Ayurveda, yoga may be crucial in fight against COVID-19, say MIT, Harvard scientists

US scientists look at ancient healing therapies from India as a means to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Read on to know all about this.

By: Jahnavi Sarma | | Updated: July 17, 2020 9:11 am

Many studies are underway to determine the efficacy of Ayurveda therapy in COVID-19. @Shutterstock

Scientists across the world are working round the clock to find a cure and vaccine for the COVID-19 virus that has ravaged the world since the beginning of the year. In their bid to find an effective cure, expert from the US are now looking at India’s ancient healing therapies to see if these can help in the fight against the current pandemic. According to them, the results are promising. Also Read - COVID-19 may have longer incubation period than previously thought

According to researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, the University of California-San Diego and Chopra Library for Integrative Studies, yoga and meditation may be quite useful in the adjunctive treatment of COVID-19. The paper, published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (JACM), explains that the anti-inflammatory effects of yoga and meditation could help make them adjunctive, or supplemental, treatment of the novel coronavirus. They believe that such practices can reduce the severity of the coronavirus infection significantly. Also Read - Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine is at Phase 3 trial: Preclinical and clinical trials explained

Ancient healing therapies that boost immunity

Since the beginning of the pandemic, scientists have tried to find out if these ancient healing therapies can help in the fight against current health crisis. Many were of the view that yoga, meditation and pranayama, which focuses on breath control, can help a person fight depression. These therapies also strengthen brain function and reduce stress and inflammation in the human body besides boosting the immune system. Also Read - COVID-19 Live Updates: Cases in India surge to 21,53,010 as death toll reaches 42,518

As we all know, a strong immune system can improve lung condition, help you fight off invading pathogens thereby reducing the risk of infections, and also keep many respiratory infections at bay. In fact, one of those earlier studies also prove that 90 minutes of yogic stretching can boost two important anti-microbial peptides which are expressed in respiratory cells. Yoga and meditation facilitates the interaction between the nervous system and the immune system in the human body too.

Yoga, meditation can reduce stress, inflammation

Researchers of this study say that they have found evidence of stress and inflammation modulation, and also preliminary evidence for “possible forms of immune system enhancement, accompanying the practice of certain forms of meditation, yoga, and pranayama, along with potential implications for counteracting some forms of infectious challenges.” They saw that yoga and meditation stimulates melatonin. This may be useful when it comes to treating SARS-CoV-2 as melatonin offers protection against lung injury caused by a ventilator in animal models.

Ayurveda may turn out to be a game changer

Ayurveda is an ancient healing therapy that originated around 6000 BCE. Some experts say that this alternative form of healing existed even during the times of Indus Valley Civilization. In India, Ayurveda is a way of life for many people. However, many scientists are wary of using this treatment procedure today because some Ayurvedic medicines contain herbs, metals and other ingredients that may be harmful if used incorrectly. There is, as yet, no scientific evidence that this healing technique can cure COVID-19. But if reports are to be believed, it helped one patient, who was treated only with Ayurvedic medicines, recover within a short span of time.

Many studies are underway to determine the efficacy of this therapy in COVID-19. A study is going on in the Institute of Medical Sciences of Banaras Hindu University on Ashwagandha as an experimental medication for prophylactic use among frontline health workers. Yashtimadhu, another Ayurvedic medicine, is also being scanned to find out if it can be used as an adjunct therapy along with the standard treatment of allopathy on novel coronavirus patients with mild and moderate symptoms.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Published : July 16, 2020 11:44 am | Updated:July 17, 2020 9:11 am

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