Soups for colds, natural cold remedies

I hate taking flu or cold medications. They make me groggy and weak all over.

At first I thought it was the cold or flu that is making me weak. Once, I forgot to take my medication and subsequently felt more alert. When I dutifully took the pills, I konked out. Later, I noticed the label on the package, "Will cause drowsiness. Do not operate machinery". That's when it struck me that that's what drowsiness mean. Quite dense huh?

I asked the doctors why there are such side-effects and they said that this is so I can rest. What a nice way of putting it, turning side-effects of synthetic drugs that doctors cannot eliminate into something of benefit to patients.

Drowsiness is a mild case I guess. Have you been prescribed a certain medication that has to be accompanied by antacid? The medication is very strong it causes increased stomach acidity which requires antacids to counter-balance.

I used to accept this kind of explanation, that there is no alternative. But not anymore. The medication which is supposed to cure me causes another health problem?! Hmmm! I still have to pay for the antacid.

So, what does this have to do with soups for colds?

Let me share a little story, a true story...

A severely blocked nose, a thudding headache, a dry cough.

I was miserable, I was in a foul mood. I was sick.

I hate being sick, I hate having a nose sore from all the sneezing and wiping. I hate the thudding and thumping going on in my head. I hate the lethargy. I wish they would just go away and leave me alone.

Wordlessly, my grandmother placed a big bowl of soup in front of me. It was a simple clear chinese soup made with potatoes, carrots and pork ribs.

Here, drink this, granny said simply in teochew.

I was in no mood to eat. I wasn't hungry. I have no appetite. I just wanted to sulk!

Pieces of cheery orange colour peeked out from the soup and beckoned to me.

Oh, okay, I will have a little sip, just to please granny. I thought to myself.

That little sip brought a comforting warmth that travels from my sore throat all the way to the stomach.

How wonderful a warm stomach feels.

I went for the carrot and potato next. They were tender but not mushy, the potato melted in my mouth.

To my delight, I found sweet plump chinese wolfberries (goji berries) lurking in the depth of the soup.

I finished the entire bowl of soup in no time.

Aahhh... a wave of contentment washed over me. It was the best soup in the world...lovingly prepared by my granny. And...

... a little miracle happened.

My blocked nose eased, my headache subsided, the sun came out and so did my smile... a contented happy little smile.

Psychological effect? Maybe, but I definitely felt better.

I would rather enjoy a nice hot bowl of chinese soup to ease my flu symptoms than pop pills made with chemicals that I cannot even pronounce.

I am not against pills and medications. In fact, I benefitted from vitamin c when I was younger and very susceptible to colds. I was down with cold or flu almost once a month. I still remember the sweet "treats" in the form of round orange tablets which greatly improve my health. Later I found out that I was deficient in Vitamin C which is why the supplement helped me tremendously. If I was not deficient, the effect might not have been that significant.

In short, I just prefer natural cold remedies that work together with my body's own immune system to fight illnesses, not take over the fight.

Now, I try to learn more about my own body and how it functions before buying any kind of supplements. What works for someone else may not work for me.

But I believe soups for colds are good for everyone,

Why are chinese soups so good against colds?

Chinese soups deliver much-needed nutrients to the sick body to help it fight off "nasty invaders".

The gentle heat from the soup helps to dilate the blood vessels near the nasal passage and throat, relieving blocked noses and soothing sore throats.

It is a comfort food for those who are feeling blue from the discomforts of being sick.

Some chinese soups helps to whet the appetite and kickstart the sluggy digestive system.

Finally, soups for colds can play a role in prevention, the natural way. They are not medicine that you eat only when you are sick. You can have soups for colds even though you don't have the flu. They are just food, good-for-you food.

Recipes

Here are some soup recipes that I think can act as natural cold remedies.

Pork rice porridge with chinese yam
A light pork congee recipe using chinese yam and hyacinth beans. A flu prevention recipe.

Lean pork soup with water melon peel
Did you know that fresh water melon peel makes a great chinese soup for cold? Try it! It is ultra easy

Potato soup with pork ribs and carrot
This is a potato soup recipe with pork ribs and carrot. It is a super yummy and healthy chinese soup. I like to drink this soup whenever I am feeling tired and under the weather