Is your nose red from sneezing all day? Or do you find yourself recording body temperature every 2 hours, praying that all will be well? These are a few visible signs of a common cold, but a lot more goes on inside us.

If you are suffering from sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and/or fever, you have probably caught a common cold, which scientists lovingly call nasopharyngitis.

And, if you are one of those who are not able to adapt easily to weather changes, start sneezing the moment you breathe pollen, or somehow fall ill very often, you might need to take extra care!

What do you do when you catch a cold? Pop an over-the-counter medicine? How often does it cure your cold? Doctors say that taking the same pill every time you catch cold can make the virus indifferent towards you and your pill.

It is time for a change! Let’s have a look at a few natural methods of treatment with guaranteed results and no side-effects. 

#1 Meditate To Strengthen Your Immune System

Did you know that meditation, an ancient technique of relaxation, can help cure a cold? By now, you must be well aware that immunity and wellness are directly proportional. The stronger your immunity, the healthier you are. Have you wondered how meditation can heal you?

Think of it like this: Immunity is like the army that protects you from potential enemies called antigens. Meditation to your army is like first aid to a wounded soldier (that is, when you suffer from illness) and also increases the strength of your army (that is, increases immunity).

On all the days you are unwell, it will help restore balance, strengthen your immunity, and heal your body and mind. On all the other days, when you are well, meditation will give you the best of soldiers to keep you safe and prevent potential illnesses from entering your body.

There is another way in which meditation heals our body during illnesses.

How do you feel when you are unwell? If you feel low on energy, it is because illness consumes your energy. On the contrary, you can associate wellbeing with high-energy levels. If we meditate at such times, it will help increase our life-force energy (also called prana), which in turn will boost the immune system. A stronger than before immune system helps us fight diseases like a common cold.

It is time to recover! Try one of our online meditations guided by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

#2 Pranayama, Yoga & Sound Therapy

Have you seen the way kids play and the way they sleep? Maybe you can go back in time and see how you or your kid posed for photographs! Notice their body postures and the way they slept with fingers arranged in a particular manner. Yoga and pranayama aren’t something you need to train yourself in. It is naturally ingrained in you, just as you can see it in kids!

Pranayama with Agni mudra and Vayu mudra increase body heat, which helps dissolve cough build up without causing acidity.

How Is Agni Mudra Done?

Agni mudra is done by folding the ring finger to the base of the thumb and pressing it with the thumb at the medial phalange while leaving the other three fingers straight.

How Is Vayu Mudra Done?

Vayu mudra is done by letting the index finger touch the mound of the thumb and letting your thumb touch the medial phalange of your index finger while leaving the other three fingers straight. Repeat each pranayama for 3 minutes, at least 3 to 4 times a day.

Did you know that the simple act of breathing actually holds the secret to a healthy life? If we regulate the way we breathe through practices like Sudarshan Kriya and Bhastrika, we can help restore our balance at all levels, including physical and emotional. Breath is our main source of prana (vital life-force energy). When we do Sudarshan Kriya (a simple rhythmic breathing technique), our breath becomes rhythmic and toxins that cause or aggravate diseases are flushed out.

Yoga poses like Gomukhasana (cow face pose) and Bhujangasana (cobra pose) can also help you fortify your immune system. You can continue these practices even after you recover for a healthier life.

#3 Even Sound Can Heal!

Have you heard of sound therapy? Sounds created by Sanskrit chanting produces positive vibrations. Positive vibrations raises our energy levels. Listening to chants when you are battling cold gives strength to your system to fight cold.

You might notice that if you hear these chants with your eyes closed, you slip into a state where you are at deep rest. That is the state of meditation. The chants itself start the process of healing. You can even lie down and rest while listening to chants. Don’t worry if you fall asleep—it’s good because the increased energy level is now being diverted to heal you.

#4 Believe That There’s Nothing Wrong With You

Tell me, the moment you realize you have caught a cold, what’s your first line of defence? Surrender and hit the bed or stand up and move ahead?

Well, did you know everything is right there in your mind? Changing your thought process can change your life. Your mind is very powerful. It can heal you. For medicines to show results, it is often said that you have to have faith in them and the doctor. Faith is a powerful ally in helping us heal. Initially, it might be difficult to believe, but you can fake it until you make it.

