Northwest India, including Delhi, has been reeling under the cold wave in the last week with temperatures going as low as 1.8 degrees Celsius. As fog and cloud coverage have brought in the flu season, cases of people contracting the common cold and cough have risen alarmingly.
As experts suggest, wearing multiple layers is important to keep the body warm, some home remedies can keep you warm as well while helping you build your immunity.
“If you are someone who is prone to seasonal diseases, then cold and cough can ruin not just a few days but an entire week,” Dietician Preeti Gupta, Founder of Perfect Health by Preeti Gupta told India Today and shared 10 home remedies that can help you prevent common cold and cough in the chilly winter.
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Drink lots of liquids
Drinking liquids in the winter is often overlooked as many people don’t consume enough water, which leads to dehydration. “Drinking various fluids, especially water, can help your body fight a lot of diseases as it detoxifies your body in turn, keeping it clean. You can go for fresh vegetable soups, other than warm water,” said Preeti Gupta.
Ginger and tulsi water
In winter, kitchen ingredients like ginger are great for keeping diseases at bay. “If you are someone who has a slow metabolism and a low immune system, ginger and tulsi water can help you a lot as it increases immunity and keeps you active throughout the day,” shared Preeti Gupta.
Honey for throat and chest infection
Honey is one of the oldest ingredients in the kitchen used for curing different diseases. It contains antioxidants that can cure a sore throat and reduce chest infections during winter.
Read More: Promoting Hydration To Digestion; 5 Benefits Of Lime Water To Stay Healthy
Turmeric water/milk
One of the best medicines for cold and cough is turmeric boiled in milk or water. It acts as an antibiotic and prevents a lot of diseases and keeps your immune system active in the cold months.
Get probiotics
Probiotics help in maintaining a healthy gut. It is important to include it in a diet as it gives immunity and keeps you healthy throughout the cold season. Some of the sources of probiotics that you can go for are kimchi, kaanji, curd, tempeh, etc.
Vitamin C for immunity
Vitamin C strengthens the immune system of the body and can cure a cold and cough faster. Try adding foods like amla, orange, and pineapple to your diet if you really feel like this winter should be disease-free.
Zinc-rich foods to reduce infection
Pulses, whole grains, nuts and seeds increase immunity and reduce infection. During winter, when the body is fighting diseases, it needs healthy food to support proper functioning.
Hot drinks like green tea and soups
Having warm drinks in the cold months contributes to balancing the temperature of the body while keeping your health. Green tea and fresh vegetable soups keep your metabolism high and help the white blood cells protect you from seasonal viruses.
Breathing exercises
“Breathing exercises can help a lot in preventing cold and cough. When you start breathing forcefully during the exercise, fiction is created due to which the nasal track starts becoming warm,” said Preeti Gupta.
Exercise 4-5 times a week
Exercising opens your nasal passages and temporarily relieves nasal congestion. “Exercising leads to heavy breathing and an increase of warmth in your body hence preventing seasonal cold and cough,” said Preeti Gupta.
