Symptoms
Most common symptoms are sneezing, runny nose, and nasal congestion. Body pains, cough, headache, loss of appetite, and sore throat may follow depending on the extent of the infection.

Causes
There are over 200 viruses that can cause a common cold, primarily picorna viruses and corona viruses. Most common colds are due to an infection by rhinovirus, a type of picorna virus.

Transmission of the virus through aerosol forms is generated though coughing or sneezing.

Depression, exhaustion, insomnia, inhaling air pollutants and low vitality could make a person vulnerable to common cold.

Home Remedies
Lemon: Mix lemon juice in a glass of warm water then add a teaspoon of honey. Take it once a day or twice daily. The vitamin C in lemon juice increases body resistance, detoxifies the body and shortens the effect of the infection.

Garlic: Prepare garlic soup by boiling 3 or 4 cloves of chopped garlic in a cup of water. Take it once daily. It flushes out the toxins from the body and helps bring down the fever.

You can also make a medicine out of garlic oil by mixing 5 drops of garlic oil with a teaspoon of onion juice. Dilute the mixture in a cup of water and drink it 2-3 times a day.

Ginger: Cut 10 gm of ginger into small pieces and boil it in a cup of water. Strain, and then add a half-teaspoon of sugar to it. Drink while it’s hot. It’s an excellent treatment for coughs and colds.

You can also make your own tea made from ginger. Start by adding a few pieces of ginger into boiled water before adding the tealeaves. Take it twice daily. It is also an effective remedy for colds and for fevers resulting from cold.

Lady’s fingers (okra): Cut 100 gm of lady’s fingers into pieces, boil it in a ½ liter of water. Inhale the steam when boiling once or twice a day to relieve the patient from dry cough and sore throat. Lady’s fingers are rich in mucilage that can relieve irritation, pain and swelling.

Bitter gourd: Make a teaspoon of bitter gourd root paste to an equal quantity of honey or tulsi leaf juice. Take it every night for a month. It is an excellent medicine against colds.

Turmeric: Using a hot ladle, mix half-teaspoon of turmeric powder, pour 30 ml of warm milk and boil it over a slow fire. Take it once or twice a day for relief of colds and sore throats. Inhale the smoke from burning turmeric for quick relief of running nose.

Tamarind and pepper: Dilute 50 mg of tamarind in 250 ml of water, add a teaspoon of hot ghee and half-teaspoon of black pepper powder. Inhale the steam coming from this soup.

Vitamin C: Take 35 mg of vitamin C pills for children and 75 mg for adults to prevent common cold. For those undergoing treatment, take 1000-2000 mg of vitamin C per day. It could be taken at 1-2 500 mg tablets at the first sign of the cold, then follow it with another 1-2 500 mg tablets.

For Runny Nose:
Turmeric: Wrap some turmeric in a clean cloth, tie in wooden stick, and then light it with fire. Inhale the fumes coming the fire for relief of runny nose.

Table salt: Boil water, let it cool, then add ¼ teaspoon table salt. Put 2 to 3 drops of this solution in your nostrils before meals and going to bed.

Apple cider vinegar: Boil an equal part of apple cider vinegar and in a pan. Inhale the steam coming from the boiling water and vinegar.

Aromatherapy: Mix 4 drops of lavender, pine, 3 drops of peppermint and 7 drops of eucalyptus essential oils. Use a cotton ball or a diffuser when inhaling the vapors from this solution.

Diets
Avoid solid foods during the acute stage of common cold, and whenever the patient has fever. Drink only fresh fruits and vegetables juices diluted in water.

Undergo a well-balanced diet consisting of seeds, nuts, grains, fruits and vegetables after recovering from severe cases of cold.

Avoid eggs, fish, meat and starchy foods while still sick with cold.

Other Treatments
Take a few minutes of sun bathing to enjoy the benefits of vitamin D from the sun.

Go to places with plenty of fresh air for natural treatment of cold.

Commit oneself to a few minutes of walking and deep breathing to exercise the lungs and strengthen the respiratory system.

Sleep on time for natural repair of the body’s system and help the body to recover the lost nutrients the day before.

Observe proper hygiene by taking a bath regularly and changing into clean clothes to prevent the spread of the cold.