Do this the next time you find yourself coming down with a cough or a cold instead of running to the pharmacy and you can thank us later. We are talking about simply reaching in to your own pantry cupboard. That spice cabinet is a treasure trove of natural remedies that you can start right away and treat that unsettling cough and cold.

Drugs are loaded with toxins and can cause drowsiness and other side effects. While there is merit in allopathic medications, they could be used if you don’t recover naturally. Why do we say that? Because your body is trying to do something for itself when you come down with a cough and a cold. It is a function of time. If you’ve eaten something wrong you will get diarrhoea or you will vomit it out. Similarly if you have inhaled something that your body is rejecting , it coughs it out. Honour the symptom.

Now that we have established that it is important to find the root cause and not just treat the symptom, here is a compilation of tips that will immediately help treat common colds and cough naturally.

When you first start to feel sick:

• Make sure you get plenty of rest – Our body can’t fight if it’s chronically tired.
• Start drinking more liquids – and in this case where the throat is involved – have warm liquids like broths, warm water, turmeric tea and such.
• Use natural remedies to boost immune system

Just because something is natural you can’t use it willy nilly. Always observe your body and if the symptoms get out of hand, if it moves to becoming an infection, modern medicine has its advantages. So always use common sense.

Here’s what you can consume:

• Immune boosting herbs like basil, elderberry, garlic, ginger, acai berry, licorice root and the like. Avoid ginger if you have a blood clotting disorder, don’t use licorice if you have heart or pressure issues.
• Honey: because it doesn’t just relieve the symptoms , it goes for the root cause as it has more antioxidant and anti microbial properties than even a cough syrup.
• Peppermint – in form of tea or oil – it is better than toxic chemical laden balms.
• Cinnamon – It is rich in antioxidant polyphenols and proanthocyanidins that boost your immunity naturally. It is also packed with antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Have it in a hot concoction form or in a latte.
• Cloves if sucked on and relieve you of cough.

Some other ways that are known to help are:

• Salt water gargling
• Salt water nasal spray
• Inhaling menthol/Lavender vapours helps with congestion
• Vitamin C supplements may help with quicker recovery
• Eat infection fighting food

Deficiencies of essential vitamins could lower your immunity. When did you last check your Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D?