So, you’re constantly sniffling, sneezing and coughing. Your head probably feels heavy like it’s been stuffed full of cotton. Chances are that you’ve caught a cold. Now this can be quite troublesome, as it can impede your concentration and ability to work. Plus there’s nothing like catching a cold to make you want your mother’s comforting hand and care. In this article, we shall look at ways to get over a cold fast.
The common cold is caused by a virus that occurs in a multitude of strains. And it is not easy to cure this with a singular medicine or vaccine. In addition, it can be expensive to treat a cold with medications and there is no guarantee of a cure. In fact, you may unknowingly aid the virus to become resistant to such medications. Listed below are some home remedies that can help to get over a cold fast.
Remedies to Get Over a Cold Fast:
1.) Ginger to Get Over a Cold Fast
This remedy is perhaps one of the best to get over a cold fast. The warming nature of ginger is useful to relieve congestion. This is thanks to a compound present in ginger called gingerol. In addition, ginger possesses anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. Also, it helps to strengthen the immune system to fight off the cold virus. And as an added bonus, this remedy is much tastier than cold and flu medication.
For Preparation:
- 6-inch piece of fresh ginger root
- 4 cups water
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- A pinch of cinnamon (optional)
- Glass jug/jar (1 quart)
- Grater
- Your favorite mug
Method:
- First, peel and grate the ginger. Put this in the glass jug along with the measure of cinnamon.
- Now, bring the 4 cups of water to a rolling boil. Pour this into the jug and cover with a lid.
- Leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
- Place a tea strainer over your favourite mug and pour out the desired amount of ginger tea. At this point, you may add the lemon juice and honey for flavour. Stir well.
- Any leftover tea may be stored in the refrigerator. Simply reheat and drink 3 times in a day.
2.) Cure a Cold Fast with Garlic
This natural remedy contains powerful antimicrobial, antiviral and antioxidant properties. In addition, the pungent garlic acts as a natural decongestant and expectorant. Most importantly, garlic contains a powerful antibacterial called allicin. It is only present in a short amount of time, between from when a garlic clove is crushed to before it is heated. Hence, consuming raw garlic is what helps to get over a cold fast.
For Preparation:
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Honey (organic) or Olive oil
- A slice of toast or a cracker
- A knife
- A cutting board
Method:
- First, peel 2-4 fresh cloves of garlic.
- Place it on the cutting board and crush with the flat side of the knife. You may even chop it up into small pieces, or simply crush it till it is a coarse paste.
- Leave this to stand for 15 minutes. This will activate the allicin compound.
- Now add ½ a tablespoon of honey or olive oil.
- Mix this up and spread it over the toast or cracker. Eat this straight away.
3.) Steam to Get Over a Cold Fast
Inhaling hot steam can be considered as almost an instant fix to get over a cold fast. The hot steam helps to loosen up the mucus clogging the nasal passages and makes it easy to expel. Furthermore, you can combine this method with some essential oils to help dislodge the congestion. Tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil is the best to use for this method.
For Preparation:
- A big glass bowl
- Boiling water
- A towel
- Tea tree or eucalyptus essential oil Tissues
- Tissues
Method:
- Place 5-10 drops of your chosen essential oil into the bowl. You may adjust the amount according to the strength of steam you desire.
- Now pour in 3-4 cups of boiling water (or less depending on the capacity of the bowl).
- Position your face at a comfortable distance from the bowl. Make sure you are not close enough for the steam to burn your face.
- Now, position the towel to cover your head and the bowl. This is to trap the escaping steam and to allow you to inhale it well. Breathe in deeply through your nose.
- Once you feel your nose start to drip, resurface and blow your nose. Go back under and repeat.
4.) Cinnamon to Treat a Cold
Cinnamon is beneficial to cure a cold because it contains powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. In addition, cinnamon helps to strengthen and boost the immune system to fight against the cold virus. Combining cinnamon with honey is an age-old home remedy to get over a cold fast. There are many ways to harness the power of these ingredients.
For Preparation:
- 2-3 sticks of cinnamon
- 2 cups of water
- A tea bag of your choice (green or herbal)
- 1 teaspoon of honey (organic)
- ½ teaspoon of lemon juice
- Your favourite tea cup or mug
Method:
- First, in a saucepan, boil the cinnamon sticks with the 2 cups of water. Let this boil for 3-5 minutes.
- Now, strain this cinnamon-infused water into your mug. Add the chosen tea bag into the hot cinnamon water and let it steep for 2-3 minutes.
- Now, add the honey and lemon juice and stir well to dissolve.
- Sip on this tea and enjoy. You can also inhale the steam wafting from the mug as an added measure against the cold.
5.) Honey-Onion Treatment for a Cold
Sometimes, a cold is accompanied by a dry cough or a wet cough. These can leave your throat sore or dry, and sometimes painful. Honey contains soothing properties that help to heal your sore throat. And onions possess antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities, in a milder form as compared to garlic. These together make a good remedy to get over a cold fast.
For Preparation:
- 1 medium size red onion
- 1 cup honey (organic)
- An airtight glass jar/container
Method:
- First, peel and wash the onion well. Cut the onion into even slices.
- Now, layer the onion and honey in the glass jar. First lay down a slice of onion in the jar. Now pour over a layer of honey.
