Home remedies that work- Common cold

Normally we are not afraid of cold, cough and fever since we know that it is our immunity that is being tested. But these days even the slightest sneeze worries my husband. The reason? well, he is worried  thinking of the 'extra long' nights and days in case our little son should contact the infection from either of us! A visit to my husbands native, irregular and spicy food, sleepless nights, lots of travel and... you guessed right. Two days after returning home, I began sneezing, my husband was concerned after the 3rd sneeze. He wanted to boost my immunity and check the infection before it got too late. So with all the home remedies, my cold lasted 2 days. Two day later our fear came true. Our little son of 9 months began sneezing. Again we used a few home remedies and lo behold! In two days he was fine. Here is a list of what we did, remember what worked for us need not work for everyone, but has worked for many of those who had the patience to give it a try.

Remember, these remedies act best when started as early as possible.

1. Sleep sleep and more sleep. In other words plenty of rest helps fight cold easily.

2.Consume warm, easy to digest food, drink plenty of warm water. See that your urine is clear and not yellow and that your bowels are cleared.

3..Consume about 200ml of warm water with the juice of  half a lemon. I repeated this when my son showed symptoms of cold. Repeat 3-4 times a day.

4.Have a hot water shower and if possible focus a jet of water on the face, shoulders and nape of your neck to relieve sinus congestion or you could also use a hot water bag or pad on tender areas.

5.Instill about 4 drops of saline water into each nostril ( if making it yourself, boil 1/2 cup water, add 1/4 tsp salt, instill lukewarm/at normal temperature, make fresh solution each day). Repeat 3-4 times a day depending on severity of nasal congestion, sore throat, trickle of fluid down the throat, heaviness of head-preferably done after a hot shower.

6.In case of sore throat, another remedy (for those who can gargle) is to boil a cup of water with 1/2 tsp Triphala powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Use warm to gargle after instilling saline nasal drops.This remedy also helps in case of inflammed tonsils.

7. If you have trouble sleeping, apply a thin film of cold pressed sesame seed oil or clarified butter(ghee) on your soles and the crown of your head, cover your ears with a scarf or even better if you can plug your ears with a piece of cotton into which 1-2 drops of sesame seed oil have been applied ( This remedy works best if you are feeling cold and dry). 

8.Cover your mouth with a thin cloth/ towel/sheet when breathing. This helps especially if your nose is blocked and you breathe through your mouth and feel that your throat is dry and irritable(leading to cough), or you wake up with fits of irritable cough and dry throat. The cloth helps trap moisture in your mouth and prevents drying of your oral cavity.

9.  Wrap yourself in warm clothes, sweating profusely is a sign of getting better.

10. Apply 2 drops of Eucalyptus EO or Peppermint EO on a kerchief and keep 'smelling' your kerchief.

11.Wilt 2 Coleus amboinicus leaves over a flame and squeeze to collect its juice. To about 1 tsp of this juice add 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp honey, a tiny piece of ginger and consume 2-3 times a day.

12. If you suffer from cough and are bringing out lots of sputum, then boil a cup of water with 3-4 peppercorns, 1/2 inch piece of ginger, 3-4 leaves of Ocimum sanctum (optional) and 3-4 leaves of Leucas aspera (optional),divide into 3-4 parts and consume when lukewarm or at normal temperature with the juice of half a lemon, a pinch of rock salt and sweeten with molasses/honey.

13.If you suffer from dry cough and have difficulty bringing out sputum, keep a tiny crystal of salt in your mouth and let it dissolve. Repeat whenever required.

For the baby, 

Keep the baby hydrated and see that the baby is not constipated. 

Fill a tub with lukewarm water, add a drop of Eucalyptus Essential Oil, gently pour water on back, neck and chest.

After bath, instill remedy No.5 about 2 drops into each nostril. (placing a rolled towel under the neck or placing the shoulder at the edge of the pillow helps tilt nose upwards). Repeat 2-3 times during the day if needed.

Let the baby sleep on its side or elevate the chest and head to help breathe easily. If the baby is used to sleep in prone position, lay the baby to sleep on a pillow so that chest and head are at a higher position than the legs.

Remedy No.7 helps baby sleep peacefully.

If possible remedy No.8 could be followed. Just extend a thin sheet till the lips. Note: Be watchful, do not block the nose and mouth completely.

Remedy No.11 is followed with a slight modification

The leaves are wilted and a part of the juice is applied over the crown of the head and about 1/4 tsp juice with 1/4 tsp honey and lemon are mixed and given to the baby orally 2-3 times a day.( If the baby suffers from cough with expectoration,add the juice of 1 leaf of Ocimum sanctum/ Holy basil leaf and 2 leaves of Leucas aspera to the mixture.

You could follow remedy No. 10 with some modifications. Apply a drop of the above mentioned EO on the sheet near the pillow so that your baby can inhale the aromatic vapours of the oil and be relieved of nasal congestion and heaviness of head.

If the baby begins to sweat profusely, do not panic, keep the baby hydrated and the baby will recover in no time!