5 Tips for Fighting Coughs and Colds with Ayurveda
The cold season is back, not only in terms of temperatures but also of the pesky little cold and cough buggers.
In Ayurveda, catching a cold expresses a weakening immune system. You may remember from the Dhatu blog post that when the food that you eat gets digested and metabolised into all the seven dhatus, what's left over is ojas, your immunity.
It means that the food needs to go all the way to nourish ojas. If it doesn’t happen, then the body's digestive fire, Agni, isn't strong enough.
Ah, you see, all gets back to digestion, whichever way to turn 😊
That is also why you get a cold, but your husband/wife/etc isn't.
The cold is excess Kapha (which has cold, mucousy, sticky qualities) spreading from the upper stomach, its main home, into its other homes, lungs, nasal and sinus passages and creates further mucous, hence an imbalance there.
That's all very interesting, but what am I doing when I have a cold? How can I get rid of it?
Ok, your first point of action should always be to avoid cold drinks and food and start sipping hot water throughout the day.
Then you can resort to your kitchen cupboard because, luckily, there you can find herbs and spices to help yourself get better fairly quickly.
#1 Herbs
Let's have a look first at which herbs are good for colds and coughs.
Cinnamon
I don't know anyone who doesn't like the smell and taste of the fantastic herb. And it is so helpful.
Cinnamon has warming qualities and an affinity for the lungs. It helps liquefy the mucous and warm the lungs. Cinnamon also kindles agni, hence strengthening your digestion and digesting ama (toxins), which benefits in the long run to avoid further colds.
Cardamom
Works well with cinnamon, as it clears mucous from the lungs and airways. It also kindles agni and has anti-inflammatory qualities, which prevents colds from getting worse.
Ginger
Having ginger in the house is an absolute must because of the myriad of benefits, both fresh and powder. They have different qualities, though, so one should not necessarily be replaced with the other one. Dried ginger creates more heat in the body than fresh one. In addition, it also has a hot aftereffect, while fresh ginger is less aggravating and has a sweet, cooling effect.
But, in general, ginger stimulates agni, burns ama, and, like cardamom, clears the airways and lungs from excess mucous.
In case of ulceration in the body, ginger should be avoided.
Liquorice
In German, liquorice is called sweet wood; it is supposed to be 50 times sweeter than sugar.
Liquorice also has an affinity for the lungs. Here, particularly in dry coughs, it soothes the lung tissue and dry throats. Although liquorice has slimy, demulcent qualities, it helps to loosen mucous, ready to be discharged by ginger or cardamom.
You can see how these herbs work with each other.
Bay leaf
Another helpful herb you most likely find in your kitchen is bay leaf. Bay leaf stimulates agni and decongests (in particular, it helps dilate the bronchi to increase airflow to the lungs), which makes it great for colds, coughs and bronchitis. So, it is not just beneficial for your stew 😊
Black pepper
Black pepper also stimulates agni, strengthens your digestion, helps with absorption and reduces congestion with its hot qualities.
Thyme
Last but not least, I like to mention thyme. Did you know that, besides making your pasta sauce and stew taste, thyme is excellent for the lungs? Here are a few cold relevant benefits of thyme. It helps to open the lung airways to decongest and discharge mucous. Plus, it lifts your mood.
These are 6 super valuable herbs. There are obviously more benefits for coughs and colds, but you might not have them at hand.
Feeling off-kilter as the seasons change? Let's chat about keeping your body strong and your immune system robust with our easy-to-follow Vata Guide.
Get Ayurveda tips, spot the imbalance, recipes, shopping list, Yoga sequences and more.
#2 So, what to do with them in case of a cold?
Adding these herbs and spices to your daily meals throughout the year in their appropriate seasons is always beneficial as the above qualities help strengthen the body and prevent colds and coughs, or if you can't avoid them, cut them short.
It is not enough to drink one cup of tea and expect the cold to disappear. This is a concerted effort over several days, as long as it takes for your body to fight it. And it works together with eating lightly and sensibly. If you have a cold, drink a cup of cold tea and eat a pizza; you undo the tea immediately.
Here are a few cold remedies from your kitchen cupboard.
First up, the recipe that I shared with you a couple of weeks back:
Spicy Cold Tea
This is a tasty and potent tea, which is excellent when you have a cold. It helps with circulation, reduces fever and aids the body in fighting infections. It is also a superb decongestant for a stuffed nose or a congested chest.
15 gr fresh ginger, sliced or grated
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
4 black peppercorns
4 green cardamom pods
Pour 600 ml water into a pot, add all the ingredients, bring to a boil, cover and let the mixture simmer for about 15 min.
Strain into a thermos and drink a cup 3-6 times daily as long as acute symptoms last. Drink the tea as hot as possible, sweeten it with honey (let it cool down a little, though; don't add to the flask) or/and add lemon.
An easy-make from one of my favourite Ayurveda books:
Cumin/ginger tea
1 lt water
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
Bring the water to a boil, add the seeds and ginger, and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Leave the pot on the stove and reheat each time you have a cup, or strain it into a thermos and take it.
