The homemade inhaler is natural and free of chemicals and preservatives
You may experience a blocked nose and congestion due to a viral illness like the flu, common during the winter. But if it lasts longer, doctors say it may indicate an underlying health condition, such as allergies or enlarged adenoids. However, you can nip the congestion in the bud without taking over-the-counter medicines with side effects.
Celebrity chef Sneha Singhi shared an easy, homemade hack using natural ingredients easily available in your kitchen to cure your cold.
Using cloves, garlic, and ajwain—one of the most potent herbs and spices according to Ayurveda—Singhi made a natural inhaler that is completely free of preservatives. “This homemade inhaler is going to be your saviour this winter. This is natural, chemical-free, and not harmful,” she wrote on her social media account.
How to make a natural inhaler to combat nasal congestion
Ingredients
- 5-6 pods of cloves
- 4-5 cloves of garlic
- One tablespoon ajwain or carrom seeds
How to make
- Heat the cloves, garlic, and ajwain together till it begins to pop
- Once done, wrap it up in a muslin cloth or a thin cotton cloth.
- Tie it and use it as an inhaler to soothe runny noses and ease congestion
According to Singhi, the recipe is safe to be used for babies over the age of one year. “If younger, make this potli and keep it by their bedside,” she said on Instagram.
How do herbs work to ease congestion?
According to experts, while popular remedies like vapour rubs use thymol due to their ability to relieve respiratory discomfort, natural ingredients do not have any chemicals and have no side effects on your health. Combining cloves, garlic, and ajwain are loaded with bioactive compounds that, apart from relieving congestion, also help open stuffy or runny noses, treat sinus pain, stop mucus buildup, and cure swollen nasal tissue.
Cloves and garlic are also anti-inflammatory and antibacterial and have soothing properties with expectorant qualities that help to thin mucus and make it easier to expel. This can be particularly helpful for those with phlegmy coughs. Clove is also a natural cough suppressant and calms the cough reflex, allowing for better sleep and daily comfort.
Ajwain helps clear mucus and reduces inflammation.
What causes nasal congestion?
Doctors say congestion happens when your nose becomes stuffed up and inflamed. Minor illnesses are the most common causes of nasal congestion. For instance, a cold, the flu, and sinus infections can all lead to noses. Illness-related congestion usually improves within a week or two. However, if it lasts longer than 15 days, it is often a symptom of an underlying health issue.
Some explanations for long-term nasal congestion may be:
- Allergies
- Hay fever
- Noncancerous growths known as nasal polyps
- Sinonasal tumours
- Chemical exposures
- Environmental irritants
- A long-lasting sinus infection
- Anatomic variants like deviated septum
- Enlarged adenoids
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