Cold is one of the most commonly encountered conditions that is not a serious ailment but is very irritating and disturbs the daily routine work of a person. It is caused by the viral infection and is commonly known as influenza.

Below are some of the home remedies that are very beneficial in treating cold and coughs.

1. Lady's Fingers

Lady's fingers are highly precious in treating irritation of the throat and a constant dry cough. This vegetable is rich in mucilage and acts as a drug to allay annoyance, swelling, and pain. About hundred grams of lady's fingers should be cut into pieces and boiled down in about half a liter of water to make a decoction. The steam issuing from this decoction may also be inhaled once or two times a day to relieve throat irritation and a dry cough. This a good home remedy for cold.

2. Bitter Gourd Roots

The roots of the bitter gourd or karela plant are used in folk medicine to cure a cold. A tablespoon of the root paste, mixed with an equal quantity of honey or tulasi leaf juice, given once every night for a month, acts as a wonderful medicine for colds. This a good home remedy for cold

3. Turmeric

Turmeric or haldi is an effective remedy for colds and throat irritations. Half a teaspoon of fresh turmeric powder mixed in thirty milliliter of warm milk and taken once or 2 times a day is a useful prescription for these conditions. This a good home remedy for cold.

4. Tamarind and Pepper

Tamarind-pepper rasam is also considered an effective home remedy for a cold practiced in South India . Dilute fifty milligram tamarinds in 250 ml of water. Boil the diluted tamarind i.e. imli water for a few minutes with a tablespoon of hot ghee and 1/2 a teaspoon of black pepper powder. This steaming hot rasam (soup) has a flushing effect, and should be taken thrice daily. As one takes it, the nose and eyes water and the nasal blockage is cleared instantly.

5. Amla

Regular intake of amla will prevent the common cold. If, however, a cold has already appeared, large doses of this vitamin C will relieve the symptoms and shorten its duration. This a good home remedy for

cold

6. Garlic

Garlic soup is an age old remedy to reduce the severity of a cold, and should be taken at least once daily. The soup can be geared up by boiling 3 or 4 cloves of chopped garlic in a cup of water. Garlic or lasuna contains antiseptic and antispasmodic properties, besides several other medicinal qualities. The oil contained in this vegetable aids or facilitates to open up the respiratory passages. In soup form, it flushes out all toxins from the respiratory system and thus helps bringing down fever. 5 drops of garlic oil combined with a teaspoon of onion juice, and diluted in a cup of water, should be drunk two to three times a day. This has also been found to be very efficient in the treatment of common cold.

7. Ginger

Ginger is another excellent herb that is a good remedy for colds and coughs. About 10 grams of ginger should be cut into small pieces and boiled in a cup of water. It should then be strained and1/2 a teaspoon of sugar added to it. This decoction should be drunk when hot. Ginger tea, arranged by adding a few pieces of ginger into boiling water before adding the tea leaves, is also an efficient remedy for colds and for fevers resulting from cold. It may be taken 2 times a day.