Growing up it seemed that no matter what was wrong with my brother and I, my mom always had something with a nasty taste or smell that would heal any cuts and scrapes and I swear if I came home with plague she would have made some kind of bubbling potion that would cure it.
Vitamin C
The first thing someone will tell you to do when you have a cold is drink plenty of hot tea with lemon. This is because lemon contains vitamin C. when taken in times of health it can help keep your immune system strong so the body can fight off the germs that cause a cold, but once you have a cold it also help shorten the duration f the cold and helps relieve the symptoms of the cold as well.
Antiseptic Soup:
I know the name Antiseptic soup does not sound appealing, but the soup is made from garlic. The soup helps open the repertory system. The soup also helps kill the germs already in the body causing the cold, and by adding a tablespoon of onion juice you can help remove toxins from your body to help speed the body's recovery time.
Ginger Tea:
If you have a cold with a fever the answer is tea with ginger. This does not mean make a cup of tea with a tea bag of ginger tea. This does not have enough ginger in it to make a difference. What you need to do is cut up several pieces of ginger, approximately a quarter of an ounce, and put it in a pot. Put a cup of water in the pot and bring it to a boil. After the water boils, strain the chunks of ginger out of the water and pour the remains into a glass add sugar for taste, and drink it.
Diet:
Many moms go by the old adage feed a fever starve a cold, and this is still good advice today. When the patient has a fever it is best to just give them water, fruit and vegetable juices mixed with some water. A fever can make the body sweat and burn off much energy and without plenty of fluids your body will start to dehydrate, which can prolong and worsen the problem.
Peppers:
Whenever I had a stuffy nose my mom would always make us a Tamarind and pepper soup. This would immediately make my nose flow a river and my eyes tear out of control. The hot peppers open the nasal passages and cause everything to flow out.
Go for the Source:
All of the remedies so far have been ways to relieve the effects of the cold, but this remedy is aimed at curing the entire cold. The Bitter Gourd Root is made into a past and mixed with homey. For every 1 teaspoon of Bitter Gourd Root add 1 teaspoon of honey. Take a tablespoon of the mixture every night for 30 days to rid yourself of the cold germs and to help rebuild your immune system.
Turmeric Root:
This cure will cure everything that ails you. It will rid you of all the suffering from sore throats congestion and runny nose. For this cure you want to buy the turmeric root in a powder form. Pour half a teaspoon of the turmeric root powder into a pot with 1 cup of milk and bring t a boil. When the mixture begins to boil, deeply inhale the steam. Then allow the milk to cool slightly and drink this twice a day. In just a few days you will feel better.
These were just some of my mom's old home remedies, and with winter approaching I hope that they will help you get thru the winter feeling happy and healthy.
