ailing, it is even better to prevent it.
Smart prevention solutions:
- Wash your hands with soap and water regularly
- Do not touch your face particularly the nose and mouth
- Keep away from actively sick persons
- Have sufficient sleep all year round (7-9 hours a day)
- Use relaxation as a stress coping mechanism
- Work out to improve the immunity
- Have a healthy diet full of vegetables and fruits
These practices will save you from a lot of colds, although you cannot avoid all of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the duration of an average cold?
Majority of colds take 7-10 days. The symptoms reach their highest point between days 2-3 after which they slowly subside. When your cold does not disappear within two weeks then seek medical attention.
Is it possible to use several remedies simultaneously?
Yes, it is safe and more effective to combine remedies. For example, you are able to consume ginger tea, do steam inhalation, and gargle with salt water during the same day.
What is more advisable: letting a cough have its way, or suppressing it?
Coughs that produce mucus should not be suppressed—they are clearing your airways. Dry and irritating coughs can be soothed with the help of honey among other remedies.
Are home remedies safe for children?
Majority of the remedies are safe for older children, however, babies aged below 12 months should not be administered honey. Always use child appropriate doses and consult your pediatrician where there is any form of uncertainty.
Should I work out when I have a cold?
Use the “neck rule.” Light exercise is acceptable in case the symptoms are above your neck (runny nose, sore throat). When you feel the symptoms below the neck (chest congestion, body aches) rest instead.
Do essential oils have the ability to cure a cold?
Essential oils such as eucalyptus and peppermint may help alleviate the symptoms but not cure the cold itself. Apply them in steam therapies or diffusers to relieve congestion.
Why do I still have a cough after my cold has mended?
Even after other symptoms have passed, lingering coughs are frequent due to post-nasal drip. This may last a couple of weeks as your respiratory tract heals and clears up the leftover mucus.
Final Thoughts
Common cold and cough home remedies provide natural treatment of the illnesses, which does not have the side effects of most medications. Although they do not cure your cold immediately, they will make your life much easier and can make you recover more quickly.
The trick is to initiate treatment immediately the symptoms set in. Keep in the house ready in case of a cold: honey, ginger, garlic, lemons, salt and any of your favorite herbal teas.
Listen to your body and give it what it requires the most: rest, fluids, and time to heal. Be patient with yourself during healing. Using these remedies regularly and also taking adequate care of yourself, you will end up feeling better before you know it.
It is important to remember that the reaction of every person’s body to treatment varies. Something that works so well for your friend may not be so effective with you. Test various remedies and see what the most effective ones are in treating your particular symptoms.
Stay healthy and the next time you feel that first tickle in your throat, you’ll know exactly what to do!