It is said proper treatment can cure a cold in seven days but left to itself, the ailment will persist for a week. Humour aside, the common cold can escalate into a fever, chest congestion and even pneumonia, if taken lightly, particularly in the case of the elderly and children.
According to Ayurveda, the common cold occurs due to an imbalance of vata and kapha doshas in the upper part of the body. This imbalance can be triggered by metabolic disturbances from factors like changing climate, exposure to rain, and consuming foods that weaken digestive fire. Additionally, certain practices like showering right after heavy exercise when one is still perspiring heavily or going out in the sun after a head bath can also trigger the common cold.
Here are some tips to manage the condition:
1. Hot water: When you sense that you may be coming down with a cold, switch to hot water for all your activities— drinking, showers, etc. Avoid hot water for head baths, though. Instead, use water boiled and then cooled with leaves from the Indian bael plant, Chinese chaste tree plant, or the outer husk of Chebulic myrobalan fruits. For drinking purposes, consider boiling it with tulsi or cumin seeds.
2. Ginger tulsi tea: Add crushed ginger or tulsi leaves to your tea, preferably without milk. This can help clear blocked channels and stimulate your digestive fire.
3. Rasna Jambeeram Lepam: In Kerala, Raasnaadi choornam, the powder applied to the forehead after a bath, can help prevent the ailment. You can also heat this powder with lemon juice (jambeeram), create a paste, and apply it to the forehead, sinus area, nose and the front of the neck to alleviate symptoms. This works by drying up the deranged kapha dosha responsible for head heaviness, headaches and hoarseness of voice. Some individuals, however, may experience a burning sensation, indicating sensitivity to the paste due to pitta dosha.
4. Medicated gruel: Once you catch a cold, it’s important to keep your diet simple, digestible and absorbable. To manage the aggravated kapha dosha in the head, prepare a medicated gruel by boiling broken rice, broken wheat, or any millet with ginger, long pepper, cumin, fenugreek, and other carminative spices. Boil 75-100 grams of grains in 1.5 litres of water, reducing it to half the quantity, to create a daily gruel.
5. Medicated steam: Bring water to a rolling boil in a tumbler and add fresh tulsi leaves (5-8 leaves per litre) and a quarter teaspoon of turmeric powder. Inhale steam by covering your head and upper torso, ensuring the vapours don’t escape, until sweat appears on your forehead. You can practise this twice a day. Inhaling through one nostril while closing the other can also enhance its effectiveness.
6. Medicated drinking water: Certain medications in fine powder form, such as Das’amoolakatuthryaadi, Shadamgam and Amrtotharam can be taken as medicated drinking water under the guidance of a specialist. This can improve digestive fire and boost immunity.
Apart from this, take hygiene measures like wearing masks, avoiding social gatherings and covering your nose while sneezing to prevent making the common cold too common.
The author is a Professor at the Department of Panchakarma, Ashtamgam Ayurveda Medical College, Kerala