Stuffy nose, body pain, neck pain, headache, cough and cold are some ailments that predominately affect almost everyone during the winter season. One of the herbs much sought after to treat these conditions is karpooravalli (coleus aromaticus). It can be grown in the home garden just like the holy basil.
The karpooravalli herb has a hairy stem and thick hairy rugged looking but soft leaves with toothed edges. The leaf has an astringent taste. The mature leaves of the herb has good amount of menthol which helps in reducing the inflammation due to phlegm in chest. It is a herb used in treating all types of cough, as well as an excellent expectorant. it induces sweat and brings down the temperature in fevers.
Karpooravalli for Children
The medicinal property of the leaf can be utilized in a number of time tested ways. Thoroughly cleaned karpooravalli leaves can be put in boiled and cooled drinking water and then filtered off after 1-2 hours. By this time the water would have turned slightly greenish. This water can be given to children for drinking purposes. Doing this for a couple of days brings down the intensity of cough and cold in children.
One well known method of treating tough chest phlegm in kids is as follows. Collect equal quantity of karpooravalli and holy basil leaves. Saute the leaves slightly and then crush them to collect 5-10ml of juice from the leaves. This is given twice a day, both morning and evening after food. Regular intake for a week expels even the toughest of phlegm in a gentle painless way.
Karpooravalli for Adults
Karpooravalli, thoothuvalai, vallarai leaves of equal quantity are collected dried and powdered. One spoonful of this powder is taken in 150 ml water and boiled and reduced to 75 ml. A bit of palm jaggery is added to this decoction to taste. This preparation is taken twice a day to strengthen the lungs. Asthmatics can experience marked improvement in their labored breathing with regular intake of this remedy.
Also juice of karpooravalli leaves taken with honey in the mornings can help cure runny nose, phlegm, cough, throat infection etc.
Karpooravalli Herbal Powder
This can be prepared as follows. Take karpooravalli leaves, adathoda leaves and dry them in shade. Thippili and sitharathai are taken in equal quantities and fried in small heat. All these are powdered to a fine consistency. This powder is taken with honey three to four times a day for a couple of days. This takes care of cold, cough, and phlegm and clears the airway passage.
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