What to Eat and Avoid for a Quick Cold Recovery: Traditional Medicine Remedies and Prevention Methods
The Common Cold Stages
A common cold is a widespread viral infection that usually peaks in symptom severity within the first three days and then gradually improves, typically lasting between 7 to 10 days in adults. However, some symptoms, such as a cough, can persist for a longer period and become chronic. Cold-related coughs often take around two to three weeks to fully resolve.
Tips For Preventing a Cold
Before the onset of a cold, particularly during seasonal transitions like autumn, several practices can help in prevention:
1. General Cupping therapy at the start of autumn.
2. Eating seasonal fruits such as pomegranate, tangerine, sweet lime, lemon, plum, apple, and drinking their juices.
3. Consuming sour soups like verjuice pottage, yogurt pottage, or other soups prepared with sour ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, or verjuice.
4. Gradually cooling the body to prevent a sudden drop in temperature.
5. Improving one's diet can even prevent catching a cold.
6. Avoid or limit the consumption of spices, fried foods, chocolate, and coffee in the spring and autumn seasons.
Boosting the Immune System
Using remedies like a mixture of turnip and honey, the Special Salad, pumpkin soup, a mixture of garlic and honey, apple juice are effective in strengthening the immune system. Additionally, consuming healthy foods and maintaining calmness play a significant role in boosting immunity.
Treating Viral Infections
In treating viral infections, avoiding prohibited foods and consuming plant-based diets can speed up recovery. Resting and staying calm also give the body the chance to fight off the illness effectively.
Relieving Sore Throat and Treating Infections
Gargling with saltwater stops the growth of bacteria and reduces throat inflammation.
You can use this solution for your throat or nose two to three times a day.
Additionally, try incorporating red onions into your diet for their strong antioxidant properties, which can aid in quicker cold recovery. You can consume them raw with your meals or chop 2 to 3 red onions, place them in a jar with honey, and seal it tightly. After one day, you can take a tablespoon of this mixture like a syrup to help relieve sore throat and other symptoms more quickly.
Ear Pain
For ear pain, mix olive oil with garlic and warm it slightly. Strain the oil and put a few drops in the affected ear.
Additionally, directing the smoke from dried mint into the ear can also help alleviate pain.
Treating Infections - Nasal Congestion - Antiviral Properties
Garlic is a potent antioxidant with strong antimicrobial and antiviral properties, making it highly effective in treating various infectious diseases. It also has decongestant properties, which are beneficial for relieving nasal congestion. Rich in vitamin C and essential minerals like sulfur and allicin, garlic acts as a powerful antimicrobial agent.
Consuming garlic raw and fresh is particularly effective for treating colds and influenza. You can also easily incorporate Black Garlic, which has a sweet taste, soft texture, and no strong odor, into your diet for additional benefits.
Chest Pain and Cough
Most of us are aware of the amazing benefits of the combination of lemon and honey for treating colds and chronic coughs. This magical mixture is rich in vitamin C and essential antioxidants that help combat pathogenic viruses. Consuming this solution warm can alleviate chest pain and coughing. To prepare it, mix honey in warm water and add the juice of two or three medium-sized lemons. Take this remedy two to three times a day.
Additionally, rubbing olive oil, sesame oil, or black seed oil (if you are not allergic to black seed oil) on your chest, can also provide relief.
Seasonal Allergies, Runny Nose, and Sneezing
If you experience a cold and runny nose and want to treat it quickly, apply a bit of mint essential oil to your forehead. It may create a warming or burning sensation, but it helps control symptoms immediately.
Typically, if a cold occurs, it will resolve within three days, whether you take medication or not, provided you rest. Resting allows your body to regain heat and energy. If you can’t rest, using warming remedies is essential. The best options are mint and spearmint teas and warm soups.
Stachys lavandulifolia tea is also effective. Consuming foods rich in antihistamines, such as mint, chamomile, nettle, ginger, yarrow, garlic, onion, basil, and thyme, can significantly alleviate allergy symptoms.
