Jump to  
Ease the Common Cold with Ayruvedic Medicine

Ease the Common Cold with Ayruvedic Medicine

by Reenita Malhotra in Ayurvedic Medicine, Herbal Remedies

The common cold is notorious for being nearly impossible to treat. Getting a good night’s sleep and frequently washing your hands are two of the best ways to keep from catching one.

In Ayurveda, India’s ancient wellness medicine, the common cold is treated with warming herbs and spices to boost your immune system and loosen congestion in the sinuses and lungs.

Tulsi (also known as ‘Holy Basil’) and ginger are two widely used Ayurvedic herbs for treating the common cold: ginger loosens congestion, and tulsi helps boost the immune system. Here’s how to use them to help ease your sniffles.

Photo by Snap.Tulsi plant

Tulsi plant

Ginger and Tulsi Tea
Ayurvedic herbal teas are a simple and effective way to keep viruses at bay and boost the immune system. For a ready-bagged tea, try Organic India’s Tulsi and Ginger tea or Ayoma’s Kapha Tea. If you want to make it yourself, fresh ginger root and tulsi leaves can be found in many natural food stores. Use one tablespoon of fresh herbs per cup of water.  Sweeten your tea with honey. Sip 1-2 cups of the tea daily.

Herbal Anti-Viral Facial Oil
Massaging your face and nostrils with an anti-viral oil is a great way to allow the healing properties of herbs to absorb into the skin and olfactory system. Add 1-3 drops of Tulsi and ginger essential oils into two teaspoons of organic almond oil. Massage the aromatic blend into your face and neck just after you have cleansed. Use your little fingers to gently insert some of the oil into your nostrils. Do this once a day or twice (morning and night) if you are particularly susceptible to the flu.

  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • email
  • LinkedIn
  • Live
  • MySpace
  • Ping.fm
  • Technorati
  • Tipd
  • Digg
  • Print
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Twitter
  • FriendFeed
  • PDF
  • RSS

Related Posts:

  • No Related Posts

Posted on Apr 04, 2009

Tags:

common cold, Ginger, Herbal Remedies, herbs, Tulsi

About the Author

Reenita Malhotra

Reenita Malhotra Hora is an Ayurveda clinician and freelance writer. Native to Mumbai, she resides in San Francisco with her husband and two kids where she helps people to achieve their wellness goals. Reenita writes for a variety of sustainability media including Green Options, Green Living Ideas, National Geographic Kids, SustainLane and more. Check out her wisdom at www.reenita.com.

2 Responses to “Ease the Common Cold with Ayruvedic Medicine”

  1. marina villatoro


    Apr 04, 2009

    I’m grateful for ayrevidic medicine. That is one thing that is readily accessible to us in Costa Rica. They actually have a great line distribution there. I’m moving to Guatemala, and am looking for it here, but have yet to find anything! They are sooooo behind everythign here!
    Gave you guys a shout out, happy Saturday!
    The Travel Expert(a) and an Expat with a Twist

  2. prince


    Feb 28, 2010

    I’ve heard a lot about Ayurveda- science of life thanks for this information,i really appreciated it

Leave a Reply