Here Are 9 Tried And Tested ‘Nani Ke Nuskhe’ For Getting Rid Of Cold And Cough
shivani k 
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It could be summer, winter, or autumn. No matter what the climatic conditions are throughout the year, there’s one common health problem that seems to attack us. The cold and cough! We can already picture most of you nodding your head in despair after acknowledging this.
Yes, cold and cough are the most common problems and when one is stuck with them, it’s the most irritating feeling ever. There are the problems of sore throat, painful cough, blocked nose, and let’s not forget the exhaustion that follows. All these make it difficult for one to get out of bed.
We try numerous antibiotic medicines and many other disgusting types of syrup. And, when everything fails, we all know whom we go and cry to — our grandmother aka Nani, of course. Our grandmoms have more than one remedy and all of them work like magic. And, these remedies are way better than off-the-counter medicines. From adrak wali chai to haldi wala doodh, our grandmothers knew which ingredient shoos away the cold and cough. Let’s have a look at some of those nushkas.
1. Ginger Tea
Whether you’re suffering from a normal cold or cough or even flu caused by a virus — ginger tea is a must-have. Ginger is considered to be a versatile superfood that hosts a wealth of benefits. It’s packed with immune-boosting ingredients and the anti-microbial qualities of ginger help relieve the throat pain and soothe it. While ginger can be included in many ways, we Indians love our chai and having adrak chai is the easiest way to reap the benefits of ginger while treating yourself for the cold-cough problems.
2. Turmeric Milk
In India, it’s popularly known as the “golden drink.” This yellow beverage is usually made by warming milk and adding some turmeric and pepper to it. Turmeric milk is touted for boosting immunity levels of our human body owing to antibacterial and antiviral properties. In fact, people don’t just have it when they have a cold and cough. Some of them have it every day before going to bed as this milk is said to keep one away from any kind of illness.
3. Honey With Methi
Methi aka fenugreek seeds when eaten by themselves taste very disgusting. But, Nani says methi is very good for cold owing to its anti-inflammatory properties. And, honey possesses anti-viral properties that will help ward off any infection caused due to cold or cough. Nani also showed us a yummy way of eating Methi that removes the bitter taste. Boil methi seeds in water. Once the mixture cools down, add some honey to it and gulp the liquid down.
4. Garlic
All over the world, people turn to garlic when they’re unwell — this is something that has been practiced for centuries now. Eating raw garlic boosts your immune system by a thousand folds and helps in beating down the bad cold.
5. Pepper And Honey
Grandmothers and mothers alike will give us a teaspoon of this mixture when we’re battling a bad cold. Honey has immense inflammatory properties and pepper, on the other hand, has antibacterial properties. These make this solution our grandmother’s favorite nushka.
6. Green Tea
This antioxidant-rich beverage makes one recover from cold or cough on a speedy note. And if you want to sweeten this drink, use honey instead of sugar to clear out phlegm that has accumulated.
7. Kadha
It’s the magic potion of every true Indian household. It’s a concoction made of different spices — ginger, pepper, tulsi, cloves, etc. These spices are boiled in water, and when the water reduces to half of its proportion honey is mixed and then, consumed. Every household will have its own recipe of kadha that has been passed down for generations. This concoction helps soothe the throat, clears the phlegm and sinuses, and speeds up the recovery process.
8. Honey-Soaked Onion
The properties of onion loosen up the mucus in our system, making them easier to get rid of. They have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties and are expectorants, as well. Soaking them with honey overnight and consuming it the next day makes it easier for us to eat it raw. And also, we benefit from the antiviral properties of the honey.
Have it twice a day and boost your immune system whilst fighting the cold.
9. Dahi
This might seem a little strange for the first-timers. However, dahi or curd does help in fighting the cold in spite of it being in cold temperature. The probiotic property of curd is the star that helps fight inflammation caused by cold or cough.
This year, if you fall prey to a bout of cold or cough, do try these home remedies recommended by most of the grandmoms out there. Does your grandmother use any other special house remedy to treat cold or cough? We’d love to hear about it. Leave them in the comments below.
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