The five best home remedies for colds, coughs and the flu

From the pantry to the bedside, home remedies you can make in a snap help prevent seasonal colds or cure a stubborn case of the flu.


Garlic tea immune enhancer


A well-known immune system strengthener, garlic shines as an antibacterial and antiviral herb for fighting colds, coughs and the flu. One of the best ways to take advantage of garlic's healing properties is by drinking fresh garlic tea. Sweetened with a little raw honey, it's delicious and helps to heal what ails you. Peel 2 to 3 cloves of fresh garlic and lightly crush them with the side of a wide knife blade. Add them to 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for another 15 minutes. Strain the garlic and allow the tea to cool to mouth temperature. Add raw honey, a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Drink as much as desired.


Red onion and raw honey cough syrup


A wonderful home remedy for adults or kids suffering from a cough uses brown cane sugar, raw honey or stevia and red onions to make a soothing and tasty cough syrup. Wash, peel and slice the entire onion horizontally. Starting with the base of the onion, layer the slices in a bowl alternating with layers of raw honey or brown sugar. Stevia powder works well for this home remedy too; however, it is extremely sweet. Continue adding layers of onion and sweetener until the entire onion is reconstructed in the bowl. Cover and allow the sweetened onion to remain in the bowl on your counter for about 12-15 hours or overnight. The next day, there will be about a cup or more of sweet syrup in the bowl. The cough syrup contains a range of nutrients, vitamins and minerals from the onion and the honey to help fight infection and soothe sore throats and quiet a cough. Take a spoonful as needed. Has no onion-y taste.


Raw honey and lemon for sore throats


A mixture of fresh lemon juice and raw honey provides soothing relief for sore throats and helps stop the tickle that stimulates coughing. Raw honey -- with all its components including royal jelly, propolis and bee pollen -- is high in nutrients and enzymes which kill bacteria and viruses. The vitamin C and antioxidants found in fresh lemons boost the immune system, speeding healing. Together these two home remedies are a powerhouse for getting over a cold and sore throat. Mix the juice of 1/2 the lemon with 2 to 3 tablespoons of honey and sip throughout the day as needed.


Chicken soup antiviral


Chicken soup really does act to knock out a cold or the flu and hasten healing. As long ago as the 12th century, the Jewish physician Maimonides recommended consuming chicken soup to fight colds and flu. Take advantage of the high antioxidant properties and nutrients found in organic vegetables and chicken. Although non-organic chicken soup may relieve some cold symptoms, it also supplies the body with pesticides, growth hormones, herbicides and antibiotics that are not recommended for well being. Go organic all the way and get well quickly.


Mullein tea for coughs and congestion


Mullein tea is well-known for relieving chest congestion from coughs, colds and the flu. It acts as an expectorant, loosening trapped mucous and soothing sore throats. Make mullein tea by filling a tea ball or strainer with dried mullein herb and steeping in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Sweeten with raw honey and drink as needed to relieve symptoms.

25 Home Remedies for Dry Skin to treat Dry, Itchy, Rough, Cracked Skin

Dry Skin home remedies can relieve your skin problems to a great extent. Dry skin face appears dull, flaky and rough. A person having severe dry skin also suffers from dry skin patches, which looks very odd. Market is loaded with tons of dry skin products from mild to extremely cracked dry skin; but unfortunately they do not give expected result despite of having huge price tags. However, you can treat dry skin and get rid of it with the help of home remedies for dry skin. Continuous and consistence use of dry skin remedies can cure itchy dry skin on face.

Home Remedies for Dry skin


• Homemade Facial Masks for Dry skin helps to retain moisture and get rid of dry skin problems.


• Dry skin is the result of lack of water in the body. Start drinking lots of water when you observe your skin is beginning to get dry as this will keep the body hydrated. You can treat dry skin with this simple home remedy.


• Hot water reduces the natural skin oils. Avoid washing your dry skin face with hot and soapy water. Instead use lukewarm water to clean your dry skin followed by an emollient or moisturizer. This way your face skin will be less likely to become dry and cracked. This is the best remedy for dry skin.


• Dry fruits especially almonds help to retain moisture in the skin. Consume dry fruits regularly; continuous intake can help in treating extremely dry skin.


• Few drops of Almond oil added in warm milk at the time of sleeping is an effective home remedy for dry skin.


• Rubbing sesame oil on the affected area after your shower is one of the best home remedies for dry skin.


• Severe cases of dry skin can be treated with the help of avocado oil. You can also apply a paste of avocadoes on your dry skin face to nourish the skin.


• Glycerin also works very well on dry skin and dry lips. This dry skin home remedy can be combined with rose water to have better results. You can also read more home remedies for dry, cracked and chapped lips here.


• Avoid the intake of alcohol and drinks high in content of caffeine, if you are suffering from very dry skin because this can worse the condition.


• This may surprise you but milk bath once in a month can help you to get rid of dry skin.


• A gentle massage of lukewarm olive oil can do wonder to cure the dry skin. Leave it overnight and wash off the face with warm water. This is an excellent natural remedy for dry skin.


• What you put in is what comes out, so be conscious what you are eating. A diet rich in Vitamin A, B and E is also a dry skin remedy as deficiency of these vitamins lead to dry skin.


• Dry patch of skin on chin, mouth, nose, hands and dry skin around lips can be treated by peanut butter. Application of peanut butter will moist these areas for long time. Peanut butter really works on dry skin areas and patches.


• A tablespoon of yogurt applied on dry skin areas is one of the greatest home remedies for the dry skin.


• Poppy seeds is an natural remedy to treat itchy and rough skin. Soak khus khus (poppy seeds) for overnight. Grind it with milk to prepare a paste. Apply the paste on your face.


• Dry cracked, flaky skin can be treated well with the application of honey. Spread honey on the dry skin patches and wash off after half an hour. You can also add few drops of rose water in honey as a natural remedy for dry skin.


• Apple cider vinegar on dry skin areas can cure dry itchy skin.


• Cold weather causes dry skin and banana on face can treat dry skin. Mash banana and add few drops of honey in it. Mix well and spread on your dry skin face. Massage it for 10 minutes and leave it to dry. Rinse off and feel the result. This is a good home remedy for dry skin.


• Dry skin products with high content of aloe vera can help to get rid of dry skin. You can also apply aloevera pulp for 10 to 20 minutes on your dry skin face to treat dry skin.


• Coconut oil is an easily available home remedy for dry skin.


• Take one teaspoon of malai or milk cream, a pinch of turmeric and four to five drops of olive oil. Spread the paste on your dry skin and leave it to dry. Wash after 15 minutes.


• Beeswax can be used for curing dry scaly and cracked skin. This will reduce your dry skin symptoms, giving you soft and smoother skin.


• Dry and cracked heels is a skin problem which hurts a lot. A very effective home remedy is rubbing of the inside part of a banana peel on the heels.


• Papaya is a fruit, which is used in facial masks for dry skin. You can also massage mashed papaya on your face. It will exfoliate your dry skin, removing the dead cells making it glow and soft.


• The natural oil found in peanuts assists to moisturize the dry skin. Make a paste of peanuts and mix it with milk and honey. Apply on your dry skin face. Leave it to dry. Then rinse off the water and pat dry.


Place an air humidifier in your home to moist your surrounding. Avoid soaps with strong chemicals instead switch to natural soaps. You can also use a baby lotion as your moisturizing dry skin lotion as it contains lesser chemicals. You can try any natural remedy from the above list of home remedies for dry skin. Stick to the one, which you feel is the best to treat your dry skin problems.