ayurvedic resorts in keralaCatching a cold during the Winter season is quite common.It can be a very bothersome illness that ends up ruining your holiday plans.
The person may exhibit symptoms such as a stuffed nose, sore throat,coughing,congestion, sneezing and mild to heavy body aches along with sneezing.
Let’s take a look at the Ayurvedic perspective on common colds and some of the effective remedies that can be used to treat them.
Common Cold (In Ayurveda)
Illness or disease is caused as a result of an imbalance in the elements (life forces) that make up your body. This imbalance can be caused by several other factors. In the case of common cold, the body’s immunity takes a dip when the outside temperature goes down. The cold weather dampens your body’s digestive fire (agni) and as a result, affects your body’s immunity. This is eventually what causes common cold.
Why is agni so important to your body’s immune system? It burns away body toxins known as ama. When agni is dimmed, it fails to eliminate the body’s ama fully. These residual toxins accumulate and eventually clog up your body’s microchannels,inflaming tissues and generating phlegm. Combined with the toxins, the phlegm forms mucus. In short, a weakened immune system transforms your body’s bheej-bumi (body soil), now tainted with ama into a fertile breeding ground for viruses.
What you should and shouldn’t do to prevent common cold
Changes in Diet
Besides the obvious cold foods that you must stay away from this season such as ice-cream and yogurt, Ayurveda also recommends that you avoid foods that slow down your digestive fire. This includes tomatoes , eggplant and bananas.
Warm up your insides with healthy spices
It is time to stack up your spice-rack with ama-burning, heat generating spices. This includes cumin, black pepper, coriander, clove (boiled with milk) etc.
Turmeric is the ideal spice that is great at clearing your body toxins (ama) and boosting immunity. It is also a traditionally recommended home remedy that helps cure cold symptoms and make you feel energized. Add a quarter teaspoon of turmeric into your veggies every now and then.
Although cakes and desserts are usually slow to digest. You needn’t fully abstain from treating yourself to a delicious slice every now and then.A good idea would be to incorporate bay leaf and cardamom and cinnamon into your dessert and cake recipes.
Lifestyle tips
Practice moderation when it comes to eating habits. Don’t skip meals and starve your body of much-needed nutrition. Don’t overeat and dim your body’s digestive fire either.
Eat fresh seasonal fruits. Make sure that your meals are well-cooked.
Have a glass of warm water to start your day.
Sleep on time to build up your body’s ojus (radiant,positive energy)
Home remedies
So far we have talked about ways you can prevent common colds. Now Let’s take a quick look at some of the effective home remedies for treating them.
Turmeric paste
A paste of turmeric powder mixed with organic honey can be great at fighting viral strains, flus and common colds.
Gargle with salt water once in the morning and once in the evening.
Drink plenty of water and get enough rest.
Basil leaves (Tulsi ) mixed with dried ginger powder and honey. It is an excellent remedy for combating common cold and flu.
Half a teaspoon of black pepper powder mixed with jaggery taken 2-3 times a day.
Small piece of Ginger (Adraka) fried in ghee, to be taken two times a day.
Gargle with warm turmeric powder 2-3 times a day to releive a sore throat.
