5 Home remedies for a cold
There is a good explanation behind Grandma's remedies for the flu and other winter ailments.
Thanks to science. Anyone can get a heart transplant, get two new knees or read without glasses. But when it comes to the common cold, it seems that grandmother knows what she does.
Why are natural remedies effective?
A cold is a viral respiratory disease on the upper tract that can cause sinus infection, bronchitis or other secondary infections, when the virus weakens the immune system. If the cold is aggressively treated since the first symptoms, it may be stopped.
This is where the wisdom of Grandma can help if we simply pay attention; we believe that everything that fights colds come in the form of a pill. We have to consider natural alternatives that work as well as pharmaceutical remedies and in some cases even better.
Remedy 1: Breath and feel better
One of the oldest remedies for congestion is also one of the simplest. Inhaling steam helps to breathe in a better way because it moves the mucus. That's important, because the bacteria develop when these substances get stuck in the nose, sinuses and chest.
Fill a pot with a liter of water. Boil, lower the temperature, add a few drops of essential oil of eucalyptus. Remove the pot from the burner carefully, and place it on the table. Cover your head with a towel, lean over the pot and inhale. Look out for steam since you can burn.
Remedy 2: Take your soup
For a long time, mothers have served generous portions of soup to their children, as a remedy against colds. Chicken soup has many elements in its favor. Is the water, of course, that helps to keep you hydrated replacing fluids that had been lost. The vapor from the hot soup and spicy optional ingredients such as cayenne pepper or chili, help decongest the nose and sinuses.
Garlic is an ingredient used in many recipes for chicken soup, it has antiviral effects. It is also an expectorant and helps remove bacteria that are lodged into the lungs. The onion, another common ingredient in chicken soup also has antiviral properties.
Remedy 3: Lemon and honey
One tablespoon of honey with lemon can relieve throat pain and roughness. The thick texture of honey helps coat and soothe the sensitive throat. Because of the thickness of honey, the spread of bacteria might be interfered. The lemon stimulates salivary glands, drawing fluid into the mouth and making swallowing easier.
Remedy 4: Infusion of cinnamon
Cinnamon, formerly valued as gold, has been used in medicine for years. The bark of cinnamon contains a chemical oil called cinnamaldehyde, which destroys the variety of disease-causing bacteria. Likewise, reducing fever and inflammation, and it has a mild analgesic effect.
Remedy 5: Fruit juices
Orange juice and other citrus fruits, provide healthy doses of vitamin C, which reduces the duration of the common cold and flu, and may even help to prevent them.
Vitamin C strengthens the immune system; the body can fight off viruses and bacteria. But fruit juices also contain sugar, which according to the theories can depress the immune system. The recommendation is to dilute some juice, in this way you avoid consuming too much sugar and make sure they are natural juices.