Beware of Asthma; It's a Real Scare

Vitiated pranavaayu combines with deranged kapha in the lungs to obstruct the air passage leading to gasping, laboured breathing

CHENNAI: In today’s stressful living, incidence of asthma is on the rise. The rapid industrialisation, excessive crowding and pollution are some of the factors responsible for this chronic ailment. Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airway and mainly arises from allergies. Some of the common symptoms are recurrent breathing problems, wheezing, chest tightness and coughing.

In Siddha aspect

The vitiated pranavaayu combines with deranged kapha in the lungs causing obstruction in the respiratory passage and results in gasping and laboured breathing. This condition is known as iraippu irumal.

Preventive Tips for Asthma

• Avoid cold and damp places.
• Kaya kalpa treatment stresses the importance of breathing exercises or pranayama or moochu payirchi in treatment of this disease.
• Avoid tobacco in any form.
• Keep rooms well ventilated. Avoid air conditioners, coolers and direct air of fan.
• Avoid perfumes, agarbatti and mosquito repellents.

Dietary advice

• Avoid food such as curds, buttermilk, sugar, heavy milk products like cheese, paneer etc...which has natural tendency to produce the phlegm or to accumulate the mucus.
• Avoid fried and processed foods and avoid over eating. Take light dinner one hour before going to bed.
• Drink boiled water in plenty and avoid fruits such as sapodilla, watermelon and banana.

Simple Siddha Remedies

• Mix few piper longum (thippili) with the pulp of wood-apple (vilam pazham) and boil it in the water. Consuming this water reduces the difficulty in breathing.
• Take a cup of fenugreek decoction with a spoonful of honey and fresh ginger juice. This formulation acts as an excellent expectorant and detoxifies the lungs.
• Ginger and garlic tea: Take an inch of ginger and 10 cloves of garlic and soak it in the boiled water. Drinking this preparation in the morning and evening reduces the inflammation.
• Turmeric: The antibiotic property has good effect when it is added with a cup of milk.

(Government Siddha Physician, Ariyalur)