Aachoo8230; Catch a cold? No problem

CHANDIGARH, Feb 17: Yeh kya haal bana rakha hai. Kuch letae kyon nahin?A popular teaser during winters for those with stuffy, red nose, w...

CHANDIGARH, Feb 17: Yeh kya haal bana rakha hai. Kuch letae kyon nahin?

A popular teaser during winters for those with stuffy, red nose, watery eyes and a tissue always at hand. And when the doctors say that no medicine can give you relief from the oh, so common8217; cold, you remember what the wise men have to say, 8220;It takes seven days to cure a cold with a medicine, a week without it8221;. Though several products are available to deal with the stuffy nose, the sneezes and the incorrigible coughs that accompany the common cold, it all boils down to strengthening the immune system.

8220;The cause of common cold is virus and there is no way to kill that. All one can do is strengthen the body8217;s immune system, so that it can fight the virus attack,8221; says homoeopath Dr. R. S. Bedi. Dr. Madan Gulati, in charge of the Ayurvedic Dispensaries, UT Health Department, says, 8220;According to the ayurved, a majority of ailments stem from stomach problems. Common cold too has its roots in faulty digestive system. If the digestive system is not functioning well, it will lead to the weakening of body8217;s immune system, which in turn will not be able to fight the virus. Those who suffer from colds chronically should first get treatment for their digestive systems8221;.

8220;When the virus enters the body, the symptoms are manifested in throat and nose, which is why anti-biotics are recommended to prevent associated bacterial ailments like cough and other respiratory problems,8221; says Dr R S Bedi.

Most colds occur during fall and winter; people spend more time indoors during these seasons, thereby increasing the chances of the spread of virus. The most common cold viruses survive better in low humidity 8211; the colder months of the year.

The common cold has baffled the mainstream medicine for years, which leads people to seek solace in natural cures. Dr Gulati says, 8220;For cold, the best ingredients that can give relief are haldi, adrak, tulsi and amla. For strengthening the immune system, there is nothing better than Chyavanprash, but the one normally available is not too good. The original Chyavanprash contains 90 per cent amla8221;.

So now you know that when the grandma insisted upon the regular intake of Chyavanprash it was because of amla8217;s richness in vitamin C, and when she gave you the adrak and tulsi tea, it was to ease your throat. Some people believe that hot soup rich in garlic and pepper 8211; but only a couple of spoonfuls 8211; also does the trick. Increased intake of vitamin C also does not prevent the common cold, say the doctors, since the body can retain only about 500 milligrams of vitamin C a day and the excess consumed is excreted.