Cold and flu. Ayurveda and the treatment of diseases
Today, the so-called cold is still the most common disease. Colds, which are caused by a variety of viruses, are often the result of reduced immunity and become the initial stage of other diseases. The common cold is caused by many different rhinoviruses.
Common colds and flu are kapha disorders and present respectively with mucus accumulation, runny nose, sore throat, congestion, cough, headache and body aches, chills and fever.
Colds can develop after exposure to cold or wind, eating cold, damp, and mucus-forming foods. Colds are more often seasonal and are caused by many factors that increase kapha.
General principles for the treatment of colds
A diet that reduces kapha and eliminates ama is prescribed. Food should be light, warm and simple, such as eating whole grains and steamed vegetables in moderation. Avoid dairy products, especially cheese, yogurt, and milk, as well as heavy, oily, and moist foods such as meats, nuts, baked goods, confectionery, sweets, and sweet fruit juices. If the patient is not very weak, fasting can be done.
Lemon and ginger juice with warm water and honey is recommended. Helps fresh ginger and teas from cinnamon, basil, cloves. Tonic herbs such as ashwagandha (), shatavari () and ginseng should not be used due to their heavy nature.
Diaphoretic, expectorant and antitussive herbs are used. To restore peripheral circulation and disperse the cold, after warm tea with spices, you need to go to bed, cover yourself with a warm blanket and sweat. Other methods that cause sweating are used - steam room, sauna, but excessive sweating should be avoided.
Ginger (), cinnamon, pippali (), licorice (), basil, cloves, mint are usually used, and from the preparations - sitopaladi () and talishadi () powders. All these compounds are taken with honey or ghee.
In Chinese medicine, colds are called "surface wind-cold syndrome" and warm spices such as ginger, cinnamon, etc. are used to treat them.
Good diaphoretic herbs from the arsenal of Western herbal medicine: sage, hyssop, thyme, furrow, myrtle.
Features of the manifestation (types) of the common cold
Although colds are more often of a kapha nature, they can also be associated with vata or pitta.
Vata-type colds are manifested by dry cough, insomnia, hoarseness, or loss of voice. Mucus is secreted in a small amount. You can drip a few drops of sesame oil into your nose ( ). Of the herbs, not only the above spices and warming diaphoretics are used, but also emollient herbs such as licorice (), comfrey root, shatavari (or, ashwagandha (). You can take sitopaladi powder () with warm milk or with shatavari or ashwagandha formulations.
A Pitta cold is accompanied by high fever, sore throat, flushed face, and yellow or bloody mucus. For treatment, cooling diaphoretic herbs (mint, burdock, yarrow, elder flowers, chrysanthemum) are used - remedies that are called "cool spicy substances with a superficial effect" in Chinese medicine. At a high temperature, which is usually associated with high pitta, you can make an infusion of basil, sandalwood and peppermint in equal parts. 2-3 teaspoons of the herbal mixture is brewed in a cup of water and taken every 2-3 hours.
Cold and flu. Ayurveda and the treatment of diseases
Ayurveda and the treatment of diseases. Colds and flu
The common "COLD" characterized by a runny nose and other things that are too familiar to the inhabitants of the north, in the Ayurvedic tradition is usually referred to as pratishaya. It is caused by excessive exposure to cold, drinking cold water, etc.
According to , the runny nose is divided into five types: caused by an increase in Vata, caused by an increase in Pitta, caused by an aggravation of Kapha, generated by tainted blood, and caused by an increase in all three doshas.
Recommended for relief inhalation of burnt turmeric powder. You can also mix dry grapes, pepper and licorice in equal proportions. Take as a pea-sized pill twice daily with hot water.
apply:
1. Honey and ghee with turmeric in a teaspoon. proportion 2:1. preferably not to drink.
2. A pinch of cinnamon in a glass of warm milk (stir) or a pinch of cinnamon with honey in a teaspoon - it is advisable not to drink.
3. Ginger tea - in a glass of boiling water, a slice of lemon, a teaspoon of honey, finely chop a thin circle of ginger root and pour into a glass. Drink warm and then chew lemon peel and ginger crumbs. This drink is recommended to drink instead of tea and especially often for colds.
