While it may sound odd, a cold during summer is more common than you think. Many people catch a cold during the summer months and suffer from the symptoms and the hot weather. No ice creams, no cool drinks, and no vacations to colder regions make the hot summer months worse.
A cold can become a bane during summer. So, what can you do when you contract the common cold in the hot summer months? How to cure a summer cold? Is going to the doctor and shelling out money the only option?
Well, no! Certain home remedies to treat summer cold can help. These are better, inexpensive, and highly effective. So, what are you waiting for? Sit back and read on.
In This Article
Summer Cold Causes
Unlike the winter cold that is caused by the rhinovirus, summer colds are often caused by another group of viruses known as the enteroviruses. The infection spreads when you come in contact with an infected person or object, or when you consume water that has the virus in it (1).
Summer Cold Symptoms
Everyone experiences a wide range of symptoms during a summer cold. The most common ones are:
- Sneezing
- A stuffy, runny nose
- A scratchy and sore throat
- Coughing
- Congestion
If you experience high fever and rashes, consult a doctor immediately (1, 2).
Find below the remedies to get rid of summer cold with natural ingredients found at home.
How Do You Get Rid Of A Summer Cold?
- Saline Spray
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Vitamin C
- Ginger
- Echinacea
- Turmeric
- Herbal Tea
- Essential Oils
- Garlic
- Honey
- Red Onion
- Milk
- Cinnamon
Home Remedies For Summer Cold
1. Saline Spray
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You Will Need
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- A cup of water
- A pinch of baking soda
- A saline spray bottle
What You Have To Do
- Heat the water until it is warm enough for you to bear.
- Put the salt and baking soda into the spray bottle, add the warm water, and mix well.
- Carefully spray this into your nostrils, one at a time, to rinse your nasal passages.
- Rinse the bottle and let it air dry.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this once or twice a day.
Why This Works
Saline water acts a nasal decongestant and clears up the crusty and/or built-up mucus from your nostrils (3).
Caution
Do not substitute sea salt with table salt as the latter contains additives and can cause further irritation in your nose.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
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You Will Need
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- A glass of water
What You Have To Do
Mix the vinegar and water and drink this mixture. You can add some honey for taste to this concoction.
How Often You Should Do This
Drink 1-2 glasses of ACV water every day until the cold clears up.
Why This Works
ACV creates an alkaline environment in the body, and this helps to kill the viruses and bacteria easily and quickly (4).
3. Vitamin C
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You Will Need
Vitamin C tablets
What You Have To Do
Take this supplement every day.
How Often You Should Do This
Consume as advised on the box.
Why This Works
Vitamin C enhances the body’s immune response to the viral infection. As a result, the virus will be quickly eliminated from the body (5).
4. Ginger
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You Will Need
- 1/2 inch ginger root
- A cup of hot water
- 1 teaspoon honey
What You Have To Do
- Brew some hot ginger tea by chopping the ginger and soaking it in hot water for a few minutes.
- Strain, add honey, and drink this tea.
How Often You Should Do This
Have 2-3 cups of ginger tea in a day.
Why This Works
Ginger has anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties (6). It will reduce the inflammation in your nasal passages and lessen the excessive mucus that is being produced. The warmth of the tea will also soothe your nasal passages.
5. Echinacea
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You Will Need
Echinacea capsules or tincture
What You Have To Do
Ingest the herbal supplement as directed on the bottle.
How Often You Should Do This
Take about 900 mg of the herb divided into 2-3 doses over the day.
Why This Works
Commonly known as the purple coneflower, Echinacea increases the number of white blood cells in the body. This is beneficial for treating infections such as colds, flu, etc. as the WBCs are responsible for fighting the infection causing microorganisms (7).
6. Turmeric
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You Will Need
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- A glass of hot water
What You Have To Do
- Add the turmeric and salt to water and mix well.
- Gargle with this mix.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat every 3-4 hours.
Why This Works
Turmeric is the go-to herb in Indian households when it comes to treating any infection. And rightly so, because this herb acts as an excellent antimicrobial agent. It also reduces inflammation and aids quick recovery from the illness (8).
7. Herbal Tea
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You Will Need
- 1/4 cup coriander seeds
- 1/4 cup fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon honey
What You Have To Do
- Roast all the dry herbs together.
- Boil the water and add one and a half tablespoons of the roasted herb mixture to it.
- Heat it on a low flame for a few minutes.
- Let the mixture come to a boil. Strain the decoction prepared.
- Add the honey to it and mix well. Drink while it is warm.
Subscribe
How Often You Should Do This
Drink warm herbal tea twice a day.
Why This Works
Herbal spice tea works as an effective home remedy for summer cold. These herbs act as decongestants and give relief from the summer cold symptoms. They also possess antimicrobial properties and can eliminate the infection causing virus from the body (9, 10, 11, 12).
