Home Remedies For a Cold

Whenever we came down with a cold my mother would mix up a combination of honey and lemon juice in equal parts. She would dispense this as any liquid cough medicine in teaspoon form. She would also make a pot of tea with added lemon and honey to it.

My mother would also make chicken noodle soup to help us feel better too. I carried on these simple cold remedies to my family.

Did the home remedies help? I know I felt better, even if it had a placebo or comfort effect.

Studies have shown that there is truth to these home remedies. My mother never used garlic, but with the combination of honey lemon and garlic in a homemade couch syrup have better beneficial effects to getting well.

There is no cure for the common cold, which is a virus of the upper respiratory system, caused primarily by rhinoviruses and corona viruses. Common symptoms include a sore throat, runny nose, and fever. The symptoms usually resolve spontaneously in 7 to 10 days, with some symptoms possibly lasting for up to three weeks. Medication and home remedies have reduced the systems and have shortened the duration of the cold.

Though my mother never used the garlic, it is a beneficial addition.

Ingredient:

1/2 lemon

honey to equal the amount of lemon juice

1 garlic clove

Directions:

1. Squeeze out the juice from the lemon which had been cut in half into a bowl. The best and easiest way to do this is with a citrus juicer. Scrape off the pulp from the lemon.

2. Grate the garlic with a fine grater. Mix this in with the juice.

3. Add the honey, equal to the amount of lemon juice. Mix well.

Note: This recipe can be double both adding twice the ingredients.

Place this mixture in a glass jar. If allowed to sit at room temperature, the garlic has more potency. For children, refrigeration will lessen the potency of the garlic but will taste better and make it easier to swallow.

Lemon juice is rich in vitamin C which increases body resistance, decreases toxicity and reduces the duration of the illness. Both lemon juice and honey cuts down on phlegm. Garlic contains antiseptic and antispasmodic properties. The oil contained in this vegetable helps to open up the respiratory passages

A study conducted by scientist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha had found that some of the components of chicken soup inhibit neuotrophil migration. This may have an anti-inflammatory effect on the cold virus.

Read Early Days of Chicken Soup to Present and print out the Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup recipe, which is easy to make right from your crockpot/slow cooker. This can even be made from a stock pot on your stove. Find the unique ingredient that gives it that extra zest.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp grated ginger

Directions:

1. Grate the ginger.
2. Boil water, put the grated ginger in a small sieve and place on top of a cup.
3. Pour boiling water over the ginger.
4. Squeeze in the lemon juice and lastly add the honey.
5. Stir and drink while it is hot.

Makes one cup