Cure for Colds

Colds are highly contagious viral infections of the nose and throat and bring congestion, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, coughing, mild fever and headache. Most colds are minor illnesses and they usually go away within 14 days, with or without treatment. Children, along with the elderly, smokers, and individuals with serious health problems such as asthma, heart disease, cancer, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tend to suffer longer when they get colds.

If your cold lasts much longer than two weeks or keeps coming back, allergies, sinusitis, or some other secondary infection may be the culprit.

"Fever is an important sign," says Dr. Norman Edelman, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association. Adults with a fever of  39℃ or higher and children with a fever of 39.5℃ or higher, should see a doctor, Dr. Edelman advises. Colds can wear down your body's natural defenses, leaving you vulnerable to health issues ranging from ear and sinus infections to strep throat, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Headaches, fever, and sinus pain could point to a sinus infection that requires treatment.

Cure for colds:

1. Blow Your Nose Often - to remove virus and bacteria.

2. Stay Rested         
Resting helps your body direct its energy toward the immune battle. This battle taxes the body and so it is better to lie down under a blanket.

3. Gargle        
Gargling can moisten a sore throat and bring temporary relief. In addition, warm salt-water rinsing helps break nasal congestion while removing virus particles and bacteria from your nose.

4. Drink Hot Liquids
Hot liquids relieve nasal congestion, help prevent dehydration and soothe the uncomfortably inflamed membranes that line your nose and throat.

5. Take a Steamy Shower
Steamy showers moisturize your nasal passages and relax you.

6. Eat infection-fighting foods
Here are some good foods to eat:

• Bananas: Soothe upset stomachs.·       
• Peppers: Loaded with vitamin C.·       
• Blueberries: Curbs diarrhoea, high in natural aspirin. 
• Carrots: Loaded with beta-carotene.·       
• Chilli peppers: Can open sinuses and help break up mucus.·       
• Mustard and horseradish: Helps break up mucus in air passages.·       
• Onion: Has phytochemicals claimed to help the body clear bronchitis and other infections.
• Rice: Curbs diarrhoea.·       
• Tea: Black and green tea contain catechin, a phytochemical claimed to have natural antibiotic and anti-diarrhoea effects.

Tips for Cough Relief

Having a cough can be uncomfortable and annoying when you are trying to get through your day, and a cough that acts up at night can also disrupt your sleep. So how can you get a much-needed break from a stubborn cough?

The following tips may help tame the hacking:

1. Try an expectorant. Over-the-counter (OTC) cough medications with an expectorant such as guaifenesin work by clearing the mucus and other secretions of a productive cough so that you can breathe easier.
2. Take a cough suppressant. OTC cough remedies often contain dextromethorphan, which may provide temporary relief from a dry, hacking cough. In fact, honey also works as well. However, it is not suggested for children younger than 1 year because of possible impurities and the risk of infant botulism.
3. Sip green tea. Hot antioxidant-rich green tea may also help reduce upper respiratory infection symptoms. Add honey for an extra boost.
4. Stay hydrated. Getting enough fluids is always a good idea, and even more so when you have a cold, as staying hydrated helps to thin mucus and make coughs more productive, and helps fight infection. Water is ideal, but soothing chicken soup counts, too.
5. Suck on lozenges. These cough drops are good for soothing a scratchy, dry throat and reducing the urge to cough. A hard candy also provides moisture and can help relieve a dry cough.
6. Zap your cough with a vaporizer. Using a vaporizer or a humidifier adds moisture to the air, which can moisten your airway passages, reducing the likelihood that a dry, hacking cough will wake you up.
7. Elevate your head while you rest. Sleeping with your head elevated can reduce coughing from post-nasal drip. Sleeping this way also helps alleviate GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), which can cause coughing.
8. Apply vapor rub. The same menthol-scented balm your mother or grandmother rubbed on your chest when you were a kid can help clear nasal passages, which can help relieve nighttime coughing. It still works great on your kids as well.

However, “A persistent cough that doesn’t go away should be checked, as it may be a sign of something more serious, such as chronic sinusitis, reflux, asthma, bronchitis, or pneumonia,” says Olveen Carrasquillo, MD, chief of internal medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.