Everyone experiences cough at least once in a year. Coughing is a common reflex action that helps in clearing phlegm or mucous that is blocking the way inside the throat. It basically protects your lungs and windpipe from foreign substances.
It is not uncommon when you cough to clear your throat from time to time. Be it to remove your hoarse voice after waking up from a short nap, or even before singing. Coughing is the most common way to remove the blockage from your throat.
The best treatment of a cough is dependent on the underlying cause which includes infections, allergies and, acid reflux.
Generally, the most common cause of cough is the Common cold which is caused due to viruses and many take antibiotics to get rid of it. But, to burst your bubble, the truth is Antibiotics do not work on the virus.
Source : Antibiotics – Are you misusing them?
Table of Contents
Causes of Cough
- Virus and Bacteria – Cold and Flu
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Sinusitis
- Irritants like smoke, dust or chemicals
What is Cold?
The common cold is a viral infection affecting your nose and throat. It is generally transmitted by virus-infected airborne droplets or by direct contact with infected person.
Symptoms of Cold
- Cough
- Sore Throat
- Sneeze
- Runny Nose
- Nasal Congestion
- Low-grade fever
Top 6 Natural Remedies for treating Cough at Home
1.Ginger
Studies have shown that ginger is loaded with potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. They contain bioactive compounds called gingerols and shogaols.
Indians have been using this as a flavoring agent long before history was formally recorded. It is used in various forms including fresh, dried, pickled, crystallized, candied, powdered, or grounded. It has powerful therapeutic and preventive effects for treatments related to cold and even cancer!
Remedy 1: Ginger Concoction Recipe
Ingredients:
- Fresh Ginger (1 inch 2 pieces)
- Water (2 to 3 cups of drinking water)
Directions:
- Boil water and add the grated ginger or the 2 pieces of ginger listed in the ingredients section.
- Strain it off using a sieve and drink this water.
- You can add honey or sugar to it if you want to enhance the flavour.
Note: If adding honey, wait for the water to come to a lukewarm temperature and then add honey since according to Ayurveda, honey becomes toxic when added to boiling hot water!
2. Licorice Root Tea (Athimadhuram)
Licorice root candies are a trend in the European countries and have been long used as a traditional medicine for a variety of conditions including cough and infections.
It is well known for the property of clearing hoarse voice and are generally used to cure cough and respiratory disorders.
For more benefits of this herb, check out our article here!
Source: Top 5 Surprising Health benefits of Licorice
Remedy 2: Licorice with Honey Recipe
Ingredients:
- Licorice
- Honey
Directions:
- Mix honey with licorice powder and have it. It’s the most popular ayurvedic solution for kids.
Remedy 3 : Licorice Tea
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of Licorice powder
- 1 cup water
Directions:
- Boil water and add the powder to it.
- Let it cool down. Strain before serving.
Caution: If you are pregnant or having any underlying medical condition, do not consume Licorice. It is best to take advice from a certified health professional
3. Peppermint
Peppermint is a popular ingredient in many decongestant oils. The main active ingredient in peppermint is Menthol which may also help with thinning out the gunk in your chest.
It is a well known expectorant. Expectorant is something which help loosen mucus so you can cough it up.
Peppermint also has antiviral, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal , antispasmodic and carminative properties.
Remedy 4: Peppermint / Pudina Tea Recipe
Ingredients:
- 15 Peppermint leaves
- 2 cups water
Directions:
- Boil 2 cups of water and add the peppermint leaves to it.
- Wait for 5 minutes. Strain and drink this tea.
Remedy 5: Peppermint Concoction Recipe
Ingredients:
- Ginger (1 piece grated)
- Lemon juice (1 tablespoon)
- Honey (1/2 tablespoon)
- Mint (10 leaves)
- Water (2 cups)
Directions:
- Boil the water and add in ginger and mint.
- Let it boil for a minimum of 10 minutes so that both the ingredients seep well
- Strain the water and let it cool down until it feels lukewarm. Add honey and squeeze a little bit of honey over it.
- You can drink this tea twice a day for good results.
4. Turmeric
Turmeric is a common ingredient used in almost every Indian household. It has potent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, science has found out what Indians have known the medicinal benefits of this wonder herb from so long and have been using them in their cooking.
The active compounds in turmeric is called curcumin which has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant.
