Common cold and flu are one of the most common illnesses that affect human beings. Everyone has suffered from cold or flu at some point of time in their lives. Cold and flu usually improve within a week to 10 days even if you don’t take any medicine. Most cold and flu don’t require antibiotics and other conventional medicines. Ayurvedic treatment for cold and cough involves getting your body back to the condition of good health which has the right balance of cough.Your nose is stuffy, your throat is scratchy, and your head is pounding. Is it a cold or the seasonal flu? Symptoms can overlap, so unless your doctor runs a rapid flu test — a quick check done with a cotton swab from the back of your nose or throat — it’s hard to know for sure.Here are some basic guidelines for telling the difference between cold and flu symptoms, and what to do if you have either one of these infections.The common cold is an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus. According to the American Lung Association, more than 200 different viruses can cause the common cold. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, the rhinovirus is most often the one that makes people sneeze and sniffle. It’s highly contagious. Though you can catch a cold at any time of year, colds are more common during the winter months. This is because most cold-causing viruses thrive in low humidity. Colds spread when someone who’s sick sneezes or coughs, sending virus-filled droplets flying through the air.You can get sick if you touch a surface (such as a countertop or doorknob) that has recently been handled by an infected person and then touch your nose, mouth, or eyes. You’re most contagious in the first two to four days after you’re exposed to the cold virus.
Ayurvedic treatment for cold and flu includes ayurvedic drugs, herbs, supplements, life style measures and homeopathic remedies that are effective as a remedy for cold and flu. Most of the colds last about a week can be associated with sore throat and cough but they generally don’t cause high fever. But the symptoms of flu are usually more severe than seen in common cold and are more likely to cause body ache, lethargy, and weakness.
Ayurvedic Treatment of cold and Flu: According to ayurveda all the three doshas are responsible for causing common cold. Colds due to vata dosha have dry coughs, little mucus discharge, hoarse voice, headache and a runny nose, where as colds due to pitta dosha causes fever, sore throat, yellowish nasal discharge and continuous blockage of the nose. People with cold due to kapha dosha have thick mucus discharges with dull headaches and heaviness of head.Herbs for Treatment of Common Colds: Several ayurvedic treatment of cold and flu are available in the form of herbal medicines. Some of the commonly used herbs are Bishop’s Weed (Trachyspermum ammi), Cassia (Cassis fistula), Cassia (Cassis fistula), Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), Cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum), Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum), Onion (Allium cepa).
Bishop’s Weed (Trachyspermum ammi): It effectively opens up clogged nasal passages and is very useful for treating nasal blockages in children.
Cassia (Cassis fistula): Cassia root is used for treating cold. The mucus discharge increases immediately after treatment, but it stops completely after sometime.
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum): Using cinnamon in cold reduces sore throat, prevents the cold from becoming chronic, and reduces the possibility of it developing into something serious like pneumonia or influenza.
Cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum): Cumin seeds are beneficial in colds with fever. It is useful in treating the throat irritations as well.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale): Ginger extract is very effective remedy for treating coughs that occur in people with common colds and ginger tea is useful in treating colds.
Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum): Chewing a few leaves of tulsi (holy basil) is useful in treating colds and sore throat. Tulsi leaves boiled in water can be used as a drink has similar benefits.Onion (Allium cepa): Onion can help to liquefy the phlegm and aid in clearing the discharge out of the nose.
Ayurvedic Preparation for Cold: Some of the common ayurvedic medicines for colds are Bhringasava, Anutaila, Vyoshaadi vati, Kantara Arya Ava Lehya, Tribhuvana Keerti Trikatu powder. These remedies in ayurvedic treatment of cold and cough prevent the cold from getting converted into flu.Dietary Treatments for Cold: Ayurvedic practitioners may advise you to fast for one day so that the body toxins wash out. Hot vegetable soups, steamed vegetables with little or no spices, hot chicken soup good in cold. Foods like cheese, yoghurt, milk, sweets, oily and spicy foods that are difficult to digest should be avoided.
Ayurvedic Treatment of Flu: According to allopathic medicine flu (influenza) is caused by virus where as Ayurveda considers that this disease is caused by contact with an infected person, that results in the upsetting of one’s equilibrium.
