Common cold symptoms and remedies

No man on earth till date has escaped common cold. With industrialization gaining a strong foothold the world over, increasing environmental pollution, stray plants and dust have added fuel to the fire. Common cold usually presents itself with the symptoms of headache, running nose and frequent sneezes.
So, here are our warriors who fight common cold.

TURMERIC:
A piece of turmeric should be held above a flame till it fumes. These fumes are then deeply inhaled, the breath held for a while and then exhaled. The turmeric fumes very effectively combat common cold, open up the blocked nostrils and reduce headache. Also inhalation of fumes generated by heating a mixture of ragi powder and turmeric powder over a flame produces a similar effect. Water should not be consumed for the next two hours as water consumed within this ‘’ window period’’ magnifies the illness within no time.
Alternatively, turmeric is ground into a paste which is warmed and applied as a pack over the forehead   , in between the eyebrows, along the bridge of the nose and sloping towards both the sides of the nose. This liquefies the thick inspissated mucus that clogs the frontal and maxillary sinuses adjoining our nasal passage.
In addition, powdered turmeric, dissolved in hot milk , and with honey added for taste,  makes a very effective beverage. When consumed three times a day, it gets rid of common cold permanently. Since turmeric has excellent immunomodulator and immunity boosting properties, it makes a perfect medicine for common cold .Addition of honey helps in expulsion of adherent mucus.

TULASI(BASIL):
Sri Tulasi and Krishna Tulasi are the two varieties of this plant. Both have indispensable medicinal value. A portion of the plant is cut with stem and leaves. This is crushed and its juice extracted. One teaspoon of this juice mixed with equal quantity of honey is consumed three times a day. Tulasi is not only effective against common cold but also prevents a large number of communicable diseases. It is for this reason that this plant made its presence felt in every home in the olden days.
Alternatively, a handful of Tulasi leaves is crushed and placed in a container. Three glasses of water are then boiled and added to the container with the leaves.  A lid is placed on the container and left alone till the water cools. Later this water is decanted and consumed three times a day.  An oily ingredient of Tulasi which resembles camphor in properties is actually responsible for its medicinal value.   It is also effective in cases of sore throat because of its soothing effect.
We all know that clove forms an integral part of traditional medicine. A piece of clove kept in the side of the mouth emanates an oily substance which works wonders in curing cold, headache, sore throat, oral infections and tooth ache. It also prevents further attacks of nasal blocks and common cold.
In addition, juice extracted from one whole lemon and mixed with equal quantity of warm water should be consumed on an empty stomach. This strengthens immunity and prevents recurrent attacks of common cold.

COUGH:
While the same elements causing common cold such as dust, smoke and suspended particles in the air are responsible for a bout of cough, consumption of polluted water is an important cause. Sore throat, change in the voice and throat irritation are the common companions of cough. Cough could be dry or productive (that which brings forth sputum or phlegm). Since the sound produced by cough resembles that produced by a bronze vessel; cough is termed Kaasa in Sanskrit.

The remedies for cough are as follows:
Catechu is powdered and half a teaspoon of the same is thoroughly stirred and dissolved in warm water. The resulting solution is taken orally to fill the whole of the mouth cavity (Do not drink).The chin is then elevated so that the face turns upward.  After two minutes of holding the solution in mouth in that position, it is spat out. This procedure is repeated thrice daily to ward off sore throat, cold ,headache and irritant cough. Catechu possesses astringent and hygroscopic properties which cause expectoration of the thick and inspissated mucus in the throat and mouth cavity.
The roots of liquorice are cut into small pieces .When kept in the sides of the mouth they release their juice that relieves throat irritation and sore throat. This keeps cough under control.
In addition, half a teaspoon of liquorice powder consumed with honey keeps cough in control. In cases of dry cough, this powder is mixed with half a cup of water and consumed to get promising results .
The juice extracted from a combination of black pepper and some crystal salt placed in the mouth takes care of productive cough. The’’ hot-n -spicy ‘’ character of these spices relieve throat discomfort caused by cough.
Ten raisins are allowed to soak in half cup of hot water for a while. Then they are squeezed to release their ingredients and the resulting solution is consumed three times a day to get rid of cough and associated weakness.
 Ruta leaves, tulsi leaves and thick leaved lavender leaves are taken in equal quantities. The combination is placed in a betel leaf which is folded and roasted in a pan. When completely dry , it is thoroughly crushed and water is added to extract its juice. The juice is then consumed with equal quantity of honey thrice daily to obtain express relief from nagging cough.
The simple home remedies stated above are of help to both adults and children alike, but children (up to 12 years) should consume half the dose given to adults. A weaker immune system renders children more susceptible to this illness than adults. Hence, some over enthusiastic parents tend to keep their children wrapped up in woolens   throughout the year. This is a great deterrent to the development of a strong immune system and also renders them highly sensitive to diseases due to trivial weather and seasonal variations. Hence, children should always wear light cotton clothes and must resort to woolens only during the winter season.