Herbal Remedies: Common Cold

 Causes

The common cold is caused by several different viruses.

The most common causes are rhinoviruses and the coronaviruses.

You can get a cold by making direct contact with another infected individual (shaking hands, kissing, etc.) or touching a surface that has been handled by an infected individual, resulting in contamination (telephones, books, laptops, etc.) and then touching your nose, eyes, or mouth.

People are exposed to toxins such as pollutants, toxic fumes, etc.

Mostly when you eat or drink cold things you will be affected by the cold.

Symptoms

A few days after the virus enters the body, symptoms become evident.

Different people may experience different symptoms of a common cold and these symptoms may range from mild to severe and can last for a few days to several weeks.

These include:

1. Runny nose (discharge may change from clear and watery to thick yellow or green as the infection increases.)

2. Stuffy nose

3. Watery eyes

4. Sneezing

5. Sore or hoarse throat

6. Mild or hacking cough (with or without phlegm)

7. Low-grade fever

8. Headache

9. Body ache

10. Fatigue

11. Chills

Remedies

1. The most effective remedy for the common cold would have to be lime juice. Take a glass of lukewarm water and dilute the lime juice in it. Add a tsp of honey to enhance its efficiency.

2. The antiseptic properties of garlic make it one of the most effective ingredients for cold.

Consumption of garlic soup would be the best way to cure the common cold.

3. Another effective method of using garlic would be to combine some garlic oil with onion juice. Dilute this with water and consume it for several times a day.

4, Ginger also works favorably in treating the common cold. Cut small pieces of ginger and put them in water.  Boil this mixture. Once it simmers, strain the liquid and half a tsp of sugar into it. Drink this hot.

5. A hot water bath also proves effective as it relieves all nasal and chest congestion. Taking steam also would heal the congested nasal tissues.

6. An excellent home remedy would be to have a glass of warm milk. Add 2 milligrams of roasted asafetide and drink this milk quite slowly two times a day.

7. Mix 200 grams of coriander seeds and jaggery in it. Make a paste of it and then add water to it. Boil this mixture ad inhale the vapors of this mixture. Four times a day would cure the common cold.

8. Make a powdered mixture of black pepper and mix this in curd. Add jaggery or sugar to it. Take this two times a day to get cured of the common cold.

9. Take 250 grams of water and boil 7 pieces of each black pepper and sugar cubes when the content comes to 1/4 quantity. stop boiling. Drink this mixture hot twice every day.

10. Place 10 grams of Sprague in a clean cloth and tie all the ends of the cloth. Apply indirect heat to it by keeping it in a vessel. sniff this for a few minutes until it's hot. It would effectively cure nasal blockage.

11. Mix equal amounts of talsi seeds and ginger. Make a fine powdery mixture out of the two. Have this mixture two times a day.

12. Cut a 100-gram lady's finger into small pieces and boil them in a liter of water. Once boiled, inhale the steam coming out of the concoction.

Inhaling this one or two times a day would relieve a person from the irritation of the throat and the dry cough.

Precautions

There are some other simple suggestions to prevent a common cold such as:

1. Wash your hands regularly.

2. Exercise often to improve your overall health.

3. Explore options such as yoga and meditation to reduce stress levels.

4. Do to share towels, dishes, and glasses.

5. Develop immunity power by eating fresh fruits and vegetables and getting enough sleep.

Herbal Remedies: Cough

 Causes

Some possible causes for cough include:

1. Cold viruses: this is the most common cause of a cough. It often causes a post-nasal drip and that causes a cough.

2. Pneumonia: It is an infection in the lungs. It may be caused by viruses or bacteria. And once pneumonia is caused, it may lead to coughs.

3. Asthma: Asthma is another main cause of coughs in many asthma-suffering patients. This may be triggered by viruses or an allergic trigger like dust, or smoke.

4. Within the lungs both common and uncommon conditions cause chronic cough. Common causes include asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.

