Cold, Cough Remedy: 3 Kitchen Ingredients To Help You Fight Side-Effects Of Winter And Pollution

As the winter season begins, many of us struggle with seasonal allergies and the side effects of pollution. Cold and cough are quite normal, but with the added pressure on the lungs due to smog, the health condition can take longer to reside. While taking your modern medicines, there are a few home remedies you can try that will help you feel better and comfortable while you snuggle under the blanket.

Dr Dixa Bhavsar Savaliya, Ayurvedic Expert and Co-founder of The Kadamba Tree, shared a reel on Instagram which emphasised the medicinal properties of two kitchen ingredients - ginger and turmeric.

Our grandmothers have been using these ingredients for various purposes. Whether it is to heal a wound or find relief from irritation in the throat, you too can cook up the mentioned below remedies without hassle and build immunity against such health concerns.

Boiled Water With Ginger Powder For Cold And Cough

This particular remedy can help you find relief from digestive issues. It soothes the scratchy throat and helps to minimise the cough accumulated there. You can either drink this mixture all at once if you have prepared only a cup or sip it throughout the day if you have prepared a large batch. In Ayurveda, this mixture is called Shunthi Siddha Jal.

Ingredients For Shunthi Siddha Jal

• 1 litre water
• 1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder
• 1-inch stalk of fresh ginger

How To Make Shunthi Siddha Jal

• Bring water to boil and add fresh ginger and its powder in the quantities mentioned above.
• Let the mixture boil for 10 minutes so that all the nutritional extracts of ginger get mixed with the water.

Strain the tea in a bottle, and let it cool at room temperature before you consume it. The expert suggested storing it inside a stainless steel bottle so that no ingredient reacts with the metal.

Gargle With Turmeric Water For Cough

Another home remedy to try for persistent cough is gargling with turmeric water. It can be effective for kids who cannot gargle using bitter modern medicine.

Ingredients For Turmeric Water Gargle Mixture

• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 glass of water

How To Make Turmeric Water Gargle Mixture

• Boil the water first and add turmeric to it.
• Keep the mixture on the flame for 3-5 minutes so that turmeric completely dissolves.
• Let the temperature of the mixture come down from the boiling point so that it does possess a burning hazard.

Adults can gargle a maximum of three times a day, and kids should only do it once a day because a small dose is enough for them.

Ayurvedic Concoction For Steam

Steam is also quite effective in relieving congestion and helping with a scratchy throat. While you can do it with just water, if you add a few ingredients from your kitchen, it will work wonders for you.

Ingredients To Prepare Ayurvedic Concoction

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A post shared by Dr Dixa Bhavsar Savaliya (@drdixa_healingsouls)

• 2 glasses of water
• A handful of tulsi leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
• 5-7 mint leaves (pudina)

Boil this mixture for 7-10 minutes, and it is ready for steam.

DIY Herbal Mixture For Cold And Cough

This herbal mixture will not only soothe your throat but also help you fight congestion and build immunity against allergens. You can consume this mixture 2-3 times a day before or after meals for best results.

Ingredients For DIY Herbal Mixture

• 1 freshly crushed black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry ginger powder
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder

Method To Prepare DIY Herbal Mixture

• You have to mix all these ingredients in a bowl until all the lumps are gone.
• You can consume this mixture according to the dose mentioned above.

In case you are allergic to any ingredient, please speak to your health care expert or an ayurvedic doctor before trying any aforementioned DIY recipes.