Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 17 Dec 2024
Best Home Remedies To Beat The Winter Bug—From Chicken Soup To Hot Toddy
Homemade remedies work to alleviate the symptoms of cough and cold
This is cold and flu season, and several home remedies can help you get over the debilitating and uncomfortable symptoms. According to doctors, allergies, infections, and acid reflux are just a few possible causes of a cough.
Homemade remedies for getting over cough and cold
According to experts, the most effective remedies are drinking honey and lemon in hot water, gargling salt water, and a hot toddy. A few lesser-known old wives’ tales include sleeping with onions in socks, having a shot of apple cider vinegar, and putting garlic cloves up nostrils.
Research says if the remedy works, 48 per cent of people use it again.
Honey lemon and hot water
According to experts, mixing honey and lemon in hot water—a common home remedy—soothes a sore throat and alleviates coughs. Honey is anti-viral and antibacterial in nature and has soothing properties.
Lemon provides vitami which helps fight infection, essentially acting as a comforting drink when you are under the weather. In several studies, people with upper respiratory tract infections were given honey to lessen coughing. The honey seemed to lessen their coughing and help them sleep better.
Gargling salt water
Saltwater gargles have been used for a long time to help treat sore throats and symptoms associated with the common cold. Doctors say gargling helps loosen mucus and alleviate some pain.
However, it may not help reduce viral load. You can easily make a saltwater gargle by:
- Stirring half a teaspoon of salt into a cup of warm water until it dissolves
- Allowing the solution to cool slightly before using it to gargle
- Let the mixture sit at the back of the throat for a few moments before spitting it out
- You must gargle at least twice a day until the cough improves.
Chicken soup
Even though there is not much research, a few studies say that drinking liquids at room temperature alleviates cough, runny nose and even sneezing. The symptom relief is immediate and remains for a continued period after finishing the hot beverage.
Chicken soup, which includes ingredients like onions, garlic, and a few vegetables, adds flavour and a healthy dose of phytonutrients—vital for a well-functioning immune system. Eating the soup also helps reduce inflammation in the body, which in turn may help to ease the symptoms of a pesky cold.
Hot toddy
A hot toddy is a home remedy made from common household ingredients to treat the symptoms of cold and flu. The ingredients are warmed and ingested as a drink to help with sore throat pain, runny nose, and cough.
The ingredients for a hot toddy are a combination of lemon or lemon juice, honey, and hot water. Doctors say these ingredients are separately shown to help relieve cold and flu symptoms. Additional foods like ginger and peppermint appear in the recipe depending on their origin.
Orange juice
According to doctors, even though orange juice may not be an effective treatment for a cold or flu, it can help you stay hydrated and get adequate vitamin C, an antioxidant that improves your immunity.
Orange juice is a powerhouse of vitamin C that boosts your immune system. However, studies suggest that vitamin C likely does not have a significant effect on an existing cold.
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