Symptoms

The common symptoms in this condition are running or blocked nose, sneezing specially when exposed to cold air or drinking ice cold drinks, sore throat, cough, congestion, headache sometimes low fever with body pains. Anorexia , laziness and difficulty in sleeping are also seen when the symptoms become severe.

Causes

This is a very common problem and is caused by aggravation of Kapha. It may sometime be caused by weak digestion. When the food we eat is not fully digested it changes into mucus which in Ayurvedic language is called as ama. This mucus or ama mixed with various circulations reaches the respiratory system and causes cold or cough. Other causes are exposure to cold or humid conditions or cold air.

Exposure to hot and cold conditions alternately with in a short period that is exposing the body to extreme temperature conditions. For example if an individual is sweating heavily and he drinks very cold water at the same time. Eating hot and cold food at the same time e.g. ice-cream with hot coffee. Eating cold foods and ice cold drinks in the cold weather that is not eating according to the season. Eating foods which increase Kapha like milk products, foods heavily fried in oil or ghee (clarified butter). It is also generally caused at the time of change of the season.

Remedies

1. The body should be kept warm especially feet, chest, throat and head. Precaution should be taken when going out in cold. 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.
2. Fresh ginger juice (half a tea spoon) mixed with half tea spoon honey should be taken three times a day- morning , noon and in the night. In the winter it is better to warm the mixture before taking it. Mixing a tea spoon of warm water in this misture also helps.
3. Half 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.
4. In case of dry cough especially if it trouble is during the night, take fresh ginger and peel off the skin. Cut it into small pieces of about two inches long. Apply some common salt and then chew it. You can also keep it in the mouth and sleep. Black salt or rock salt gives better relief.
5. 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.
6. In 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.

Fasting is also helpful to relieve the symptoms of cold and cough. It is very important that the patient has no constipation. In that case some laxatives can be taken in order to clean the system every day.

Diet and Regimen