Avoid bad romance in the rains

With the rains here, waterborne diseases get on the warpath. Dr Ravi Kothari, Ayurvedic doctor, shares tips on how to get the better of the weather.

Dark clouds. Cool breeze. A hot cuppa. The monsoon sure stirs up some lovely mental images. But don't be fooled by the romance of it all.
 
The rainy season also brings with it a host of reasons to clutch your stomach and groan out loud, namely typhoid, malaria, colitis, diarrhea.

According to Dr Ravi Kothari, "Waterborne diseases increase during the monsoon as the water gets contaminated."

It's bad enough that our H20 contains three times the normal amount of chlorine. But in the rain, breeding mosquitoes and sludge add to the possibility of germs multiplying.

So, what do you do? "Adding dry ginger to your drinking water helps build immunity," suggests Dr Kothari.

In fact, dry ginger cures a majority of problems brought on by the monsoon. It is used in curing many infections like colitis.

To keep malaria and typhoid at bay, Dr Kothari recommends a basic home remedy, which involves burning dhoop and a mixture of charcoal and incense. You can even add turmeric powder to repel mosquitoes.

If you don't want to take any chances, a glass of Dr Kothari's medicinal concoction first thing in the morning will have you fighting fit.

Mix basil leaves, mint leaves, dry ginger, wet ginger, cumin seeds and black pepper in two glasses of water. Boil the concoction over a medium flame till half the water evaporates, cool, and then gulp it down.
 
"This mixture will help your perspiration act as a repellent to mosquitoes," says Dr Kothari. The gloomy weather might spell bad news for your digestive system too.

For those wary of kidney problems, soak methi seeds in two cups of water overnight and then boil it till the water reduces to half. Strain and drink.

Source: http://www.mid-day.com/