Almost everyone knows how annoying it is to have a lingering cold with a runny nose, red eyes, sneezing, chills, stuffy head, body aches and a hacking cough. Dozens of over-the-counter cold medications can be taken, most of which only suppress symptoms. Medical experts and moms all know it takes approximately seven days to cure a cold, with or without treatment. To feel better during the wait, and maybe to cut off one day of suffering, try some home remedies sure to bring comfort while your body does battle.
Step 1
Use crushed fresh ginger and garlic to make a tea, suggests Jethro Kloss in his herbal book "Back to Eden." Ageless and popular for treatment of the common cold, herbs are a gift from the earth and have been used for thousands of years for medicines. Place about 1 tsp. of each of the crushed herbs in a tea ball or small cloth bag and steep in hot water for 10 minutes. Remove the pulp, add a teaspoon or two of honey and sip. Have as much as you like throughout the day.
Step 2
Mix honey and lemon together for a soothing throat remedy. Squeeze half a lemon into a small bowl and whisk in a teaspoon or two of honey. Put a dollop in your mouth when needed to relieve throat pain.
Step 3
Make a garlic and onion soup broth to flush toxins from the system. Crush several cloves of garlic and chop up a small onion. Soak them together in a cup of hot water for 29 minutes. Consume the soup. You can leave the garlic and onion in the soup or remove it--whichever you like.
Step 4
Make chicken soup. Using fresh chicken pieces with the bones left in and the skin removed, boil the bird in water for 30 minutes. Chop up one onion, two carrots, a stalk of celery and several cloves of garlic, plus any desired spices. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 30 to 40 minutes. Serve as is or with noodles or rice. Guaranteed to please and soothe a cold.
Step 5
Take extra vitamin C to beat a cold. You can consume 5,000 to 8,000 mg of vitamin C during a cold or up to bowel tolerance. If you experience diarrhea, lower the dose until it stops and repeat daily until the cold subsides.
Step 6
Gargle with warm water mixed together with 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, suggests the Earth Clinic website. Cayenne pepper is a classic remedy that works well on many things, including helping to resolve sore throats. It is not always effective immediately, so continue using it several times a day until you experience relief.
Step 7
Make a homemade cough remedy, suggests Penny C. Royal in her book, "Herbally Yours." Mix ¼ tsp. each of cayenne pepper and ginger with 1 tbsp. each of honey and apple cider vinegar and 2 tbsp. water. Take 1 to 3 tsp. as needed for cough.
Tips and Warnings
- Using cayenne pepper for sore throats may make your eyes water because it is hot. Never exceed 1/8 tsp. at a time. You can add a spoonful of honey to the mix to make it more palatable and less hot.
- The information offered here is for educational purposes and is not meant to replace medical advice.
Things You'll Need
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Lemons
- Onion
- Cayenne Pepper
- Vitamin C
- Chicken
- Carrots
- Celery
References
- "Herbally Yours"; Penny Royal; 1982
- "Back to Eden"; Jethro Kloss; 2006
- Earth Clinic: Cayenne pepper
