Cough and colds are the most common disease during this season. It is accompanied by irritation in chest and throat and headache. Garlic (lasuna), turmeric (haldi), black pepper (kali mirchi) are readily available in the household kitchens, and are very effective in treating common colds and coughs.
Children should be given one to two grams of equal parts of black pepper powder, long pepper (pippali) and dry ginger (sonth) with honey two to three times a day to cure a cough and cold.
The paste of one segment of garlic bulb boiled in water with 5-10 gram of sugar twice a day, or one to two grams of fried turmeric powder thrice a day with honey are other remedies.
Among adults, cough may cause pain in chest, headache and hoarseness of voice.
Chewing of two to three cloves (laung) fried in ghee will surely give relief. Half a gram of powder of long pepper mixed with rock salt can also be taken twice daily with hot water.
If fever accompanies common cold, adults can take a decoction of 2-3 gram ginger, black pepper, long pepper, liquorice (mulethi) in equal quantity and seven tulsi leaves 2-3 times a day.