Jyoti Shekar

What are the biggest fears of anyone across the globe today – in this current pandemic?

What if I get infected? What if my entire family gets infected? What if…?

Yes, that was (and still is) my biggest fear too.

And then it happened…

My entire family got infected a couple of months back. At the very beginning of one of the strictest implemented lockdown! I was at a loss. One by one, we all fell like dominoes. In five days, all five of us were down.

The scariest part of it all?

We had un-vaccinated senior citizens at home, with co-morbidities. And I have COPD (I get quite severe bronchial asthma attacks).

So for us, the whole process went like this – getting scared, panicking, calming ourselves down, hunting for suitable doctors, trying to avoid hospitalization (let’s face it, none of us want that if we can help it), arranging medicines, and then of course, home remedies. The worst part was, all of us had different symptoms and different problems. And they all required different doctors and treatments. We had three varieties of infection – typhoid, UTI (urinary tract infection) and the garden variety Covid.

Spoiler alert – we are all fine now, just battling with some fatigue and weakness, as is to be expected.

Well anyway, armed with all our medications (and constant monitoring of oxygen levels), we embarked on the journey to recovery. I share this, because I wanted to give you the other side of the picture. It is possible for entire infected families to get better too. Of course, I am not a doctor and have no connections with the medical profession, except for an occasional cousin here and an uncle/aunty there.

But we are a family that believes in home remedies. And I do attribute a lot of our quick recovery to it. The medicines being prescribed today largely deal with the symptoms, and not the virus itself. And that is why it was necessary for us to take typhoid/UTI/fever medications etc. respectively.

But there is nothing like natural ingredients to boost your immunity and your natural fighting instincts. I know there is a lot of information circulating on what home remedies are the best. But I wanted to list everything we personally did (the helpful ones) for your benefit. It all came from our kitchen ingredients. In case you don’t have any of these, you can always order and stock it for that rainy day (which I hope will never come).

1. Hydration – This is the most important thing you can do for yourself. You will not feel like it at all, but force yourself to drink as much water as you can. At least 4 to 6 liters in a day. This will help flush out any infection your body is carrying. Also drink a lot of fruit juices (ask your doctor for advice on what fruits you can have). You can also take lemon water, with sugar and salt in it (I make it in hot water though, to soothe my throat).
2. Honey and Warm Water – I swear by honey when I have breathing issues. It soothes my insides, gives me a warm fuzzy feeling, and helps me fight infection and cough. Not only that, it helps immensely when your mouth gets dry from dehydration and medication. Just heat up some water to your comfortable temperature and pour it in a glass. Add a little honey to it and drink away. You can also store it in a flask for frequent use.
3. Black Cumin (Kala Jeera) Water – This is literally a magic remedy to help fight infection. My infection refused to go even after two or three courses of antibiotics and other medications. All I had to do was heat an empty pan, then add a teaspoon or two of black cumin seeds to it. Just as it starts spluttering, immediately add one liter of water and boil it down to about 75%. Store it in bottles and keep drinking from it through the day. It aids in increasing urination, which will flush out toxins from your system. It helped me get up in two days, with zero infection.
4. Turmeric (Haldi) – Everybody talks about this one. Try adding turmeric to hot milk or even hot water and drink it. If you are like me, and don’t like milk or turmeric, then also do it. It helps the throat immensely.
5. Balm – this is my go to for everything from headache to insomnia to dull mood. If you get a headache, gently massage your head after applying it. Do it as often as you need.
6. Magic Potli (packet) –Now this is another viral message around. But I decided to try it. It not only helped me breathe better, it also brought my smell back in a couple of days. Just take a small bit of cotton/muslin cloth (or a tissue would do if you can’t find one). Add some carom seeds (ajwain) to it, along with camphor and cloves. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to it and pack it into a potli. Keep smelling this with deep breaths, and keep it next to your pillow always. Your nasal passages clear up, allowing you to breathe better.
7. Multivitamins – Daily multivitamins is what will keep you going. Continue it for a few months after recovery also. This is how I am getting my energy to work. Otherwise, the way I was, I would cook in instalments – make rice and rest for an hour, then make vegetables and rest for another two hours.
8. Sleep it off – The best thing you can do it sleep for as long as you like. Sleep will help recover. I have this very typical TamBrahm habit of not letting anyone sleep beyond 5:45 in the evening. But all bets were off during this time, and I slept whenever I felt like it. I was hardly awake to cook in between and then a couple hours in the evening to watch some TV.
9. Steam inhalation and gargle – Perhaps a very basic thing, but we all tend to ignore or forget this step. Especially when we feel weak or tired. But please make sure you do it frequently. This will help you recover faster.
10. Relax your mind – Most important. Don’t panic, and wave away all dark/negative thoughts. It is quite understandable and unavoidable to get these thoughts, especially if you watch the news very often. But focus on your recovery and use your own method to relax – music, movies, books, sleep, whatever gets you there.
11. Prone Position – If you still face any breathing difficulty, please try the prone position, i.e. lie comfortably on your stomach with pillows under your ankles and head and take deep breaths. It helps in increasing oxygen supply (up to a certain extent). But if you have any back issues, please consult with your doctor before attempting it.
12. Listen to your body – Lastly, listen to your body. It will ask you what it needs. For example, I am super fond of tea two times a day. But when I was sick, somehow my body rejected the idea of having tea, because I was dehydrated and my body requested me not to make it worse!

Take care and stay healthy. Do not forget to mask and sanitize.

*All images used in this article are either Eyra’s own design or widely and freely available on the internet.*