4. Basil (grain infusion) drink with honey or ghee. (with hypertension, basil is not recommended).
5. Chew cardamom grains 2-3 times a day.
6. Anise grains chew 2-3 times a day.
7. Take an infusion of cloves in the morning and evening (not recommended for hypertension)
8. A pinch of nutmeg with warm milk or a pinch of nuts with honey in a teaspoon. Once a day.
9. Mustard powder 1/3 teaspoon with honey
10. Decoction of plum bark. Once a day.
11. Decoction of elecampane. Once a day.
12. Calamus decoction. Once a day.
Ghee is long-term ghee. Only pure unsalted homemade butter is suitable.
We put 1 kg of oil in a bowl and boil over low heat, periodically removing a hard crust from the surface. Within about an hour, the water boils away completely and the oil becomes light brown with a golden hue and a peanut smell. Then strain it all through cheesecloth or a fine strainer into a glass jar. Over the years, this oil only gains strength.
Prevention and treatment of nasal diseases
For colds and chronic rhinitis ...
1. Draw ginger powder on the tip of the little finger deeply into both nostrils. In the morning and in the evening. Then brush with ghee mixed with turmeric.
2. 2-3 drops of sesame oil or ghee oil at night in each nostril. Instillation of ghee oil into the nose also helps with dizziness.
For colds, asthma, limit mucus-forming foods in the diet - sour cream, kefir, yogurt, etc.
In extreme cases, to reduce mucus formation, add a pinch of ginger to a glass of the above drinks.
During the acute period of the disease, exclude solid food for at least three days and drink ginger tea often.
Chronic runny nose develops at a high level in the body (often due to eating too much food that increases kapha) increases sensitivity to pollen, dust, cat, dog hair and other allergens, as well as to cold. As a result, rhinitis may develop, accompanied by swelling of the mucous membranes and discharge from the nose. Even in the absence of infection, the dryness of the atmosphere contributes to the "drying" of the mucous membranes and nasal passages, and the body begins to produce more mucus to compensate for this effect. If this situation continues long enough, nasal secretions become thick and may dry out and harden into crusts.
In people with a displaced nasal septum, mucous membrane secretions can also accumulate and thicken to form crusts, which can cause nasal congestion, sinusitis, difficulty breathing, snoring, shortness of breath and even sleep apnea, as well as nosebleeds.
For treatment in offered, for example, such means.
Steam inhalation. The easiest way to get rid of crusts in the nose is steam inhalation. You can use plain water or boil some ginger in it, or even better, make a decoction of ginger, ajwan (Indian celery seeds) and turmeric in equal amounts. When the decoction is ready, remove it from the heat, cover your head with a towel and breathe in the steam. This will soften the secretions and they will come out. Although simple, it is an effective method.
Menthol and eucalyptus. Rubbing menthol on the forehead and sinus area helps well. It is also good to drip a few drops of diluted eucalyptus oil into the nose.
Note: Do not use pure eucalyptus oil - it burns the skin and mucous membranes. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to sesame or any other neutral oil and use.
Onion. Chop an onion and inhale its aroma. Onions contain ammonia, which has a decongestant effect, causing tears and sneezing. Tears, passing through the tear ducts and entering the nasal passage, moisten and soften the scab, and sneezing will help to remove it.
Lubricate your nostrils. Putting a few drops of brahmi ghee or a saline solution (1/8 teaspoon of salt in half a cup of water) into the nose will also soften the discharge and make it easier to remove the scab.
"Burn" the scab. Eating spicy foods will help get rid of crusts. For example, hot soup or vegetables cooked with hot spices such as cayenne pepper, curry, chili (of course, within reasonable limits) will increase blood circulation and reduce nasal congestion.
Chyawanprash. use courses for 3 months, 2 - 3 times a year. Better to dilute in hot water.
Use a humidifier. Turn on a humidifier at night to keep the room warm and humid. Try not to use an ultrasonic humidifier, models with a water heater are preferable.
Vitamins and herbs. Finally, take the following remedies, all at once:
- Vitamin C - 1000 mg. 2 times a day.
- (an excellent natural source of vitamin C) - 1 tsp each. with warm water before going to bed (amalaki is part of triphala, and if you take triphala at night, then in this case it will be unnecessary to take amalaki).
- Zinc - 60 mg. in a day.
In winter, the thermoregulation of the human body changes, it needs more heat. Therefore, breakfast should be hearty. An excellent morning high-calorie breakfast is oatmeal with dried fruits and a cheese sandwich (yeast-free bread). Instead of morning coffee, tea with ginseng is a natural stimulant that gives vigor, and besides, it also strengthens the immune system.
In winter, we often catch colds and are treated with what we can: some with medicines, some with herbs. But you can use the means of ancient Indian medicine -. To do this, we need widely known spices: cloves, ginger, hibiscus and turmeric.
