Being sick with common colds and flu symptoms while staying in bed at home the entire day isn’t really an interesting thing to deal with. Oftentimes, common colds are associated with body pains, headaches, and most often than not, a person may also deal with annoying nasal congestion.
While being considered as a not-so-serious condition, when left untreated, common colds may also affect a person’s quality of life. However, the good thing about this condition is that certain home remedies are readily available in order to alleviate your discomforts. If you wish to get back to your normal condition, you can choose to make appointments to your doctor, and or, follow simple home remedy tips that would suit you best.
Difficulty in breathing, feeling dizzy, and severe headache are some of the conditions that you may have to deal with.
To this end, here are some of the best and effective home remedies for cold and flu that would lighten you up from common colds.
1. Apple cider vinegar – This is one of the home remedies that could certainly do wonders for your health. A simple sip of your apple cider vinegar tea will certainly ease your discomfort with common colds. All you need to do is to dilute the vinegar in a warm or hot water, add some honey or lemon juice to taste, and take it as a remedy to your colds. You can use this solution for about three to four times a day and see the results for yourself.
2. Ginger tea – While ginger is also known to treat other health conditions, drinking a ginger tea is also best to alleviate your nasal congestion discomfort. It is proven to lessen the inflammation and as well as enhance your body’s immune system. A simple cup of ginger tea is already a great home remedy that you can drink to soothe your throat and to free it from common colds.
3. Eucalyptus oil steam treatment – In order to clear your congested nasal, eucalyptus oil is one of the best home remedies to consider. A quick steam could definitely create wonders for your condition. All you need to do is to pour about five drops of oil into a bowl of hot water, lean over the bowl, and experience the instant relief it could give you. You can also decide to practice it twice or thrice daily depending on the severity of your colds. Eucalyptus oil is proven to clear the nasal passages, thus, allowing you to breathe more comfortably.
4. Adding honey to your tea – While most people consider honey as very simple and raw ingredient, studies have proven that honey is also a great remedy for common colds. You can add it up to your daily ginger tea and experience its antibacterial components that would help you fight against common colds. It is also known to boost the immune system and clear the throats from coughs.
5. Avoid eating sugary foods – While most of the sick persons find it necessary to eat a lot, as much as possible, avoid eating foods that are rich in sugar. It has been believed that sugar weakens the immune system a lot and may even worsen your sore throat in the long run. As you experience your prolonged colds, make sure to eat foods that are rich in vitamin C and D just like citrus fruits. Use a natural sugar substitute like Stevia.
6. Enjoy a hearty bowl of chicken soup – It is also believed that chicken soup is a great food choice whenever you’re sick. Make sure to prepare it with some vegetables to make it a lot healthier. Chicken soup is also proven to contain neutrophils that are agents that help protect your body from infection. This food is also known to reduce the symptoms of some illnesses that are mostly associated with the upper respiratory system infections.
7. Take in some garlic supplements – Aside from being a raw ingredient in the kitchen, taking some garlic whenever you’re having common colds is also another notable tip. It is known to have antimicrobial properties that help reduce discomfort from common colds. Some researchers also show that garlic is also a great factor that helps you from getting sick in the future.
8. Gargle some salt water – In order to avoid respiratory infections to get worse, you can also opt to gargle salt water since it is proven to reduce the severity of common colds. It is also known to ease the pain from your throat, while at the same time; it clears the nasal passages of a person allowing mucus to loosen inside the nose.
9. Indulge in a warm bath – While warm sponge bath is known to reduce a baby’s fever, indulging in a warm bath is also proven to reduce common colds and flu. You can also add Epsom salt into it as it also lessens body pains.
10. Get a lot of rest – While it is important for a person to learn about these home remedies, there is still nothing compared to allowing the body to rest and let it repair. Getting a good sleep is another factor that helps you lessen your common colds. In most cases, the duration of your condition may be lessened when you let yourself sleep and rest for a longer time. Hence, it is best to stay away from your work for a while and just relax.
11. Make sure to eat healthy – What you eat when you’re sick also plays a vital role in your healing. It is also advised that aside from eating healthy, make sure to eat light in order for your body to consume less energy in digesting the foods you eat. You can opt to enjoy soups, fruits and vegetables, and teas as you wait for your body to entirely heal. You can also learn about certain food recipes that help lessen inflammation and enhances your immune function.
Basically, there are several ways that you can consider in order to treat common colds naturally. However, some may or may not work from one person to another, depending on how severe the conditions are. While some of these home remedies are a bit simple and raw, many have already proven that these remedies are really effective in treating the said condition.
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