Naturopathy & Yoga – How can they help in managing Dengue ?

The word DENGUE itself is frightening and people become panic with a slight rise in temperature of their body, thinking that it may be dengue fever.
There is no reason to be panic at all according to Naturopathy. The principle of Naturopathy believes that fever is a friend. Fever – according to Naturopathy is an alarming symptom, which indicates that there is something wrong going on in the body, which needs attention and needs to be corrected. Therefore, fever is considered as a positive symptom according to Naturopathy. So, need not be panic and need not to worry!

According to Naturopathy, fever occurs due to an accumulation of unwanted, undigested, unassimilated and uneliminated material in the body, what we
call it as morbid matter or toxic matter. Accumulation of morbid matter leads to the abnormal composition of the blood & lymph and also it lowers the vitality of a person. Also, the morbid matter provides a favourable environment within the body for the growth of bacteria or virus. With the increased amount of morbid matter, the body temperature goes up and it is expressed in the form of fever. Once the morbid matter is removed from the body, automatically normal functioning of the body sets in and vitality improves.

In Delhi, we have around 16.3 million people and why only a few percentages of this population become victim to the epidemic outbreak like dengue ???
Forget about Delhi, even in a family, why only one or two persons get dengue, why not all? We every one knows that dengue or any other epidemic catches the person only when the person’s internal defence system becomes weak, what we call it as lowered vitality or lowered immunity. When the immunity of a person drops, he becomes prey for all such diseases. By this, it is understood that it is not the mosquito which causes the disease, but the weak internal defence system. So, why to worry about the mosquito bite?

As per the principles of Naturopathy, the germs (bacteria, virus etc.) are the secondary causes of disease, not the primary cause of disease. The virus or bacteria, after invading the body, if it doesn’t get a favourable atmosphere inside the body it cannot grow and become life-threatening. We know the mosquito breeds in unhygienic condition. Similarly, the virus or bacteria grows inside the body only when the internal condition of the body is unhygienic. Therefore, to ward off any such disease-causing germs, there is a genuine requirement of internal cleanliness, which can be maintained through natural methods very well.

Naturopathy & Yoga, which are essentially drugless systems of health care, focus on the prevention of the disease as well as management. Nevertheless, these systems help to enhance the immunity of a person, by being close to the Nature, by adopting Naturopathy & Yogic lifestyle and other simple practices, which can be easily adopted by any person. These systems also give emphasis on the cleanliness – both internal and external. Moreover, both Naturopathy & Yoga have several practices/ techniques in the name of eliminative treatments and shatkarma respectively. All these focus on the elimination of morbid matter from the body and in turn to improve the vitality of a person.

In feverish condition, either it may be dengue or any other fever, the following practices can be employed to reduce the body temperature and other
symptoms:

1. Fasting could be the best eliminative treatment. However, plain water fasting is not advisable. The patient can be on fruit juices or any other liquid avoiding the solid food and foods that could be easily digested may be advised.


2. Plain luke warm water enema will further facilitate the elimination and internal cleansing. It can be taken daily for a few days.


3. Ice cold wet pack on the forehead and abdomen can be applied for about 20 minutes, which can be repeated after every 2 hours or more frequently, till the temperature subsides.


4. Hot foot immersion, with an ice-cold wet towel on the head, could help the patient to sweat. Sweating will reduce body temperature quickly.


5. Consume a lot of liquids in the form of plain water, fruit or vegetable juices, tender coconut water, lemon honey water or wheat grass juice.


6. The patient can also practice Nadishudhi/ Anuloma viloma pranayama, Sitali & Sitkari and Bhramari pranayama (may be each 9 rounds twice daily)

The above practices can be practised simultaneously along with the medicine, but it is better to avoid taking medicines unless the rise in temperature and other symptoms warrants it.

1. Give more of liquid diets like fruit juices, tender coconut water, lemon honey water or wheat grass juice or any other liquid.


2. Plain luke warm water enema can be taken daily for a few days.


3. Ice cold wet pack on the forehead and abdomen for high fever.


4. A patient can also practice Nadishudhi/ Anuloma viloma pranayama, Sitali & Sitkari and Bhramari pranayama (may be each 9 rounds twice daily)