Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Published : September 16, 2016 10:19 AM IST
Ginger works wonders in dealing with indigestion and other stomach woes. But did you know this spice can help you fight a cough naturally? An age-old remedy from grandma s kitchen, ginger with salt can help you get rid of a cough at home. So the next time you have an allergic reaction or have a continuous bout of a cough, rather than popping a pill or having a teaspoon or two of cough syrup, try this quick and effective home remedy for a cough.
How does it help?
Ginger works by inhibiting the contraction of respiratory airway. It helps in stimulating the secretion of mucus thereby helping you to deal with a dry cough. It also contains antioxidants, which helps in clearing toxins from the throat and respiratory tract, thereby relieving cough. Also, the presence of gingerols, anti-inflammatory compounds, in ginger helps in improving the condition [1]. Ginger also suppresses allergic reactions of the respiratory tract due to its antihistamine property helping you deal with asthma and bronchitis. And adding salt to ginger improve the potency of the remedy as salt acts on the mucous lining of the throat and also prevents bacterial growth. Here's when you should start worrying about cough that persists.
How to use it
Although chewing ginger with salt is the best way to deal with a cough, not everyone can like it, in such a case you can opt for drinking ginger decoction.
Ginger and salt: First, peel a small piece of fresh ginger and sprinkle some salt on it. Now, chew it and swallow its juice. Beware, ginger is pungent and hence, has a strong taste, which makes it difficult to chew it. To mask the strong taste and flavour of ginger, you can lick some honey after you eat it completely.
Ginger decoction: Another way to reap the respiratory benefits of ginger is to drink a glass of ginger solution. For this, all you need to do is to a glass of boiling water, add few ginger pieces and a pinch of salt and allow the water to reduce to half its initial volume. Strain and drink the solution when warm. Also, read about homeopathy for cough and cold.
References:
Townsend EA, Siviski ME, Zhang Y, Xu C, Hoonjan B, Emala CW. Effects of ginger and its constituents on airway smooth muscle relaxation and calcium regulation. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2013 Feb;48(2):157-63. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2012-0231OC. Epub 2012 Oct 11. PubMed PMID: 23065130; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3604064.
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