Symptoms

Running nose

Sneezing

Mild cough

Low-grade fever (102 degrees F. or lower)

Difficulty in breathing

Excessive coughing may result in vomiting

Coughing may be accompanied by a high-pitched "whooping" sound when a person takes a breath

Cause a short loss of consciousness

Diarrhea

Choking spells infants

Remedies

1, An effective remedy for treating cough would be to slightly cut a lemon and fill it with black pepper. Suck this as it would reduce the cough.

2. One of the easiest methods would be to add a pinch of ground white pepper to one teaspoon of pure honey. Intake this 2 to 3 times a day.

3. Grapes tone up the lungs and act as an expectorant. An increase in consumption would be favorable in curing cough.

4. Take 1-2 grams each of black pepper,  long pepper, and dry ginger. Make a mixture of these ingredients and have it along with honey for 2-3 days.

5. An increase in the consumption of garlic also acts beneficial in treating cough.

6. Add 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 2 tablespoons of normal water to make a paste. Make a paste of these ingredients and have it once a day for treating cough problems.

7. Gargle with warm spinach juice. This helps cure dry cough.

8. For people suffering from dry cough, mix half of the cuscus grass (khus khus) in 3-4 teaspoons of coconut milk. to enhance the efficacy, add one teaspoon of honey. Drink this before going to bed.

9. Take 100 grams of raisins and grind it with some water. Add 100 grams of sugar and heat the mixture till it turns saucy. Intake of about 20 grams of this every day before sleeping at night.

10. Prepare a tea. Add aniseed and holy basil to it. Drink this tea at least twice a day to get relief from a cough.

11. Soak almonds overnight. In the morning, remove their brown cover and make a paste adding 20 grams of butter and sugar to it. Have this twice a day in the morning as well as in the evening.

12. Another effective home remedy would be to chew 4 basil leaves and hold black pepper. It would provide instant relief and treat the dough quickly.

13. Onions when mixed with honey also provide relief. Extract onion juice and mix it with honey. Consume this mixture 2-3 times a day. Another method would be to crush onions and add one lemon juice to it in a cup of boiling water. Pour in some honey and drink 2-3 times a day.

14. Take 500 grams of water and boil 10 grams of Sprague in it for 15 minutes. After it has cooled, add two pinches of salt. Gargle with this mixture two times a day. Apart from clearing excessive mucous, it would also soothe the throat.

15. Boil a cup of water and put a tsp of marjoram in it. Leave this mixture for 10-15 minutes and then drink. Have this three to four times a day to get cured of cough.

Precautions

1. Don't smoke and stay away from second-hand smoke.

2. If you have seasonal allergies like hay fever, stay indoors during days when airborne allergens are high. If possible, keep the windows closed and use an air conditioner. Avoid fans that draw in air from outdoors. Shower and change your clothes after being outside.

3. If you have allergies year round, cover your pillows and mattress with dust mite covers, use an air purifier, and avoid pets and other triggers.

4. Always eat fresh fruits and vegetables to prevent cough.

Herbal Remedies: Headaches

 Causes

Headaches can be triggered by a variety of factors.

The most common cause of headaches is prolonged tension or stress.

These are called tension headaches or muscle-construction headaches.

Virtually everyone suffers from this at some time.

Muscles in your scalp, neck, and face tighten and contract, causing spasms of pain.

Psychological factors such as anxiety, fatigue (e.g.: eyestrain), and stress (e.g.: long periods of concentration) as well as mechanical factors such as neck strain (e.g.: working the culprits behind a typical tension headache.)

Symptoms

1. Tension headaches generally cause pressure or a dull ache that affects the entire head. 

2. In most cases it begins slowly, with the ache usually focused above the eyes. There's a feeling of tightness across the forehead or at the back of the neck.

3. The ache can last for hours or days at a time, with mild to moderate pain that typically worsens by the end of the day.

4. Cluster headaches occur in "clusters" or groups, with pain lasting about 20 to 90 minutes at a time. They typically start during sleep.

Remedies

1. A simple yet effective remedy for headaches would be to apply sandalwood powder paste over the forehead. Let the paste dry. Once dry, rub it and then wash.

