Cases of swine flu are on rise once again amid the ongoing pandemic. The H1N1 flu, commonly known as swine flu, is primarily caused by the H1N1 strain of the flu (influenza) virus. Symptoms of the H1N1 flu are the same as those of the seasonal flu and can be similar to Covid-19 warns doctors. Some of the common symptoms include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
Considering prevention is always the best approach, one must keep immunity high and consume healthy meals. There are a couple of Ayurvedic tips that one may follow to reduce the risk of getting swine flu. Dr. Zeel Gandhi, an Ayurvedic doctor and a formulator for Vedix talks about the preventive measures as per Ayurveda that can help keep the disease at bay.
Also Read: Ayurveda for Good Health: 5 ayurvedic practices you must try
Classification Of Swine Flu As Per Ayurveda
Modern science considers fever as the symptom of the other disease caused by bacteria or virus, while in Ayurveda, fever or jwara is treated as the disease itself. Chikitsa Sthan, the Ayurveda text says the treatment for diseases start with jwara or fever, because perhaps it's the first symptom you see and ayurveda considers it's best to deal with it first.
All kinds of fever are classified based on the dosha. The current pandemic of covid-19 is classified as Vata-Kapha jwara. While swine flu, according to a research, is Sannipata jwara. Sannipata Jwara is when you have all the three doshas in balance. Since we do not associate a cause with a fever, the preventive measures are improving your own immunity or balancing doshas instead of going allopathic way of giving either antiviral or antibiotic or antifungal;. Ayurveda is not concerned with the cause, but in the imbalances it has created in the body.
Swine Flu Prevention As Per Ayurveda
Ayurveda believes that there are certain things we do daily as per Dincharya and Ritucharya. Following a good circadian rhythm where you wake up on time, sleep on time and at a proper time helps in building immunity.
These are the things, as per Ayurveda, we should do on day-to-day basis to prevent a disease:
Emptying Your Bowels
Ayurveda believes that emptying your bowels when you wake up in the morning is the most important task of the day. It is to clear whatever backlog we have of the previous day. Clearing your bowels, passing urine and removing sweat, these simple processes of detoxification are important to keep us healthy.
It has been found that people who do not pass their bowels everyday suffer from some kind of congestion in their chest and they suffer from more cold and cough diseases.
Also Read: Here Are 7 Ayurveda Tips To Clean Lungs From Increasing Air Pollution By Dr Partap Chauhan
Brushing Your Teeth
Ayurveda recommends cleaning your teeth everyday. In earlier times, people used to clean their teeth with twings from neem, mango or peepal tree for good oral hygiene. The tongue should be thoroughly cleaned too after brushing the teeth as it helps remove the plaque.
Oil Pulling
In oil pulling, an edible oil is swished around the mouth for a period of time and then spat out. Recommended by Ayurveda, while it was practiced in ancient times in India, oil pulling is trending again in west. Since trends in West make their way back to India, the practice has now against captured the fascination of Indians.
As per the ayurvedic text, if we you are oil pulled on a regular basis, chances are that your immunity - oral and nasal immunity will be very strong.
The mucus membrane in your nose protects you from onslaught of bacteria, virus, fungus. Now where there is breach in this mucus membrane, you will experience infection or you will be host to a pathogen. If you oil pull on regular basis, your mucus membrane will be well hydrated, the doshas will be balanced, you will cough out the excess cough which will make the mucus thick making your immunity good. Oil pulling on a daily basis will help you have a better lung, throat and nasal immunity.
Anjana, Nasya And Neti
These are three practices that can be easily done at home.
Anjana: It is applying kajal in your eyes. The most popular one is soorma. Ayurveda also prescribes putting a few drops of ghee in your eye as viruses can also enter through your eyes too. Preventing dry eyes can also prevent viral infection.
Nasya: It is instilling two drops of ghee or coconut oil in your nose. It was a common practice many years back and we are following it against thanks to its popularity in west. It is an excellent way of taking care of your nasal health throughout the year and also to prevent infections.
Jal Neti: Naturopaths also recommend doing Neti. Neti is a procedure which one can learn.
- Tilt your head slightly and slowly pour the saline solution inside your nostril.
- Ensure all breathing is done through your mouth.
- Relax, and allow the water to naturally come out of the other nostril.
- Doing it on a daily basis prevents infection and clear the nasal passage.
Dhumapana
Inhalation of medicated smoke from the nose and mouth is known as Dhumapana. In Charaka Sutra Matrasiteya chapter it is described as a daily regimen. It is inhaled through one nostril while other is closed and in one time three puffs are taken. Dhum is exhaled through the mouth.
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