Nature has bestowed upon us a countless number of plants and herbs that are chalked full of healthy and immunity–boosting compounds. These plants and herbs are the backbones of many traditional medical systems like Ayurveda, Sidha, naturopathy and more. In fact, even in modern medicine, many cures can be attributed to chemicals and compounds that are found in nature, which are extracted or artificially created in labs for use. However, the use of traditional and natural medicine has fallen in the past few decades as more and more people are turning towards western medicines for the treatment of ailments.
With the onset of the COVID19 pandemic, there has been a shift towards a holistic and preventive approach towards healthcare. This change has helped revitalise the interest in medical practices like Ayurveda, a complex medication and therapy system that involves the use of herbal compounds and natural bioactive components. Even today, a large portion of households in India turn towards home remedies and natural medicines as their first line of defence against minor illnesses and infections. Even scientists are well-aware of the fact that there is still a lot to be learned from traditional Indian medical systems like Ayurveda and have turned to it during times of need.
Let us see how QNET‘s Nutriplus plays a role in helping Indians achieve the goodness of nature.
Immunity in Indians
Ancient Indians enjoyed good health and immunity because of the potency of Hindu medicinal practices. The Indian diet is highly balanced with generous amounts of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals and fat. With the help of fruit, vegetables, wild roots, herbs and adding the goodness of dairy, Indians have always had a rich and full diet. India has predominantly been an agricultural sub-continent, with two-thirds still engaging in daily agriculture, livestock rearing and horticulture. Living so close to nature enables Indians to breathe the best air, drink clean water and stay away from pollution. The famed Indian diet rich with antioxidants and high nutrients is enough to fuel a man on the field for hours. Thus, immunity in Indians has always been strong and herbal medicine has worked miracles for common ailments.
The Virtue of Natural medicine
Traditional Indian medical practices like Ayurveda are different from Allopathic medicine because it emphasises enhancing our body’s overall natural resistance to a disease-causing agent using natural herbs and compounds, instead of directly neutralising the agent itself. For instance, according to Ayurvedic medicine, body immunity is of different kinds: Sahajabala or natural immunity is quite different from Kalajabala – seasonal or age-related immunity, and Yuktikrutabala is immunity modulated by diet, exercise, daily regimen and immunomodulators (Rasayanas). The various methods to strengthen host immunity by following Dinacharya (daily regimen) and Rutucharya (seasonal regimen) are emphasised in Ayurveda. Interventions in Ayurveda include therapeutic cleansing procedures (Panchakarma) with certain immunomodulators or Rasayanas. Ayurveda features many medicinal plants which enhance body immunity. Rasayana drugs such as Ashwagandha, Guduchi, Amalaki, and Yashtimadhu also contribute to good immunity. Ayurveda is the most popular of the Indian medical practices that makes of the healing properties of nature but is far from the only one. Many other schools of medicines from all around the globe like Sidhi, Unani, and traditional Chinese make ample use of the natures healing powers and has ideas similar to the Ayurvedic school of medicine when it comes to immunity and health.
India’s Vaccination Drive
With the advent of new vaccines being developed worldwide, India has been at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19. While the Oxford Vaccine in the United Kingdom was the first to roll out officially, India’s COVAXIN, developed and produced by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV), has picked up steam since the start of the year. In fact, India has set a record of the most successful vaccinations administered with 1 million jabs in just six days which is the fastest drive globally. India’s rampant drive against the Coronavirus has made her a driving force in the world. The international media is yet to recognise India for its influence globally, especially considering that a whopping 92 countries have approached India requesting vaccinations. Some of these countries are Brazil, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Thailand and Singapore.
It should be noted that, in most countries, the second and third doses will be requested, too. This should effectively put India in the driver’s seat with its effective global vaccine programme. It would not be unfair to call India the Vaccine Hub or Vaccine Capital of the world. The count currently stands at 12 million successful vaccinations and counting as of the start of March.