Common cold is a viral inflammation of the respiratory tract. Unless local resistance and general immunity are increased, any person is likely to catch colds often. Poor diet, lack of exercise and living in poorly ventilated areas can lower body resistance. Sneezing, running nose, teary eyes and stuffiness in the head are common symptoms. A good nutritious diet plays a viral role in preventing common cold so that complications like bronchitis, infected sinuses and middle ear infections are not precipitated.

SIMPLE MEASURES TO PREVENT COLD:

1. Drink a cup of hot lemon juice with honey before going to sleep.

2. Take a teaspoon of honey with warm water everyday before meals.

3. Apply mustard oil diluted with base oil everyday on the bridge of the nose.

4. Increase in the daily diet foods and herbs like basil, figs, ginger, lemon, blackberries, onion, radish, garlic, saffron and grapefruit.

REMEDIES FOR COLD: At the early stage the simplest way to reduce infection is by eating sensibly, getting proper rest, avoiding exposure to chills and learning to relax. Discomfort can be minimised by rest and drinking more fluids. Give plenty of water to drink for 24 hours. Increase in the diet foods rich in vitamin C .

1.) A spoon of honey a day keeps cold and other infections away.

2.) If the nose is blocked due to cold, do not blow the nose because forceful blowing may spread infection into the sinuses and eustachian tube. Avoid foods that trigger cold symptoms like cinnamon,cold drinks, cucumber and pineapple .

3.) Drink garlic soup. Simmer a few pips of garlic in water together with a small onion and some salt and black pepper powder.

4.) Eat a fresh starfruit everyday.

5.) Soak a few dried figs in water, squeeze and drink the mixture 3 times a day.

TIP– Drink two teaspoons of decoction of garlic with a pinch of mustard seed powder in water once a day.