It is also a well-known fact that curcumin is poorly absorbed in the bloodstream and needs an additional compound to aid with the absorption. Black peppers help with that. They contain piperine, that helps with the absorption of curcumin into the body.
Remedy 5 : Turmeric Ginger Concoction for Cough Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon Grated Ginger
- 2 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon black pepper (crushed)
- Water
- 1 tablespoon organic honey
Directions:
- Boil 2 cups of water and add grated ginger, turmeric, and black pepper. Let is boil for 5 minutes.
- The water must have reduced to half by now.
- Strain the contents and let it sit down for a while so that it becomes lukewarm.
- Add a little bit of honey and squeeze a dash of lemon juice to it.
5. Honey
Honey is a powerhouse of vital nutrients such as potassium, calcium, manganese, phosphorus, and copper which is required for the healthy functioning of the body. There are many studies that prove the efficiency of Honey. According to the guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Public Health England (PHE), honey is recommended over antibiotics for cough!
The evidence showed that honey could be effective at reducing symptoms of acute cough caused due to viruses. India has long been using Honey as a part of Indian Traditional medicine Ayurveda for treating cough. The reason why Honey is an effective cure has not been found yet. Although, some researchers say that the possibility is the presence of antimicrobial ingredients that fight pathogens causing cold.
Remedy 6 : Lemon + Honey for Cough Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of Lemon Juice
- 2 tablespoons Honey
- 2 cups of water
Directions:
- Boil the water until it reduces to half its size
- Let it cool down.
- Add honey and a dash of lime juice.
- You may also add a tinge of pepper corn (crushed) for additional benefits.
Some people prefer tablets instead of home remedies. This tablet is completely ayurvedic and is composed of many cough relieving herbs.
My mother personally recommends this product for the incessant cough she faces when she catches a cold or sinus infection!
Best Ayurvedic Cough Tablet To Buy
Charak Pharma PVT. LTD Kofol Chewable Tablets Pck Of 2 (60 tab.)
Precautions to take when having a Cold
- Avoid dairy products
- Stay away from caffeine
- Stay hydrated as your body tends to dehydrate quickly during these times
- Take rest
- Eat warming foods made at home like soup etc.
- Avoid processed and spicy food
- Inhale steam
Finally, these are some effective home remedies that can be used when suffering from cold. Have you tried any of the above before?
Let us know your views in the comments below!
Love this natural remedies
Wow ,these are superb remedies, ll definitely try them .
This article is very important for winter as well as covid situation. Thanks for sharing it.
Too good. I am gonna try these tea recipes..
thank you for sharing these remedies, very helpful – glowwithmesg
Wow this is amazing info, keep sharing
Good article. Thanks
I have been following this
Very beneficial
Wow this is so informative blog,its needful in today’s time,thankyou for sharing.
Love the way wrote all..I love to read blogs like yours…I am doing few and few needs to try..thanks for sharing dear.
Thanks for sharing…you write a blog very informative and in detail..
I loved reading your blog, with season change cough is sure to hit and these remedies are so helpful ♥️
During these covid times this article provides natural remedies for cough.good time to publish. Very helpful.
Natural remedies without side effects
This is amazing will use this when I am sick!
Love the detailed article…. and so easy recipes for cold and cough.
Thankyou for this practical opinion on what is normally a forgotten topic. Mind if I share this with my group?
Rich in antioxidants, nutrients, and anti-inflammatory properties, green tea is always a healthy choice. What you can’t assume is that all green tea is created equal, therefore all tastes the same.
Easy remedies and really informative
Just shared your article with my mom. It is so beneficial to weak kids like me. Thank you so much. Loved it. Great post.
Thnx for this very informative I always prefer home remedies for my kids and it’s really effective ❤️
Most common problem in winter, natural remedies are always better , these remedies are easy and beneficial for kids and adults both
Great all the remedies you advised work amazingly. I prefer natural ways to cure cold instead of taking medicine.
Loved the article, especially because it includes the natural ingredients that are easily available in the market and are also affordable. Thank you sharing this amazing piece of information.
Natural treatments are always the best. Thanks for sharing some simple natural remedies to get rid of cough!!
These home remedies will help us to get rid of a cough naturally. In addition to cough medicines, we can try these natural remedies at home. Great thoughts.
