The Water-Borne Diseases like Cholera, Dysentery, Typhoid, and Gastroenteritis are generally prevent during monsoon season. Still, nowadays there is no guarantee that what supply comes to our homes through civic a agencies is not contaminated. So there is every chance of getting water-borne diseases any time of the year. In the monsoon season due to water logging, there is chance of mosquito breeding, which can lead to diseases like Malaria and Dengue. Hence, there is a need to take extreme precautions about health, especially concerning.
How do we get water-borne diseases?
Water-borne diseases occur when we consume contaminated water. During monsoon, this is common as we have underground pipes carrying water where there could have been the possibility of water getting exposed or contaminated. Also, most water-borne diseases are contagious as well. So, it can spread from one person to another, unless care is taken.
Precautions
The good news is that we can take a few precautions to avoid water-borne diseases. The most important of all these precautions is to disinfect the water at our end as we may not have much control over the source of water. The best way to purify water is to boil so that all micro-organisms in it are killed. You may also choose to use iodine tinctures or tablets to disinfect water.
A few other precautions that can be taken is to ensure that you do not drink any additional outside water, wash your hands thoroughly before eating or drinking, use properly cleaned and wiped vessels, wash all vegetables properly before cooking and also cook them well enough. Dispose of home waste responsibly, so that there is no chance of contamination, especially if you have diapers, sanitary pads, etc.
Try to eat hot, home cooked foods and avoid food and drink from outside as much as possible. Cover the food and water and do not leave it open, lest any flies sit on it and spread the disease.
Eating some immune boosting foods is also recommended , especially during monsoon, as it fight the diseases. Include some hot and healthy soups in your everyday diet. Include some good gut bacterial probiotic foods like yoghurt, especially Vitamin D fortified ones if you can get it. This is true in monsoon as there is less sunshine, therefore less exposure to Vitamin D. Dry fruits and leafy vegetables are another good options to keep the immunity up. We Indians anyway use lots of spices in our food and few of them like turmeric, asafetida (hing), coriander, pepper, cinnamon, ginger etc. are good to have to keep the immunity going. Also, having some black tea helps.
Home Remedies
While if you get any severe symptoms and persistently, one should visit a doctor without fail, however few home remedies can be tried when the symptoms are mild. For example, for cholera, lemon and ginger can be consumed as this is said to kill the cholera-causing bacteria. Also, include onion and turmeric in your food daily as these two can help keep cholera at bay and also provide relief from symptoms.
Home remedies for typhoid fever once diagnosed, include, increased fluid intake, using cold compresses to bring the temperature down, drinking ORS solution of sugar and salt, including garlic in your diet, and drinking basil and ginger concoction.
Please remember the home remedies are only adjunct treatments and not to be totally relied upon, especially when symptoms seen severe, only proper medical guidance and help should be taken in such cases.
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Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
24th February 2025.