I’ve been feeling really under the weather recently, down with a bad cold. I’m staying at my Nanima’s house for a few days and she has some old family remedies that she swears by so I thought that I’d share them with you today.
For a common cold:
- 1 tsp honey – good for soothing the throat
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper – has antibacterial and antioxidant properties
- 1 tsp lemon juice – boosts immune system
- ½ tsp hardar (turmeric) – has anti-inflammatory properties
- ½ tsp juice of grated ginger (optional) – good if you’ve got a runny nose or nausea
Mix the ingredients in a mug, top up with hot water and sip slowly.
For a dry cough:
- 1 tsp jethimadh churna (ground liquorice root) – good for hoarseness
- 1 tsp honey – good for soothing the throat
- ½ tsp ghee (optional) – strengthens immune system
Mix the ingredients into a paste and eat, like a cough syrup.
For a mucusy cough:
Gargle with warm salty water – my Papa always does this one but I’ll confess that I’ve never been a big fan!
And when all else fails, sitting over a bowl of steaming water with a towel over our heads has always been my Mum’s advice! Hopefully some of these will make your coughs and colds a little more bearable this season… Now back to sipping my tea…