However, we suggest that if your cold is severe and you feel exhausted, relax for as long as you want, while always believing that you will recover soon.

#5 Did You Meet An Ayurvedic Doctor?

Did you know Ayurveda, which literally means the science of life, is an ancient way of healing? Ayurveda says, “If your body is diseased, there must be some imbalance”, and Ayurveda remedies aims at restoring this balance.

A qualified Ayurvedic doctor, also called a Nadi Parikshak, can help you the best with diagnosing the imbalance in your system. He inspects your pulse at the wrist and hence the name Nadi Parikshak (Nadi = pulse; Pariksha = examination).

#6 Eat Food That Is Easy On The Stomach

Have you seen kids growing cranky and avoiding food when they fall ill? Interestingly, it is a natural response of the body to illness. “In case of common cold, abstinence from food is the first line of treatment”, says Dr. Shiksha Thakur, an Ayurvedic doctor.

But you shouldn’t stop eating either. It is best to go on a light diet. You may eat only when you feel hungry and avoid sweets, deep fried items, fine flour products, lady’s finger, cold water, and soft drinks (Know more on what kind of food to eat). A light stomach clears your digestive fire. A clean digestive fire is associated with a strong immune system and this helps restore the balance in the system.

Here’s a list of what can be eaten at such times and food that boosts immunity:

1 – Nuts (almond, cashew, pistachio, walnut, hazelnut, dates, apricot, prunes, and raisins in limited quantity), as they provide necessary vitamins, natural oils, and nutrients to keep the body warm.

2 – Spices (black pepper, garlic, onion, cumin, coriander, ginger, asafoetida, and mustard seeds), as they help in digestion and in elimination of abdominal gases.
3 – Vegetables (drumstick, pointed gourd, spinach, amaranth, bitter gourd, green banana, fenugreek leaves, and mint leaves), as they provide the necessary fibre and nutrition and are easily digestible.
4 – Sprouts, as they are high on fibre and proteins; they provide enough energy and fill your stomach without making it heavy.
5 – A glass of fresh warm milk with a pinch of turmeric and black pepper boosts immunity.
6 – Fruits (papaya and apple); avoid sour fruits.
7 – Freshly prepared warm food to enhance circulation and increase enzyme activity. Avoid frozen, canned, or packed food.
8 – Basil has medicinal properties. A decoction of the leaves with honey and ginger is an effective remedy for cough and cold. The leaves, when boiled with tea, act as a preventive against cold. In case you have fever, boil a decoction of basil leaves with powdered cardamom in half a litre of water and mix with jaggery and milk to bring down temperature.

#7 Turn Water Into A Healer!

Did you know something as easily available as water can be a life saver? When suffering a cold, it can be your magic drink, or maybe your magic steam!

One of the most effective natural remedies to cure a cold is a pinch of cumin seeds added to warm water. This is a medicinal drink that clears blockages in our respiratory tract, which is congested with cough and mucus. For a day or two, stress on more water and less food and notice the difference for yourself!

Water vapour is you magic steam. Take water in a container (in case you don’t have a vaporizer) and add a pinch of camphor or two or three drops of eucalyptus oil. Bring this to a boil and inhale the steam for a minute or two and repeat after a couple of minutes. You can do it for five to ten minutes twice daily. You can cover your head with a towel; that’ll keep you warm while you inhale. And let the magic happen!

It’s advisable to drink at least 2 to 3 liters of water every day. This is one of the easiest and safest ways of keeping sickness at bay.

On all other days, you must drink at least 3 liters of water if you are male and 2.2 liters if you are female. This is a safe and simple way of keeping health problems at bay.

#8 Herbal Medicines to beat common cold

Just like we have certain food types for cold, there are a few herbs too. The only difference is that they are packed as Ayurvedic medicines that are paraben-free and have no negative side-effects. Haridra Khanda, Amruth, and Yashti Madhu can be administered as per the instructions that come with these medicines or as prescribed by your Ayurvedic doctor

Taking four to five drops of Shakti Drops in a glass of water every day is adequate to boost your immunity.

For more tips read the sequel to this article coming soon

Written by Ravisha Kathuria
Based on Meditation inputs by Bharathy Harish, sajah samadhi Meditation teacher and Ayurvedic inputs by Dr. Shiksha Thakur, Ayurveda Expert.