Find the doctor at home; in your kitchen

Medicine.... life saver for many; but habit for some. Do you belong to pop the Medicine like candy group? If yes, then you should tone down your habit because your body is slowly getting immune to the medicines. The medicines might not work when you would really want them to. Many of the world's healing traditions have their roots in the kitchen. Hippocrates the father of medicine rightly said 'Let food be thy medicine'. So for minor hiccups try these herbal remedies which might even save few of your trips to doctors’.

Sore Throat: a common problem faced by many of us during winter months or even when we have too much to talk. A simple problem and a simple cure; gargling with salt water and taking in ginger-honey paste. Grate ginger and extract its juice. Mix this juice with honey (1:1 or 1:2 if you cannot take bitterness of ginger) and take for immediate relief. Ginger has been also considered useful for bronchitis, colds, cough, digestion and flu.

Toothache: Try clove oil or a paste of cloves if clove oil is unavailable. Clove will immediately numb the gum and would also fight if there is any infection. Make a thick paste of cloves and apply as a pack on the affected area for a few minutes. Spit and repeat if needed. Clove oil if available can be used in place of clove paste. Cloves also work in nausea, vomiting and other digestive problems. Sucking on a clove can prevent bouts of cough.

Cold: First line of defence to treat cold is keeping you warm, rested and hydrated. Apart from this, ingesting raw garlic with honey (either by chewing or swallowing) works wonders in cold. But it works best when taken at the onset of cold. Garlic is also useful for asthma, bronchitis, blood circulation, cough, gas, and high blood pressure to name a few.

Cough: Anise (choti saunf) is very useful for breaking up mucus and is used for hard, dry coughs where expectoration is difficult.  Make a concoction by adding a cup of boiled water to three teaspoons of crushed seeds and steep for 20-minutes. Taking in a paste of powdered licorice (mulatthi) mixed with honey or drinking concoction of licorice is also excellent in breaking mucus stuck in the system.

Indigestion: one of the most common remedies is to take two spoons of lime and ginger juice, and honey mixed in a glass of warm water, after a heavy meal. Another effective remedy is to have a teaspoon of roasted Carom (ajwain) seeds along with a pinch of black salt.

Urinary Tract Infections: Lots of researches have given thumbs up on the consumption of cranberry juice for the treatment of UTI. Though it cannot replace antibiotics, still it can prevent or cure minor infections effectively. Research indicates consumption of 1 cup of cranberry juice 3 or more times a day till symptoms subside. A doctor should be contacted in case there is no improvement after 2 days of treatment.

Skin troubles: use turmeric to soothe acne, scrapes, cuts, wounds, blemishes and sunburns. Make a thin paste of turmeric using water / rose water / aloe-vera juice and apply on the affected area. Leave for some time and rinse. Turmeric also acts as a blood purifier and antiseptic. It can be used internally and externally to heal wounds, relieve pains in the limbs and break up congestion in chest.

Few other herbs of advantage Coriander Seeds (sabut dhania / dhaniye ke beej): Steeped in tea, it is useful to relieve fevers. Cinnamon (dalchini): Very helpful for digestive problems especially when accompanied by gas and cramping. Cinnamon can also be used to treat colds, flu and arthritis. Bay Leaf (tej patta): good to stimulate appetite, promote digestion, relieve colic and flatulence. Black Pepper: The mixture of pepper and honey is useful to overcome cold mucous diseases and sore throats. Cardamom: Cardamom is often used to treat indigestion and gas.

Home remedies are often considered safe and effective but they should only be practiced till the disease is in the nascent stage. When the disease is acute or takes a serious form then doctors should definitely be consulted for timely intervention.

Image Courtesy: infoallergy.com