Ayurvedic recipes for colds and runny nose
If sore throat, you need to dilute two pinches of turmeric and two pinches of sea salt in a glass of water. Gargle twice a day and the pain will go away.
At colds and coughs use cloves for inhalation. Drop a few into boiling water and inhale the vapors.
At runny nose rub the sinus area with a paste of grated ginger diluted with hot water. There may be a slight burning sensation, but there will be no harm from this.
At the first sign of illness, take a ginger bath to increase immunity. It is very simple to do this: tie a cloth bag with grated ginger under the tap so that hot water flows through it. Take a bath for 10 minutes.
Another good Ayurvedic remedy for colds is hibiscus flower tea, known as hibiscus. It is very rich in vitamin C and should be in our diet all the time, especially in winter. It is good to take it not only for illness, but also for preventive purposes.
Ayurvedic tea Masala
The classic of Ayurveda for warming in winter and increasing immunity, and in general as a tonic and detoxifying agent, is tea based on a mixture of spices or Masala. There are many recipes for this tea, and its taste is more interesting than regular tea, so be sure to try it.
Here is one masala tea recipe:
In general, it should be noted that the components of this tea and the amount of spices are selected depending on the prevailing one, but you can simply use it in reasonable doses, in moderation.
Ingredients: cinnamon (if you can't find it, you can replace it with cassia), cloves, ginger, green or black cardamom (the latter has a smoky taste), black pepper.
Spices must be real. Mix all spices in equal proportions. Boil 2 liters of water and add a few teaspoons of the mixture (over time you will understand how much is better for you), boil for another 2 minutes. Let stand and strain. 2 liters of drink is designed for several servings, store tea in the refrigerator for up to a week. The daily portion can be heated and poured into a thermos, add honey and milk for taste and greater nutritional value (milk in Ayurveda is generally considered a medicine, but you need to remember that one honey is a poison to another, ideally it is better to find out your type of doshas, and starting from this, select individual recipe with a specialist).
Ancient remedy of Ayurveda - Chyawanprash
By strengthening the immune system, we get sick less. To strengthen the immune system, a wonderful ancient Ayurvedic remedy based on 49 plant components is excellent.
Massage, nutrition
And, of course, for good immunity and health in general, it is necessary to have a lifestyle that is harmonious with nature and the rhythms of the universe. Get up early and stay up late, experience less stress, monitor the ecology of thoughts. Negative thoughts affect it by polluting and weakening it, and since there is a feedback between the aura and the body, the body begins to suffer, to get sick more often.
Ayurveda is an "ambulance" for colds. Use these Ayurvedic Recipes at the first sign of symptoms to keep the disease from kicking in. And be healthy!
P.S. In conclusion, useful Ayurvedic tips for every day:
If you have your own Ayurvedic recipes for boosting immunity, please share in the comments below.
Why do children have snot and colds so often? Is it related to their diet? How can ordinary turmeric and honey replace antibiotics and other pharmaceutical drugs? While researching the nutrition and health of children now, I found an excellent book called Ayurveda for Children. In this book, Ayurvedic physician and father of four, Kavi Raj shares simple principles to help keep children healthy, boost their immunity, and dramatically reduce medication. The first part is about where snot, coughs and colds come from, and how the simplest spices and honey will help save children and parents from this problem.
Prepared material: Olya Malysheva
“When I first got the idea to write this book, we had already raised four children without using antibiotics, and our 8-month-old son did not know what drugs were either. It would be nice to write it down, I thought: how to raise children without antibiotics.
Part of the secret to success is to never say never...not even to antibiotics. As I said earlier, for each type of therapeutic treatment there is a suitable case of illness. A mind closed to new ideas is a dangerous mind.
I don't go to extremes. My children do not live under a glass jar without pizza, chocolates and cola, although such food is not part of their daily diet. Keeping kids healthy is not jet propulsion science. It is based on common sense, multiplied by experience.
Why do we need slime?
It seems that children constantly need to wipe their nose or blow their nose. Although this may seem like an inconvenience, especially if the child has frequent runny noses and coughs, mucus secretion is an extremely important part of the internal processes of the child's body. In fact, this is the most important process in the body of any person.
The secretion of mucus is an important part of the hydration of the body and the immune system. For children, hydration plays a very important role, as it provides flexibility. child's body and the possibility of growth up to 30 cm per year. It is thanks to the large amount of lubricant that a 7-year-old child can roll down the stairs, laughing at every turn, while an 80-year-old old man will simply break all his bones by doing the same way.
