As Diwali is around the corner the dominant worry in the minds of several people is their health of the lungs. This concern is more particularly prevalent among those who are recently afflicted with asthmatic like conditions and fibrosis of the lungs after two waves of Covid-19. Apart from those who have caught this terrible condition, there are those who have been suffering from asthma, bronchitis, allergic cough and lung cancer. The Festival of Lights has become a dread to all these members of our society.
Diwali the most widely celebrated festival in India is also synonymous with sound, colours, lights and of course, the bursting of firecrackers. But unfortunately, this auspicious festival has for the last half a decade or more has acquired negative overtones with all the pollution that it brings about. It is also the wintertime of the year. You hear of particulate matter like dust, pollen, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets suspended in the air. The atmospheric phenomenon also aggravates the condition of the air we breathe. Further with traffic fumes, crop burning along with the particular day of Diwali the pollution reaches its crescendo with the uninterrupted bursting of firecrackers.
In this way, pollution means an increased number of suspended particles in the air along with various poisonous gases. Further, in winter the speed of wind slows down and fog starts early in the morning. Pollutants mix with the fog which cannot circulate in the atmosphere and remains low in height. This atmospheric condition is also called Smog. Even normal and healthy people feel shocked by this phenomenon and what to say about the state of suffering patients mentioned above!
This is the time when one needs to be alert. If you are having dry hacking coughs, shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, nasal complaints along with sneezing, you need to watch out. These are some of the most common complaints of patients during this time. It is to be noted that Smog affects not only your lungs but a human being as a whole which means your other organs can also take a beating. It becomes a chain reaction that will worsen the list of diseased symptoms.
With this blanket of Smog, certain groups of people are particularly vulnerable such as:
Children: Children spend a lot of time playing outdoors and this is the reason why they run a high risk of getting affected by smog. Regular exposure to air smog can cause conditions like asthma and even other harmful respiratory ailments.
People who take to everyday outdoor activities: Anyone who works outdoor is susceptible to respiratory problems. Regular exposure can affect their health causing several lung-related ailments.
People with Asthma and Respiratory disease: People with asthma or chronic respiratory diseases are most vulnerable and run a high risk of health hazards caused by smog. They will experience the adverse effects of air pollution much more quickly compared to others. Continuous exposure to smog can aggravate their existing problems.
Elderly People: Several senior citizens have a weak immune system. Owing to this condition, elderly people are at increased risk of getting affected by smog, which can cause cardiac arrhythmias and heart attacks, asthma bouts and many more.
Cases of Those having fibrosis of the lungs: Recently diagnosed cases of fibrosis are amongst the most vulnerable population. The adverse impact of the Covid virus is still under serious evaluation. Suffice it to say that it is a lung-related condition and therefore possible of several problems with the patient as a whole too.
Five ways you to manage healthy lungs:
1. Know the dynamics of indoors: While air/wind outdoors makes an entry indoors which perhaps can not be avoided, our actions (what we do indoors) can change the quality of indoor air. We need therefore to manage our indoor air. Do not burn agarbatti, dhoopbatti while performing pooja but instead light the lamp. Make your kitchen airy with chimney and exhaust fans to air out all the cooking fumes. Please install room air purifiers especially in those houses that are having vulnerable people having lungs disease. Make your home strictly No Smoking Zone. Please keep indoor plants as well as keep them around your home too. Do not use mosquito repellants and creams and sprays rather use mosquito nets on windows doors and on beds too. While there are cost implications, there are also practical and easier ways to manage this through systematic planning and economising. After all, health is wealth.
2. Check your Green Zone: The community societies and colonies full of big trees are better protected than those that have no trees. Have an audit of trees around your area and make it the natural capital of your society or colony. We were safe because this capital was in abundance and never realised its value. It is now time to count, save and enhance the tree capital of your area. Please join hands and come together in which our senior citizens and children participate along with active members of each household. Make it Your mission and do it as a community service.
3. Monitor your locality: Creating awareness through constant monitoring and sensitising people about pollution will go a long way. One way could be to install pollution checking devices in your localities. These need to be installed not far away from your locality instead in your close vicinity so that members living around a particular area are aware of its existence and are able to join hands to keep their zones green and greener. Thus Education is better than law and punishment.
4. Monitor cleanliness in your area: Another important pollutant is the litter and garbage around your area. We add to the pollution by throwing garbage around. Put in place strict rules in your area and measures to motivate people to observe cleanliness and save your environment. It will also keep the air clean in your surroundings.
5. Install in your area Air Purifiers: As a community service, we build religious places, recreational centres etc. in our area. It is now time to find the possibilities of having an area serving Air Purifiers. This needs to be planned and thought about seriously by the local leaders by creating awareness among the people to keep the air clean in gatherings in which a large number of people assemble.
This is very essential and important as it will bring about a change in the living standards in cities like Delhi.
These collective and community measures are essential and important and need to be pursued with focus and vigour to keep our area clean, green and pollution-free. Apart from these General measures the system of medicine—Homoeopathy can alleviate and cure a lot of ailments arising out of pollution of the atmosphere brought about by the various causes mentioned above. Homoeopathic treatment is effective and can treat people who become targets of these seasonal illnesses due to weather and air pollution. Another important advantage is that appropriate diagnosis and right remedies prescribed by a homoeopathic doctor will play an important role to relieve your suffering without any side effects such treatment is also cost-effective. Here are some tips:
As soon as you notice the beginning of cold, coryza and cough etc. you can take four pills of Aconite 200 every three hours for two days and these symptoms should go away in most cases. You can save yourself from the need of consuming a number of anti-allergic chemicals that bring their own ill effects.
If you have severe pain in the throat which is stitching in nature and when even swallowing becomes very difficult take four pills of Hepar Sulph 200 every three hours for two days. Your problem should usually disappear without any discomfort.
In case you get affected by smog, you should have two important medicines with you. These are to be administered after ascertaining specific symptoms. These are, Hepar Sulph and Hypericum. Consult your doctor for the right prescription. Self-medication is always unsafe and could be harmful.
While the challenges of winter smog and pollution can be menacing let us face it and maintain our health and particularly our lungs during this season. By remaining alert and educating ourselves collectively and individually we can pass this winter with good health and cheer. Your determination and concern for the vulnerable members of your family like the elderly and children apart from your own health is important during Diwali. When there is a will, there is a way. Save yourself and your family by following some of these guidelines.
The writer is Senior Homeopath, Agrawal Homoeo Clinic.
