Home Remedies for Influenza
Influenza is one among the most frequent health setbacks distressing lots of women, men and children, all over the world. It can be portrayed as a viral disease that hits your respiratory system, which comprises organs such as throat, lungs and nose. Nearly all people usually mention this disease merely as flu. This category of disease is diverse from the viruses that show the way to abdomen problems, distinguished by diarrhea and vomiting.
However, with proper medications and by following few natural remedies at home, you can be able to combat against the infections causing influenza. Here is a list of few home remedies
Black Tea
When you are having flu or cold, you have to drink lots of fluids to keep your body hydrated and you need to make sure they are either warm or hot.
Black tea can help soothe your sore throat and help you recover from influenza, thanks to its virus fighting interferon.
How to Use
Add a tbsp. of tea leaves to hot boiling water and strain the decoction. Add little honey and lemon juice to it. Drink it warm. Lemon juice has good source of vitamin C and antioxidant rich honey will sweeten it.
Orange juice
Are you feeling sick due to cold? Then have a glass of orange juice. Oranges are fully loaded with vitamin C content, which helps in lessening the duration of influenza. It acts as a natural decongestant.
Orange juice along with the pulp is packed with folic acid as well as vitamin C that help in boosting your immunity levels as well as speedy recovery from influenza.
How to Use
Squeeze few oranges to prepare a glass of fresh orange juice. Add little honey and consume it once a day. You can also have 500mg of vitamin C supplements as well four times a day or simply have a cup of orange juice daily.
Cayenne Pepper
Capsaicin, an active compound in hot chili peppers (cayenne pepper) helps in getting rid of stuffy nose. It helps in thinning mucus and is a good decongestant. Spicy pepper will raise the temperature of your body and enhances your immunity system.
If you cannot stand the heat, you can choose mild peppers. They do not have capsaicin but are a fantastic source of vitamin C. The amazing effect of vitamin C comes in from the bioflavonoids that help in producing white blood cells. White blood cells help in cleansing cells and tissues that contain toxins.
How to Use
Use peppers while cooking food. You can also use it for dressing your salads or add it to your soups.
Ginger and garlic
Ginger and garlic help in relieving from cold and influenza. Ginger helps in treating nausea whereas garlic helps in boosting your immunity system. Garlic helps in fighting against viruses and bacteria. Ginger helps in soothing sore throat, reduces fever and also helps in removing mucus from chest. GINGEROLS and SHAGAOLS open sinuses and stimulate blood circulation. Improvement in blood circulation will help in removing toxins. Research studies conducted by Toyama medical and pharmaceutical university in Japan have mentioned that ginger helps in treating and preventing influenza.
How to Use
Add ginger and garlic to your soups and also while cooking food to boost up its flu and cold fighting power.
Mustard
The healing properties of mustard help in treating flu symptoms. Anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties help in speeding up recovery from influenza.
How to Use
- Add a tbsp. of mustard powder for a very 1/4th part of hot water in a large bucket. Soak your foot for few minutes and this process helps in enhancing the process of blood circulation. It can help in speeding up recovery process and relieving chest congestion. Follow this remedy twice a day for better results.
- Prepare a mustard plaster with 1tbsp. of dry mustard along with 2-4tbsp. of flour. Mix it with water and make a fine paste. Later, cover your upper chest with large muslin cloth. Smear the cloth like the way you smear mustard over a sandwich and later plop another muslin cloth over it. Dab olive oil over the chest of the patient before applying mustard plaster to the upper part of chest. Check for few minutes as mustard might create a slight burning sensation. After few minutes, clean it off.
Lemon
Lemon when eaten raw creates a kind of prickling sensation. However, lemons are great add-ons in hot beverages. Ancient Romans have used hot lemonade to cure influenza. This traditional remedy has been regarded in the folk traditions of England.
Lemons, loaded with vitamin C are highly acidic and make the membranes of mucus distasteful for evolvement of bacteria and viruses. In addition, lemon oil, which is considered as a fantastic drug containing antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiviral constituents, has an amazing fragrance as well as expectorant properties.
