Paehel says ” Mama I have got my report on email….and I have tested positive!”

Positive is not a nice word any longer all thanks to Mr Covid.

My better half and daughter were recently tested Covid positive and were under home quarantine with mild symptoms. The moment I isolated them a dismal thought of helplessness came upon me thinking about all those people who didn’t have the luxury of a separate master bedroom.

As I progressed through those 14 days I got furious with the vicious nature of the disease. Even terminal diseases like Cancer do allow some warmth and support to the patient but this Pandemic has shown its cruel brutal nature where the patient is deprived of human touch and warmth – the first 2 primary things in healing. But then a reminder of verse from Adi Shankaracharya’s Nirvana Shatakam instantly brings a smile which says:

na me mṛtyuśaṅkā na me jātibhedaḥ

pitā naiva me naiva mātā na janmaḥ

na bandhur na mitraṃ gururnaiva śişyaḥ

cidānandarūpaḥ śivo’ham śivo’ham

I have no fear of death, no caste or creed,
I have no father, no mother, for I was never born,
I am not a relative, nor a friend, nor a teacher nor a student,
I am the form of consciousness and bliss,
I am the eternal Shiva…

Well let’s leave Vedant discussions for another blog 😉

To get back to Covid care… First things to keep in mind when you are the primary caregiver is that you should also behave as if you are positive and do most of the things that the patient does except specific patient related medicines. I started taking steam, vitamins and hot water every 2-3 hours.

These are the list of 10 things you should follow for a fun quick recovery. I have also written a quick brief summary at the end.

1. Keep up the spirits

As soon as we put the 2 Shah’s in quarantine the remaining 2 Shah’s started decorating the door. We had some ribbons in the craft box with which we made a temporary jail kind of look with a small food window to slide in the food. We even had the patients pose for some pics. It instantly lightened up the space. It may seem bizarre and stupid but I can vouch that these stupid things help loosen things up and brighten up an otherwise gloomy environment. Happy minds heal faster.

2. Steam, hydration and gargles

You should make sure the patient is taking steam for 4 min each time thrice a day. Hydration becomes very important to release all toxins from the body while fighting an infection so 2-3 litres of water is compulsory. Salt warm water gargles atleast twice a day if throat is very sore.

3. Vitamins

The patients are given multivitamins besides paracetamols and antibiotics but everyone in the house should also start taking multivitamins nominal doses.

Multivitamin – Zincovit once a day x 15days , Vitamin C – Celin 500 twice a day x 15 days, Vitamin D(adults) – Uprise 60K once a day for 3 days, syp arbivit for kids 5ml twice a day x 15 days

4. Kadha(Hot water Concoction)

Kadha is an Indian traditional home remedy to treat fevers and colds. This has proven to be of utmost importance in Covid as the virus affects the upper respiratory system. Both the patient and caregiver should drink Kadha thrice a day

Kadha 1 ( Morning after waking up)

An inch piece of mashed ginger/1 tsp  dried  ginger  powder(soonth), 1  small  cinnamon  stick,  ½  tsp  of  Tulsi/basil leaves (fresh/dry), 1  tsp of oregano dry (or fresh leaves), 3 peppercorns, 2  crushed  cardamom, ¼th tsp of fennel seeds, a pinch of ajwain(or 5-6 leaves) and  ¼th tsp cumin seeds. Boil together in 3 glasses of water for 10 minutes and let it simmer. Strain and sip warm.

Kadha 2 ( around 4 pm)

Add 1-2 strands of lemon grass, 7-8 leaves of tulsi, 1 inch grated ginger, ¼th tsp cinnamon powder, ¼th tsp cumin seeds to water. Boil for 10 minutes and let it simmer. Strain and sip warm.

Kadha 3 ( Last thing before sleeping)

This is the most important one. Boil water. In a cup add pinch of turmeric, pinch of salt and pour the hot water in it . Add 5-6 drops ghee to it. Sip warm.

In between the Kadhas keep giving warm water every hour to drink. Add lemon juice or add some green tea. Lemon has Vitamin C which helps heal faster. A readymade Kadha tea recommendation will be Girnar detox Kahwa.

The medicines and Kadha might make some body systems too hot . You can offset the heat by drinking jeera water and coriander water.

To make jeera water boil jeera in water for 5-10 min. Cool and strain to drink.

To make coriander water , soak 2 big tablsspoon of dhaniya jeera powder in water in a glass. Let it settle for an hour. Just pour the above clear water in another glass and drink. You can even drink a glass of fresh coriander leaves juice

5. Misc Home remedies

Honey pepper and ginger

Mix 1 tsp of pepper with 1 tsp of fresh ginger juice( Ginger juice – Grate a piece of ginger in a small plate and then squeeze the grated ginger to obtain juice in a spoon). Take the mixture of pepper and ginger juice and add 1 big tbsp of honey. Give this mixture to the patient for 5 days after fever has settled.

Amla and Soonth(dry ginger)

Take 1 cup of amla powder and add 1 tsp of soonth( dry ginger powder) to it. Mix it thoroughly and transfer to a small bottle or container. Give it to the patient to keep at the bedside. He/She can keep taking a pinch from it on off throughout the day. Amla settles all the acid and toxins from the allopathy medicines and is also a huge storehouse of Vit C.

Ajwain and camphor ( kapoor)

Put a spoonful of ajwain and some camphor in a small handkerchief and make a small pouch( potli). Breathe through that potli for 15 breaths. Do this for ten times in a day or atleast thrice in a day.