Sometimes the body releases too much lubrication in response to dehydration. When our cavities dry out, it causes irritation and the body reacts by secreting more mucus in an attempt to moisten all the tissues. Such mucus is often secreted in larger volumes than the body requires, and then it fills the cavities and mucous membranes, causing blockages and creating a favorable environment for the reproduction of infectious bacteria and other microorganisms.
The immune system uses mucous membranes as the first line of defense in fighting infection. The key point is how much mucus is secreted in the child's body. The amount of mucus should be "just right", not too much, but not too little. Children of different types have a natural tendency to produce different amounts of mucus. Due to the fact that there is such an objective difference, different children are susceptible to diseases such as colds, flu, asthma and other respiratory infections to varying degrees. Another factor affecting children in different ways is the change in exposure to the seasons, depending on individual life cycles. In especially large quantities, mucus in children is secreted in the first 12 years. Once a child reaches adolescence, the amount of mucus produced decreases or stops altogether. Usually at this age we see improvement in children with asthma. The secretion of mucus in middle age is usually quite stable. Then, as we move into old age, we produce significantly less mucus and other moisturizing substances, leading to desiccation.
Lots of ice cream and pizza → hello, runny nose and cold!
Children under the age of 12 experience the spring cycle of life when mucus secretion supports their rapidly growing bodies. However, a certain amount is needed for healthy growth, and excess mucus can lead to colds, runny noses, and infections.
Our body is constantly secreting the required amount of mucus. To maintain the perfect balance of the mucous membranes, it is necessary that they are neither too dry nor too wet. When everything is in order, the mucus naturally circulates in the body through the mucous membranes and the contents of the cavities. Moving, mucus removes bacteria, viruses and various infections from the body. A light, thin layer of mobile mucus helps protect the body from constant attacks of microbes and environmental irritants. When there is too much mucus or it becomes too thick and stagnates in cavities and other passages, there is a favorable environment for the reproduction of infectious bacteria.
It is for this reason that typical american child, which eats a lot of hamburgers, pizza and other foods that cause excessive mucus production, is especially prone to colds. Without a doubt, children get colds, cough and suffer from pain in the ears much more often than adults, and this happens due to the malfunction of the mucous membranes. When they dry up, the child begins to experience the first signs of pain or sore throat. If such irritation is prolonged, the mucous membranes begin to secrete an excess amount of mucus.
Almighty turmeric
There are several extremely important herbal remedies that anyone dealing with inflamed mucous membranes should be aware of. Turmeric is one of them. Today, in the scientific literature, it is considered the most powerful anti-steroidal and anti-inflammatory drug. It is a traditional cold remedy in Ayurveda. It is often used in the treatment of colds and diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Turmeric is a bright orange spice often used in Indian and Asian cuisine. This is what gives mustard its characteristic yellow color.
Most Americans don't even know what a powerful drug is right under their noses in the spice cabinet. Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory agent with tissue repair healing properties. It not only removes excess mucus and reduces inflammation in the cavities and airways, but also helps to heal and restore damaged and inflamed cells.
Interestingly, turmeric also works for inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease, irritable bowel, or colitis. All this is extremely important for two reasons. Firstly, most anti-inflammatory drugs cause irritation of the digestive tract if it is already inflamed, while turmeric not only relieves irritation, but also heals and restores cells. Secondly, in the respiratory cavities and the intestinal tract there are very similar mucous membranes. Thus, turmeric, by restoring damage to the intestines, heals and restores the normal functioning of the membranes in the respiratory tract. Turmeric is also considered one of the strongest natural antibiotics. However, unlike many prescription pills that kill natural bacteria and flora in the gut, turmeric actually helps them grow.
Turmeric and honey paste instead of drugs
The best way to get your child to take turmeric is to make a paste by mixing equal doses of the spice and raw honey. Prepare pasta ahead of time for two or three days. (Pasta does not need to be refrigerated.)
★ Do not give honey to children under two years of age. It may contain small amounts of botulinum, which is easily broken down by the established digestive system, but may cause food poisoning or botulism in a young child.
At the first symptoms of a cold, give your child 1 teaspoon of the paste every hour until the first symptoms subside. After that, you should take the paste three to six times a day until the cold has passed. Usually such a remedy stops a cold. For serious chronic illness or respiratory infection, take 1 teaspoon of the paste every two hours of being awake for seven days. In most cases, this frequent application is only needed for one to two days.
