Cold & cough12 min
Ajwain Towel Steam
A teaspoon of ajwain in hot water, with a loose towel and the face kept back, for a blocked nose.
Ajwain towel steam at a safe distance
A teaspoon of ajwain seeds goes into a bowl of hot water off the stove. A towel may rest loosely over the shoulders, with a gap for air, while the face stays back from the bowl. The point is gentle steam at a safe distance, not a sealed tent and not a face over a boiling pot.
This is not for small children. Do not eat a pile of boiled ajwain from the bowl, and do not use the steam as medicine for asthma. Stop if you feel too hot, dizzy, or if the vapour stings the eyes. A blocked nose or cough beyond a few days, fever, or hard breathing needs a doctor.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ajwain seeds
- A bowl of hot water
- A cotton cloth or towel
How to prepare
- Add the ajwain to hot water that is off the stove. Do not lean into a boiling pot.
- Sit back from the bowl. If you use a towel, keep it loose and leave a gap for air.
How to use
- Breathe the steam for a few minutes from a safe distance.
- Stop if you feel too hot, dizzy, or if the vapour stings the eyes.
- Not for small children. Adults may try it once while the nose feels blocked.
Helpful habits
- A teaspoon is enough. A large handful makes the steam harsh.
- Close the eyes if they water.
Precautions
- Steam at a safe distance only. Not for small children.
- Do not eat the boiled ajwain from the bowl, and do not treat this as medicine for asthma.
- A blocked nose or cough beyond a few days, fever, or hard breathing needs a doctor.
Frequently asked questions
Should the towel cover the head tightly?
- No. Keep it loose, leave a gap for air, and stay back from the bowl.
Can small children take ajwain steam?
- No. Steam is not for small children.
Does this cure a blocked nose?
- No. It is a short comfort. A cough or blockage beyond a few days needs a doctor.
