Natural Home Remedies for Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a common disease caused by infection which leads to swelling of either or both of the lungs. The infection could be caused by bacteria, viruses or other microorganisms. More often than not, recent upper respiratory tract infections make the lungs susceptible to further infections and hence pave the way for this disease.

Pneumonia often starts off as a cold and takes the form of a serious illness in due time. Individuals with a weak immune system are more at risk of developing this disease. Pneumonia caused by bacterial infection is the most common as well as serious form of this disease. Children are more susceptible to Pneumonia caused by viral infections.

The treatment depends on the cause, that is, the kind of infection that led to Pneumonia. Antibiotics are generally administered for Pneumonia caused by bacterial infections. Besides, several natural home remedies for Pneumonia are highly beneficial in healing this disease naturally. These home remedies can be supplemented with or without the conventional treatment depending on the severity of the disease.

Causes and Symptoms of Pneumonia

Pneumonia is caused by breathing in bacteria, viruses or other Pneumonia-causing microorganisms in the lungs. These microorganisms might be released in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Bacteria or viruses that are normally present in the mouth, throat, nose etc may accidentally spread to the lungs thereby causing Pneumonia.

Aspiration Pneumonia is caused by inhaling certain chemicals, foods, liquids, mucus, or vomiting. Smoking and alcoholism increase the risks of developing this disease. Besides, certain medications like the ones used in the treatment of Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease. Pneumonia can also be caused by Tuberculosis because of weak immune system

Cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, headache, muscle pain, sweating, loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, pleuritic pain, suptum and fast heart beat are some of the common symptoms of Pneumonia. Pleuritic pain refers to chest pain that tends to worsen when deep breaths are taken. At times, the skin might become purplish in color due to poorly oxygenated blood.

Natural Home Remedies for Pneumonia

• Fenugreek, ginger, black pepper and ginger are efficient home remedies for Pneumonia treatment as they help in getting rid of mucus. A mixture of ginger juice or died gingers and honey helps to provide relief from the symptoms.
• Applying garlic paste on the chest is beneficial in the treatment of Pneumonia as it helps to reduce fever and relieve other symptoms like shortness of breath too. Garlic juice can also be used in the same way.
• Rubbing some turpentine oil on the rib cage and then wrapping the chest with warm woolen towel is useful in reducing Pneumonia related chest pains. Camphor can also be added to this oil to give better results.
• Drinking tea prepared from fenugreek seeds is one of the most popular natural home remedies for Pneumonia, especially to cure it in the initial stages.
• Drinking a tea prepared from dandelion leaves and roots is yet another effective home remedy for this disease.
• Take about 250 ml of water and steep approximately 15 grams of sesame seeds in it. Then add a pinch of salt, one tablespoon of honey and the same amount of linseed in it. Taking this therapeutic infusion is one of the most successful natural home remedies for Pneumonia.
• Crush about 20 basil leaves along with five corns of black pepper and add this mixture to some hot water. Drinking this mixture at regular intervals (every six hours) is a tried and tested home remedy used to cure Pneumonia naturally.
• Regularly drinking a mixture of 200 ml of spinach juice and 300 ml of carrot juice is a simple yet effective natural remedy for preventing as well as curing Pneumonia.
• Taking a mixture of carrot juice and some cayenne pepper is also beneficial in this regard.
• Taking about 250 ml of juice extracted from leaves and root of cultivated parsnip plant on a regular basis is one of the most valuable natural home remedies for Pneumonia.
• Take five cloves, one gram of black pepper, one gram of soda and add these ingredients in approximately 15 ml of water. Drinking this mixture serves as an effective natural remdy to heal Pneumonia naturally.

Diet for Pneumonia

While dealing with Pneumonia, it is often recommended to adopt a raw juice diet for about five to ten days in the beginning. The juices can be mixed with warm water and consumed every 2-3 hours. When the fever gets over, the diet should be modified to include fresh fruits only. Three to four days after this diet, the patient may slowly switch to the normal balanced diet with special emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables.

Apart from these measures, there are certain restrictive measures too. Meat products and animal proteins should be excluded from the diet until the disease is cured completely because animal proteins are difficult to digest. White flour, white sugar, refined and fatty foods should also be avoided. Plus, consumption of alcoholic and caffeinated beverages should also be restricted.