How to Use
To make this wonderful drink, first you need to place a lemon along with its skin and pulp in a cup of boiling water. Let it steep for few minutes and then inhale its vapors. Strain this solution and add little honey. Drink it at least three or five times a day until you feel better.
Thyme
Try thyme when you are having fever, headaches and when your nose is totally stuffed. Amazing fragrance, thyme herb acts is an expectorant and a powerful antioxidant, thanks to THYMOL, its constituent oil. Enjoy the vapors of thyme tea and THYMOL will work on the upper part of your respiratory system by inhibiting settling down of bacteria and loosening the mucus.
How to Use
Add a tsp. of dried thyme leaves to a pan containing a cup of hot water. Allow it to boil and steep for 5 minutes. Inhale the steam and add a tsp. of honey. Later, stir well. Drink it warm.
Chicken soup
Grandma’s remedy Chicken soup is an effective remedy in treating influenza. Chicken soup can help inhibit the generation of inflammatory compounds, which are often released in response to any viral infection.
Having chicken soup will keep you hydrated and helps in thinning mucus. Have it at least twice a day.
How to Use
Prepare chicken soup by adding lots of veggies, little garlic and ginger, pepper and enjoy it warm. The vapors of chicken soup helps get rid of stuffed nose. Try it for few weeks till you see better results.
Peppermint
The leaves of peppermint have several medicinal benefits good for health. It helps in getting rid from the symptoms of flu. It is packed with nutrients and keeps your body ready to combat against any infections. Menthol in peppermint has expectorant properties that help in relieving congestion besides soothing sore throat. It also helps in reducing other symptoms such as cough.
How to Use
- Chew peppermint leaves directly or add them in your salads and soups.
- You can also add chopped peppermint leaves in a cup of hot water. Boil it for few minutes and then have it little warm. Add a dollop of honey to sweeten it. You can have it at least three or four cups a day for a speedy recovery from viral infections.
Fenugreek seeds
Fenugreek seeds (Methi) have several medicinal properties and are an effective home remedy that helps in fighting against viral infections.
How to Use
- Soak at least a tbsp. of fenugreek seeds overnight. Later strain the seeds and heat this liquid until it becomes warm enough to gargle. Use this liquid for gargling and get rid of sore throat. Follow this remedy for few weeks at least twice a day and you can see effective results.
- Add one tbsp. of these seeds to at least half glass of water. Boil it till the quantity reduces to 1/3rd of its original volume. Strain it and add little honey to it. Drink this liquid daily and you can see better results. You may even add little ginger extract to it.
Horseradish
Horseradish helps strengthen your immune system and enhances blood circulation thereby flushing toxins that are caused by flu and cold infections. The pungent taste of this food will increase sweat and flushes out toxins through urination as well. Horseradish is considered a super food that helps in stimulating lungs to cough out the mucus from flu and cold by increasing the temperature of the body. Antibacterial properties in horseradish can also help prevent sinus infections.
How to Use
Include horseradish in your regular diet. You can prepare salads and try several other recipes using horseradish.
Cinnamon and Honey
Cinnamon has several medicinal properties and is effective in treating flu. However, it should be used with caution. Honey is a natural antioxidant, which helps in treating flu and its irritating symptoms.
How to Use
Boil a cup of water and add a tbsp. of honey to it. Add a pinch of cinnamon powder to this liquid and drink it warm. Follow this amazing home remedy for a period of three weeks. Have it at least 2 or 3 times a day for effective results.
Turmeric powder
Take a teaspoon of Turmeric Powder – Haldi Churna and put it in a glass of lukewarm milk. Drink this mixture three times a day. This assists to make the liver stronger and eases the signs of influenza.
Ginger tea
Ginger tea is one of the excellent home remedies for Influenza. It has an outstanding effect on the human body and assists ease the symptoms of the influenza. Drinking the ginger tea at normal intervals during the course of the day will offer paramount results.
