Influenza commonly known as flu is a contagious illness which causes high fever, cough, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea nasal congestion and aches. Flu appears most frequently in winter and early spring and may continue for several days if not taken care properly. Both cold and flu have similar symptoms but the complications from cold are minor than flu. If flu is not treated on time it may cause life threatening disease like pneumonia.
Once you are aware that you are suffering from flu you can consult your doctor. But often few of the remedies turn out as relief. Below given are home remedies for flu and cough.
- Hot soup: chicken soup is the most tried tested and effective home remedy for flu. It’s been followed from decades. Hot chicken soup gives a sigh of relief to sore throat. Chicken soupstops certain white blood cells from causing inflammation, preventing large amounts of mucus from being produced. The hot soup also thins the mucus. Making the soup with freshly chopped garlic gives fast relief to the cold. Hot soup always adds as a power booster when suffering from illness.
- Gargle: gargle is very effective when it comes to giving relief to your sour throat. Add half a tea spoon of salt to a glass of lukewarm water and gargle. You can repeat this process thrice or four times a day. You can also do astringent gargle, which helps in tightening the membrane.
- Take rest and stay warm: when effected by flu you should always take rest and cover yourself in warm clothes. Avoid going out in cold, this mite adverse your flu effect. Your body needs energy to battle with the immune system so stay calm and relax.
- Blow your nose: It’s important to blow your nose regularly when you have cold rather than sniffling mucus back into your head. The best way to blow your nose is to press a finger over one nostril while you blow gently into a tissue to clear the other. Do not blow too hard.
- Steam bath: you can either take steam bath or just inhale steam in order to relieve the effects of cold. Breathing moist air helps ease nasal congestion and sore throat One good strategy is to indulge in a steamy shower several times a day. Another is to use a steam vaporizer or a humidifier. Cover your head with a thick cloth or a towel so that the steam doesn’t evaporate and then inhale the steam by adding vaporiser.
- Warm compress: give a warm compress by a cloth on your forehead and nose , this relieves your head ache. You can do this twice a day, this helps in reducing sinus pain.
- Drink adequate liquids: The flu can leave your body dehydrated, especially if you have vomitingor diarrhea. Make sure you consume enough water, fruit juices and electrolyte beverages. You can also have hot tea and coffee as it gives, relief to your sour throat.
Home Remedies for Flu and Cough
The most common health issue among children and adults is coughing. Cough helps us in making our throat clean from any form of irritants. Cough may be due to cold, flu, viral infection. Even though cough is most common and normal it must be treated on time, as excessive coughing may be the result of smoking, asthma, lungs cancer and tuberculosis.
If the Cough is due to cold, flu and viral infection it may be treated with the most common natural home remedies, which gives fast relief. You can use one or more of the following home remedies in order to get rid of the cough.
#1. Turmeric: Turmeric is the best remedy for cough, especially dry cough. You can use turmeric in many ways
- Take a glass of hot or lukewarm milk and add ½ tea spoon of turmeric powder and drink. Adding sugar is optional, if you want fast relief avoid sugar or else use little amount of sugar. Take this daily at bed time.
- Turmeric gargle also gives relief to cough. To a glass of hot water add ½ tea spoon of turmeric powder and ½ tea spoon of salt and gargle. You may do this twice a day for fast relief.
- Bring one cup of water to boil, then add ½ tea spoon of turmeric and ½ tea spoon of black pepper powder and bring it to boil. Then add 1 tea spoon of honey and drink it daily until condition improves.
- Another way is to roast turmeric root and grind it into a smooth powder. Mix it with water and honey, and drink it twice a day.
#2. Ginger: Ginger is the most common and widely used remedy for cough and can be used as follows
- Ginger tea can lower the cough and give you relief. Make tea by adding half dry ginger, it gives good taste as well as reduces the cough.
- For a dry cough, one of the easiest ways of finding relief is to eat fresh ginger. Cut a piece of fresh ginger, sprinkle some salt on it and chew it. However its strong aroma doesn’t leave a good taste on tongue. In that case you may use the first option.
- Ginger combined with basil leafs also has a quick effect on cough. Crush about 10-12 leaves of basil, mix with juice extracted from a small ginger piece. Add this in a tea spoon of honey and have it.
#3. Honey: Honey is used from decades as a remedy for sore throat, it can also relieve coughs more effectively than over-the-counter medicines .You can create your own remedy at home by mixing honey with herbal tea, or warm water and lemon juice. The honey does the soothing, while lemon juice can help with congestion.
#4. Black pepper and honey: Black pepper is the world’s most traded spice, but most of its use is limited to the culinary world. Black pepper is a great remedy for coughs that are accompanied by a lot of mucous or chest congestion. To a glass of boiling water add 1 tea spoon of black pepper powder and 1 table spoon of honey. Stir it well before drinking. You can repeat this process 2-3 times a day.
#5. Gargle: Gargle is very effective when it comes to giving relief to your sour throat. Add half a tea spoon of salt to a glass of lukewarm water and gargle. You can repeat this process thrice or four times a day. You can also do astringent gargle, which helps in tightening the membrane
Did you ever used any of the above listed home remedy for flu or cough? Lets us know about your experience.