India, Jan. 23 -- Long before pharmacies became the first stop, common flu symptoms were handled quietly at home, guided by grandmothers' experience. Their remedies were not written in books but remembered through routine, something prepared when a cough started, or offered the moment sneezing became frequent. These practices felt natural because they were part of everyday life.

Indian households relied on the kitchen as the first place for relief. Ingredients like ginger, tulsi, black pepper, turmeric, ajwain, and honey were always within reach. These were not used randomly. Each ingredient had a purpose, learned through years of observation and repetition. A warm drink, a steam inhalation, or a spice mix was chosen based on symptoms ra...