Ayurvedic Remedies for Common Cold.
- askyourdiet
- Nov 17, 2017
- 3 min read
Ayurvedic Remedies for Common Cold.
The common cold is truly one of life’s annoyances. Headaches, body aches, stuffy noses and scratchy throats leave us worn down and unable to enjoy our lives fully. Most people suffer some form of the common cold at least yearly. Keeping your body, mind and spirit in balance year-round along with preventative techniques such as proper hand washing and solid nutrition will go far in providing you with a defense against the common cold. All of that said, each dosha is still at risk of suffering from this all too common ailment.
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Vata.
When a Vata suffers a cold, chances are the symptoms will appear as a dry, scratchy throat, headaches, and sometimes a weak, scratchy voice. Preparations of cumin and cinnamon are useful in soothing the throat tissue. Steep these spices either together or separately in hot water and add honey to help coat and lubricate a sore throat. In India people will chew on the leaf of a Holy Basil plant to ease sore throats and scratchy voices. In the western world, in may not be so easy to find a fresh leaf to chew on. Instead go to your nearest health food store and purchase the dried leaves or powder with which to make a tea. Add lemon to accentuate the taste and provide further healing properties.
Pitta.
Pitta symptoms of a cold include the sore throat that Vatas also experience, but in addition to this are the tendencies to also experience stuffed noses, thick nasal mucus and an accompanying fever. Bishops Weed is an effective herb in to help alleviate nasal stuffiness. One common and simple way to use Bishop Weed is to simply take the seeds and make a sachet out of them. Hold the sachet close to your nose and inhale deeply. Keep the sachet with you throughout the day and inhale as needed. You may also sleep with the Bishops Weed sachet on your pillow to provide you with relief during the night. Anutaila drops are commonly used to strengthen the areas of the ears, nose and throats. Help ease your cold symptoms by applying these drops nasally.
Kapha.
Kapha doshas experience colds in the form of what we commonly call a head cold. They experience thick, heavy mucus, heavy heads and unyielding headaches. Kaphas are also prone to respiratory issues associated with the common cold. Ginger is one of the best remedies for balancing excess Kapha in the body. Make a cold fighting juice drink using plenty of ginger and a strong, antioxidant fruit such as pineapple.
Warming remedies will help break up any congestion and soothe a troubled respiratory system. Think of ginger, cardamom and turmeric. You can make pleasant turmeric milk that is soothing to both the body and soul. Add turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, and a touch of honey to almond milk. Heat and enjoy. It is best to avoid dairy milk while recovering from a cold, as dairy has a tendency to increase mucus.
Regardless of your dosha type it is important to respect your body and its unique balancing process by providing it with plenty of rest, healthy foods and ample fluids. Each of these will help bring your dosha back into the proper balance.
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