4 Remedies For Feeling Cold: Mustard Oil, Eucalytpus Oil, Ginger, Coffee

By Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD (Ayu), PhD
Cold associated with shivering is very common during winter. Some people are naturally extra sensitive to coldness. Such people are quite naturally hesitating to move in AC cars or vehicles as they are prone to get cold and even the fever too.

Here not only the season or food but also the individual’s constitution (especially if they are Vata or Kapha dominant) and mental aspects have direct impact over cold sensitivity.

Please note that shivering or feeling of cold is common in certain diseases such as fever, anaemia, gout, arthritis, rheumatism, SLE, calcium deficiency etc. The below mentioned remedies are useful for season and food based feeling of cold.

1. Mustard oil remedy: (Sarso ka tel)
Mustard oil is hot in nature. Take 5 – 10 ml of mustard oil (1 – 2 teaspoon), warm it.
It is applied over forehead, arms and legs.
Or it can be applied to palms and feet.

It can be applied at bed time or can be washed off after 30 minutes with hot water.
Those who possess rough and tight skin, a pinch of salt salt is advised to add to this oil while heating.

2. Eucalyptus oil remedy: (Nilgiri taila)
6-10 drops of Eucalyptus oil is added to hot water and the steam is inhaled and this is a common practice in cases like common cold, nasal congestion, head ache, heaviness of the head etc.
When shivering is an associated symptom, a pinch of camphor and 2-3 drops of mint oil or pepper oil (if available, or else powdered pepper can be added) is added to this and applied to the  forehead. This helps to reduce most of the cold associated features.

3. Dhattura seed / brinjal and oil recipe:
20-30 seeds of Dhattura (in the absence 40-50 seeds of Brinjal can also be used) are soaked in sesame oil for a day. This is added with a pinch of turmeric powder and ginger powder and warmed a little under sunlight.

This oil can be used to inhale 2-3 times a day in nasal congestion followed with cold, stiffness of the neck and shivering.

4. Ginger-jaggery green coffee:
This is a unique kind of coffee preparation used by the people of Malnad area of Karnataka.

First of all coffee decoction is kept ready. To one cup of boiled water (milk is not added)  jaggery is added and dissolved.
Further ginger powder is added a little and kept for a while (some people use pepper powder even).

This is taken early in the morning so as to avoid the cold and shivering. In early winter this is a common practice in many village people of Malnad area.
Hope that now you are ready to face the cold and associated teammates of cold during this winter season.
Click to consult Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD (Ayu), PhD