Colds are the most common type of infection in the world, and the average adult gets about three cold infections each year. However, despite the ubiquity of the common cold, we still have no cure for it. The only safe way to deal with this is to wait approximately seven to ten days for your body to fight off the infection on its own. However, while science has yet to find a solution to the common cold, there are numerous remedies, both old and new, that can go a long way to alleviate cold symptoms, even if they can’t cure it.
For anyone interested in natural remedies to relieve cold symptoms and make the infection go away faster, here are five remedies worth trying.
one. Herbal Teas: Anytime you have a sore throat or cough, it’s always a good idea to have a hot drink. And if you’re already going to drink something hot, you might as well have one of the many varieties of herbal teas believed to have cold-fighting properties. Echinacea tea is perhaps the best herb for boosting the immune system and speeding up the cold-fighting process, but other herbs such as ginseng, goldenseal, eucalyptus, and ginger can also have noticeable effects. Just stay away from teas with too much caffeine, as they can cause dehydration, which is bad when you have a cold.
2. Fruits and fruit juices: Your immune system needs many vitamins to fight infection, and fruits are the best natural source of the types of vitamins your immune system thrives on. Try to eat a lot of citrus fruits, especially oranges, but remember that almost all fruits contain valuable vitamins. And since it is always good to drink plenty of fluids when you have a cold, fruit juices are also helpful. Just stay away from juices that contain high fructose corn syrup and other unnatural elements. Go organic, whenever possible.
3. Light soups: There are good reasons why grandmothers around the world swear by chicken soup as the perfect remedy for the common cold. A good bowl of soup has plenty of vitamins that can help boost your immune system, and the warm broth in the soup helps soothe inflammation in your bronchial tubes and can even help fight congestion. Chicken soup works well, but any light, healthy soup can work wonders. Add plenty of pepper to give the soup that extra kick to clear your nasal passages.
Four. The spicy food: Speaking of spices, spicy foods in general can provide a world of relief when you’re down the throat from a nasty cold. Any food with chili peppers, garlic, or ginger can help clear your nasal passages while inhibiting inflammation-causing substances in the body. And eating spicy foods isn’t just a folk remedy; Numerous scientific studies have shown that it works.
5. Steam and moisture: Viruses that cause the common cold thrive in dry air, so you can use humidity to fight back in many ways. Use a humidifier in the room where you sleep to add some moisture to the air. Take extra-long, very hot showers and breathe deeply throughout the process. You can even just hold your head over a pot of steaming water. Use these methods several times a day and your cold symptoms will lessen.
by Lisa Pecos