KOCHI: Even as Covid-19 poses one of the biggest threats to public health in living memory, ayurveda and its immunity boosters have helped many fight off the pandemic, especially when efforts to develop a vaccine for the disease are still some distance away.
Ayurveda’s helping hand couldn’t have at a more opportune time, with the state observed the 5th Ayurveda Day -- ‘Ayurveda for Covid-19’ is the theme this year -- on Friday. Most importantly, many people are convinced that it is ayurvedic medicines which helped them keep the deadly virus at bay.
In the wake of Covid spread, it has been pointed out that boosting immunity is the best way to keep coronavirus away. Though the several strategies proposed by several ayurvedic centres for treating the pandemic did not find favour with the Centre, it, nonetheless, acknowledged the fact that ayurvedic medicines help boost immunity against Covid.
Not only this, even post-Covid issues can also be treated with the help of ayurveda. “We get several patients who suffer from general weakness after recovery from Covid. They are usually from the 40-60 age group. Around nine-14 days of rejuvenation therapy can help restore their health,” said Kiran B Nair, CEO, Vaidya Ayurveda Hospital, Kochi.
With the Ministry of AYUSH giving a boost to ayurveda even in pandemic times, many ayurveda centres were able to conduct research and find out new ways to tackle the virus. The only thing that remains to be done is to secure official sanction for the same. “We have always accepted ayurveda as a natural part of our lives and its potential is yet to be explored fully.
This has never been more urgent than in the time of the current pandemic. It is heartening that there has been a lot of research in this area. At Pankajakasthuri, we have carried out extensive clinical studies on our herbo-mineral drug, ZingiVir-H and are confident of its efficacy in treating Covid patients both as single blind, adjunct and as double blind, standalone therapy. Our drug is currently awaiting approval from AYUSH,” said J Hareendran Nair, founder and MD, Pankajakasthuri Herbals.
Ayushkwath, Chyavanprash, herbal tea and milk with turmeric powder are some of the measures recommended by the Ministry of AYUSH to boost immunity. “From the initial days of the pandemic, we have been using ayurvedic medicines.
Chyavanprash, Vitamin C and natural herbs have helped us stay healthy. My husband works in a bank and he has to attend office everyday. These medicines have helped us keep Covid at bay and this is our belief. Though we might become infected in the future, it is a huge relief so far ,” said Gayathri Devi, a homemaker from Thrissur.