- In this manner, repeat and build up the layers of honey and onion. Cover the jar with the airtight lid and leave it to infuse overnight.
- The next day there should be a liquid in the jar. Muddle this tonic slightly and consume 1-3 teaspoons as needed.
6.) Cure a Cold Overnight with Pepper
One natural remedy to get over a cold fast is a combination of dark peppers and honey. These peppers contain a component known as piperine. This helps to clear congested nasal passages. Honey, as we all know, possesses various antiviral and antibiotic properties.
For Preparation:
- 1 teaspoon of crushed or powdered black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- Boiling water
- Your favourite cup
Method:
- Place the crushed dark pepper and honey in your favourite cup and mix slightly.
- Pour the boiling water over this mix. Fill the cup halfway up. Let this steep for 15-20 minutes.
- Now, stir well to blend everything and slowly sip this warm solution.
7.) Fenugreek to Get Over a Cold Fast
This herb is wonderful to fight a cold that is accompanied by a stuffy nose. You can use this remedy to help clear out congestion and clogged nasal passages. Another important thing to remember when fighting off a cold is that you must stay hydrated. Follow these steps to get over a cold fast.
For Preparation:
- 4 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
- 4 cup water
- A saucepan
- A glass jar or bottle
Method:
- Add the water and fenugreek seeds to the saucepan. Put it on heat and let it come to a rolling boil.
- Strain this solution into the glass jar.
- Drink one glass of this solution while it is still warm. You can drink the rest throughout the day. Do not refrigerate or reheat.
8.) Get Rid of a Cold with Peppermint
What makes peppermint so effective is the main ingredient found in peppermint, called menthol. This acts as an expectorant to dislodge congestion from the nasal passages. In addition, it helps to soothe sore throats that may accompany a cold. The best way to harness the benefits of this herb to get over a cold fast is to make a tea.
For Preparation:
- A handful of fresh peppermint leaves
- 1 cup water
- Your favourite mug
Method:
- Lightly crush the peppermint leaves to release the essence. Add the leaves to your mug.
- Boil the water. Pour in the hot water and let it sit for 3-4 minutes to infuse.
- Strain the tea and add a teaspoon or so of honey for flavour. Sip on this while it is still warm.
9.) Mullein to Treat Cold Fast
For all those who do not know what mullein is, it is a plant and mullein leaf is a wonderful remedy for flu, cold and cough. It is available throughout the US. It is known to be an expectorant that loosens the mucus and thus you can cough enough. You can use this excellent remedy to treat chest congestion. For added benefit, mix some thyme in it and ingest it.
For Preparation:
- 1-2 tablespoons of dried mullein or a 5-6n tablespoon of fresh mullein flowers.
- 5 tablespoons of dried thyme.
- A dash of lemon juice and honey to taste.
- A bowl full of water
Method:
- In a bowl boil water.
- Once it has been boiled add mullein and thyme to it.
- Cover the bowl and leave it to steep for a few minutes.
- After the few minutes, stir it and add lemon and honey to it.
- Sip this wonderful remedy to treat your congestion regularly 2 times a day.
10.) Homemade Inhaler to Cure Cold Fast
Another remedy that will definitely work for you is a homemade inhaler. Inhalers that are available at the drug store have lots of chemicals that might not be a healthy option, thus a homemade inhaler comes handy. It has goodness of eucalyptus, lavender, tea tree oil and lime Since it has all the natural ingredients so you know how much effective it is going to be.
For Preparation:
For Adults:
- A blank inhaler
- Few drops of Eucalyptus oil
- A few drops of black spruce
- Few drops of tea tree oil
- A Few drops of lavender
- 1 drop of lemon juice.
For Children:
- A drop of Eucalyptus oil
- 1 drop of lemon juice
- Few drops of tea tree oil
- 2 drops of black spruce
- 2 drops of lavender
- 1 inhaler
Procedure:
- In a small narrow bottle add all the oils and mix them thoroughly.
- Insert a cotton ball into it and let it absorb all the oils.
- Close the inhaler tightly. Clean the oil from the sides of the inhaler. Make sure it does not drip off.
- Hold this inhaler up to the nostril and press your other nostril with fingers.
- Take a deep breath, remove the inhaler and breathe it out.
- Make sure, you keep it tightly closed and far from the heat.
11.) Vitamin C to Treat a Cold
This vitamin is a good antioxidant that helps to boost the function of your immune system. Therefore, ingesting vitamin C will effectively help you to get over a cold fast. One way to do this is to take vitamin C supplements once or twice a day. You can also obtain this naturally through fruits like kiwis, oranges, strawberries and vegetables like Brussels sprouts, spinach, kale and such. Drink these veggies and fruits raw or have a fruit juice. A shake or smoothie will also work for you.
12.) Rest to Get Rid of a Cold
For the remedies to work to maximum efficiency it is advised to rest your body. If you strain your body while you are sick, then it takes longer to cure yourself of the cold. Simply relax for a day or so and let your immune system fight the virus. It is one of the best remedies to get rid of fever, congestion, runny nose and sore throat that are often accompanied with a cough. It is proven that taking some rest and relieving stress greatly reduces the duration that you may be sick.