2. Grind a few watermelon seeds and Cuseus grass separately. Mix the ground powder in equal amounts. Consume 3 grams of this mixture two times a day.

3. Take some ginger powder and moisten it. Apply this over the forehead. It is beneficial in treating headaches. 

4. For people who have chronic headaches, drinking a glass of water with a tsp. of honey on an empty stomach is the best way to deal with it.

5. Watermelon juice mixed with sugar works well for headaches due to exposure to excessive heat.

6. Mix 1/2 tsp. of mustard seeds powder and 3 tsp. of water. Put this in the nostrils to cure headaches and migraine.

7. Massage the forehead with rosemary oil. This would provide relief from headache.

8. For headaches caused due to cold, warm water gargling, nasal cleaning with warm water and steam inhalation would be beneficial.

9. Make a paste using 3-4 cloves. Apply this paste to the forehead. It would provide instant relief from the headache.

10. Put 2 to 4 drops of cow's butter or ghee in the nostrils for about seven days. This is an effective remedy for headaches caused due to sinusitis.

11. For headaches that are due to live or stomach problems, hot fermentations over the abdomen region would provide relief.

12. Prepare a paste all over the forehead. This would provide relief from the headache. 

13. If the headache is because of exposure to cold air, make a paste with the help of 1 tsp. each of finely ground cinnamon and water. Apply this paste to the forehead. 

14. Consuming freshly sliced apples each day empty stomach cures all chronic headaches.

Precautions

1. Avoid stress as it may increase your headache.

2. Take good food and have a heavy sleep, a good relaxation also helps!!

3. Do not walk under the sun. Take an umbrella or cover your head with some cotton cloth.

4. Don't take tension and do regular yoga and exercises.

5. Especially breathing exercises help you a lot!

Herbal Remedies: Sore Throat

 Causes

1. Common viruses, including the viruses that cause mononucleosis (mono) and the flu. Some viruses can also produce blisters in the mouth and throat (aphthous stomatitis)

2. Infection of the tonsils or adenoids.

3. Breathing through the mouth or smoking can produce throat dryness and soreness.

4. Bacterial infections. The two most common bacteria that cause sore throat are streptococcus (which causes strep throat) and Arcanobacterium haemolyticum.

5. Arcanobacterium causes sore throats mainly in young adults and is sometimes associated with a fine red rash.

6. Sore throat appearing after treatment with antibiotics, chemotherapy, or other immune-compromising medications may be due to the yeast candida, known as thrush.

7. A sore throat lasting more than two weeks can be a sign of a serious illness.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a sore throat usually include a painful burning or scratching sensation in the back of the throat, pain when swallowing, and sometimes tenderness in the neck.

Other symptoms that may accompany a sore throat include:

1. Coughing

2. Sneezing

3. Hoarseness or laryngitis

4. Runny nose

5. Mild fever

6. General fatigue

7. Swollen lymph nodes (glands) in the neck 

8. Bad breath

Remedies

1. The most effective way to cure sore throat would be to mix 4 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp. of honey and 1/8 tsp. of cayenne. Have 1 tsp. of this mixture every day during sore throat. Make sure to chew well before swallowing.

2. In a cup of water, put some Holy Basil leaves. Boil this concoction, allow it to cool, and strain well. You can either drink it or use it for gargling.

3. A simple remedy for treating sore throat would be to gargle with lukewarm water. Add some salt to it, before gargling. This would surely provide relief.

4. In a pint of boiling water, add 1 or 2 tsp. dried chamomile blossoms. Let them steep well and then strain the water. Have a cup of this concoction, every few hours, during sore throat.

5. Another effective home remedy for sore throat would be to mix a tsp. each of apple cider vinegar and honey, along with a pinch of cayenne pepper and extracted juice of 1/4 lemon, in a cup of hot water. Stir well before drinking. Have this mixture 4 times a day.

6. Boil a glass of water. In it, add a pinch of powdered cloves, a pinch of pepper powder, and 1 tsp. honey. Drink this concoction once a day, preferably early morning. This is an effective way to cure sore throat.