8. Essential Oils
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You Will Need
- A few drops of eucalyptus essential oil
- A bowl of hot water
- A towel
What You Have To Do
- Add the essential oil to the hot water.
- Cover your head and neck with a towel and inhale the steam from the water bowl. The towel is to prevent the steam from escaping into the surroundings and help it enter your nostrils.
- Inhale the steam for 7-8 minutes.
Alternatively, you can also use cyprus essential oil, tea tree essential oil, peppermint oil, or thyme essential oil for the steam inhalation.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this once or twice a day until you get relief from the summer cold.
Why This Works
The antiviral properties of eucalyptus essential oil make it a wonderful remedy for treating cold. It also stimulates the immune system and alleviates inflammation in the nasal passages (13, 14).
9. Garlic
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You Will Need
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
What You Have To Do
Blend all the ingredients and drink the liquid.
How Often You Should Do This
Drink this concoction every day until the symptoms of cold subside.
Why This Works
Garlic is antibacterial and antiviral. It also helps boost your immune system and flushes out toxins from your body (15).
10. Honey
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You Will Need
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or ginger juice
What You Have To Do
Mix the two and drink the mixture.
How Often You Should Do This
Have this syrup 2-3 times in a day.
Why This Works
Honey is antimicrobial in nature and contains compounds that kill the bacteria and virus that cause cold. It also has anti-inflammatory properties (16).
11. Red Onion
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
- 2-3 red onions
- 1/4 cup honey
What You Have To Do
- Cut the onions horizontally.
- Place a slice and pour some honey on it. Place another slice on top of this and pour some honey again. Repeat this until all the slices are layered on top of each other.
- Cover the bowl and keep it aside for 10-12 hours.
- Drink a tablespoon of the thick syrup that is present in the bowl.
Keep the bowl covered and store in a cool place. The same syrup can be consumed for 2-3 days.
How Often You Should Do This
Ingest the syrup twice a day.
Why This Works
The syrup made of red onions works great to treat your summer cold because onions possess antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties (17).
12. Milk
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
- A glass of milk
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
What You Have To Do
- Boil the milk and add turmeric and ginger powder to it. Mix well.
- Drink this warm milk.
How Often You Should Do This
Drink this twice a day.
Why This Works
If you combine milk with turmeric and ginger, it can help you get rid of the symptoms of cold like headache, runny nose, watery eyes, etc. The combination works as a decongestant that also possesses antimicrobial properties.(18)
13. Cinnamon
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon powder
- 2 cloves
- A glass of boiling water
What You Have To Do
- Add the cinnamon and cloves to the water and let it boil for 5-10 minutes.
- Strain the liquid and drink a tablespoon of this.
How Often You Should Do This
Have this syrup 2-3 times in a day.
Why This Works
Like the other herbs mentioned in the remedies above, cinnamon also has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that relieve cold and its symptoms (9).
The summer cold is caused by enteroviruses in warmer months unlike the common cold caused by rhinoviruses. However, the symptoms are similar for both conditions, including sneezing, coughing, a runny or stuffy nose, scratchy and sore throat, and congestion. Unless you have emergency symptoms such as a fever or rashes (in thecase of which you need to seek medical attention right away) home remedies for summer cold include saline spray, increased vitamin C intake, apple cider vinegar, turmeric, essential oils, cinnamon, milk, herbal teas, garlic, and ginger. Viral colds are self-limiting and should go away on their own, but these remedies can hasten the recovery process and alleviate some of the symptoms.
So, there we have it! This article includes the best home remedies for summer cold. Get the herbs out of the kitchen pantry and kick the cold out. Enjoy summer to the fullest!
If you know of other such home remedies, do share them with us in the comments box below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tips & Precautions
• Chicken soup has nutrients and vitamins to treat cold. It also serves as an antioxidant to accelerate the healing process. Make a thick soup of vegetables and chicken. Drink it at least twice a day to combat cold.
• Pepper contains capsaicin, which gives relief from congestion. Sprinkle some pepper on your food and let it clear up your sinuses.
• Wash your hands before you eat or drink anything.
• Try not to touch your face, especially around the nose, mouth, and eyes, as much as possible when you are in a public area that may be contaminated with various viruses, bacteria, and fungi.
• Consume foods rich in vitamin C as it boosts your immune system and helps the body fight the infection faster.
How long does a summer cold last?
On an average, a cold lasts between 7-10 days.
Is it good to sweat when you have a cold?
This is a common myth and holds no logical explanation. People usually say that you can sweat out a cold or a fever, but medicine says otherwise. It does not make any difference.
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- Author
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Kushneet Kukreja
Kushneet holds a postgraduate degree in biotechnology from Kingston University, London, and is an ISSA Certified Specialist in Fitness &… more
Dr. Millie Lytle
(ND, MPH)Dr. Millie Lytle is a member of the New York Association of Naturopathic Physicians (NYANP) and sits on the Medical… more
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