5 home remedies to treat cold and flu caused by the sudden change in weather

The number of coronavirus cases are increasing everyday. People are doing all what they can to keep their immunity up and tight.

The heavy rains may have made matters worse. The drop in temperature caused by rain can lead to cold and flu.

Dr Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director, Apollo Hospital says, "Before panicking, you need to ask yourself three questions, 'Have you been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID 19?', 'Do you have a travel history to a place affected by COVID 19', 'Have you been in contact with someone who has been in contact with another person who tested positive for COVID 19?'. If the answer to all these questions is no, you need to relax, you are safe".

Dr Sibal adds, "This is the time when so many people get flu around us every year, which is absolutely normal and is a part of our cycle".

Here in this article, we bring to your rescue five home remedies that will help treat common cold and flu and also boost your immunity, which will help keep you safe from the COVID 19.

One of the oldest home remedies, ginger honey juice works wonder for sore throat and cough. It also wards off the feeling of nausea. The anti-inflammatory gingerols and shaogals in ginger kill the rhinoviruses, which cause cold in the first place.

Honey has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Adding honey to ginger alleviates the antimicrobial property of the mixture. A teaspoon of honey can instantly help relieve a sore throat.

Important: Do not give honey to kids younger than 1 year old as it often contains botulinum spores. Infants immune system isn't able to fight these off.

Garlic contains a compound called allicin, which is known to have antimicrobial property. Adding garlic to your diet can help relieve cold symptoms. Having garlic in your daily diet might even help you avoid getting sick in the first place.

Chewing on some raw garlic first thing in the morning also helps control diabetes. You can include garlic in your soups, or just cook some directly on the gas and have them.

By now we all know that Vitamin C helps boost our immunity. Lemon, oranges, green vegetables and fruits are some of the easily available sources of Vitamin C. Having lemon juice in hot water can help reduce the phlegm.

Though consuming vitamin rich foods might not clear your cold, but are they give a major boost to your immune system. Getting enough Vitamin C can relieve upper respiratory tract infections and other illnesses.

Nothing beats a piping hot cup of adrak tea when you have a blocked nose. Adrak, black pepper, salt and tulsi leaves when infused with tea make a great home remedy for cold and cough.

Physical activity can actually raise your body temperature. You should rest in order to recover and reduce fever. There is no remedy like rest. Drink plenty of fluids and curl up the bed to recover faster.