Cold and Flu Home Remedies

There is no cure for a cold or the flu, but a bowl of chicken soup or a cup of hot ginger tea with honey can help manage the symptoms. Some home remedies — such as vitamin C — may slightly reduce the length of time you are sick.
Body aches, fever, chills, and nasal congestion can make you feel miserable.
While home remedies can’t cure a cold or the flu, they can help relieve symptoms — such as body aches, fever, chills, nasal congestion — during your recovery.

But, if symptoms don’t improve or you have trouble breathing, rapid heartbeat, faintness, or any severe symptoms, it’s best to seek medical help.
Here, find out what cold and flu remedies you can try at home.

۱. Chicken soup
There is no scientific proof that chicken soup can cure a cold or flu or speed up recovery, but its ingredients contain nutrients that support your immune system. It’s also a comforting food that provides hydration and may help you feel better overall.

۲. Ginger
Ginger has antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Uses include reducing muscle pain and managing nausea.
Make tea by simmering a few slices of raw ginger root in boiling water.
As well as providing hydration, it may soothe muscle pain, ease a sore throat, and reduce nausea, if present.

۳. Honey
Honey has a variety of antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Drinking honey in tea with lemon can ease sore throat pain. Research suggests it may also act as a cough suppressant.
You should never give honey to a child younger than 12 months, as it may contain botulinum spores. While they’re usually harmless to older children and adults, infants’ immune systems aren’t able to fight them off.

۴. Garlic
Garlic contains the compound allicin, which has antimicrobial and possibly antiviral properties.
Adding garlic to your diet might reduce the severity of cold symptoms. According to some research, it might even help you avoid getting sick in the first place.

۵. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that plays many important roles in your body, including supporting the immune system.
Good dietary sources of vitamin C include:
• citrus fruits
• red peppers
• green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli

۶. Probiotics
Probiotics are “friendly” bacteria and yeast that are present in your body, some foods, and supplements.
They can help keep your gut and immune system healthy and may reduce your chance of getting sick with an upper respiratory infection as well as how long the infection lasts.

۷. Salt water gargle
Gargling with salt water may help prevent upper respiratory infections. It may also decrease the severity of cold symptoms, for instance, by easing sore throat pain and nasal congestion.
A saltwater gargle can reduce and loosen mucus, which contains bacteria and allergens.