Prone to cold? Here are some of my Grandma’s home-hacks

Drip, drizzle, sniff… Acchhoo!
Colds. The season’s worst way to fall sick is right around the corner, says our fashion & wellness blogger (yes, she’s that too) Cathy D’Souza. While it’s exhausting and weakening, people expect you to function the way you usually do as its ‘common’. Even Google thinks it’s just a ‘harmless’ virus.

Harmless, my butt! Colds can make you feel terrible – you’re cold, your nose is always running, your head hurts, your throat hurts, your eyes water all the time, and you feel like your bones are withering away – you’re so tired! Colds are BAD.

But ever since I was a kid, I’ve religiously followed my Grandma’s foolproof (and yummy) hacks for colds, and I’ve instantly felt better.

Honey and ginger tea
My Grandma would make this light, sweet tea with chopped ginger in the tea strainer. Honey helps in relieving sore throats and coughs and ginger helps kill the viruses that cause colds in the first place!

It’s yumm, and so soothing, you’ll want to keep sipping on this warm goodness in a cup all day!

Turmeric
It’s anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral. Turmeric, say in warm milk or some extra in your food, will help cure your cold as well as keep the flu away!

Orange Juice
Yes, something as simple as orange juice can help. Keep a freshly-squeezed bottle handy and at room temperature for a sip every now and then. Orange juice helps build back the Vitamin C that you lose due to colds.

Tulasi, lemon, cinnamon and a dash of black pepper
My Grandma’s famous tulasi ‘kada’. This recipe has trickled down for generations, and it’s worth millions. Trust me. Just add all these ingredients (except lemon – you add it last) in hot water and bring them to a boil. Add honey or sugar as per your taste, and pour it in a mug through a strainer.

Every mug of this will make you feel stronger and better than before.

Chicken soup (vegetable broth for vegetarians)
It helps. One, it’s nice and warm and yummy – soup is the perfect feel good food when you’re sick. Two, the protein in the soup is essential to keep the weakness away. Three, you don’t really feel like having proper food when you’re that congested anyway!

Brandy!
This was my Grandma’s favourite! Mostly because I would quit the crankiness and drift off to sleep soon, and the two teaspoons of brandy will work its magic before I woke up! She would mix some brandy in warm, honey water and make us have only half a cup. But now that I’m an adult, I sometimes indulge in a tiny bit more!

Brandy helps keep your body warm in the cold and though it doesn’t fight cold or flu, it helps soothe the symptoms.

Sweatshirts are your true friends
While she spent most of her life wearing shawls, my Grandma switched to oversized sweatshirts and called them ‘comfort makers’ or ‘wearable healers’. (Yes, over her midi dress.) Keep yourself warm in a giant hug of a sweatshirt, even if you have to go to work!

If not, take the day off, wrap yourself up in a blanket, watch your fav series (mine’s F.R.I.E.N.D.S, duh!) and rage a war with your cold – armed with my Grandma’s fail-safe weaponry!

Forever Yours!

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