7. Fenugreek seeds are beneficial in treating sore throat. In a glass of lukewarm water, add some fenugreek seeds and let them steep for some time. Strain the water and gargle with it, to cure sore throat.

8. In a pint of boiling water, add 2 sprigs of coarsely chopped parsley, 3 whole spice cloves, 1 tsp. of powdered myrrh and 1/4 tsp. of powdered goldenseal. Let the water simmer the concoction. Use it for gargling.

9. Take a cup with a lid and put some honey in it. Now, cut an onion slice and soak it in the honey. Put on the lid and keep aside for an hour. Have a tsp. of this honey every few hours.

10. Another beneficial method to get relief from sore throat would be to drink a glass of warm water, with lemon juice and some honey added to it.

11. Take a lemon and cut it into two halves. In one of the pieces, sprinkle some salt and black pepper Press it with a knife so that the pepper and salt penetrate in. Now, warm this lime piece and lick it. Have this twice or thrice a day, to get immediate relief from sore throat.

12. Barberry Tincture is effective in curing sore throat. Take 1/4 cup water and add 15 to 20 drops of the tincture to it. Have this water thrice daily, for 10 days.

13. In 600 ML of water, add 25 grams of fresh sage water and 1/4 tsp. cayenne. Give it a boil and allow it to cool. Now, strain this concoction and drink it once a day.

14. Make tea by putting a tsp. of dried red sage in one cup of boiling water. Cover it with a lid and leave for 10 minutes. Now, strain this mixture and add a few drops of vinegar to it. YOu can either drink it as tea or use it for gargling.

Precautions

Prevention of sore throat is not guaranteed by salt water gargling but it will lessen the risk.

Have a tablespoon of warm honey immediately after waking up.

Additionally, avoid polluted places and do not smoke.

Herbal Remedies: Stomachache

 Causes

1. One reason can be overweight.

2. It can also be due to indigestion.

3. Indigestion (dyspepsia) occurs when acid from your stomach irritates the lining of your stomach, esophagus (gullet), and top part of your bowel.

4. Can occur due to ulcers in the stomach.

5. In most cases, abdominal pain and diarrhea are short-lived, a result of improper digestion. When abdominal pain and diarrhea are persistent and long-lasting, they can interfere with daily life.

6. Chronic abdominal pain and diarrhea usually indicate the presence of an inflammatory bowel disease or a digestive disorder.

7. due to all these reasons the food does not get digested even if it has been taken at the proper time and is wholesome as well as light to digest.

Symptoms

1. Abdominal pain.

2. Burning feeling in the abdomen.

3. Burping or belching.

4. Feeling of fullness after eating that lasts longer than it should.

5. Feeling uncomfortably full after a normal-size meal.

Remedies

Here are simple home remedies to treat:

1. Add honey to your lemon tea and have it twice a day.

2. Take 1 tsp. of lemon juice and mint juice, add a few drops of ginger juice and black salt. Drinking this mixture will cure stomach pain.

3. Extract some juice after grating a few pieces of ginger, massaging this juice on your tummy will give you relief from stomach pain.

4. One of the most effective home remedies for stomachache would be to mix 1 tsp. each of mint juice and lime juice. To it, add a few drops of ginger juice and a pinch of black salt. Drink this mixture to alleviate pain.

5. Grate a small piece of ginger and extract its juice. Apply this juice to the bottom of the belly and massage it gently. This will be effective in curing stomachache.

6. If the stomach i due to acidity, the best bet would be to drink plain soda water. It would provide instant relief from the pain.

7. In 50 ML of water, mix 2 tsp. lemon juice and 1 gram of rock salt powder. Have this mixture three times a day.

8. Take dry ginger, black pepper, roasted cumin seeds, dry mint leaves, coriander, and asafetida. garlic, and rock salt in equal quantities. Grind them well and make a fine powder. Have 1 tsp. of this mixture, along with a warm glass of water, after meals.

9. Take 3 grams each of carom seeds and rock salt or common salt along with a glass of warm water, which helps in relieving a person from stomachache.

