Winter is a season when the temperature drops, making the weather cold and windy, and the wind carries pollen too. Hence in winter, people are prone to allergies and chest congestion, leading to asthma. Life is miserable in winter for people suffering from allergies and asthma. So, it is essential to know some basic home remedies to prevent allergy and congestion and keep away the hazardous chemicals that give side effects.
What is Asthma and Chest Congestion?
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease with inflammation and narrowing of air passage, i.e., the bronchus, bronchioles with excessive secretion of mucus causing difficulty breathing. Asthma can be allergic or nonallergic, acute or chronic. Common symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, cough, and chest congestion.
Chest congestion is an accumulation of mucus in the air passage (lungs), which causes tightness in the chest, obstructing the oxygen flow to the lungs. In addition, an infection causes it to the respiratory system.
List of Home Remedies for Asthma
Avoiding Allergens/Triggers
Firstly, one must check the triggers or the allergens that cause asthma. It may be dust, food, fruits, weather, smoke, perfumes/deodorants, any smell (petrol, paint, kerosene, diesel), exercise, laughing, disputes, etc. Once the allergen or trigger is identified, it gets easy to control asthma by avoiding that particular allergen.
Steam Inhalation
Steam inhalation is a ubiquitous and natural procedure doctors recommend for loosening phlegm. In addition, steam relieves asthmatics from congestion and helps in normal breathing.
Here are few natural vaporizers:
- Add few drop of eucalyptus oil in the steamer and inhale the steam for liquefaction of phlegm.
- Add two pinch of turmeric to the steamer and inhale the steam. Its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties relieve the constricted air passage.
Honey
Honey helps in liquefying the mucus. It soothes the membranes of the air passage letting out the mucus. It’s an antihistamine; its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant property clears any blockages in the air passage (lungs). This reduces cough and wheezing, clearing the chest congestion.
Recipes:
- Mix 1 tsp. honey in a glass of warm water and sip it whenever there is a severe cough.
- Mix 1 tsp. honey in a glass of hot milk, add ¼ tsp. of turmeric and take it twice a day. It helps with itchy throat and cough.
- Boil a glass of water with 5-6 cloves. When warm, add 1tsp honey and drink it early morning and at bedtime daily to reduce asthma symptoms.
- Make a kashaya (decoction) with tulsi leaves, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, dhania (coriander seeds), turmeric, and water boil and reduce to 1/4th. Add 1-2 tsp. Honey to this decoction and drink like tea twice a day. It helps in relieving congestion.
Amla (Indian gooseberry)
Amla or Indian gooseberry is a very rich source of vitamin C, which has an antioxidant property, and vitamin A that can cure respiratory system infections. In addition, its anti-inflammatory property helps relax the constricted air passage making asthmatics breathe easy.
Recipes:
- Crush 2-3 gooseberries, add honey to it and consume early morning empty stomach.
- Amla murabba is available in the stores, which can be taken daily as a rasayana (rejuvenator) that increases lung capacity.
- Amla is present in chyavanprash, hence can be taken as a rasayana in all respiration problems.
- Amla juice 15 ml with 1 tsp. honey gives strength to the lungs and boosts the immune system.
Garlic
Garlic has an antiviral, anti-fungal, and antibiotic property that eradicates asthma when taken in its initial stage.
Recipes:
- Add 8- 10 garlic cloves to 30 ml milk and boil till it reduces to half. This milk should taken daily.
- Prepare tea with ginger and 2 cloves of garlic, have it twice a day.
Onions
Onions have sulfur and quercetin, which helps to break down the mucus.
Recipes:
- Crush an onion and strain the juice add 1 tsp honey to 1 tsp onion juice and consume it when their is an acute asthamatic attack.
- Soak onion slice in honey overnight and consume it in the morning empty stomach.
Fruit Therapy for Asthma
Fruits are the natural antioxidants that are beneficial for our health. Here are a few traditionally prescribed ways of ingesting fruits for curing asthma:
- Dry figs(4-5) should be soaked in warm water overnight and taken early morning along with the water. Figs have the affinity to liquefy the phlegm.
- Dry grapes should be deseeded, soaked overnight in water, and taken early in the morning to cure asthma.
- Consuming vitamin C-rich fruits like oranges, blueberries, and strawberries ease asthmatics from wheezing and chest congestion.
- Pomegranate juice, when mixed with honey and ginger juice and taken 2-3 times a day, improves immunity and digestion in asthmatics.
Yoga and Pranayam
Yogasanas and Pranayama increase the lung volume and capacity by relaxing the construction and opening the air passage.
- Few asanas like, Sarvangasana, Ushtrasana, Matsyasana, Ekapada Uttanasana, Simhasana, Yoga Mudra, Savasana etc. should be performed regularly to increase the lung capacity and functioning.
- Pranayama is a very effective and sure remedy for asthmatics. Pranayama techniques like Bhastrika, Kapalbhati, Bahya anulom vilom, Ujjayeeni, and Agnisara are the best for asthma.
These home remedies give us an insight into how to manage our winters to avoid illness due to allergies and chest congestion. Moreover, these remedies are very natural, available at home, and hence easy to practice. Therefore, one can lead a happy and healthy life by following and practicing the above-discussed home remedies in winter. So come on, let’s say’ bye-bye’ to chemicals and inculcate natural home remedies for Asthma and Chest Congestion.
