How can I avoid cold and cough in the rainy season?

Stay dry, change wet clothes quickly, eat warm fresh food, wash hands often and keep your home free of damp.

Which kadha is good for monsoon cold?

A simple kadha of ginger, tulsi, black pepper and cinnamon is a traditional favourite. Keep it mild.

When is monsoon fever serious?

High fever, severe body ache, rash, bleeding, vomiting or fever lasting more than 2 days needs a doctor to rule out dengue, malaria or typhoid.

Cold & cough10 min

Home remedies for cold and cough in monsoon: ginger-tulsi kadha, dry clothes and warm meals

Getting drenched, damp clothes, humid rooms and changing temperatures make colds very common in the rainy season. These home remedies for cold and cough in monsoon keep you warm and dry: ginger-tulsi kadha, haldi doodh, steam, warm home-cooked meals and a quick change into dry clothes after the rain.

Why colds spike in the rains

The monsoon brings sudden temperature changes, high humidity that helps viruses and mould thrive, and more time indoors in close contact. Wet hair and clothes, and cold drinks on muggy days, often precede a sore throat and sniffles.

Ayurveda describes the rainy season (varsha ritu) as a time of weak digestion and imbalanced vata, and recommends warm, light, freshly cooked food with ginger, black pepper and tulsi.

Ingredients

A small piece of ginger, 5–6 tulsi leaves, 3–4 black peppercorns and a small cinnamon stick
A little jaggery or honey
A cup of milk with a pinch of turmeric

How to prepare

Simmer ginger, tulsi, crushed pepper and cinnamon in 2 cups of water until reduced to 1 cup; strain and add a little jaggery (or honey once warm).
Warm the milk with turmeric.

How to use

Sip half a cup of kadha 1–2 times a day while you have symptoms.
Have turmeric milk at bedtime.
Take steam once or twice a day if the nose is blocked.

Helpful habits

Change out of wet clothes and dry your hair as soon as you get home.
Eat warm, freshly cooked food; skip street food and cut fruit from outside.
Keep rooms aired and dry to prevent mould.

Precautions

Keep kadha mild for children, people with acidity or ulcers, and in pregnancy.
Don't give honey to babies under 1 year.
Monsoon fever with body ache, rash, joint pain or high fever may be dengue, malaria or typhoid — see a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

How can I avoid cold and cough in the rainy season?: Stay dry, change wet clothes quickly, eat warm fresh food, wash hands often and keep your home free of damp.
Which kadha is good for monsoon cold?: A simple kadha of ginger, tulsi, black pepper and cinnamon is a traditional favourite. Keep it mild.
When is monsoon fever serious?: High fever, severe body ache, rash, bleeding, vomiting or fever lasting more than 2 days needs a doctor to rule out dengue, malaria or typhoid.