10. In a half a cup of warm water, add a tsp. each of ginger juice and castor oil. Have this mixture two times a day, to get relief from stomachache.

11. In a cup of water, add 20 grams of aniseeds. Keep it overnight and strain the mixture the next morning. Drink it to get relief from the pain.

12. Mix one gram of rock salt and two grams of dried and crushed celery leaves. Eat it to get instant relief from stomachache.

13. Grind three grams of tender tamarind leaves, with enough water, to make a paste. Once it turns into a liquefied form, add a gram of rock salt. Drink this mixture to get relief from stomachache.

14. Combine 1/2 tsp. lemon juice and 1 tsp. ginger juice. Add 1/4 tsp. sugar to this mixture and have it two times a day.

15. Pomegranates help treat stomachache. In a bowl of pomegranate seeds, sprinkle some salt and black pepper. Eat the seeds, while making sure to chew them properly.

16. Grind bael (Aegle marmellos) and form a pulp. Mix it in a glass of freshly prepared buttermilk. Stir it well before drinking.

17. Prepare a paste of fenugreek seeds. Now add this paste to a bowl of curd. This is one of the most effective ways to treat stomach cramps and pain.

18. In a half liter of water, add 2 grams each of black currants and fennel seeds and keep it overnight. The next morning, mash the contents in water and add a gram of water. Have this concoction daily, in the morning, to get relief from chronic stomach pain.

Precautions

1. Fasting for the whole day is not recommended at least fruits and juices should be taken in that case.

2. The diet should consist of old rice and light vegetable soup of spinach with warm water.

3. Avoid all heavy and fried foods and cold drinks.

4. Excess sweet milk and its products which are heavy for digestion and meat of animals.

5. Do not include dairy products in your diet.

Herbal Remedies: Chapped Lips

 Causes

Chapped lips normally happen during the months of the winter when the temperature of the air is low as is the humidity.

Common causes of chapped lips include the following:

In most cases because of the elements.

1. Dehydration.

2. Use of soaps and other chemicals frequently.

3. Sun exposure.

4. Medications for instance drugs to treat acne.

5. Contact dermatitis due to allergens for skin care.

6. Vitamin deficiency especially A, B, and C.

7. Smoking.

8. Riboflavin or Vitamin B-2 deficiencies.

9. Dentures that are ill-fitting.

Remedies

1. The most simple and vital treatment for curing dry chapped lips would be the intake of lots of water. Less water results in dryness in both the skin and the lips. Keeping the body hydrated is very important.

2. Another simple yet effective home remedy would be to apply lip balm or petroleum jelly on the lips. This will help them remain smooth. Do not forget to apply it before going to bed.

3. Pure ghee or butter is also beneficial in treating dry chapped lips. Apply a little ghee or butter to the naval. It helps to keep the lips smooth and heals the cracks formed.

4. Take a few rose petals and soak them in raw milk for a few hours. After, make a paste and apply it to the lips. This would not only heal the dryness but also work effectively.

5. Apply milk cream on the lips. This will help remove the dry dead skin and to make the lips smooth.

6. Rub a slice of cucumber on your lips. This would help cure dry and chapped lips.

7. Grind a few neem leaves and take out the juice. Apply this juice to the lips to heal the cracked and chapped lips.

8. Application of aloe vera gel on the lips also cures a person suffering from dry chapped lips.

9. Loss of Vitamin A is the cause of dry chapped lips. Increase the intake of foods rich in Vitamin A such as carrots, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, legumes, whole grains, and nutritional yeast.

10. In a tsp. of glycerin, add a few drops of honey. Apply this paste on the lips and keep them overnight. This will help to keep the lips soft and smooth.

11. Apply castor oil on the lips. This will help to cure dry chapped lips.

12. Another effective way to cure dry chapped lips would be to apply sunscreen lip balm or moisturizer. This would help prevent dry patches and also heal the dryness of the lips.

13. For women who put on lipstick, apply moisture-based lipstick on the lips. Do not put on excessive lipstick and allow the lips to breathe.

