An Extremely Effective Chicken Soup Recipe for Sinus Relief

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that sinus has no cure. However, there are methods through which you can bring temporary relief. Doctors may even prescribe anti-biotics and medications but most people experience relief for only a short period of time and then it rebounds back.

Home remedies are extremely popular around here to fight cold and flu. You wouldn’t find anyone here in Pakistan who doesn’t know at least one home remedy that works for them. Chicken soup tops the list of those home remedies. It is grandma’s way of curing the flu. Although chicken broth itself is very effective against cold and flu symptoms, adding other helpful ingredients will speed up the healing process. Here, is a tried and tested chicken broth recipe that is sure to work wonders on your sinusitis.

Ingredients

·         2 chicken drumsticks

·         5 cloves garlic

·         1 teaspoon of black pepper corns

·         4 slices of ginger (I like to add much more to make the soup spicy)

·         ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

·         1 large onion

·         1 whole carrot

Place all these ingredients in a large pot of water and let it cook for about 1 and a half hour till the chicken is tender and you feel the soup thicken. The water will be reduced by 1/4^th or ½.

This is it. Drink the clear soup while it’s hot.

Now let’s take a look at what makes this soup so therapeutic.

Chicken drumsticks:

Studies have found that Cysteine, an amino acid produced in clear chicken soup helps to clear congestion and thin mucus, which helps in the flow of mucus secretions. It also works wonders on sore throat and loosens thick phlegm.

Garlic:

Garlic is not a food. It is a super food and a super immune booster. Among thousand other benefits of garlic, it is also a natural anti-biotic and is commonly taken for cold and flu.

Black pepper corns:

Black pepper corns contain volatile oil with different chemical compounds. It is a natural astringent, anti-septic, analgesic, and helps in stimulating the drainage of sinus.

Ginger:

Ginger is used to treat a vast range of conditions including nausea, morning sickness, digestion, increased LDL (bad cholesterol) and above all, cold and flu symptoms. Hot ginger tea is extremely effective and popular in India as a quick relief for cold. The spicy taste of ginger helps to relax and soothe your sinuses. It stimulates mucus secretions and helps in chest congestion as well. Adding ginger in chicken soup makes the soup really aromatic and delicious to drink.

But if you don’t want to make chicken soup, you can also make ginger tea by boiling ginger slices in water for 5-10 minutes till ginger has imparted its flavor in the water. Add green tea and lemon to enjoy hot and ultra-relaxing ginger tea.

Another way to consume ginger is to crush it with a heavy spoon and then squeeze out the juice. Add honey in it and swallow it. When combined with honey, it is especially great for cough and chest congestion. (Yes, I am a great fan of ginger!)

Turmeric Powder:

Turmeric powder is a staple ingredient in not only our food but also in every therapeutic remedy. It is known to have showed anti-inflammatory and decongestant properties, which help to relax and soothe your sinuses. You can even add it in hot milk or plain hot water for instant cold relief.

Onion:

I never knew onion had any healing properties until I stumbled upon this recipe. However, when I researched it, it seems I was a bit ignorant and it isn’t as new as it seems. It has been used in Chinese medicine as a cure for bacterial infections, coughs, breathing problems and angina. Studies have shown that the sulphur compound in onion has anti-inflammatory properties. It has been discovered that onion extract is great against cold and flu symptoms.

Another way to consume onion is to crush it and extract the juice out it. Add honey and swallow the mixture.

Carrot:

Carrots are a natural source of beta-carotene and vitamin A. Apart from fighting infections, these also provide a sweet flavor to the chicken broth.

Try this recipe now and share your experiences. :)

KidsDunya – Is It A Place Worth Visiting?

Ever since its opening, there has been much hype about KidsDunya. Before visiting the place, I ran a search on Facebook and found reviews by people who had commented on its educational concept and its attractions for children. They say the concept is copied from a popular place in Dubai. So, I decided to give it a shot. Here is my honest review of KidsDunya for all those parents who have still not visited.

What is it?

It does less than half justice to its name: Kids Dunya. Yes, it is supposed to be a “dunya” for kids where kids rule. You have to pay an entry fee to enter the place. Rs.500 for a kid and Rs.250 for an adult. The receptionist will give a KD check with the name of the child. The child has to visit the bank first to draw the check and collect his KDR cash. They have their own KidsDunya currency that the child has to use while he is doing activities inside.

What Kind of Activities can you expect?

Job Activities

There are jobs available which include Police, fire fighting, hospital and dentist. The concept is to give children an idea where they can earn from and where they can spend. You just have to stand in the waiting line to get hired for these jobs and they will give you a job to do.

In the case of police, you have to run after a thief and catch him, put handcuffs and drag him to the jail. Thinking about that “pakram pakrai” game you played as a child? Well, it is actually that. The only difference is, they give you actual police uniforms to wear and the handcuffs and jail look real. Well, it would have been more interactive if there was something more to it than just catching the thief.

