Simple yet effective methods to manage a cold and cough

Although Cold and cough are simple ailments, they tend to disrupt our daily routines the most. One can hardly think clearly when one is down with a cold. What starts as a runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing slowly impacts the entire body by developing nasal congestion, heaviness of the head, body ache, headache, lack of appetite, and cough. Poor concentration, fatigue, depressed mood, and lack of motivation worsen matters. 

Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are attractive quick fixes that give immediate relief but have side effects (dryness, sedative effect, constipation) and unintended consequences (Sinus/eye/ear involvement). Instead, it is more appropriate to follow simple yet effective herbal interventions to correct body imbalance. Some appropriate interventions are as follows: 

1. Rest (physical, mental. No gadgets). 

2. Steam inhalation (A few drops of Eucalyptus oil in water) a few times daily.

3. Salt (thick sea salt) water gargle/Gargle using salt (thick sea salt) + turmeric + water 

[Note: water should be comfortably warm]. 

4. Jala neti (nasal irrigation with thick sea salt + water; water should be comfortably warm) in the morning before taking a bath.

5. Clean oral cavity (teeth, tongue, tonsils, palate) using tooth powder (For example, Patanjali Dant Kanti/Vicco vajradanti), preferably twice a day.

6. Apply cow's ghee in both nostrils before sleep. 

7. Anjan (Eye cleansing) (For example, Toopanjan or Netraprabha) 2-3 times a day: after waking up from sleep and before Neti and Datun in the morning: couple of hours after lunch in the afternoon and just before going to sleep at night.

8. Dhoop [Inhalation of smoke emitted by burning herbal dhoop powder (For example: Santulan dhoop) on a piece of red hot charcoal] in the morning.

 

9. Pranayam (Breathing exercises like Nadi shuddhi pranayama, Bhastrika, Kapalbhati etc) in a proper sequence 1 hour before meals.

10. Kaltariyu - a mixture of unrefined and organic (preferable) jaggery (3-5 gms) (For example Patanjali jaggery), ghee (2 teaspoons) and sunthi (dry ginger) (2-3 gms) taken before meals twice a day improves digestion thus improving cold and congestion.

11. Syrup Sudarshan kwath 2-4 tsp with equal quantity of warm water thrice a day after food improves digestion thus improving cold and congestion.

12. Sitopaladi churna (powder) 2-4 gms with ghee and/or honey and/or milk twice a day after meals is useful in cough.

13. Turmeric milk (1-2 gms of turmeric added to a cup of hot cow's milk) twice a day (breakfast and before going to bed) enhances immunity.

Disclaimer:

Please consult your physician before implementing these suggestions to confirm their appropriateness for your case.