In the wake of COVID-19, an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered Coronavirus, the entire humankind across the globe is suffering. Till now the medical fraternity is not able to successfully treat serious cases of COVID. Those who are surviving, thanks to their immunity, are thankful to family and friends. Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicine, evolving for the last few thousand years offers several solutions to deal with the health crisis. Taking into view the experiences of Ayurveda physicians and literature, the Ayush department has put forward the following guidelines useful for both patient and physician.
Ayurveda has described epidemics and thought they are caused by pollution of terrestrial elements like water, air, and climate. In the present epidemic of COVID, there are 4 sections covering the whole spectrum of COVID management. The draft deals with symptomatology in 3 stages.
- First stage: Mild symptoms of cough, fever, and breathlessness with positive or negative COVID test.
- Second stage: Moderate symptoms of cough, fever, and breathlessness with COVID positive test result.
- Third stage: With severe symptoms, respiratory distress and COVID positive
Ayush ministry instructs that physicians have to adhere to the guidelines of WHO and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ayurveda management may stand as ADD ON.
By following all the precautions and considering all aspects of hygiene the COVID patients may follow the criteria recommended. All those who fall into first stage should follow the recommendations noted here under.
- Eat always freshly prepared, easily digestible, light diet.
- Preferable vegetables are drumstick, bitter gourd, green gram, green leafy vegetables, grapes, wood apple, pomegranate, garlic etc.
- Restrict the use of sweets, oily foods, chilled fried foods, cold and refrigerated foods.
- Control the stress and spend time with family and friends
- Have interest in reading books, listening to light music.
- Avoid smoking and alcohol
- Exercise, meditation, yoga, pranayama for at least 30 minutes
- Adequate sleep for 7-8 hours.
Immunity Enhancers (Single drugs):
- Giloy- 500-1000 mg of aqueous extract
- Fresh Amla juice or candy
- Gargling with turmeric powder with pinch of salt
- Ashwagandha root powder 3-5 gm twice a day with warm milk
Formulations:
- Chyawanaprasha 10-12 gm
- Drakshavaleha 10-12 gm
- Indukantha Ghrutha 10-12 gm twice before food
- Aravindasava 15-20 ml with equal quantity of water
- Balachathurbhadra churna 1-2 gm with honey
- Haridrakhand 3-5 gm
Daily Regimen:
- Wakeup before 5 A.M, 45 minutes before sunrise
- Drink 1-3 glasses of warm water
- Oil pulling, 1 table spoon of sesame or coconut oil followed by warm water rinse.
- Gargle with warm water adding pinch of turmeric, salt, triphala, liquorice and borax
- Nasal drops-two drops of sesame or coconut oil
- Warm water bath
- Eat only when hungry
- Eat a night meal 3 hours after sunset or by 8 PM
- Go to Sleep 2-3 hours after dinner.
Fumigation of all rooms with neem leaf, camphor, ghee etc.
In the second stage patients suffer from fever, dry cough, body pains, difficulty in breathing etc. The physicians may prescribe the following medicines based on signs and symptoms.
- Mahasudarshana Ghanavati 500 mg 3 times a day with lukewarm water.
- Amritharishtha 15-20 ml 3 times a day
- Vishama jvaranthaka lauha with gold 125 mg twice a day
- Mrithyunjaya rasa 125 mg 3 times a day with water
- Tribhuvana keerthi 125 mg
All these medicines are useful in controlling fever. For sore throat, use:
- Lavangadivati/Karpuradivati/Yoshadivati 2 tabs 3times a day
- Lakshmi vilasa ras 125 mg with betel leaf juice after food
For nasal congestion, use
- Haridrakhand 3-5 mg twice a day with lukewarm water or milk
- Lakshmi vilas ras 125-250 mg twice a day with beetle leaf juice after food
For body pains
- Ashwagandharishtha 15-20 ml twice a day with water
- Balarishta 15-20 ml twice a day with water
- Dashmula kwad 30-40 ml twice a day before food
- Godanti bhasma 500 mg to 1 gm thrice a day with ghee, sugar or warm milk