In firefighting, you have to run towards the site where something is on fire and you have to put down the fire by directing the water through a pipe in the glass wall ahead. Again, the uniforms are more interesting than the actual fire fighting scene. I find the water games in Sindbad more interactive and interesting.

We did not do the hospital and dentist jobs so can’t review those but what I saw going on there, it was pretty much the same boring and same stuff every time. The child would easily get bored with the same activity and would not want to go back.

When your job is done, you get a 100 KDR as your salary.

Paid Activities

Then there are other activities which are paid. You can spend your money doing those activities. These include:

Drawing and painting

This will be interesting if your child has never laid his hands on paint, pencils and colors. Oh come on, this is what kids do all the time at home and in school. What is so interesting here? There is even nothing new in it. There should be some art teacher doing some craft activities with them and guiding them. Seriously, my son went inside (parents are not allowed in the activity room) and came out with a paper which had a square, two apples, one pineapple and a circle. I asked him who made this, he said the man made it and he just colored it. WOW!

Build a bear

You have to stuff a teddy bear with cotton or whatever goes inside. It’s all automatic and there is a machine there, which does all the work. You only have to press the foot pedal for the machine to work. That’s it!

Football

This is better because children can finally find some real activity to do. But the football field is ridiculously small and if several children are playing there, your child might never get a turn with the ball. My son plays better football at home.

Paddle Pop Ice cream Factory

This is the only activity that offered something new. Children learn how to make ice cream in this colorfully designed ice cream factory. But to add more excitement and anticipation, they get an ice cream in the end to eat.  

Pizza Hut Pizza Baking Activity

This one requires you to pay real money because it gives a real pizza in the end to eat. Children get to put toppings on the pizza and then bake it. It’s interesting but nothing new for me. Whenever I am making homemade pizza, I always let my son put on the toppings.

Is it Worth Visiting?

Yes, but only once just to get a taste of what the hype is all about. It is very boring for a parent to roam around that ridiculous KidsDunya with a child. Since it is a KidsDunya, they should offer enough security for parents to send their children alone.

It is a bit educational and that’s the reason you should visit once. You would not want to do the same boring activities again.

Overall, I feel it’s too boring and there should be something more. I was expecting activities like puzzles, block building, sand art, and something more creative. Also, there should be more sports activities as well like basketball, baseball, and cricket.

For me, this role playing concept was nothing new because this is what my son does all the time at home and I am sure no child is different. Even I did that when I was young. Remember that doctor set, kitchen set, and police set we used to own when we were kids?

My son does want to go back but I am sure he will get bored after his second time. 

5 Natural Remedies for Sinus Infection that Actually Work

If you are reading this, chances are you already know what sinus infection is and how hideous you feel during a sinus attack. The disgusting yellow-green nasal discharge, facial pain, throbbing headache, nasal congestion and swollen eyes; all come part of the deal. And the worst thing is, sinus infections are always a staple when the season changes, particularly in winter. 

People may pinpoint a specific cause of sinus infection but witnessing a generation suffering from sinus, I can say that it is mainly caused by dry and windy weather. The catch is, you cannot possibly shield yourself from bad weather unless you adopt the nomadic way of life. That leaves you another option: to cure sinus. 

However, sinus is not easy to cure. Doctors may recommend antibiotics for chronic sinusitis but it only cures some symptoms like fever and sore throat. Nasal congestion almost never goes away. That leaves only one option; to soothe your sinus infection and give you temporary relief.

Here are some natural remedies for sinus infection that are proven to work:

1. Ginger and Honey Mixture

Gingerol, an active component of Ginger is good for your infected sinus. The spicy flavor and aroma of ginger will help to warm up your nasal passage. Crush ginger roots and squeeze out half a teaspoon of ginger juice. Mix half a teaspoon honey and take in the mixture. It’s really spicy but excellent for nasal and chest congestion. 

2. Ginger and lemon tea

Crush ginger roots and cook it with water. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes on low heat. Add green tea and juice of ½- 1 lemon. Drink this tea to relax your sinuses. 

3. Chicken broth

Home-made chicken soup has been used since ages to clear sinuses and help with nasal congestion and sore throat. Research indicates that cysteine, an amino acid produced in clear chicken soup, has soothing and healing properties. Simply cook 2 pieces of drumsticks with plenty of water, quarter teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 4 garlic cloves, 4 slices of ginger and salt. Let it cook on low heat for 1 hour or more until the soup has thickened. 

4. Steam Inhalation

Hot steam is the best weapon against sinus infection. Add vaporub, black pepper or cloves in boiling water and inhale the steam. This will provide immediate relief from sinus headache, facial pain, swollen eyes and will also help you sleep better. 

5. Vaporub

Vaporub is grandma’s way of curing sinus infection. Rub it below the nose, on your throat, and behind ears and cover your head with a scarf.