14. Crush a few rose petals in glycerin. This would not only retain the color and the lost moisture but also cure dryness.

15. Avoid wetting the lips with the tongue. It makes the lips dark, and color and loses moisture. Instead, apply a chapstick or moisturizer.

Herbal Remedies: Backache

 Causes

1. Common Causes of back pain involve disease or injury to the spine's muscles, bones, and/or nerves.

Pain arising from abnormalities of organs within the abdomen, pelvis, or chest may also be felt in the back. This is called referred pain.

2. Normal pregnancy can cause back pain, including stretching ligaments within the pelvis, irritating nerves, and straining the lower back.

3. Back pain is also caused by: lumbar muscle strain. Muscle strains are the most common cause of low back pain. Ruptured disc, disco-genic back pain, and spinal stenosis can be seen in adults; lumbar spine arthritis: arthritis most commonly affects joints such as the knees and fingers.

Symptoms

1. A fever of 38 degrees C. (100.4 degrees F.) or above.

2. Unexplained weight loss.

3. Swelling of the back.

4. Constant back pain that does not ease after lying down.

5. Pain in your chest or high up in your back.

6. Pain down your legs and below your knees.

7. Pain caused by a recent trauma or injury to your back.

8. Loss of bladder control.

9. Inability to pass urine.

10. Loss of bowel control.

11. Numbness around your genitals, buttocks, or back passage.

12. Pain that is worse at night.

Remedies

1. An effective home remedy for backache would comprise a combination of wheat cuscus grass and coriander. Soak 60 grams in water overnight. The next morning, add 30 grams each of cuscus grass and coriander to it. Add 2550 ML milk. Put the mixture in a pan and boil it until only 2/3 of the quantity is left. Drink this concoction to get relief from backache.

2. Mix 3 grams of khas khas grass with 3 grams of sugar candy. Take this mixture twice a day, with a glass of milk.

3. Mix 1 tbsp. glucose or honey in warm water and have it in the morning, on an empty stomach. It is a simple, yet effective way to get relief from backache.

4. Eat two or three cloves of garlic in a day. Garlic oil can also be effective in curing backache. To prepare garlic oil, fry ten cloves of garlic oil in 60 ML of oil (mustard oil, sesame oil, or coconut oil). Strain the oil, let it cool down a bit, and massage the back with it.

5. Mint oil has been found effective in curing backache. Lightly massage your back using some mint oil. It will give relief from the pain.

6. Apply some heat to the back, using a hot water bottle or infrared lamp. This would give instant relief from the pain.

7. Massaging with turpentine oil is another effective home remedy for backache.

8. An effective home remedy would be to apply potato, in the poultice form. Peel a potato and cut into cubes. Boil the cubes and mash them. After they cool down a bit, apply on the back and hold it there with a bandage for an hour.

9. Take out the juice of one lemon and add some common salt to it. Intake this, twice a day.

10. Basil leaves can also cure a person suffering from backache. Take a cup of water and boil ten basil leaves in it. Let the water boil til only half the quantity is left. Cool down the water and add 1/4 tsp. salt. Drink this concoction once a day.

11. For tea drinkers, an easy remedy would be to add 5 black peppercorns, 5 cloves, and 1 gram dry ginger powder to the tea. Have such a tea twice every day.

12. Include foods that have rich Vitamin C content, such as citrus fruit, tomatoes, blueberries, and strawberries, in your diet.

Precautions

1. Sit with knees higher than hips.

2. Do not reach out for overhead objects as they twist an unbalanced spine and may cause ligaments to stretch beyond their limits.

3. Do not lift weight above the head.

4. Do not lift weight out in front of you.

5. Do not stoop.

6. Do not move furniture by pulling it in front of you.

7. Do not push windows up.

8. Do not maintain any one position for a prolonged period.

9. Sleep on a firm mattress.

10. Do not arch your back while getting up from a sitting position.

11. Move to the front of the chair and then stand up to prevent arching of the back.

12. Whenever possible, do take support while getting up.

13. Never bend over to lift anything off the ground with your knees straight.