Homemade Remedies To Cure Any Cold Faster

Having a cold is never a pleasant experience specially if the symptoms include a sore throat, runny nose, congestions, coughs, headaches or body aches. And worst of all we get a cold when we less expected and maybe we had big plans that weekend or a lot of work to be done and all we want to do is lay down and sleep for hours. Resting and staying hydrated are key things you can do when you have a cold, but we bring you a few more homemade remedies you can take into account to recover faster from your cold!

1. Saltwater Gargle

One of the best things you can do when you have a cold symptom involving a sore throat is saltwater gargle to get a temporally relieve of the pain, soothe inflammation and prevent infections from coming back. Mix a good amount of salt, but not that much it dehydrates your mouth, about half to a complete teaspoon will do fine, to a glass of warm water to uses as gargle, take a large sip of this mixture, tilt back your head and gargle for about 30 seconds before spitting it all out.

Be sure to repeat this process until your glass of saltwater is empty and repeat it every few hours to really help your throat reducing its pain. If you want to change your saltwater flavor you can add ginger, honey, lemon, peppermint or garlic.

2. Honey + A List Of Ingredients

Honey has a lot of antibacterial and antimicrobial properties which makes it a good ally while you have the flu. Great for a sore throat or a cough suppressant honey can be consumed alone or match with a few other ingredients to multiple their effects. For example, you can make a lemon or lime tea and sweeten it with honey to drink a hot beverage that will rise your body temperature helping you with a stuffy nose, sore throat, improve digestion and in general to feel better.  

Honey can also be mixed with cinnamon to create a syrup looking mixture that will help you cure a common cold by having a few spoons of this syrup twice a day. If you are having a really bad cough, try mixing honey with a bit of brandy to keep your chest warm and cure you from that cold also.

3. Garlic

This vegetable might not have the best after breath of all but is definitely one you should try eating more when you have a cold. Garlic is full of alliin which helps your immune system fight germs. The more garlic you implement in your diets the better since its properties can help you prevent colds, reduce the time you have the flu and other diseases like reducing heart risk and improving mental health.

The best way to consume garlic is in its natural form, crushed, sliced or minced and added to your favorite foods, but you can also find garlic in powder form, garlic oil, aged garlic extract and as garlic supplements.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

Try combining apple cider vinegar with lemon juice, a glass of water and a bit of honey to give it a sweeter flavor, heat it up a bit in the microwave and drink it as a homemade remedy while having a cold. This mixture will help you alkalinize your body therefore killing bacteria and viruses easily. Apple cider vinegar has also a big concentration of vitamin C, fiber and acids that are believed to boost up your immune system while breaking the congestion that comes with colds. You can also mix apple cider vinegar with a bit of warm water and used it as a gargle to cure uncomfortable congestion.

Rinse your mouth thoughtfully after drinking any type of apple cider vinegar because it might affect your teeth in the long run. Another way of using this type of vinegar is by rubbing it on your throat and sinuses because of its strong smell it will help you loosen your congestion and help you breathe a lot easier. If you can’t really stand apple cider vinegar strong smell or taste you could try consuming it in pills that have more or less the same benefits.

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5. Ginger

Fresh ginger can be considered one of the best homemade remedies for attacking a cold. It’s easy to find, pretty cheap and it has a lot of benefits for your body! Ginger roots are full of anti-inflammatory gingerols and shaogals that help you relieve a sore throat quickly, kill rhinoviruses and warm up your body temperature because of the spiciness of the root. You can sliced a ginger root and throw a few slices into boiling water to have a delicious fresh ginger tea you can sweeten up with a few drops of honey and drink it to help you relieve congestion, plus reducing the time you have a cold by drinking this tea twice a day.

Chinese culture even mixes ground ginger with cayenne pepper and sprinkle it on their socks trying to walk with these on as much as possible which will make your feet extra warm and sweat out a lot of the cold toxins that are infecting your body. Try having a vapor diffuser with ginger essence on to breath while you sleep since they are also a are a great way to relive your lungs from any inflammation and help you fight a cold.

6. Elderberry Syrup

Elderberries are a fruit of the Sambucus tree that has been used by Native Americans and European herbalist for a long time because of its health benefits. Elderberries have a lot of antioxidants; they are also known for boosting the immune system to help the body fight colds and respiratory infections. You can buy a elderberry syrup, but is way better and cheaper when you make your own, especially because you can consume it as a cold prevention remedy.

To make this syrup you will need dried elderberries, water, cinnamon, ground clove, ground ginger, honey and apple cider vinegar. Start by simmering the berries, spices and water in a sauce pot until the liquid is reduced by half, then strain into a bowl, mix in the honey and apple cider vinegar until well combined. pour into your favorite glass and store up to 3 months.

Do you have any favorite homemade remedies you like to consume when you have the cold? Don’t forget to share them with us in the comments!

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