I prefer natural remedies during cold and cough. These natural ways to cure cough & cold are really beneficial. Thank you for the info.
These are really natural ways of get rid of cough…..it’s very beneficial thanks for the information
Wow such an informative post.. will definitely try’em.
Whenever I have cough it doesn’t go easily and it continues for more than a week ..I take medicine but it doesn’t work somehow and I was Looking for some good home remedies..this article is definitely going to help me a lot with this issue
Remedy 1! The best one! As soon as I see any symptom of cold in my son, I do this n the cold runs far away Its so good I cannot stress enough!
Even honey for cough is so good Thanks!
Thanks for sharing this and the other remedies too
A very useful Post indeed…I made my husband read this as instead of taking natural remedies, he prefers taking antibiotics…Thanks for the wonder information
Very useful articles… thank you for sharing ❤️ I have tried couple of them from here and it’s actually work and I’ll definitely try other remedies as well.
very Useful Post thnx dear I always prefer home remedies for me and my kids .
This is a very useful post and it’s traditional too as we yet do any one of the remedies when we have a cough or cold
This is such a very informative blog about home remedies like dadi nani ke nuskhe. Thank you for sharing it
I love using lemon and honey for cough but it’s amazing to know so many recipes that will work amazing for it too! Thank you for sharing this information
Loved the thought on easy home remedies where we get all the ingredients within our reach. Spread more of them dear
The blog is really helpful and amazing. From the above remedies I have tried ginger, honey and turmeric to cure my cough. Yes these ayurvedic remedies are better than tablets for curing cough.
These are all such great remedies for cough especially in this weather. I always like to try some natural remedies and these seem really good. Thanks for sharing.
Well..the writer has put efforts to bring out quality content
These remedies are so useful. This article is most valued and important. Thanks for sharing.
The remedies are so good and actually useful..thanks especially for remedy 1
Extremely informative article….very helpful remedies…will definitely try them out…tysm for sharin this with us.
I use all of these home remedies only for cough and cold they are very effective even for my little one I use them
You know you have written such a useful article. All these different types of tea should definitely be tried. They are such wonderful remedies
This is so informative And the writing is so organised I love your content and the way of writing
That is so informative And i teally love your writing style So organised and is coherent Love your content
We all need this today .. all these remedies so useful and helpful in boosting the immune system .. my fav is 1st remedy
I believe instead of relying always on medicine we should prefer these natural methods and these remedies are like a boon in this pandemic period.
I add all these ingredients to prepare my cuppa chai on a regular basis. Does it help with the cough if we drink it in the form of tea?
Thankyou for sharing these remedies . Really helpful as with the weather changing cough and cold have become so common.
Much needed article. Many suffer from cough and cold specially in winter. And instead of rushing to doctor and taking medicines, these all treatments are much better to try! Very useful. Saving for future reference
When I have cough I love to use home remedies because they have better effect for my cough! From all of 6 remedies I have done 3 out of 6 because I didn’t know about other 3 remedies, but now I know new remedies and they will be helpful in the future! Your article is very interesting and it is so valuable for us, because not everyone know what to use for cough! ❤️❤️❤️
Wow that’s such an eye opener. This article bursted so many myths. Did not know that antibiotics don’t work on virus. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful information…
Very beneficial and informative article about cough.. Thanks for sharing some Tips.. will try this for sure..
My mother always makes me ginger + turmeric tea whenever I suffer from cold ty for sharing.
Wow that’s a great piece of advice here specially during this covid time
We always use these for curing cough and cold. I think it is better to do gharelu ilaaj rather than taking medicines.
This article nicely captures the importance of natural products and home remedies to get relief from cough. It is definitely a safer alternative which needs consideration. Time is ripe that enough clinical evidence is generated by scientists for these natural products as well.
I always prefer home remedies 1st…..you write so well
Oh yes! One of the best articles I read! The licorice root tea is new to me! Will try this now
So informative. All immunity booster ingredients with recipe. ❤️
Home remedies are the best and i love your article nicely written
I must have to say that you have done intensive resurch on this as a health worker I really liked your blog this is really good stuff and also so helpful in winter ☺️
This is definitely one of the most important posts for me. I have a weak immune system and with every weather change i get severe cold. Thanks for these great tips hun these will be so helpful for me