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Folk Cold Remedies

The common cold is "an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus," according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Colds generally occur during the winter months. Symptoms may include sneezing, runny nose, coughing, fever and body aches and pains. While there is no way to cure a cold, certain folk remedies may help to alleviate symptoms. You should consult your doctor before using alternative or folk remedies.

  1. Chicken Soup

    • Like many people, you were most likely given chicken soup as a child whenever you came down with the cold. Chicken soup may sound like a quack remedy, but it's been scientifically proven to be effective at alleviating cold symptoms. According to the Mayo Clinic, scientists have shown that chicken soup has anti-inflammatory and congestion-relieving properties. As with many types of warm fluids, chicken soup may help to break up mucus, speed up the movement of mucus and help to inhibit your body's inflammation response to the cold virus.

    Ginger

    • Ginger is one of the most widely cultivated and popularly used spices throughout the world. In traditional and folk remedies, it is used to treat a number of physical complaints, including headaches and body aches and pains. It is believed to have a warming and soothing effect on the body, which makes it a popular folk remedy for treating the common cold. When used in tea form, ginger may help to alleviate coughs and congestion and help to break up mucus. You can purchase commercially-prepared ginger tea in most grocery stores. You can also prepare a homemade ginger tea by boiling a small piece of peeled ginger root for ten minutes.

    Garlic

    • Garlic is used in a number of folk remedies. Garlic soup and garlic tea are both popular remedies for the common cold that have been used by proponents of traditional folk medicine. You can prepare garlic tea by grating two cloves of garlic and mixing it with a teaspoon of honey and a cup of hot water. Garlic soup is said to help reduce the severity of colds and is prepared by simmering several cloves of garlic in a pot of hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.

    Apple Cider Vinegar

    • Apple cider vinegar is another common ingredient in many folk remedies. One folk remedy for the common cold involving apple cider is to mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with a half-cup of water. You should drink this mixture two to three times daily until your symptoms disappear.

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