Cold and flu season is definitely here, with high pitched sneezes, sniffly sounds and heavy-bass voices starting to crop up in your everyday surroundings. You anxiously hope, wait and wish for the season to come and go without having to experience it first hand. You pray to the gods of immunity every morning before you step out and brave the cold, to save you just this one time. But one sleepy Tuesday night, just when youre about to finish the last episode of You, the sniffling stalker youve been trying to avoid finally sneaks its way into your system and you sneeze. Catching a cold is inevitable when the weather is as schizophrenic as a serial stalker. But if youre done with popping pastel pills and relying on heavy antibiotics, we suggest going old schoollike the wellness enthusiasts we spoke to about this issue do. Here, they share their tried-and-tested flu-flighting, immunity-boosting remedies to help you combat the congestion.

Khanna, a health and wellness influencer, swears by her all-time favourite infusion of manuka honey, ginger and lemon juice. All three ingredients have anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting properties, so consuming this infusion regularly can help prevent colds, soothe sore throats, and reduce signs of tiredness, fatigue related to coughs and colds, she says.

Recipe: In a warm mug of water, add 2 tsp ginger juice, 1-2 tsp manuka honey and the juice of half a lemon. Stir well and sip the infusion. Remember, manuka honey cannot be added to very hot water as it loses its medicinal properties.

Levy-Bahl, a filmmaker, producer and major health nut, trusts two recipes that not only help cure colds and sore throats, but also help prevent them.

Recipe 1: Youll need a small bunch of fresh lemongrass, 2 inches of ginger (peeled), 10-12 tulsi leaves, 10 peppercorns,1 cinnamon stick, 1/2 tsp ajwain seeds, 1 tsp green tea and3 cups of water. Boil the elixir on a low heat for 15-20 min and serve with manuka honey.

Recipe 2: Reach for 1 tsp organic turmeric, 1 tsp cardamom,1/4 fresh black pepper, 1tsp coconut oil,1 cinnamon stalk,2 inch fresh ginger (or 1 tsp grated ginger) and1-2 cups milk of choice (almond or coconut is preferred). Simmer all the ingredients together and serve.

The founder and chef of Sequel loves a good ol broth to stay warm and strong, and also has a little golden elixir for a particularly sniffly day.

Recipe 1: Blend freshly pressed walnut milk with ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and saffron. Drink it warm with honey. Its the perfect combination of warming spices to fight the flu, she says.

Recipe 2: Cook a warm broth of seaweed, umeboshi, kaffir lime, lemongrass, galangal, garlic and heirloom tomatoes.

Wellness guru, holistic lifestyle coach and integrative medicine expert, Luke Coutinho, may have a few hundred remedies up his sleeve, but he claims the one below never fails to cure a cold.

Recipe: Set aside 1inch of ginger (peeled and mashed), 1/2 tsp organic turmeric powder (or 1/2 inch fresh turmeric root), 1 tbsp lemongrass leaves (fresh or dried),2 cloves,2 black peppercorns,1 tsp dried thyme powder and 1 tsp dried oregano powder. Add all the ingredients to 4 cups of water, and boil till it reduces to half. Cool and strain.

Mehra is a yoga instructor, and relies on multiple cups of this soothing kadha remedy, passed on by her mother, to get rid of an itchy throat and cough.

Recipe: Youll need 1 inch of ginger (crushed), 2 big black cardamoms, 2 green cardamoms, 10 tulsi leaves, 10 mint leaves, 4 black peppercorns, 4 cloves and 1/2 inch piece of cinnamon. Boil all the ingredients together in water for about 10 minutes on a medium flame. When the liquid reduces to 3/4th, turn the heat off. Sieve and add a few drops of lemon juice and honey.

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5 wellness enthusiasts share their favourite at-home remedies for cold and flu season - VOGUE India