Mixtures with Honey
Honey is an excellent anupana (a carrier for herbs/spices to be more effective) for colds because of its heating and drying qualities. Please use raw honey, which is not boiled; this makes the honey toxic. Buy it directly from a beekeeper if you can, or shop one but labelled raw, not the industrialised one.
This is a mixture that you can keep for a few months in your cupboard and use when at the first signs of a cold:
½ cup raw honey
1 tbsp turmeric
1tsp black pepper
Pre-Cold Mixture
This recipe you can take as soon as you feel something is coming up. The larger quantity can be stored in a glass jar on your kitchen counter or cupboard.
1 cup turmeric powder
⅓ cup raw honey
1 ½ tsp black pepper
1 ½ tsp ginger powder
¼ cup coconut oil or ghee
optional are
1 ½ tsp ashwagandha powder
¼ tsp clove powder
I make this mixture every winter. It is tasty; you can keep it on the kitchen counter and take a teaspoon when you notice the first signs. It is excellent for kids, too. ½ tsp is sufficient for them.
When you have a cold
½ tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp honey
Mix and take 2 – 3 times a day.
You can mix in appropriate amounts more of the mixture for a couple of days and keep it in a small jar.
#3 Food
Food is always the first point of action; we need to eat every day multiple times. So is the fastest way to bring change.
When we are ill, our body works overtime to fight the intruders. We, therefore, need to eat easy-to-digest food which nourishes at the same time so that the energy is not wasted by being drawn to the digestive system rather than supporting the immune system.
As long as you feel ill, the best are
Broths, vegetables and meat.
Kanji, a slow-cooked rice soup with Ghee, cumin, grated ginger, salt and black pepper.
Kitchadi, yellow split mung dal with rice and vegetables.
Mung dal, you can use these spices also in autumn, as the kindle agni.
Kulith, horse gram, soup link to horse gram
Leafy greens to flush out the system.
During cold, avoid dairy products and sweet taste (carrots, beetroots, pumpkin, cakes, etc) as they create mucous.
Restorative Yoga
Restorative Yoga is a passive way to help the body relax deeply and heal.
Legs up the Wall
This is a super easy way to support the immune system, especially when the pelvis is elevated.
But done on a regular basis throughout the year. During a cold, it might be uncomfortable if the airways are blocked. In that case a supine butterfly with the head slightly higher might be more appropriate.
Supine butterfly or crossed-legged
Whichever leg position is more comfortable for you. Feel free to support your legs with cushions.
This is a fantastic check opener and you can deeply relax, restore your energy and heal.
Stretching out or lying on the side.
Side is often more comfortable when the airways are restricted. Support your head as much is needed, so that it is most comfortable.
All the above postures can be held as long as comfortable, the longer, the better.
As with the food, activity needs energy. I appreciate that you need to work and look after your kids, but whenever you can, go to bed as early as possible.
Home Therapies
Excellent for colds and sinus issues is steaming. The easiest way is a pot of hot water and a towel. Add salt, chamomile flowers, eucalyptus, or vicks.
For sore throats, gargling is excellent. Boil a cup of water, add ½ tsp of salt and turmeric, mix it, and let it cool down to a comfortable temperature and gargle with it. Repeat mornings and evenings.
Apply warm/hot sesame oil on your chest and, if you can tolerate it, your forehead, nose and cheeks before bed.
Scrape your tongue every morning.
Put a drop of liquid ghee on your nose before bed.
Before bed, massage your feet with warm sesame oil and stick them into hot/warm water (comfortable) for about 15/20 min.
In Short
Ayurveda suggests that a cold is a sign of a weakened immune system, often related to poor digestion or 'Agni'. To combat colds, Ayurveda recommends:
Avoiding Cold Foods/Drinks: Opt for sipping hot water throughout the day to support digestion.
Using Herbs: Incorporate herbs such as cinnamon (to warm the lungs), cardamom (to clear mucus), ginger (to stimulate digestion), liquorice (to soothe the throat), bay leaf (to decongest), black pepper (to reduce congestion), and thyme (to open lung airways).
Preparing Remedies: Utilize kitchen spices in teas, such as the Spicy Cold Tea made from ginger, cinnamon, and other spices, and Cumin/Ginger tea. Mixtures with raw honey can also be beneficial, like the Pre-Cold Mixture, which includes turmeric, black pepper, and ginger powder.
Eating the Right Foods: Consume easily digestible foods such as broths, kanjee, kitchadi, and leafy greens while avoiding dairy and sweet foods that can increase mucus production.
Practicing Restorative Yoga and Home Therapies: Engage in gentle yoga poses like the legs-up-the-wall, and employ home remedies such as steaming with eucalyptus, gargling with salt and turmeric water, applying sesame oil, and warming the feet in hot water.
Resources
Vasant Lad, The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies
Kate O’Donnell, The Everyday Ayurveda Guide to Self-Care
How is your immune system? Do you get every cold that comes along? Do you find these tips helpful? Let me know what you think. You can leave a message on Instagram, Facebook or even good old email.
I love hearing from you!
Katja x
P.S. Remember to download the Autumn/Winter Guide, and find more tips for the cold months.
Feel free to share this post with family or friends who might benefit from it.