6. Diet

Covid brings a lot of weakness so give a diet full of calories. Besides normal simple food make sure you give some extra nutrition. Number 1 on the list is Sheera out of jaggery, wheat flour and ghee. Make sure you give a small portion of this everyday for a few days. The next compulsory food is soup. I gave soup everyday in the evening. My favorite soup recipe is below:

Take half a gourd(dudhi), 3 tomatoes, 1 beetroot, 2 carrots, 10-12 french beans, a piece of ginger, few peppercorns and pressure cook them. Cool and grind in a mixture. Strain and boil it. Add seasoning of cumin seeds and salt. Serve hot.

The third most important food is nuts. While walnuts you can eat as it is, you should soak almonds and figs before eating. Soak figs and almonds overnight and eat in the morning. (Quantity : 2 figs and 6 almonds per person per day)

Make sure you eat a lot fruits and other cooling foods like cilantro, cucumber, yogurt to offset the medication heat

If you cannot cope up with everything, you can order some food from tiffin services like www.happygrub.in and www.balancedmeal.co.in who deliver at home.

7. Pranayam and breathing exercises

This is the most boring thing for patients but as a caregiver you have to make sure they do it. Once the fever has settled and the patient is feeling better start with the breathing exercises. Typically you can start these on day 6 or 7 from onset of symptoms. These simple 3 exercises will help regain the prana(energy) back.

Exercise 1: Deep belly breathing

Position: Lying on back/ or seated comfortably on chair with back-rest
Hand placement: On belly (upper abdomen)
Procedure:
Take a deep breath in slowly through the nose
Feel your belly swell. The hand on the belly will move outwards and upwards.
Slowly breathe out through the mouth.
As you breathe out feel the hand on your belly move inwards. Do it for 5 minutes.

Exercise 2: Lateral breathing

Position: Lying on back/ or seated comfortably on
chair with back-rest
Hand placement: At sides of the chest
Procedure:
Take a deep breath in slowly through the nose
Feel your chest expand. The hands will move outwards, away from each other
Slowly breathe out through the mouth
As you breathe out feel the hands move inwards, towards each other
Perform 5 repetitions.

Exercise 3: Anulom Vilom (alternate nostril breathing)

Anulom vilom is excellent for balancing the 2 pranas in the body. It helps improve the lung function and general well being.

Position: Seated comfortably on chair with back-rest or cross legged on floor
Hand placement: One hand on the knee relaxed and the other hand on the nose.
Procedure:
Take your hand and place right thumb on right nostril and middle two fingers on the left nostril.

Take a deep breath in slowly through the right nostril. Keep the left nostril closed. Now after inhaling through right nostril close the right nostril nostril. Hold the breath for 5 counts and slowly breathe out through the left nostril keeping the right closed. Repeat the same procedure while inhaling from left nostril.
Take in through right – hold for 5 counts – release through left – take in through left – hold for 5 counts – release through right.

As you breathe in visualize all positive energy and white light coming in and when you breathe out visualize all toxins and black color going out.
Perform 10 repetitions or 1 minute and slowly and try to continue for 5 minutes.

8. Mudras

Your fingers and palm have the cure to most ailments of your body. In yog shastra your five fingers represent panch mahabhoot( fire, air, sky, earth, and water). The fingers coupling with thumb is held to form specific mudras which help in healing specific diseases and organs.

I strongly believe in holistic healing and as a caregiver I made my patients do these 2 mudras.

1. Apan Vayu mudra

In ayurveda the cause of most problems starts with Vayu in the body. This mudra balances the vayu element. Headaches are a common symptom in Covid. This mudra helps in migraines, digestion, restlessness and stomach issues.

Formation: Tip of thumb is to be joined to tips of middle and ring fingers and the tip of index finger is to be placed on the base of the thumb gently without any pressure. The little finger has to be kept straight. Try do as much as you can but minimum atleast 15 min twice a day.

2. Pran mudra

This mudra helps to overcome fatigue, impaired immunity which helps in Covid recovery.

Formation: The tips of little fingers and ring fingers are joined with the tips of the thumbs gently without any pressure. Other fingers are kept straight. Do this mudra for 15 min. It can be done even while watching TV.

9. Oxymeter

It is very important to keep checking oxygen levels on oxymeter 3-4 times a day. Check at rest and then again after walking for 7-10 min. The levels below 95 should be reported and monitored by doctors.

10. Use disposables for patients

Using disposables cups and plates is easier both for patient and caregiver. I gave garbage bags in the room where they would dispose off the plates and next day I would pick the garbage bag with gloves and spray sanitizer on the bag before keeping it outside the door for collection.

Phew ! I know the list is exhausting but let it not intimidate you 🙂

Here’s a small summary

A. Take steam x 3 times x 4-5 mins each

B. Take SpO2 Oximeter readings x 3 times

1. Take initial reading
2. Take reading after walking 10 mins in the house

C. Take Vitamin C tablets (Celin) x 2 times
Take Zinc tablet (Zincovit) x 1 time

D. If onset of cough or Sp02 below 97

1. Take Chest CT Scan (want to make sure lungs are not affected)

E. If SpO2 below 95, call local ward number/ hospital number

F. Rest and do Deep breathing exercises once a day for 10 mins

G. If fever is high, also apply Wet napkins on the forehead, besides taking Dolo

Its just a little planning and practice of getting into habit. The 14 days of quarantine will end in a jiffy. The dialogue from movie Stuart Little comes to my mind ” You need to see the silver lining son”.

Well the silver lining here is that your folks will emerge powerful antibodies by the end of it all 😉

Happy recovering!!