When you are unable to pay sufficient attention to your health due to your busy lifestyle, your immune system tends to let its guard down. That is when infectious diseases like pneumonia and typhoid grab your system. What ensues is a long period of (forcible) bed rest. The discomforts you experience during pneumonia can be lessened to a great extent by home remedies.
How is Pneumonia Caused?
Pneumonia is an infectious lung disease. It can be caused by bacteria, virus, and fungi. However, the most common pneumonia-causing germ in adults is Streptococcus pneumoniae.
What are the Symptoms of Pneumonia?
The most common symptoms of pneumonia are:
- Cough with yellowish green mucus
- Fever
- Shaking chills
- Shortness of breath on exertion.
Various Home Remedies
- Holy basil (Tulsi): This is beneficial in relieving symptoms. Add a pinch of ground black pepper in the freshly prepared juice of holy basil; this should be taken every 6 hours. Boil some water with basil leaves and black pepper and strain. Drink this when you are suffering from pneumonia.
- Garlic: Put 5 drops of garlic juice in two spoons of hot water and drink.
- Ginger: Ginger is a popular home remedy for treating most of the respiratory disorders. Mix 10 ml juice of fresh ginger, or 1 or 2 grams of dried ginger powder with honey and take twice daily.
- Honey: Mix honey with some warm water and drink. This will help with easy digestion and also helps you regain the strength.
- Sesame Seeds: Add 15 grams of sesame seeds in 250 ml water. Add a pinch of common salt, a teaspoon of linseed, and a tablespoon of honey in this mixture. This will clear your bronchial tubes.
- Asafetida: Mix an ounce (around 28 g) of asafetida (hing) in warm water and drink. This will give relief from pneumonia.
- Herbal Tea: During acute and early stage of pneumonia, the herbal tea made of fenugreek (methi) seeds and black pepper is quite effective.
- Decoction to Reduce Phlegm: Boil water with 5 whole black pepper and 5 Californian raisin (Monakka) for some time and filter it. A spoon of this decoction taken thrice a day helps reduce phlegm and gives relief from the excessive wheezing sound present during pneumonia.
- Turpentine Oil: Turpentine oil is a good pain reliever. Massage this on the patient's ribs and wrap a warm cotton cloth. This will greatly help with the pain associated with pneumonia.
- Heat Treatment: Applying external heat to the chest makes breathing easier during pneumonia. This can be done either by using a hot water bag or heated salt tied in a cloth.
What to Avoid?
As your digestive system will be very delicate when you are afflicted with pneumonia, certain things that are difficult to digest could make your condition worse. Therefore, care should be taken in terms of the diet. Avoid the following:
- Strong tea, coffee, and other stimulants
- Refined products like white sugar and white flour products
- Meat
- Alcoholic beverages
When you are hale and hearty, taking a little liberty with your health is okay. However, when you are down with conditions like pneumonia and typhoid, great care should be taken during your recuperating period.
