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5 Effective Home Remedies For A Runny Nose And Cough
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If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s currently the middle of winter, and you know what that means: cold season. Every year, tens of millions of people are afflicted with the common cold and other upper respiratory illnesses that lead to persistent coughing, sneezing, and sniffling. One possible solution is to take over-the-counter cold medicine, but some common brands can make you so drowsy you can barely function. There are non-drowsy varieties of cold medicine as well, but these still contain large amounts of acetaminophen. This drug (the active ingredient in Tylenol) is normally used for pain relief and can be very tough on the liver. For something as simple as a runny nose, it’s probably excessive.
So what’s the solution? How can we treat a cough or runny nose without resorting to drugs? Relax—we’ve got you covered. Here’s a list of five cheap and effective home remedies that will clear out excess mucus and have you breathing normally and comfortably again in no time.
It’s important to understand that a runny nose isn’t necessarily an illness in and of itself. Sometimes it’s a natural and necessary physiological reaction to remove dust or other impurities that have somehow made their way into your lungs or airways.
But if these symptoms are happening for several days at time, or they coincide with a fever, it’s a safe assumption that you do indeed have a cold or some kind of respiratory infection.
Below is a list of time-honored home remedies that you can prepare using common household ingredients. Each of them is safe, inexpensive, and all-natural.
1. Steam inhalation
This is an ancient and proven method for alleviating any sort of respiratory condition. By inhaling the vapors of certain ingredients that are being boiled in water, you take in beneficial molecular compounds that can fight the symptoms of a cold. The steam loosens up mucus that’s accumulated in nasal cavities and the throat, and provides surprisingly fast relief.
These benefits can be obtained from inhaling plain old water vapor, and also from inhaling fumes from certain herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Try using rinds from citrus fruits, or chopped ginger or garlic.
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