Saswati Sarkar
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Written By: Saswati Sarkar | Updated : April 4, 2020 2:38 PM IST
Prince Charles, who tested positive for COVID-19, has recovered and is in good health now.
In a rather surprising comment, Union Minister of State for AYUSH, Shripad Yesso Naik, has recently said that Ayurveda and homoeopathy have helped curing Prince Charles, an heir to the British throne, of COVID-19. Recently, in a media briefing, he is reported to have said that this recovery only "validates our age-old practice since thousands of years." Well, we don't know what helped in the recovery of Prince Charles, nor is there any scientific evidence that Ayurveda or homoeopathy can cure COVID-19. In fact, the Union Ministry of AYUSH is trying to bring together alternative medicine practitioners from all over the country to find a possible cure for this strain of coronavirus. However, a team of scientists will be there to validate all the claims.
While doctors and research bodies are toiling hard to tame COVID-19, the virus which has spread its tentacles all over the over in just 3 months, there is no denying that bolstering our immune function is of utmost importance at the moment. Well, there is no guarantee that a strong immune system will prevent the condition, but it will reduce the risk of this strain of coronavirus for sure. Revving up our immune system is the core approach of holistic healing systems like Ayurveda, homoeopathy and naturopathy because their aim is to promote good health.
"The philosophy behind all the AYUSH disciplines is not treating the disease but dealing with the immune system. In fact, Western school of medicine also agrees that a strong defence mechanism will protect you against many diseases and ailments. So, you must do everything to boost your immune cells. Currently, integrative medicine, which includes Ayurveda, homoeopathy and naturopathy among others, doesn't have a cure for this particular virus. But both Ayurveda and homoeopathy have plenty of immune-boosting medicines which the Government of India also recommends. Also, the outcome of integrative medicine has been very positive in treating flu and immune deficiency conditions. We use these medicines for preventive purposes too," says Dr. Issac Mathai, MD and Founder, Soukya, a Bengaluru-based holistic healing centre.
According to Dr. Mathai, these medicines can be used for COVID-19, which manifests itself primarily through flu-like and other respiratory symptoms. "One can only benefit from these medicines. Actually, there's no harm in adding these traditional methods alongside the western treatment modalities, because the remedies used in Ayurveda, homoeopathy or naturopathy don't come with side effects. They are very safe when used with proper guidelines. Moreover, combining all schools of medicine, I think, will be a very effective tool in combating COVID-19," adds Dr. Mathai.
Mother Earth has plenty to offer us while it comes to boosting our health and immunity. Unfortunately, we choose to turn a blind eye to them, most often. But the trying times we are in is a wake-up call that we need to go back to nature.
As already mentioned, science hasn't yet sanctioned the validity of any natural remedy against COVID-19, but the efficacy of quite a few natural immune-boosting elements has been backed by research. Tulsi, honey and turmeric, oft used in Ayurveda and naturopathy, can be good examples. Reams of research validate their capacity to rev up our immune cells.
"According to the Ayurveda school of medicine, one should have 10g of good quality chawanprash every day to perk up the immune cells. It is a combination of 40-50 herbs including amla," says Dr. Mathai. "Having a glass of amla juice will also help, as it is loaded with vitamin C. The immune-boosting property of this herb is even backed by science now," he adds. According to him, Ayurveda treats food as a medicine. That's why tulsi, honey and turmeric, among others, are abundantly used in this school of medicine. "All of these are great immune boosters. They activate your antibodies against any infection. Tulsi has been used for centuries to treat cough and cold. You can have it in the form of tea and add a little bit of mint to it," suggests Dr. Mathai.
Certain homoeopathic medicines can also boost your body's defence mechanism. "The government recommends Arsenic Alb 30 once a day for 7 days. My personal recommendation is Rhus Tox 200 for a week," says Dr. Mathai.
Beating stress is another way of keeping your immune cells up and running. "Stay positive and don't let the fear (of COVID-19) supress your immune system. Yoga and simple breathing exercises will help you stay stress-free and upbeat," adds Dr. Mathai.
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