Ayurveda for common cold and coughs

How you catch them?

Cold and coughs are quite common especially during spring and early summer due to weak digestion and aggravation of Kapha. From Ayurvedic point of view, when the food we consume on a daily basis is not fully digested, it eventually transforms into ama (toxins). Subsequently, it reaches the respiratory system and causes cough or cold. Not only that one could also get cold or cough by exposing to cold air or humid conditions. Hence, Ayurvedic texts identifies certain remedies which can be further categorized as follows:

Home remedies

  • Keep your head, feet, chest and throat warm. In order to do so, one could consume hot herbal tea or other hot beverage regularly.
  • Half a cup of warm water mixed with one teaspoon of honey and one teaspoon of lemon juice can be taken 2-3 times a day.
  • In case of sore throat, gargling with warm salty water 2-3 times a day is also beneficial. One could also steam with peppermint to pacify the sore throat.

Diet

  • Avoid ice cream, cold drinks, fried food and products which are made out of milk such as cheese, yoghurt etc. However, one could consume hot non-fat milk by mixing a small piece of crushed ginger while it’s boiling.
  • Moreover, vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, bananas, and eggplants should not be taken.
  • It is recommended to consume a warm and light diet i.e. steamed vegetables, vegetable soup and fruits such as apples and papayas. Click here to check our simple Ayurvedic vegetable soup recipe
  • Include spices such as black-pepper, coriander and cumin when preparing your meals.

Lifestyle 

  • Sleep early, since sleep boots immunity while building essential energy.
  • Consume well-cooked and fresh food and make sure to time your meals appropriately.
  • Avoid fasting
  • Make sure not to skip meals or overeat.