Building up the Immunity- The Corona Way
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Except for the isolated tribal people in islands, and internet deprived North Korean population, the whole world is gripped with one word-Corona Virus aka COVID-19. Every medicinal system that had been long buried are now resurfacing like an Egyptian mummy to offer cures. With no cure or vaccine, every claim has to be validated. I personally consume 3 medicinal systems. Read the lines again, not three medicines, but medicines from 3 systems namely Allopath, Homeopathy, and Ayurveda. But with no physical exercise, peak stress associated with quarantine working, and non-stop news, I am not entirely sure if these medicines would be able to shore up my immunity.
Happened to chance upon an article where it was claimed, acupuncture would be able to increase immunity and offer protection against COVID. It is said China was able to reduce the corona infections in the densely populated regions by using this ancient practice. No doubt that Chinese infections seem to be less than the global average, and also with the fact that this medicine has deep roots in China. We cannot causally and casually connect both. Needlepoints on certain areas of the body, tickle the right hormones of the body and helps up the natural defense mechanism of the body. Barefoot running, walking on fire, needle piercings on the mouth for religious purposes, and ear piercings at a young age all seem to firm up the claims.
In olden days, it makes sense for the girls to get piercings at a young age, as they wore earrings, but boys also had their head tonsured and ear pierced. We could say boys also wore earrings, but that was limited to a very tiny section of the population. Tickling the ear at such a tender age has scientific explanations and must be studied. I strongly believe many of religious practices have their roots in science and health but were passed down as religion as people feared and believed gods than logic.
As said earlier, I consume Arsenic Album-30, touted to be homeopathic medicine to boost up immunity. It was widely circulated in Whatsapp messages, also featured in official health bulletins. Those tiny sugary pills are sold in many shops throughout India. Germany as a country seem to have low infection rates, thanks to Homeopathy. This system has its origins in Germany and has insurance claims throughout Europe, but I could not find any statistical articles backing up the claim. People are popping them up in regular intervals, the placebo effect of the pill working for them, and the belief system trusting the medicine seem to be working wonders. I am not sure if any of the thousands infected have consumed them and still are infected.
Ayurveda and Siddha are two of the oldest medicinal systems of India. Telling them as medicinal systems would be a disgrace for they are overall health systems educating us on the right food rather than the right medicine. Medicinal herbs in right concoctions are sold in retail outlets, these bitter-tasting syrups strengthen immunity. Many people say, these syrups if not have any effects does not have any side effects. But still, a major section of the population consumes them, this virus has been a leveler, converting all non-believers into its fold. Many of my friends and relatives consume it at regular intervals, apart from the usual hygiene measures. Turmeric, Pepper is also drunk apart from the un-usual load of chips and biscuits. More oranges and lemon are consumed, amla shelves are empty, just like the snacks segment.
The world has truly realized the importance of medical professionals more than cinema stars, software workers, and TikTok influencers
Allopathy or Modern Medicine, is working overtime to get the vaccine and the cure ready. But it would be many months before a viable vaccine is discovered, human trials are underway in the UK, USA, China, and Europe. One article said world does not have enough glass vials to put the vaccines once they are ready, and it would be 1–2 years before the entire world can be immunized. Already USA has cornered the touted vaccine from Sanofi, Gilead, and other drugmakers. Other nations are crying foul over the mightiness in this pandemic times. Vitamin-D, C, and Zinc tablets are nowhere left behind. COVID recovered are donating their plasma for the treatment of other patients. Hospital systems are working under huge stress, doctors are also under stress of working continuously. They were earlier working to cure us of the disease, but now they got to be doubly cautious of not catching it, and still continue to treat us. Sad stories of doctors unable to urinate, catch a breath, drink or eat while being in PPE suits for over hours, haunt us. For, after all, they are people just like us. No, they are not people like us, they are more than we combined.
No one medicine can help us, and it is better to be prepared than fight the virus. Human beings have always triumphed over adversity and won, and we shall too this time as well.
Hope is not the best of things, but sometimes it is the only thing-Shawshank Redemption
