Cold and flu
Rest, warmth and light food come first.
Colds tend to arrive in wet, damp weather, when digestion is weakest. These are the home practices to reach for.
What are you feeling?
A tickle, a sneeze, a heavy head. Act tonight and you may shorten it.
- 1Tulsi, ginger and honey kadhaOnce or twice a day.
- 2Turmeric and salt gargleHalf a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of turmeric in warm water.
- 3Eat light and warm tonightSoup or khichdi. Skip dairy, cold drinks and sweets.
- 4Early to bedRest lets the body do the healing.
While you are sick
Do
- Rest more than feels necessary
- Warm fluids all day
- Warming spices: ginger, black pepper, clove
- Keep head and feet covered and warm
Avoid
- Cold and raw food
- Cold drinks
- Packaged soups
- Strenuous exercise
- Melon, especially at night
For children, from age four
Three things from Nidhi Pandya's family wellness kit.
A clove for a sore throat
From age four, a child can hold one small clove in the cheek when a sore throat is starting. Only while awake and with you nearby.
Warm ajwain compress
Dry-roast ajwain (carom seeds), tie it in a clean sock and rest it near the pillow or on the chest. Test the heat on your own wrist first.
Spiced herbal teas
Caffeine-free and mild. Getting children used to herbs early makes sick days easier.