Causes

• Change in weather conditions which favor growth of various kinds of viruses
• Viral infections of throat
• Exposure to too cold climate
• Change of drinking water
• Excessive consumption of frozen or chilled food articles
• Exposure to dust
• Working late nights
• Excessive exposure with people who are already infected with cold
• Poor ventilation
• Staying in a room were there is poor air circulation, or in a room with heaters or air conditioner on for whole day

Symptoms

• Running or blocked nose
• Sneezing
• Sore throat
• Congestion
• Headache
• Low fever with body pain
• Loss of appetite
• Lethargy
• Insomnia

Safety tips: Daily intake of Chyavanprash, Khushmanda, Ashvagandha, swamala compound etc enhance the immunity of the body.

Exercise tips: Exercises like Pranayama, Sudarshana Kriya etc will make your respiratory system strong and prevent respiratory illnesses.

Home remedies

• A concentrated decoction of peppercorns with cumin and jaggery helps to expel out sputum
• Tulsi leaves about 6-8 leaves also helps in cough and cold
• Inhalation of smoke from burned dried root of turmeric about 5-6 times relieves the congestion
• Vitamin C-rich lemon juice increases body resistance, decreases toxicity and reduces the duration of the illness
• Soup of four cloves of chopped garlic helps to open up the respiratory passages
• Five drops of garlic oil combined with a teaspoon of onion juice, and diluted in a cup of water, should be drunk two to three times a day
• The sweet decoction of 10 gm of ginger in a cup of water helps
• A teaspoon of the bitter gourd plant root paste, honey or tulsi once every night for a month, acts as an excellent medicine for colds
• Half a teaspoon of fresh turmeric powder mixed in 30 ml of warm milk, once or twice daily

Source: www.pragyatv.com