With the season of cold and flu just around the corner, it’s time to educate ourselves on natural home tips that may help relieve the symptoms of these illnesses. You may have heard about most of these methods as their effectiveness is proven by the experience of people who use them all the time, and there have been numerous studies that confirm their positive effect.
So here are the tips you can use to treat cold and flu at home:
1. Blow your nose regularly.
Blow your nose whenever you feel like you need to and do it right — press your finger on one nostril when you blow to clear the other but don’t do it in a forceful way. Also, depending on what nose condition do you have (stuffy or runny), you may follow these recommendations to fix it.
2. Use salt water to gargle your throat and clear your nose.
To make a solution for gargling, dissolve 1/2 tsp. of salt in a glass of warm water. Gargle 4 times a day.
To clear your nose, dissolve 1/4 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of baking soda in a glass of warm water. Press your finger lightly on one nostril, while you squirt the substance into the other one using a bulb syringe or nasal irrigation kit. Allow it to drain, repeat 2–3 times, and then use it on the other nostril.
3. Get enough rest and stay warm.
Fighting the infection may decrease your energy. Do your body a favor and give it all the rest it needs.
4. Take a steamy shower or warm bath.
Taking a warm bath or shower will help relieve your symptoms and relax you.
5. Apply a little mentholated ointment under your nose.
It will help you breathe and soothe the irritated skin under your nose. But don’t apply the ointment inside your nose.
6. Sleep with your head raised a little.
Adding one more pillow will help relieve stuffy nose.
7. Try foods and drinks that can improve your condition.
These foods and drinks can help relieve cold and flu:
— chicken soup – age-old remedy that will make you feel better and keep you hydrated and nourished;
— black and green tea;
— ginger – put a few slices of ginger root in boiling water and see the effect;
— honey, especially if added to tea with lemon; honey may be dangerous for infants, don’t give it to them;
— garlic and onions;
— Echinacea, as a supplement or tea with root or herb;
— vitamin C that may be found in citrus fruits, leafy greens, and other fruits and vegetables;
— probiotics, especially probiotic yogurt; it may even help prevent cold and flu;
— berries, such as cranberries, blueberries, and elderberries;
— bananas and rice — to relieve GI symptoms.
If your symptoms don’t start subsiding in a few days, you should call your doctor.
