Nowadays, the focus is on wellness. It’s easy to forget about the typical illnesses that everyone gets throughout the chilly winter months, even if we’re all doing our best to stay healthy and protect one another. Having said that, East Asian culture has long used herbal remedies and natural medications. You need look no farther than this collection of practical Japanese home remedies if you’re searching for some simple ways to prevent a common cold or cough!
1. Green tea
Green tea, arguably the most popular and widely available on our list, is said to help treat nearly every illness. Antioxidants are abundant in pure green teas. Antioxidants and bioactive components found in pure green teas are excellent for strengthening your immune system and maintaining mental clarity. Additionally, green tea is a natural appetite suppressant, which makes it an excellent natural weight loss aid. Drinking a cup of green tea every day is a terrific way to keep healthy, since some studies have even connected it to preventing certain cancers!
2. Tea with Yuzu
Yuzu are native to East Asia and are citrus fruits that resemble lemons in size, shape, and color. As a result, they are used in many Japanese herbal medicines. Look for yuzu that have been compressed into a jam-like paste the next time you’re at your neighborhood Asian store. You can make a tea with this in a cup of hot water that will help with even the most recalcitrant cough! This mixture has been a tried-and-true mainstay of Japanese home cures since ancient times.
3. Tea with Ginger and Honey
The tried-and-true combination of ginger and honey is a simple and delicious choice that can quickly improve your mood. When blended and consumed as a tea, the ginger’s antiseptic properties eliminate any dangerous bacteria, and the honey calms your throat and adds comforting sweetness. Persistent headaches and migraines have also been reported to be relieved by the soothing warmth and flavor. Try this amazing concoction the next time you’re experiencing the symptoms of a cold for immediate relief!
4. Umeboshi
Umeboshi, or traditional Japanese pickled plums, are more popular in Japan than in the West. In Japan, umeboshi are frequently used as a home treatment for nausea, morning sickness, or even a nasty hangover, though they probably won’t appeal to everyone. Umeboshi are a versatile and useful addition to anyone’s medicine cabinet because they can be used in a variety of ways and are beneficial either taken on their own or added to tea or soup.
5. The Tamago-zake
This cure, which literally translates to “egg alcohol, “Despite not being the most enticing on the list, this traditional Japanese cold and flu medicine has been used for decades. This thick and creamy beverage, which is made by cooking a raw egg with sake and honey, is intended to be ingested prior to bed in order to prevent colds and promote sound sleep. Children can even drink the sake if it is sufficiently cooked to dissipate the alcohol.
6. Daikon Hachimitsu
Try mixing honey with daikon, a Japanese radish with a number of beneficial therapeutic qualities, if you’re searching for a comforting treatment that also has a good amount of vitamin C. Daikon is beneficial for recurrent coughs and stuffy noses because it includes certain enzymes that aid in the body’s removal of mucus. The daikon can be chopped, covered with honey, and left for a few hours to produce a syrup that can be consumed on its own or mixed with hot water to make a calming tea. You will get the boost you require if you take the syrup two or three times a day!
7. Cutting an Onion and Smelling It
Sniffing an onion is a popular but unusual remedy if you’re short on supplies or simply want to temporarily relieve a stuffy nose. Even if there isn’t much scientific evidence to support it, the potent aroma of onions can undoubtedly revitalize you and stimulate your senses, albeit in an unpleasant way. When the cold and flu medications haven’t taken effect yet, this is one of those last-resort remedies you should attempt.
8. Alrightu
This Japanese recipe may work wonders when you’re feeling ill and unable to eat certain things, or if you’re not in the mood to prepare, even though it’s not really a home remedy. Using a rice cooker or stovetop, okayu—a thick, porridge-like mixture of rice and water—is simple to prepare. If you’re not feeling well, it will be easy to resist the bland taste, but you may add some seasonings to make this straightforward recipe a little more intriguing.
9. Miso Soup with Scallions
Miso soup is warm, tasty, and a simple and efficient way to treat a bad cold or cough. Miso, scallions, and hot water are easily combined to make this delicious soup, which is high in protein and vitamins and will help you feel better quickly. Garlic can assist eliminate mucus from the chest or nose by acting as an expectorant for the mixture. Aside from its nutritional qualities, this easy and tasty soup can be exactly what you need to get through the winter!
10. The Zosui
Zosui is a traditional Japanese dish for sick people that combines miso with rice, noodles, or vegetables to make a filling, hot meal that will keep you warm and nourished during the winter. You can add almost anything, including meat or fish, to a zosui dish using the basic ingredients. It’s usually moderate in flavor, making it the ideal food to eat when you’re feeling poorly but yet want to eat something nice and satisfying.