How to Alleviate Cold Symptoms

The common cold is caused by over 200 different viruses. The most common are from the rhinovirus family and are highly infectious. The common cold can be transmitted through air -- from sneezing and coughing -- as well as through direct contact with a person or object that harbors the virus. Cold symptoms include sore throat, sneezing, nasal congestion and runny nose. There are no cures for the common cold, but several therapies can help alleviate its symptoms.

Things You'll Need

• Ginger
• Garlic supplement
• Vitamin C supplement
• Food scale
• Cup
• Tea kettle

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Instructions

Alleviating Cold Symptoms

• 1

  Purchase ginger, garlic and vitamin C from your local health food or vitamin supplement store. Consult a physician before using any supplements to alleviate cold symptoms.

• 2

  Pour water into a tea kettle, turn the stove on high and place the tea kettle onto the stove. Weigh out 10 grams of ginger using a food scale, cut the herb into small pieces and place the ginger into the tea kettle when it boils. Carefully pour the hot ginger tea into a cup and drink to relieve cold symptoms. Prepare and drink twice a day.

• 3

  Take 500 mg to 1000 mg of vitamin C daily to prevent and combat the common cold. The Herbal Health Centre notes that vitamin C severely reduced the duration and symptoms of the common cold in 168 volunteers. Vitamin C is known to maintain healthy white blood cell counts and improve the strength of the immune system.

• 4

  Add one teaspoon of crushed garlic to juice or water and drink every one to two hours. Garlic acts as a good cold medication and decongestant. The Journal of Medicinal Food has found that garlic has antimicrobial and immunomodulatory, or immune-boosting, components and was effective against more than 133 different bacterial isolates.