rAgAdirogAn satatAnushaktAn asheShakAyaprasrutAnasheShAn |
outsukyamohAratitAn jaghAna yo apUrvavaidyAya namostu tasmai ||
- Verse 1, Ch.1, Ashtanga Hridaya
Homage to the exceptional physician (within each of us) who persistently destroys, without any remainder, all the diseases such as desire, discomfort, etc., which are spread all over the body resulting in anxiety, delusion and restlessness.
This is a verse from a revered text of Ayurveda (Ashtanga Hridaya) that says the body-mind-soul complex is an exceptional doctor that maintains the continuity of life, combating all the external and internal stress factors of health. The metabolic routine is that the food ingested is transformed into the first tissue, which is the plasma, immune system and the lymphatic tissues. The quality of food directly plays a major role in deciding the quality of our immune system.
The ‘Liver’ plays a major role in providing immunosurveillance for pathogenic infections. Hence liver-functioning enhancing therapies and medicines would help in improving the immune status of the individual. The blood drains from the Gastrointestinal tract into the Liver, which is processed (we can say detoxified) before it reaches the systemic circulation. Also, it is the first organ to absorb the nutrients and medicines from the intestines. So, it is our sole responsibility to maintain the body’s immunity and help in enhancing it by eating healthy food, keeping the bowels clear, undergoing certain Liver detoxifying therapies or by internal medications.
We live in a pool of microbes literally. We breathe in a huge number of pathogenic microbes. The immune system is very watchful and active all the time. There are 3 lines of defence, the first lines of defence are physical barriers such as skin, mucous membranes, etc. The second is non-specific immune cells like macrophages, dendritic cells. The third line of defence is the specific immune system made of lymphocytes like B and T-cells. The liver comes under the specific immune system. Liver possesses the Natural Killer cells, which plays an important role in the adaptive immune system.
Coming to COVID-19, it is a new strain of the Coronaviridae family of viruses known to cause mild symptoms of running nose, sore throat, cough and fever to severe symptoms like pneumonia and shortness of breath. Spread is via droplet infection majorly. The best practice to avoid its spread is to avoid crowded places, covering the nose and mouth with a clean cloth or tissue or a mask, washing hands using an antiseptic soap for at least 20 seconds or using a hand-sanitizer.
In case you notice any of the above-said symptoms, immediately contact your nearest doctor.
A few precautionary measures against the new COVID-19 or any upper respiratory tract infection:
1. Self-hygiene – It is time to get disciplined. Protect your nose and ears. Wear a cotton mask over the face and cotton balls in the ears dipped in Sesame oil. Keep nails trimmed. Keep hands clean. Avoid coughing out without a handkerchief or a tissue. Avoid eating packed, processed foods. Prefer cooking yourself and eating to eating out.
2. Waking up before Sun-rise prevents accumulation of phlegm in the lungs and regions above the neck.
3. Evacuating the bowels in the morning is very essential. Intestine with faecal matter is a medium for infection and inflammation in the body. Liver gets stressed thereby affecting the immune system.
4. ‘Hoo’ chanting in Shashankasana or Baalasana for 3 minutes on an empty stomach 2 or 3 times a day. Inhale fully and during exhalation, chant loudly ‘hoo’ from the throat region.
5. Fumigating the house with Dhoop sticks made of Cow dung, Neem twigs, Holy Basil, Camphor daily is beneficial in sterilizing the breathing air.
6. Consuming fruits rich in Vitamin C, such as Indian gooseberry, sweet lime, orange, big-sized lemon (Citrus medica), Garcinia indica (called Kokum), raisins and Agasthya leaves (Sesbania grandiflora). Consume cow's ghee, turmeric, black pepper and ginger in the diet daily.
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