How To Use Carom Seeds (Ajwain) To Fight Cough & Sneezing This Winter

Listed here are a few of the best ways to use carom seeds or ajwain to fight cough and sneeze. Check them out.

By Chandreyee Sen

Monday, November 19, 2018, 9:44

Carom seeds, अजवाइन | Health Benefits | बेशुमार गुणों से भरा अजवाइन | Boldsky

The season is changing, and so is your health. People are usually in a festive mood when winter comes in. But what worries everyone is the changing health condition of the changing season.

With the onset of winter, most people, especially children, suffer heavily from a cough and sneezing bout. The achy headaches, body pain, weakness, cough, and the common cold, all of these are accompanied, as the winter arrives.

This is because in winter the viruses become more active and if your body lacks proper resistance ability, it can have an adverse effect on your health.

Moreover, during summer, we are in the exposure of a bright sunlight that provides ultraviolet rays that destroy the DNA of the viruses.

But in winter, when the sunlight is deemed, to avoid the chilly winds, we are mostly confined to a room. The viruses can become active under such circumstances and lead to a cough and sneezing bout.

Further, flu and cold viruses get transmitted from person to person via hand, mucus, etc. It is extremely contagious and can easily attack your body.

Some people also suffer from winter allergies, as of which they are most likely to suffer from a cough and sneezing with the changing climate.

Another possible reason is during winter, we often avoid bathing due to cold, and the germs remain on our body and result in a cough and cold.

To fight this, we take the help of antibiotics, which can further make us feel weak. Try for natural remedies like using carom seeds (ajwain), which has the potential to fight a cough and sneezing.

Ajwain, or carom seeds, comprises of saponins, fat, protein, fibre, flavone, tannins, carbohydrates, glycosides, and minerals such as manganese, copper, iron, cobalt, etc.

The essential oil made from ajwain seeds consists of oleic acid, thymol, p-cymene, y-terpinene, linoleic acid, and many more. Ajwain seeds contain dipentene, y-terpinene, thymol, a-terpinene, carvacrol, and p-cymene.

Health Benefits Of Carom Seeds

Carom seeds or ajwain is a common Indian spice, which is used for adding flavour to the food. It is a herb plant, which is olive green to brown in colour. It is a robust, aromatic spice whose taste is often bitter. It is commonly used for making curries and pickles. But apart from adding tadka to your food, ajwain has certain health benefits as well.

• Provides relief from indigestion and acidity:

Ajwain works wonders in treating indigestion and heartburn. This spice consists of active enzymes, which when reaches the human intestine, releases gastric juice and bolsters the digestion process. A mixture of 1 teaspoon of carom seeds, with 1 teaspoon of cumin, and ½ a teaspoon of ginger powder is a perfect remedy for curing heartburn.

• Helps in treating a common cold:

If you are suffering from common cold, ajwain can help you get rid of mucus easily by clearing your nasal passage. It has shown proven benefits in healing asthma, bronchitis, and migraine as well. A warm mixture of ajwain seeds with jaggery (2 spoons daily) can treat common cold easily.

• Beneficial in healing ear and toothache:

Ajwain seeds act as a good mouthwash and aids in maintaining oral hygiene. To get relief from a toothache, inhale the fumes of the seed or gargle with warm water by mixing salt and ajwain seeds. For an earache, two drops of ajwain oil are beneficial.

• Acts as a wound cleanser:

Ajwain contains thymol, which is an important germicide and fungicide. So while cleaning the wounds, a paste of crushed ajwain seeds helps in healing the cuts faster.

• Oma water:

This is an ayurvedic remedy for providing relief from indigestion in pregnant women and solving the problems of irregular menstruation. The ajwain or oma water is also beneficial for children to reduce gas discomfort. For preparation, add 2 teaspoons of roasted ajwain seeds in boiling water and strain it. Add honey if required and consume once daily. It will also induce metabolism and reduce body weight.

• Prevents the occurrence of grey hair:

Grey hair at a premature age is a problem which many people face today. Well, ajwain can be effective in its prevention. Make a drink consisting of dry grapes, sugar, curry leaves, and ajwain seeds and boil it. Strain and drink the water once daily.

• Cleanses the skin:

Acne scars can be easily removed with the help of ajwain powder. Crush the seeds, make a paste with the powder and water, and apply it on the affected area. Rest the paste for 10-15 minutes before rinsing it off with water.

• Relieves arthritis pain:

Arthritis pain can worsen with the growing age. In that case, ajwain can be effective, as it contains antibiotic properties that reduce inflammation and redness as well the anesthetic property that relieves you from swelling and pain. For this, apply crushed carom seed paste or soak the affected areas in warm carom seed water.

Procedure To Use Ajwain:

The rich medicinal properties of ajwain help in providing relief from a cough, sneezing, and chest congestion. It has anti-inflammatory properties and is a rich source of antioxidants that can cure headaches and a common cold. Let us look at the ways to use ajwain.

• Herbal Ajwain Drink:

This drink is beneficial for both adults and children in treating cough and sneezing. For preparation, in a pan, add half a cup of water. In this, add 8-10 basil leaves, 1 teaspoon of ajwain seed, 5 semi-crushed black pepper, ½ a teaspoon of ginger powder or grated ginger, and 1/3rd cup of jaggery. Boil it and cool it for some time. Drain the water into a glass and have it once daily for effective results.

• Ajwain Hot Pad:

In a pan, roast two tablespoons of ajwain seeds for 2 minutes. Place the roasted seeds on a clean cloth and make small pouches by tying it. Apply this hot pad or ajwain potli on the chest gently so as to remove chest congestion and clear the nasal passage.

• Ajwain And Garlic Potli Smoke:

In a pan, dry-roast two big garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of ajwain seeds. Place the garlic and ajwain seeds on a cloth and wrap it to make a potli or hot pad. Keep it next to your pillow during bedtime. The smoke from it provides relief from a cough and sneeze. For children, tie this potli next to their cradle for a similar effect.

• Ajwain-infused Oil Massage:

A massage with ajwain-infused oil has shown to be an effective result in curing cough and sneezing during winter. For preparing this oil, in a pan, add an adequate amount of any massaging oil and in it add 1 tablespoon of ajwain seeds. Heat it on low flame for a few seconds. Now, apply the warm oil on chest and back and even on the forehead for reducing pain, cough, and congestion.

• Jaggery With Ajwain:

In a pan, add a tablespoon of ajwain seeds and dry roast it. Now crush them in a blender to make a powder form. In this powder, add an equal amount of jaggery and make a paste. Have this mixture twice daily before your meal to reduce cough and treat cold.
So, these are a few ways in which ajwain or carom seeds can create a protective shield and prevent you from catching a cold or flu in winter.