When the sniffling, sneezing, and coughing strikes, people will do almost anything to feel better. The bad news is that there is no cure for the common cold. There are, however, some natural cold remedies that can help relieve your symptoms and can help shorten the length of the illness, along with certain healthy habits that may reduce the risk of getting sick in the first place.

Here is a list of five natural, easy, and effective home remedies for cough and cold.

1. Honey
Honey is one of the effective remedies for sore throats and other cold symptoms. It is considered to relieve coughs more effectively than some of the medicines and cough suppressants. You can prepare a home remedy with honey by mixing up to two teaspoons of honey with herbal tea or just hot water with a pinch of lemon juice. The honey helps in providing relief from cold, and the lemon juice helps in relieving the nasal blockage. You can also consume a spoonful of honey just like that or spread it on bread and have it as a snack.

2. Pineapple
Many people don’t even think of pineapple for treating cold and cough. However, it is one of the best home remedies for cough and cold. Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, which helps in reducing cough and cold by loosening the mucus in your throat. Bromelain, an enzyme essential for treating cold is only present in the stem and fruit of pineapples. Consume a slice of pineapple or drink fresh pineapple juice three times a day to get better results. It is also said that bromelain in pineapples can help in relieving sinusitis.

3. Peppermint
Peppermint leaves have healing properties. Add menthol in peppermint to reduce the symptoms of a cold. It helps in soothing the throat and breaks down the mucus. You can prefer peppermint by drinking it as peppermint tea or by taking a steam bath and inhaling the peppermint vapors. Add 3 to 4 drops of peppermint oil in the hot water, and drape a towel over your head, and take deep breaths above the water to inhale the vapor directly. Doing this steam bath every will give better relief from the cold.

4. Thyme
Thyme is used in treating respiratory illnesses in certain cases. It is also said that ivy leaves mixed with the essence extracted from thyme leaves can help in relieving cough and cold, including short-term bronchitis. The thyme leaves contain compounds called flavonoids, which help in reducing cough and cold by relaxing the throat muscles. You can prefer thyme in the form of thyme tea. Mix two teaspoons of crushed thyme leaves in a cup of boiling water, and close the cup for about 10 minutes, and strain to get a thyme tea. Consuming this thyme tea every day is one of the most effective home remedies for cough and cold.

5. Marshmallow
Marshmallow is made from a perennial known as althaea officinalis, which contains mucilage that helps in soothing the throat. The leaves and roots of marshmallow herbs have been used to treat colds, sore throat and suppress cough for ages. In today’s world, you can get marshmallow root in a capsule or as a tea. Drinking warm marshmallow tea is one of the greatest home remedies for cough. However, marshmallow root is not advisable for children.