Ayurveda Home Remedies for Cough and Cold – with Cooking Spices

18OCTOBER 2022

AYURVEDA HOME REMEDIES FOR COUGH – WITH COOKING SPICES

A cough is a way our human body uses to blow off foreign bodies from our respiratory airways. Cough and cold can be often caused by infections, pollutants, allergy reactions due to dusts and particles that are sensitive to our respiratory airways.

Ayurveda home remedies point us to the kitchen to get relief from cough and cold. Common cooking ingredients from the kitchen shelf can help to treat cough and cold. Some of the common spices used are Black Pepper, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Turmeric, and Star Anise.

To mention further, some of the common kitchen herbs used are lemongrass, peppermint, basil, and liquorice.

I had earlier shared some recipes in my blog for the Anti preventive flu drink formula, the antioxidant healthy drink and the daily intake of raw honey under the title “Staying Healthy to boost the Immune Levels”

This spice formula that I am writing here was formulated and concocted during the Covid-19 pandemic period when one of my family members caught covid and was showing sign of chronic irritated coughing during the quarantine period.

As such, this formula which uses only the Organic Kitchen Spices that I have distributed under the brand name Sun Nature in which I also use to cook in my own kitchen.

Basic spices used are – Black Pepper, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Turmeric, and Star Anise.

All these spices have antioxidant, anti-bacteria, and anti-inflammatory properties, which help to reduce congestion of phlegm and mucous, reduce throat irritation, aid digestion and reduce stress and anxiety.

Ingredients

• Black peppercorn whole- 1 teaspoon (about 5gm)
• Cardamon pod – 10gm
• Cinnamon stick – 10gm
• Cloves whole – 1 teaspoon (about 5gm)
• Ginger powder – 2 teaspoons (10gm)
• Turmeric powder – 2 teaspoons (10gm)
• Star anise whole – 5gm

Amount of Water to be Used:

1. If the person’s cough has yellowish discharged phlegm – measure 5 cups of water and add the above spices and boil the concoction water to 2.5 cups remaining. Then, drink it hot – 2 times daily after food.
2. If the person’s cough is heavy and have phlegm that is runny – measure 6 cups of water and add the above spices and boil the concoction water to 2 cups remaining. Then, drink it hot – 2 times daily after food.
3. If the person’s cough is light and have runny phlegm with throat irritation – measure 4 cups of water and add the above spices ingredients and boil the concoction water to 3 cups remaining. Drink it hot – 2 times daily before food.

You can organise to drink this boiled cough concoction for 5-7 days.  As a night drink, I will also re-boil the same spices again after the 2 drinks recommended above with the same measurement formula as required as above and add honey before drinking it as a bedtime drink.

As an added measure, avoid eating processed food, fried food and avoid cold food and drinks when you are not feeling well. Have light warm food with small servings to eat daily till you are feeling better. At times when the body is trying to increase its immunity to combat this common cough and cold, you will also need to take more rest and let the body heal.

Kindly consult and seek treatment from your doctor if you are unsure about your own state of your cough and cold. The above formula is merely a recommendation for the use of natural spices that I have used for my family members and shared as a home remedy via this blog.