★ If your child's condition hasn't improved after a few days of taking turmeric, see your doctor.
Dosage:
This is a common formula applied to almost all herbal remedies.
Age in years/20 = child serving vs adult dose
For example, calculating the dose for an 8 year old child: 8/20 = 8/20 or 2/5 (40%) of the adult dose.
Sitopladi
Sitoplady is a very important herbal preparation used in Ayurveda. It is used to maintain the normal functioning of the lungs and reduce phlegm in the lungs and respiratory cavities. Unlike other herbs and allopathic medicines intended to treat a runny nose or clear congestion (which causes mucous membranes to dry out), sitoplady clears accumulated mucus, healing, moisturizing and repairing mucous membranes. The plants that make up this preparation are: cane bamboo (bambusa arundinacia), pippali (Piper longum), cardamom, cinnamon and rock sugar. These ingredients combine the emollient or lubricating properties of rock sugar and cardamom with the mucus-thinning properties of pippali and cinnamon. Sitoplady reduces excess mucus and relieves cavities of clogging, which can lead to re-infection, which is why you have to visit the doctor's office again.
Sitopladi is especially effective in asthma, pulmonary and bronchial infectious diseases.
How to use sitopladi
Usually, sitoplady is sold in the form of a herbal powder preparation. Mix 1 teaspoon of sitoplady with raw honey into a paste and give 1/2-1 teaspoon of the mixture three to six times daily between (not during!) meals. The paste can be taken whenever needed, even if your child is using an inhaler. Give him 1 teaspoon of Sitopladi every hour until the difficulty in breathing subsides. Luckily, sitoplady is quite palatable (thanks to rock sugar and the sweet flavors of cardamom and cinnamon), and most children will easily eat this medicine, often used to treat colds or breathing problems.
From colds in the lungs and respiratory cavities
When the cold is in the cavities, and the accumulations pass into the chest, a mixture of sitoplad with turmeric and raw honey will have a greater effect. Often, starting in the cavities, a cold is fixed in the lungs and bronchi through the nasal cavity. A child with a similar disease is likely to be tormented by a cough and runny nose. A mixture of sitoplady and turmeric treats mucous membranes and inflammation in the lungs and cavities.
Sitopladi + turmeric
These powders, mixed with raw honey, can be taken individually or together. A similar mixture is given in the same doses and with the same frequency as sitoplads: 1 teaspoon of the paste every hour or two. The mixture is used to treat asthma, cavity infections, colds, coughs and flu.
★ If you're concerned about the amount of honey your child should consume, who frequently takes herbal honey paste to treat colds, mix herbs with warm water or maple syrup.
Trikatu
For the treatment of infections of the upper respiratory tract and cavities, parents need to have an understanding of trikatu. It is a mixture of three plants: black pepper, pippali and ginger. It, like other preparations, is best mixed with raw honey. Since the resulting paste will be a little spicy, use more honey, and take no more than 1/4 teaspoon of the preparation every four to six hours at the first sign of a sore throat, runny nose or infections of the cavities. Due to its pungency, the mixture has a very beneficial effect on the amount of mucus secretion. Trikatu can be mixed with sitoplady if the child has an upper respiratory tract infection or a cough in the lower ones.
Short review:
- Trikatu - for infections of the upper cavities and sore throat.
- Sitoplady - for lower respiratory tract infections, cough or asthma.
- Turmeric - removes infection and excess mucus from the upper and lower respiratory system.
★ If your child has a fever and does not improve significantly within a day or two of using the herbs, take them to the doctor.
honey as medicine
Honey is not only a sweetener used in herbal mixtures to improve their taste, but also a powerful Ayurvedic remedy. Not only does it emulsify mucus, but it also helps other nutrients and herbal preparations reach deeper tissue layers.
Honey should be eaten raw, not processed. Processed honey causes mucus to harden, making it almost impossible to remove it from the body. Raw honey decomposes, thins and removes excess mucus.
Raw honey vs. pasteurized
There is a significant difference between raw and processed honey. Dr. Michael Schmidt told the following story about the importance of raw honey in his book Treating Children's Ear Diseases. Beekeepers usually spray a solution of raw honey and water on the hive to calm the bees. A study was conducted comparing the effects on the hive of raw honey and pasteurized or processed honey. When a pasteurized honey solution was used, all the bees died within 20 minutes! Be sure which type of honey you are buying by reading the label on the package.
★ 9 principles that will make you better - in .
Photos: zara.com, greenkitchenstories.com
