Suffering from nagging cough and cold? Before opting for over-the-counter medicines and cough suppressants, you must take a look at what your kitchen basket has to offer. You won’t believe what treasures you have there! It is indeed difficult to believe how effective these natural treatments could prove to be. The best part is that these treatments are totally safe, sans drowsiness!
Keep reading to know about some of the time tested cough remedies you can find in your kitchen:
GINGER TEA
Ginger, with its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, is one of the best known natural cures for coughing and sore-throat. Just crush a few small slices of fresh ginger and add this crushed ginger to boiling water. Drink the tea 4 times to get the much-needed relief. For added taste and benefits, you may even add a dash of honey and lemon juice to it. Alternately, you can keep chewing raw ginger, as and when convenient, through the entire span of the day.
HONEY AND BLACK PEPPER
Steep a teaspoon of black pepper for about 15 minutes in a cup of boiling water and add 2 tablespoons of honey to the solution. While black pepper helps stimulate circulation and treat congestion, honey relieves irritation, non-stop coughing and soothes your throat. Honey, with its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, is recognised as a potent remedy that helps fight viral, fungal and bacterial infections.
HERBAL LEMON TEA
Add 2 tsp of lemon rind, ½ tsp of thyme and 1 tsp of sage to boiling water and let it steep for 10 minutes. After that, add a tbsp of organic honey and the juice of half a lemon. Drink this herbal lemon concoction 2 to 3 times a day to get relief from cough and cold.
CINNAMON AND MULETHI WITH HONEY
Mix honey, cinnamon and mulethi powder, ¼ teaspoon each, with water and have it twice daily. Both honey and cinnamon have anti-bacterial and antiviral properties that soothe irritated throat.
TURMERIC IN WATER
In ½ cup boiling water, add turmeric powder and black pepper, one tsp each. Add some cinnamon sticks as well. Continue boiling for a couple of minutes. Add a dash of honey and drink it regularly till you see an improvement in your condition. There is yet another simple yet effective way to use turmeric for treating cough. Roast some turmeric root and then grind it to make a smooth powder. Mix the powder with water, add honey and drink it two times daily.
ADDITIONAL TIPS
- Keeping yourself thoroughly hydrated is important as it would help in thinning mucus.
- While going for these natural kitchen remedies, it is desired that you go for organic products whenever possible, like organic ginger and organic lemon so that you are safe from any kind of pesticides.
- Whenever you opt for natural cures, you must be patient and dedicated at the same time. You must repeat the procedure twice or thrice daily to see any improvement.
- Try salt-water gargle every now and then to relive throat irritation.
- Enjoying a bowlful of hot chicken soup would make you feel so much better!