10 Natural Home Remedies for Common Diseases

When you fall sick, what do you opt for? A calming herbal tea or prescription medicine?

If you grew up in an Indian household, then you have, at some point, used natural home remedies recommended by your elders. All thanks to India’s rich history of traditional medicine that dates back to almost 3,000 years!

If you take into consideration the modern perspective, the medicinal properties of many of the plants and herbs used in these remedies have already been proven by scientists.

If you take into consideration the modern perspective, the medicinal properties of many of the plants and herbs used in these remedies have already been proven by scientists.

1. For excess body heat:

When excess heat accumulates in the body, it can cause a number of issues such as sleeplessness, digestive problems, ulcers and more. According to ancient Ayurvedic texts, Indian gooseberry (amla) has sheeta (coolant) properties. To get rid of excess body heat, you can try the following remedy.

Take 25 g of Indian gooseberry powder and add 200 ml water to it. Boil over a mild flame and stir continuously till it reduces to around 50 ml. Filter and allow it to cool down. Mix 5 g of jaggery powder and consume 20 ml of this drink. For maximum benefit, you can consume it before a meal either once or twice a day.

2. For flatulence:

Some of our dietary choices or underlying health issues can cause indigestion, flatulence, and at times, burping. Cumin (jeera), fennel (saunf) and carom (ajwain) seeds activate digestive enzymes such as amylase (helps in digesting carbohydrates), lipase (helps in digesting fats) and protease (helps in digesting proteins). By increasing the activity of these digestive enzymes, these spices and herbs provide relief from flatulence.

Prepare a mixture of roasted cumin, fennel and carom in equal ratio. Consume about 1 teaspoon of this mixture after each meal with half a cup of warm water.

3. For stomach ache:

Stomach ache can be attributed to a number of factors like acidity, indigestion, constipation, unhealthy eating habits and toxicity in the liver. Along with increasing the activity of digestive enzymes, asafoetida (hing) has a relaxing effect which can ease stomach aches.

Mix one third of a teaspoon cumin powder, a pinch of asafoetida and a pinch of rock salt. Chew well and drink warm water.

4. For nausea:

Nausea and vomiting can be caused by acidity, motion sickness, pregnancy, food poisoning etc. Excessive vomiting may lead to dehydration. Cardamom (elaichi) is the best spice to get relief from nausea as the aromatic compound has anti-inflammatory, carminative and stomachic properties.

You can chew 1 or 2 cardamom pods. Another remedy is to mix half a teaspoon honey and 2 pinches of cardamom powder with half a cup of plain yogurt.

5. For healthy teeth:

Poor dental hygiene often results in damaged teeth and bad breath. While regular brushing is recommended, you can make your teeth healthier with sesame (til) oil. It shows marked anti-bacterial activity and reduces dental plaque, giving you a healthy smile.

Take a tablespoon of sesame oil and rinse your gums for 15–20 minutes. Be careful not to swallow it. After spitting the oil, gently massage your gums with your index finger. This way, you can not only prevent tooth infection, cavities and bad breath, but also reduce inflammation in the gums.

6. For common cold:

Cold weather and pollution can cause blocked nose and other respiratory issues.

Ginger (adrak) relaxes the respiratory muscles and clears the respiratory tract by breaking down mucus. Scientific research in recent years has shown that black pepper (kali mirch) and ginger can increase the body’s resistance  to infections.

Add jaggery (gur) and black pepper to your ginger tea for relief from common cold and to ease breathing. Even if you are not suffering from respiratory issues, you can have this drink to build immunity against diseases that arise due to pollution and seasonal infections.

7. For-persistent dry/wet cough:

Ginger has phenolic and flavonoid components like pyrogallol, p-Hydroxybenzoic acid and gallic acid that have anti-inflammatory properties. It thus, plays the role of an antioxidant by protecting tissues from damage against reactive oxygen species and other free radicals.

Mix 5 ml of fresh ginger juice with jaggery and consume twice or thrice a day for relief from chronic cough.

You can also make use of honey. It’s an excellent remedy for cough due to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Prepare a mixture of ginger, cinnamon and lemongrass in the ratio of 1:1:2. Soak 1 teaspoon of this mixture in a cup of hot water for about 10 minutes and strain it. Add a teaspoon of honey to this mixture and consume. This herbal tea will help clear any nasal congestion too.

8. For sinusitis:

The Sinuses are tiny spaces located between the eyes, nose and forehead. Sinusitis is the inflammation of these spaces. It can be painful with symptoms, such as headache, runny nose, pain around the eyes and swelling. Ginger’s analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties can give you relief from symptoms of sinusitis.

Mix fresh ginger juice with jaggery and filter it through a cloth. Apply this mixture to the nostrils in cases of headache associated with sinusitis.

9. For joint pain:

Joint pain can be attributed to a number of reasons including age, lifestyle and nutritional deficiency. Some of the major minerals such calcium, magnesium and potassium—present in both jaggery and milk—can be beneficial for your bones.

Drink a glass of milk with jaggery every day to strengthen your bones and alleviate joint pain.

10. For Dysmenorrhoea:

Dysmenorrhoea is the term for menstrual pain. You can try the combination of black sesame seeds with jaggery to relieve dysmenorrhoea and regularise menstruation as well. Black sesame seeds contain phytoestrogens like sesamin, sesamolin and sesaminol. Phytoestrogens are plant-based compounds that act like estrogen in the body and help regulate the menstrual cycle.

Mix 10 g of black sesame seed powder and jaggery in an equal ratio and consume twice daily, early in the morning and late in the evening.

While these traditional herbal remedies are backed by science, it is important to seek professional medical assistance if your condition is severe.

Which of these home remedies are you going to try? Do you know any more that you swear by? Let us know in the comments.

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