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 A bad cough could be caused by any number of reasons. Some of the common causes of cough are acid reflux, allergies, asthma, dry air, certain medication, the flu, viral infections, and smoking. Coughing is your body’s way of clearing out irritants, but it can be troublesome for the person suffering from it.

Home remedies for cough
While there are many ways to get rid of a cough, some people prefer using home remedies for a cough that help ease the discomfort. Just by using a few everyday ingredients easily available at home, you should be able to soothe your cough. Listed below are a few of them.

• Almonds: Leave 7 to 8 almonds to soak in water overnight. Peel the skin in the morning and mix it with 20 g of sugar and butter. Use water to form a paste, and eat it twice a day to get cough relief.

• Aniseed: Aniseed is known for its medicinal properties and can be used in a cup of warm tea for cough relief. Using aniseed helps loosens mucous and gives you relief from a dry cough.

• Belleric myrobalan: Take two teaspoons of honey, half a teaspoon of pepper, and quarter teaspoon salt, and mix it with 2 g of pulp from the belleric myrobalan fruit. Drinking the solution twice a day should give your throat some respite.

• Black pepper: One of the most commonly used ingredients in the kitchen can also be used as a home remedy for dry cough. Mixing black pepper with honey and drinking it helps clear your nasal passage and discharge mucus.

• Carrots: Antioxidants and beta-carotene are effective in suppressing a cough. Blend carrot juice along with warm water and honey; drink a tablespoon of the mixture whenever you feel like coughing. This helps suppress the cough while lubricating your throat as well.

• Garlic: Garlic is an age old home remedy used to help cure a dry cough, and it can be used in various forms like a tea, cough syrup, and as a mixture. Making your own garlic cough syrup is a simple process. Cut a few garlic cloves and place them in a bowl or jar, pour honey over them till they are completely covered. Place the jar in the refrigerator for a fortnight. A tablespoon of the mix will help alleviate your cough. Warm tea with garlic and honey also works as well. Mixing garlic along with ginger and honey is another option. Another simple option is to boil two cups of water with five cloves of garlic, once it has boiled take out the cloves and drink the water.

• Ginger: Chewing a small strip of ginger should keep your cough at bay.

• Grapes: Grapes act as a natural expectorant and help tone the lungs. Drinking a glass of grape juice with a teaspoon of honey help ease you cough.

• Herbal teas: Herbal teas are known for the medicinal properties and antioxidants present in them. For it to work best, pour hot water with the tea, add lemon juice drops and honey. Herbal tea options are black tea, chamomile tea, eucalyptus, fennel, hyssop, peppermint, salvia and thyme. 

• Honey: Honey is probably the most commonly used ingredient in home remedies that help people suffering from a cough. Honey helps lubricate your throat and eases a cough. A few home remedies include mixing honey with aloe juice or honey with lemon grass juice in equal amounts. A simple way to use honey is by adding it to warm water and drinking the water. Another home remedy is mixing a few drops of brandy with a tablespoon of honey and drinking it. Honey works well with lemon juice as well.

• Onion: Extract juice from onions and mix it with two teaspoons of honey, this concoction will soothe any congestion in the chest and help with your cough as well.

• Turmeric: Turmeric powder in milk and honey is a home remedy that helps with your cough. You could also roast the turmeric root and then powder it. Eating 3 g of it twice a day will give you some relief from your cough.

How to get rid of your cough?

While home remedies may help soothe and alleviate a cough, getting rid of your cough will depend on the underlying cause of your cough and the type of cough. It is best to consult your doctor for a proper diagnosis. Once you get the appropriate prescription for your cough, either an expectorant or antitussive, your cough should heal with time. The FDA recommends that children under two should not drink cough medicines. It is best to consult a doctor as soon as possible, and an ignored cough, could lead to several complications and problems.

Tips
Here are some simple tips that can make you feel better when you have a cough:

• Remember to keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water. It also helps in keeping the mucous membranes moist.

• Stay away from irritants in the air like smoke, dust, perfumes or air fresheners.

• Drinking something warm should also help soothe your throat. Honey in warm tea works very well.

• Take a warm shower and breathe in the warm air as it helps hydrate your throat.

• Elevate you head while sleeping as you might be able to breathe better.

References:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cough.html
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/flu/ataglance.htm
http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm048682.htm

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

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