As Indians, we have a tradition of Ayurveda and home remedies. It is not uncommon to hear from a grandma or some old aunty saying – “Oh, the child is suffering from cough; give him few drops of honey with turmeric”.  Lot of home remedies help in treating common illnesses like cough, cold, acidity etc., this not only helps in avoiding the consumption of medicines which may cause side effects but are also easily available at a glance in kitchen. Let us take few examples.

1. Cold – It is a common infection observed in children and adults.  Change in season, viral infection or allergy to certain pollen or dust can cause cold. Most of the times it is easily cured by home remedies itself.

   Remedy – Add a tablespoon of cinnamon powder and two cloves in a glass of boiling water and allow it to simmer for 15-20 mins. Later strain it and drink it while it is warm. Adding some honey to it can give better results. Drink this tea 1-3 times a day. An easier way would to just consume few drops of cinnamon bark oil with honey. This home remedy would give you relief from the symptoms of a common cold. But if the cold persist, consult a physician.

2. Acidity – Stomach produces acid for digestion of food. However when this acid is produced in excess, it may cause hyperacidity, heartburn and even formation of ulcers.  Maintaining a healthy diet and adequate consumption of liquid can help keep acidity at bay. However, incase you do suffer from acidity one easy way to get rid of it is consuming ginger tea.

   Remedy – Sipping a cup of fresh ginger root tea about 20 mins before meal can act as acid buffer and restrict the symptoms of acidity like nausea, acid reflux and stomach ache. To prepare a ginger root tea, add 3 quarter sized pieces of gingerroot to 2 cups of water and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove the ginger pieces and consume it.

3. Constipation – One of the most uncomfortable digestive problems is constipation. Before running to the drug store for a laxative you can try to relieve the discomfort with an easy remedy.

   Remedy –The most recommended remedy for constipation is lemon juice. Add few drops of lemon and salt to warm glass of water and consume this as the first thing in morning.  Lemon helps in cleansing the system and salt helps in quick passage of stools. Drinking lemon juice will also help to detoxify your body.

4. Low Blood Pressure – A large number of people suffer from low blood pressure, without even releasing it. Feeling of dizziness or weakness, which we normally dismiss as a minor problem can in fact be symptoms of Low Blood Pressure. It can damage heart, endocrine or even neurological disorder.

   Remedy –Soak about 10-15 raisins overnight in water. Eat them on empty stomach, the following morning and drink a glass of water after it. Avoid consuming anything for an hour after this.

5. Anemia – It is a disorder due to low hemoglobin count. Symptoms associated with anemia are dizziness and unconsciousness; individual suffering from anemia may have continuous feeling of tiredness. Though a number of iron tablets are available in market, most of them have problem of constipation associated with it.

   Remedy – Add a cup of freshly prepared beet root juice with 1 cup of apple juice. Mix either sugar or preferably honey to the juice and consume it once daily.