Additionally, rub the top of your head (Fontanelle area) with sesame oil, olive oil, or black seed oil (sesame oil is preferred). Warming the fontanelle area will help warm the sinuses, allowing for a much quicker reduction of nasal congestion.
Treating Loss of Sense of Smell
Using steam inhalation with herbs such as marjoram, chamomile, and Yellow sweet clover can be effective. Inhaling the steam from these herbs twice a day may stimulate the respiratory passages and olfactory nerves, helping to restore the sense of smell.
Additionally, rubbing black seed oil on the top of the head(fontanelle), inhaling scents with warm temperament , and spraying rose water on the face can be very helpful. Applying oils to the sinus areas may also provide significant relief.
Fever and Chills
A fever and chills are considered a defensive response by the body, signifying that the immune system is actively fighting against an infection or illness by raising the body temperature to inhibit the growth of pathogens.
Chills can occur without a fever, often indicating a situation where the body is struggling to regulate its temperature properly.
Chills and body aches without fever can have various causes, including infections, inflammation, allergies, and immune system issues.
To treat fever and chills, consider the following:
- Regular consumption of ginger
- Maintaining the home temperature between 18 to 22 °C
- Keeping the body cool
- Getting sufficient and timely sleep
- Consuming a small amount of natural or unrefined salt before and after meals
- Cupping therapy
- Incorporating mint and tarragon into most meals
- Regularly consuming natural beverages such as orange juice and apple juice
- Consuming a mixture of mint extract, natural salt, black seeds, and honey regularly.
General Recommendations for Cold Treatment
- At the onset of cold symptoms, such as a feeling of heaviness in the head and some nasal congestion, one should perform seven stages of warm cupping therapy on the shoulder area.
- Avoid consuming animal products and foods containing white sugar.
- Inhale a decoction of mint, valerian, and lavender, or simply rub mint essential oil on your forehead.
- If symptoms progress, increase the number of cupping sessions and focus on inducing sweating.
- Stay hydrated by drinking fluids such as water, fruit juices and warm lemon and honey syrup. These can help relieve congestion and prevent dehydration. Avoid coffee and caffeinated drinks, as they can exacerbate dehydration.
- When you have a cold, it's crucial to prioritize getting enough sleep as rest allows your body to effectively fight the virus by maintaining energy levels and supporting the immune system in eliminating it
- Consuming honey mixed with warm water can help reduce coughing in adults and children over one year old. Honey has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that are highly effective in soothing coughs. Research indicates that giving just 10 grams of honey before bedtime to children can significantly reduce cough severity and improve sleep quality.
- Use a cool mist humidifier; it can add moisture to your home’s air and help alleviate congestion.
Cold Affecting the Vocal Cords: The best remedy is to use laxative seeds mixed with honey, prepared as a syrup. Drink it slowly, and avoid cooked, salty, and fatty foods for 48 hours.
For Sinusitis: Avoid consuming yogurt and pickles.
To Lower Fever: Use peaches or dried peaches.
Pneumonia: It can result from excessive physical activity, excessive sweating, and exposure to cold air.
Severe Cold: Consume apples and honey; symptoms should improve within three days. The combination of apples and honey acts as a natural antibiotic.
For Throat Disorders: Soak white chickpeas in water for 24 hours. Drain the water into a cup and sweeten it with honey; drink this mixture. Add more water to the chickpeas and, after another 24 hours, drink that water with honey as well. Let the chickpeas sprout and consume them; this will resolve the issue. This method is also recommended for those who chant or sing to clear their throats.
For Throat Infections: Prepare a glass of water and honey syrup, gargle three sips of it and spit it out, then drink the rest. Do this once in the morning on an empty stomach and once in the evening, avoiding food for two hours afterward.
To Relieve Cough: Brew 100 grams of powdered licorice root (which should be yellow) with a glass of water and drink it throughout the day.
For Chronic Cough: Those with persistent coughs should use both brewed licorice root and laxative seeds.
