Home remedies for colds can help before a doctor has to be consulted. The little helpers from grandmother’s time are rightly on the rise again, because drugs are not always necessary to treat colds, coughs or sore throats. But which natural remedies really help? We present the best home remedies for a cold.
Fresh air as a home remedy for prevention.
Cold wind, slush or freezing rain cool the body and let some become a couch potato. But this is exactly the wrong thing to do if you want to protect yourself from colds. The motto is to get out into the fresh air. Because dry heating air damages the mucous membranes and without healthy cold stimuli the organism does not adjust to the special load by the threatening winter. Even those who are prone to winter depression should definitely take advantage of the little daylight to counteract the gloomy mood.
Quick help against cold
As a home remedy against the onset of a cold of the more harmless kind helps an elderflower tea. Drunk hot, preferably sweetened with honey, it makes the body sweat profusely and thus defend against the impending disease. It is best to drink it before going to bed and cover up well to really get the sweating cure going. Foot baths with salt really warm up the body and also help to get ahead of a cold.
For the stuffy nose: home remedies for colds.
Whom the sniffles plagues, should rinse his nose with saline solution. The right mixture (0.9% sodium chloride – which corresponds to the natural salt content of our body) can be bought in pharmacies or drugstores. Bacteria, viruses and other pathogens are flushed from the mucous membranes, the nose is cleared and secretions can drain away. Doctors also recommend daily rinsing of the nose with saline solution, for example with the help of a nasal douche, as a preventive measure against colds and sinusitis. Caution is advised with cold sprays that cause the mucous membranes to swell down (so-called sympathomimetics). They help to drain the secretion and can thus be of good service in the case of sinus infections. However, if they are used for longer than a week at a time, the dreaded habituation process may already have set in: The nose still swells up, even though the cold is already over. The patient has become accustomed to his nasal spray and can no longer do without it. This is known as a nasal spray addiction. Essential oils can also bring relief in the case of a blocked nose. The oils, especially eucalyptus and mint, loosen the mucus and thus help to beat the cold faster. Blocked nose – what to do? Tips and home remedies
Recipes against cough
Grandmother’s onion syrup helps against cough: finely dice a medium-sized onion, sprinkle it well with sugar, cover it and let it stand, taking the juice formed after an hour by the teaspoon. The essential oils of the onion loosen the cough. Vitamin C, which is abundant in onion, strengthens the immune system. Other foods also contain substances that can help us against colds, for example, chicory, garlic and leeks. Therefore, they should be eaten abundantly and regularly in winter. Lime blossom tea is also recommended to relieve cough irritation and facilitate expectoration. Honey as a sweetener strengthens the immune system and soothes the irritated throat. Horseradish is also a good helper when a cough is bothering you. Grated and mixed with honey and grated carrots, it can be taken several times a day.
Chest compress against bronchitis
Chest compresses are recommended for the treatment of bronchitis. For this purpose, the entire upper body is wrapped in a cold, wet, well-wrung linen cloth. Over this one puts a terry cloth and finally one wraps the whole patient well in a warm wool blanket. In this way, relief comes quickly.
Help with sore throat
You can fight a sore throat in several ways:
- A warm throat compress promotes blood circulation in the affected area and thus strengthens the local defenses.
- Fennel tea soothes the throat, especially if sweetened with honey.
- Honey has naturally antibacterial potential that can help us in case of cold.
- Gargling with chamomile tea disinfects the throat and promotes healing of the affected areas.
Potato and onion against earache
Earache fought our grandmother with a potato poultice, also known as potato poultice. To do this, boil two small potatoes until very soft, mash them and spread them on a sheet. Place the sheet with the mashed potatoes as a warm compress on the aching ear. Such a potato compress can also be applied to sinusitis or sinusitis. In all cases, it has a pain-relieving effect and loosens the stuck mucus. A chopped onion (“onion bag”) can also be used as an ear pad. Its essential oils also have a positive effect on ear pain. Common cold: what helps against the symptoms?
Scented lamps and essential oils
Fragrance lamps can also be used to combat a cold. Rosemary and thyme oil as fragrance additives fill the room with a spicy scent and have a positive effect on inflamed mucous membranes. Menthol, peppermint, eucalyptus, camphor, mountain pine or chamomile are also suitable for direct inhalation over a steaming bowl of water or in an inhaler. Asthmatics should be careful, however, some rather react badly to essential oils.
When home remedies for colds are not enough
Who suffers longer from his illness, or if the fever rises significantly above 39 degrees, but it is better to see a doctor. Too quickly, a simple cold becomes a middle ear infection or a tangible bronchitis. But if you take a little precaution, you can enjoy the beautiful sides of early winter even when the weather is grim.
