Culture

Traditional system of India – A rerun on ancient remedies

The use of traditional Indian food, herbs and condiments help to enhance the body immunity, and they have been projected as the utmost strategy to combat Covid.

ByIFP Bureau

Updated 9 Feb 2022, 5:33 am

(Representational Image: Unsplash)
(Representational Image: Unsplash)

 

The traditional system of food remedies in India has come to good use to the people in India and the world during this long pandemic period as a part of the preventive and curative healthcare. The use of traditional Indian food, herbs and condiments help to enhance the body immunity, and they have been projected as the utmost strategy to combat the disease. However, body immunity cannot be enhanced overnight, points out Dr Shubhashree MN, research officer, Ayush Ministry said in his article entitled Ayurveda for Immunity. Daily regimen, dietary intake contributes to immunity, he emphasised. Here’s a rerun on what a lot of Indians have been relying on in the battle against the Covid pandemic time.

Ayurveda regimen to boost body Immunity against various infections as mentioned in Ayurveda for Immunity

Charya, regarding diet and behavior to acclimatize seasonal enforcement easily without altering body homeostasis.

Nasya (instillation of medicated drops) into the nose

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Kavala Gandusha (gargling of mouth) are some of the daily regimens mentioned in classics, which appears trivial, yet effective in maintaining nasal and oral hygiene.

Specific traditional Ayurvedic medicines

To maintain good immunity Rasayanas like Chyvanaprasha, Samshamani vati can be regularly taken.

Exposed asymptomatic patients (quarantined) should be given specific drugs to prevent manifestation of respiratory infections like Shunti (Zingiber officinale) Haridra(Curcuma longa) Vasa (Adhatoda vasica) Yastimadhu ( Glycyrrhiza glabra ) can be given. This is in addition to Dinacharya and rasayanas like Chyvanaprash.

Those with mild to moderate symptoms, in addition to the above disease specific drugs like Sitopaladi churna, Taleesadi churna, Pippali rasayana, Dashamoolarishta etc can be administered.

In patients with moderate to severe symptoms, rasaushadhis like Mrutyunjayarasa, Tribhuvanakeertirasa   are administered. Those who have good immunity can glide through the diseased phase without much residual effects.

Dr Shubhashree says that Ayurveda has always emphasized on enhancing the body’s overall natural resistance to the disease causing agent rather than directly neutralizing the agent itself. Here’s an excerpt from the article:

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“The body immunity is understood as Sahajabala or natural immunity (genetic and inborn resistance) Kalajabala –seasonal or age related and Yuktikrutabala (Modulated by diet, exercise, regimen and immunomodulators -rasayanas). Methods to strength host immunity like following Dinacharya (Daily regimen) and Rutucharya (Seasonal regimen) are emphasized in Ayurveda. The interventions include therapeutic cleansing procedures (Panchakarma) and certain immunomodulators (Rasayana).

“The choice of specific Ayurvedic therapeutic agents and practices is based on certain individual genetic characteristics known as Dosha Prakriti types (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha).

“Ayurveda boasts of many medicinal plants which can enhance body immunity like Ashwagandha (Withania sominifera), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) etc. Some studies have reported that, Ashwagandha may be effective in improving host immunity through the modulation of key targets relevant to COVID-19.  It can offer multi-target effects in inflammatory conditions by restoring immune homeostasis. Rasayana drugs such as Ashwagandha, Guduchi, Amalaki, and Yashtimadhu also contribute for good immunity”.

“Combating the infectious diseases has to be done at various stages like stopping the progression, building immunity against diseases using various measures.

“For unexposed asymptomatic patients, precautions must be taken to prevent infections by avoiding crowded areas, exposure to cold. Preventive interventions here can include both pharmacological as well as non-pharmacological strategies.

“Among the non-pharmacological interventions the practice of dinacharya measures mentioned above to maintain healthy lifestyle with adequate physical activity and good sleep, avoidance and isolation from infected persons are important”.

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Tags:

diseaseimmunityfood remediestraditional systemayurvedamedicinal system

IFP Bureau

IFP Bureau

IMPHAL, Manipur

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