Home Remedies for the Common Cold by:Patsy Hamilton

Most people have their own home remedies for the common cold

. Some of these can be supported by scientific research. Researchers are still trying to find out how to cure the common cold, but in all likelihood, there will never be a cure, only a treatment.

Chicken soup? Chicken contains selenium, an important trace element for proper immune system function and overall good health. If you ask someone how to cure the common cold and they recommend chicken soup, it is probably because they know that it makes them feel better. The warm soup soothes the throat. The steam can temporarily decongest the nose, making it easier to breathe. Adding onions, garlic and pepper, some other home remedies for the common cold, can increase this effect. Plus, these spicy additions are easier to taste and smell. Both of these senses are slightly diminished by common cold symptoms.

Honey and lemon tea? Lemon juice is a good source of vitamin C, which is important for proper immune system function. Herbal teas, made from mullein, sweetened with honey and lemon can be very soothing to the throat and can temporarily open clogged breathing passages. Horehound tea can also be used to relieve coughs. Green tea has been the subject of a number of studies and has been shown to effectively increase energy and metabolism. Honey should not be given to small children.

Orange juice? Another good source of vitamin C, juices and fluids are frequently used home remedies for the common cold and increased fluids are typically recommended by doctors and other health care professionals to reduce the likelihood of becoming dehydrated. Research about how to cure the common cold indicates that vitamin C supplementation may reduce the duration of cold symptoms.

Steam baths and humidifiers? While inhaling steam may reduce congestion temporarily, there is no evidence that it reduces duration of symptoms. Some experts believe that a dry nose is more susceptible to viral infection. But, using a room humidifier or sitting in a steamy bathroom may not relieve symptoms. Researchers looking for an answer to how to cure the common cold found that the rhinovirus and other common cold viruses are more active in lower humidity, which may be one of the reasons that people have more colds in the winter months, when humidity is lower. But, these viruses thrive in the warm and moist conditions that are always present in the nose.

Rest? Rest is always important to human health, but particularly so during viral infections. One of the often recommended home remedies for the common cold is to rest in bed. Whether or not bed rest reduces the duration of a cold has not been studied, but is still recommended by doctors and other experts. Some people maintain that how to cure the common cold is to spend the day in bed. Certainly, this is a common cold remedy that has no side effects; it can't hurt you.

To learn more about home remedies for the common cold and natural products that may reduce the number of colds that you get every year, visit the Immune System Booster Guide.

About the author

Patsy Hamilton has more than twenty years experience as a healthcare professional and currently writes informational articles for the Immune System Booster Guide. To learn more about the common cold, influenza and other viruses visit http://www.immune-system-booster-guide.com.

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