Simple home remedies can take care of common cold

As winter is around the corner, we need be prepared to face the vagaries of nature, especially during the change of season which may bring with it the most irritating and unbearable infections. Common cold is one. Simple home remedies can do wonders in curing common cold.

The simplest way to fight common cold is to build the immune system of the body. When the immunity of the body is stimulated, it helps lessen the severity of the symptoms of the cold and also its duration. There are certain easy steps which can be taken to stimulate immunity.

One should reduce intake of pro-inflammatory fats like dairy products and red meat, cut down on alcohol consumption as it tends to weaken the detoxification system of the body and restrains the response of the immunity system. To protect one from germs, one should avoid close contact with people suffering from cold.

Wash your hands frequently and avoid unnecessarily touching or rubbing your eyes, mouth or nose off and on.

In the winters, it is best to keep the chest and the neck protected from cold winds. An acupuncture treatment can also be done to strengthen the immunity. The immunity system can be reduced in a span of one to five hours after consumption of excess sugar, hence it should be avoided.

The immunity of the system is hampered because of stress. Hence, one must have proper sleep and relax during colder days to avoid stress related symptoms. Anti-stress activities like massage and meditation are advisable. Many nutrients are extremely beneficial to build up the immunity system. Intake of nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin A, zinc, thymus, vitamin E and selenium should be also increased.

These steps can be taken to strengthen the immunity of the body as precaution. But when one falls sick, Echinacea should be taken at the first sign of the infection. This will help reduce the duration of the cold. This herbal supplement is very safe and non-toxic.

Another recommended herb is Goldenseal. Goldenseal contains an alkaloid called ‘Berberine’ which possesses anti-microbial characteristics to fight against a wide range of organisms. This herb also builds immunity, but it should not be taken during pregnancy.

Another Chinese herb called Astragalus can be used to increase the body’s capacity to avoid disease. This will reduce frequency and duration of the cold. With these entire herbs one must consume sufficient amounts of Thymus, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Colostrums, Zinc and Beta-glucan.

While buying any herbal medicine one must not compromise on the quality of the product. Cheaper herbal supplements are available in the market, but price mostly depends on the quality of product, thus one should purchase only quality product.

It is better to obtain medicines from the clinics of doctors and from those pharmacists who can ensure availability of quality products with all the details about it labeled on it.