Weird cold remedies from around the world

Cold season is here, and even though there is no cure-all for the symptoms of common colds, it is nice to have a few remedies to respond when you inevitably fall under the weather. Humanity has chased these cures for centuries, and each culture has its unique version of a natural remedy.

Common colds can only be fought off by treating the symptoms. All around the world, people use natural remedies to combat fever, congestion, body aches, and soar throat. Science has proved some of those solutions work, but others may be folktales.

The most common folk remedies for colds are hot beverages or soups. The warm contrast they provide to the cold weather (this illness is more common in Winter) is appreciated. The most common options are chicken soup or lemon tea, but there are other rare options.

Everyone has heard about the benefits of drinking a hot lemonade to combat the flu. Some ad honey to make the beverage sweet and to take advantage of its antiseptic properties. But in some countries in the Caribbean, people ad rum to lime juice. Adding alcohol can worsen the symptoms because it has a dehydrating effect.

Gogol Mogol is a hot beverage similar to egg nog from Russia and Ukraine. It is an egg yolk mixed with sugar or honey and dissolved in hot milk with a teaspoon of butter. There is not much research about the efficacy of Gogol Mogol. However, according to Healthline, it may help ease a sore throat and promote sleep.

Hot cocoa is delicious and comforting. Both characteristics make it perfect for when you are sick, but it could also help ease a cough. A study in the U.K., collected by Healthline, showed that the cocoa component theobromine was more effective than codeine for stopping a cough. The study is inconclusive, but it can't hurt to have a bit of cocoa made with dark chocolate and low-fat milk.

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Garlic and onion seem like good ingredients for a stir fry or stew, but in some Latin American countries, they are used to make cold-fighting infusions. According to Healthline, tea is not the best way to harness the benefits of these ingredients. It is better to consume them in other forms.

The Hong Kong version of a cold-fighting soup is dried lizards, yams, and Chinese dates simmered in water. Hot soups with a water-based broth are always good for rehydration and reducing congestion. However, no studies have compared the benefits of lizard soup with chicken soup. But, hey it is always good to have options!

Not every cold remedy is a warm liquid. Some cultures draw on ointments or cold compresses to fight the symptoms. Rubbing your chest with mint or eucalypt-based creams can help open up. A cold compress can help reduce the fever. But those are not the only options....

According to Healthline, the idea that greasing your neck and placing dirty socks around it helps with a cold might have originated in England. It doesn't work, but some historians believe that people thought that sweating using this method would eliminate the cold.

Putting a peeled onion in the bed of a sick child is a cold remedy in Ghana and other countries. According to the Non-profit World Vision, people believe the onion purifies the air by absorbing germs. In some other countries, a folk remedy is putting onions in your socks at night to fight a cold. According to Healthline (and the doctors that verify their articles), it is better to eat onions as a part of a healthy diet.

Tallow is a form of rendered animal fat used in a Texan folk remedy for colds. It consists of a small amount of warm fat rubbed on the chest, with herbs like mint or mustard. Rubbing a warm ointment in your chest always helps to loosen mucus, but there are a few commercial versions available if you don't want to rub animal fat on your skin.

In China, people believe that burning Ai Ye (wormwood) has an antiseptic effect. According to Healthline, Ai Ye leaves have antibacterial properties, but it is best to avoid smoke while sick. Inhaling smoke can irritate and restrict airways, which worsens respiratory symptoms.

Turnips, citrus fruits, or vegetable soups can help fight a cold. Turnips are a folk remedy in Iran, where people eat them cooked and mashed when they have a cold. Healthline reports that they deliver a lot of vitamins such as A, B, and C. Besides turnips, eating vegetables as a part of a balanced diet is always an easy way to stay healthy and prevent colds.

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If you get a cold, water, juice, clear broth, or warm lemon water with honey helps loosen congestion and prevent dehydration. According to the Mayo Clinic, saltwater gargles can help reduce a sore throat. Resting, adding moisture to the air (with a humidifier or other appliances), and staying hydrated are the best ways to fight a cold.

Off-the-counter medicine is another option if you are an adult. However, this medication is unsafe for children, and it is always important to ask a doctor before medicating a child. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic recommend avoiding other pills like antibiotics unless a doctor prescribes them. Vitamin supplements are not necessarily a risk, but science has not confirmed their effectiveness for cold prevention.

Colds are usually minor, but they can be painful and annoying. According to Mayo Clinic, the best way to prevent one is to have a healthy lifestyle and wash your hands frequently. When you get sick, it is not necessary to find a magical cure: rest and take care of yourself. You can also consider getting the flu shot to protect yourself over the winter.