Ayurveda For Common Cold cough

Causes:
 This is a very common problem and is caused by aggravation of Kapha. It is also caused by weak digestion. When the food we eat is not fully digested it changes into ama. This mucus or ama reaches the respiratory system and causes cold or cough. Other causes are exposure to cold or humid conditions or cold air.
Remedies:

• body should be kept warm especially feet, chest, throat and head. Sweating is very helpful. The simplest way to do it is drink hot spice tea or some other hot drink and lie down on the bed .Take some warm cover like blanket and let the body sweat for 15 to 20 minutes.
  
• a glass of warm water mixed with one tea spoon of lemon juice and one tea spoon of honey can be taken 2-3 times a day.
  
• case of dry cough especially if it trouble is during the night, take cardamom, dry ginger, black pepper and cinnamon in equal quantity, say 10 gms. each. Take white sugar or rock candy equal to the total weight that is 40 gms. Grind them and make a fine powder. From this take half a tea spoon ( about 3 gms.) twice a day with honey or warm water after meals.
  
• case of sore throat a clove or two cardamoms or rock candy or a few raisins can be chewed. Gargling with warm salty water is also beneficial. This can be done two to three times a day.
  
• For hacking cough and Laryngitis : Equal parts of honey and juice of baked lemon,( i.e. sour citrusfruit) or 10 -15 drops of betel leaf juice with honey three times a day.

Diet and Regimen:

• Cold drinks, ice cream, sweets, fried foods, milk products like cheese, creams, yogurt etc. should not be taken. Hot milk without fat can be taken if boiled with a piece of crushed ginger. Half tea spoon of turmeric powder is good to mix with the milk.
• you should avoid tomatoes, eggplant and bananas.
• Sweet fruit juices should also be avoided. Breads, meats, nuts and pastries are not good to take. It is good to take light and warm diet like boiled or steamed vegetables, vegetable soup and fruits which are not juicy like papaya and apple. Spice teas, herbal teas and some other hot drinks are good.
• Keep your insides warm with warm spices -- cumin is considered the ace "ama" burner. Stack up your spice rack with "thermogenic" or heat- generating spices like black pepper, coriander, and cumin. Clove, boiled with milk, is excellent too.

Life style:

• Follow the middle path: don't skip meals or overeat.
• Eat fresh, well-cooked food.
• Start your day with two glasses of warm water.
• Do not fast during winter -- fasting weakens the body's defenses.
• Eat a timely lunch and an early dinner for good digestion.
• Sleep on time -- not later than 10 p.m. Restful sleep builds essential energy or "ojas", boosting immunity.

 Excellent winter dessert : Stewed Apple
Take one Red Delicious apple, pierced with 4 cloves and boiled. Once done, remove the cloves and savor the clove-warmed, energy-enhancing fruit. Ayurvedic medicines:  Tribhuvankirti.  Nagaguti , Ardrakavleha.
Ayurvedic Sore Throat/ Cough Remedies:
-- Mix 1/2 tea spoon of Sitopladi churna with honey and lick it two to three times a day. It will lubricate your throat and prevents irritation due to cough.
Cough & Cold Tea (Herbal Tea)- contains Ginger, Miri, Cinnamon, Parijatak leaves, Tulsi leaves, Bilva patra, coriander , Lemon Grass etc.
It is very useful in cold , cough, Flu.
--Take 1 tea spoon of Kantkari avleha twice a day. It helps in relieving the symptoms of cough.
-- Take mouth dissolving Ayurvedic lozenges like eladi vati, vyoshadi vati 3-4 times a day.
-- Yashtimadhu churna is also good in sore throat along with honey .