Keeping Well When
Monsoon Dwells
First showers of
monsoon are heartily welcomed by everyone after experiencing the
scorching heat of summer. But monsoons reduce the immunity of our
body and make us susceptible to many diseases which are commonly
associated with this season. It is time for us to keep our body
resistant against diseases by boosting our immunity and taking
precautions against these diseases.
The
diseases associated with monsoon are malaria, jaundice, gastro
intestinal infections like typhoid and cholera. Apart from these,
viral infections like cold and cough also make their presence
felt.
Puddles of water formed due to rain become breeding grounds for
mosquitoes which spread diseases like malaria and dengue fever. As
a precautionary measure against mosquito bite born diseases one
can use mosquito net around the bed which is better choice to
mosquito repellants like mats and coils. A mosquito repellant
cream is the best choice when you are away from home. Fumigating
the house with smoke of dried
neem leaves in evenings for 1-2
minutes is an excellent ayurvedic method to keep mosquitoes away.
Pollution of drinking water during monsoon is very common. It is
very necessary to drink clean and pure water when water borne
monsoon diseases like diarrhea and gastro intestinal infections
threaten us. Drinking boiled water at home is strongly recommended
to tap water. Prefer mineral water of government certified
companies when you are away from home.
Walking in dirty water during rainy season leads to numerous
fungal infections which affect toes and nails.
Diabetic patients
have to take a special care about their
feet. Always keep your
feet dry and clean. Avoid walking in dirty water. Keep your shoes,
socks and raincoats dry and clean. Drying clothes with fumes of loban and dry
neem leaves is recommended in ayurvedic texts.
Precautions have to be taken to prevent dampness and growth of
fungus (mold) on and around the house where asthmatic patients
live. Avoid fumigation in case of asthmatic patients.
Ayurvedic Tips to increase body
immunity and preventing diseases of monsoon.
-
The digestive
system gets weakened due to dehydration in summer. This leads to
low digestive power. This is further weakened by vitiation of
doshas and dhatus due to monsoon. Hence following
diets which increase power of digestion and strengthen the
digestive system would be beneficial in rainy season.
-
Light foods
prepared out of old barley, rice and wheat.
-
Sour and
salted soups of vegetables.
-
Drinking
boiled and cooled water mixed with little honey.
-
Consuming
little quantity of wine prepared out of grapes.
-
Adding ginger
and green gram in daily diet.
-
Eating warm
food.
-
Avoid the
following
-
Sleeping in daytime.
-
Over physical exertion.
-
Over exposure to sun.
-
Always keep the
surrounding dry and clean. Do not allow water to get accumulated
around.
-
Keep your body
warm as viruses attack immediately when body temperature goes
down.
-
Do not enter
air conditioned room with wet
hair and damp cloths.
-
Dry your feet
and webs with soft dry cloth whenever they are wet.
-
Wash vegetables
with clean water and steam them well to kill germs.
-
Avoid eating
uncooked foods and salads.
-
Drink plenty of
water and keep your body well hydrated.
-
Do not allow
kids to play in stagnant polluted water filled puddles.
Ayurvedic Home remedies for Monsoon
diseases
-
Apply castor
oil or sesame oil for
cracked feet and
skin.
-
A freshly
prepared paste of turmeric,
neem and sesame seeds is recommended
in ayurveda for fungal infection between toes.
-
Drink a glass
of warm water mixed with a tea spoon of honey in empty stomach.
This flushes out accumulated toxins.
-
Freshly
prepared radish juice is the best remedy for cold.
-
A pinch each of
long pepper powder and rock salt mixed in warm water reduces
cough
The following home recipes can be used as home remedies
for digestive disorders of monsoon
In
Indigestion
Ingredients:
Rice-1/2 cup
Water -4 cups
Long pepper- 2or
3
Ginger -1’’
Method of
preparation:
Cook rice with
recommended quantity of water with crushed ginger and salt. Powder
long pepper and fry it in a spoon of cow’s ghee and add it to
gruel. Consume this when it hot. This is very light to digest and
relieves colic pain.
In Diarrhea
Ingredients:
Rice -1/2 cup
Water – 4 cups
Ginger paste –
1/2 spoon
Salt to taste
Pomegranate
juice: ½ cup
Method of
preparation
-
Cook rice with
recommended quantity of water with ginger paste and salt
-
Add pomegranate
juice when the gruel is warm. This gruel rehydrates body
and supply energy . This soothes inflamed walls of intestine and
controls bowel movements.
In flatulence
Ingredients:
½ cup of rice
4 cups of water
Haritaki (Terminalia
chebula) - powder-1/2 spoon
Roots of pippali
or long pepper
Ginger paste -1/2
spoon salt to taste
Method of
preparation
Cook Rice,
haritaki powder , roots of pippali and water together. Add salt to
it.Consume this when it is warm. This relieves flatulence and
regularizes the bowel movement
Thus precautions
coupled with care really help you to enjoy monsoon. Have a healthy
and safe monsoon.
This article is copy righted. The
author Dr.SavithaSuri is an Ayurvedic Physician and web master
of http://www.ayurhelp.com
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