Kitchen prescriptions on building immunity

Off late, due to weather changes and fluctuating temperatures, many of us are facing common cold, cough, fever, body ache, headaches etc.

For representational purpose

KOCHI: Off late, due to weather changes and fluctuating temperatures, many of us are facing common cold, cough, fever, body ache, headaches etc. While there’s definitely something in the air that’s affecting one and all but at the same time, we also have to work on building the immunity to make sure that the immune system takes care of such small changes in the body and helps us overcome the common symptoms naturally. 

I can understand that many of us want to work and be more productive that’s why we end up having medicines as a quick fix but it’s always better to allow the body to rest and recovery naturally without any side effects of the medicine. 

Let’s learn about few simple tips for sore throat, stomach pain and headache etc which are tested, age old, chemical free home remedies. 

It totally depends on you on how you want to heal your body. If it suits you, try it for sure without jumping on medications immediately. 

Sore throat/cold/cough

• Salt water gargling: Mix 1 tablespoon of thick rock salt and one teaspoon organic turmeric powder in a warm mug of water. Make sure it is not too hot. Gargle two to three times a day without swallowing. Turmeric and salt both have anti inflammatory, anti microbial properties.
• Steam inhalation: When sinuses are clogged with mucous, your body tries to cough or sneeze it out. If the mucuos is thin, it can come out easily but if it is too thick, then we need to start with a steam once a day. Steaming is hands down the best remedy to overcome phlegm and mucous production. You can add a few drops of eucalyptus or peppermint oil or one teaspoon of turmeric powder in your water before taking the steam.

Stomach ache/cramps/nausea:

• Ginger tea: Take a piece of ginger, an inch in size, then mash and boil it in 200 ml water, strain and drink. Ginger has anti inflammatory properties and gingerol, the compound found in ginger, helps in calming an upset stomach. Take this tea twice a day to feel better.
• Peppermint: You can use good quality tea bags for dipping in hot water and use it once a day. Peppermint tea has flavonoids which act as antioxidants and has healing properties. It soothes the stomach and helps controlling bloating, nausea and aches. 

Headache

• Eucalyptus or lavender oil massage on the temples or in a diffuser helps a lot for headache. Apply it or use it in a diffuser and focus on deep breathing. 
• Chew on 10 soaked almonds slowly. Almonds are high in magnesium, and other minerals and help stop a dreaded headache or migraine, and they contain salicin, which gets converted to salicylic acid in the body; the primary byproduct of aspirin. So you have a safe and natural pain reliever. This is not an exact replacement for medication but can work for mild complaints for sure. 

Fever

• Soak a tablespoon of methi seeds in a cup of water for two to three hours and then boil in the same water. Strain and take this methi water twice a day to keep the temperature in control. Methi seeds have compounds like diosgenin, saponins and alkaloids that naturally help balancie body temperature. You can have this three times a day.