How To Get Rid Of A Cold: 6 Natural Cold Remedies

It seemed like the cold would never come, but after a hot and sunny summer, winter is finally here, and just like every year, this means the viruses and bacteria that cause colds are back. Besides knocking your socks off, these are inconvenient 24/7.

You know that there are pharmaceuticals out there that relieve cold symptoms, but there is no cure for the cold. That is why, as an alternative to medication, we want to share 6 natural cold remedies with you that will get rid of your cold in no time. These are much healthier and equally effective as commercialized pharmaceuticals.

Cold symptoms

The common cold is very prevalent among those that expose themselves to the typical cold outdoor weather in the winter - and so, most individuals are susceptible to catching this seasonal ailment.

Colds are transmitted exceptionally quickly since the virus spreads via cough, nasal secretions, and sneezes.

The most common symptoms are a sore throat, headache, cough, weakness, muscle pain, and mucus secretion via nostrils  (although sometimes this can get caught in the ear canals and cause otitis).

Currently, commercialized pharmaceuticals attack the symptoms instead of the cold’s origin, since colds tend to take their natural course and end up disappearing on their own.

The evolution of the common cold tends to be very similar in all people. It starts with a mild sore throat and general malaise, which then leads to a runny nose (rhinorrhea), congestion, sneezing, and itchy eyes. These symptoms start diminishing slowly over the course of a few days and  disappear  about a week after it started.

How to get rid of a cold: 6 natural remedies

Here are 6 highly effective natural remedies to calm a sore throat, cough, and nasal congestion,  as well as other cold symptoms. These suggestions are perfect for those that do not want to medicate themselves since there is no cure for the cold and these remedies will help to alleviate symptoms.

1. Eucalyptus vapor

Eucalyptus is a plant that, thanks to its scent and essential oils, has highly pronounced decongestive and antiseptic properties. Eucalyptol is on the list of its components, a substance that has mucolytic agents which makes it very effective when it comes to cleaning the nasal passages and allows us to breathe easy.

That is why it is ideal to use eucalyptus in vapor form, inhaling the vapor that the water with eucalyptus gives off. To prepare the vapor, add some leaves from this plant to hot water and get close to the vessel, breathing deeply.

2. Ginger tea

Ginger is a root with many beneficial properties. Some of these include this root's expectorant, cough suppressant, and anti-inflammatory effects, perfect for relieving nasal congestion, headaches, and the bothersome mucus  that is so typical in common colds.

To prepare ginger tea, you just need a half liter of boiling water and a piece of ginger root: let this boil for a few minutes and then drink the infused water. You can drink it directly or add honey and lemon to it -foods that, as we will see later on, are also very useful when it comes to combatting the common cold.

3. Honey and lemon

Thanks to honey's density,  it is highly beneficial when it comes to calming sore and scratchy throats. On the other hand, lemon has disinfectant properties that speed up the cold's healing process  since it efficiently eliminates bacteria and viruses.

The preparation is straightforward, and undoubtedly many of you have used this natural cold remedy on hundreds of occasions. You just have to heat a glass of water, add the juice of half a lemon, and a couple of tablespoons of honey, stir and sip so that the concoction can take effect ASAP.

4. Water and thyme gargle

When your sore throat becomes unbearable and your productive cough keeps interrupting your daily activities, gargling with hot water and thyme could be just what you need.

To do this, you just need to boil thyme leaves for around 20 minutes.  Strain the mixture and add vinegar and lemon to strengthen this remedy's antiseptic properties.

5. Garlic tea

Garlic is considered one of the most robust antiseptic foods out there. It brings the body a dose of extra protection thanks to its capacity to strengthen the immune system. Also, it has been effective in improving the function of the liver and pancreas.

Consuming garlic in tea form is recommended to fight colds -  so, add three cloves of garlic to a pot of boiling water, and let this boil for 10 minutes. You can add honey to this mix to improve the flavor and for added benefits. The result will be perfect to calm throat pain and to stop coughing.

6. Salt water gargle

Congestion can lead to considerable discomfort since it blocks air from traversing the nasal passages. This means that you have to find different ways to breathe, like through the mouth, for example. This can cause stomach pain since this type of breathing causes gasses to accumulate.

To get rid of this annoying cold symptom with a natural remedy, you just need water and salt. Add a half a teaspoon of salt and a little bit of baking soda (a quarter tablespoon) to a half a glass of lukewarm water. Stir and apply a few drops of the solution to the nasal passages, and you will see the mucous start to break up slowly.