Winter

Full North India is reeling under severe winter. Hilly regions of northern India are covered in snow, lakes and even at some places rivers are frozen, temperatures there are under sub zero range. Yesterday even in the planes of Punjab, at many places temperature was fluctuating around minus one degree C. Even at National Capital Region (NCR) the minimum temp was hovering around 3 deg C, which will be enhancing the problems of smog, thus leading to poor air quality and in increase in pollution levels. Due to this kind of severe winter, setting of Fog takes place and that creates problems with road, rail and air traffic. Intercity trains and domestic & international flights are delayed considerably thus sending the rail & flight schedule to a toss. This happens ever year and you can not get away from it, and there is no tangible solution for this problem. The problem of Smog can be reduced, if people start using  less of their own vehicle and depend on public transport and Metro Rail system, which is hoping against the hopes, so every year people are affected by  the smog and they start blaming that govt is not doing any thing about this problem.

Even in western part of country, temperatures are dipping, and Mumbai last night, must have been coldest night of the season. Days are becoming really pleasant and humidity is also on the lower side.

All these types of problems give rise to the winter related common ailments, people generally rush to their physician and get their dose of allopath medicine, which in the long run make you addictive to these medicines, which can damage your health in  longer run. Actually there are so many Indian remedies that have been accepted worldwide for there medicinal values.The extent of pollution in winter has been a major factor, but it is also a fact that the ever increasing smog along with congested civic life ushers in respiratory tract inflammation. This can be  present as sniffles, running nose, burning eyes, throat pain, cough, breathlessness, fever, all of which could finally lead to bronchitis or pneumonia. before starting allopath treatment, one should try out Indian remedies, which are available and can be tried in various forms.

Menthanol, popularly known as pudina, is the most popular and is commonly used for a blocked nose. In fact rubs, cough syrups and inhalation solutions contain menthnol and commonly advised with good logic and results for nasal and upper respiratory tract blockages. There is also impressive relief with inhaling Camphor (Kapur), which is also used as decongestant in respiratory system, In fact camphor is used in ointments and liniments along with eucalyptus oil. The aroma of eucalyptus can evoke dreams of Spa, but no one should forget the antibacterial and antiseptic properties of camphor.

There are often symptoms of a viral flu, which are accompanied by aches and pains along with heaviness of the sinuses and forehead, and these can also be successfully treated with liniments containing a concoction of all the above. it has so happened that several modern Pharma companies incorporate them into their preparations. The use of Ginger (Adrak) extract with honey to suppress an irritating cough, warm salt water gargle to sooth burning throat is widely known.

Taking a leaf out of our ancestors, and specially Grandmother’s formula, such as adding turmeric in warm milk at bedtime to address cough with expectoration and make tiny pellets of jaggery mix as antidote to cough and cold. The list will be endless.

The fact is, which can not be taken away, that nasal sprays, antihistamine preparations, nebulizers and inhalers and of course antibiotics are very important. The name of the game is first try  the easy  available home remedies, also cost effective, to your advantages to curb the initial bout of disease in the bud. Formulations of  camphor, methanol, eucalyptus etc, are available over the counter and can be used for a prolonged period of time to the patient’s advantage. The side effects of these are virtually zero and they have a long legacy of serving the afflicted in the winter months over the generations.

Please let me have your views/feed backs/comments on this blog.

Anil Malik

Mumbai, India

27th Dec 2018.