How to Boost Your Immune System

I want to tell you about a letter I received from one of my readers. It had come all the way from Afghanistan. I was astonished to discover my book had reached this remote, war-ravaged country in west Asia. It was a short letter from a Mr Khan, thanking me for writing the book, A Cobra’s Bite Doesn’t Hurt. He had been so moved by it, that immediately after finishing the last chapter he had started reading it again. He said he was running an orphanage for boys in the capital city of Kabul. The book was so informative that he had acquired a few more copies and made it compulsory reading for all the older boys, even though their reading ability was rudimentary. It was his belief that in time the boys would begin deciphering the positive message from it.

I wrote back thanking him for the kind letter and that the boys in his command were fit and healthy and not affected by the dreaded coronavirus. I was not expecting to hear from him again, but to my surprise, a letter, post marked Afghanistan, landed on my doormat within a few days. He said his boys in the orphanage and his family members were all safe and not at all affected by the dreaded virus. Then he explained in detail how he was keeping everybody virus free and in good health. The secret was in a homemade concoction he and his boys were taking regularly.

To guard against Covid 19 we are given a plethora of advice by the experts – wash your hands, wear face mask, keep away from others, do not go out, do not do this and definitely don’t that. All that is very well, but why it is no one talks about what to eat or drink to ward off, not only the dreaded Covid 19, but also other viruses and bacteria, of which there are many,. There is flu, for instance, which surfaces every winter to claim hundreds of lives and temporarily incapacitate many more. Why do medical experts not talk about the importance of improving our biological immunity against the virus? He said the secret is in a traditional homemade medicinal drink. It is an ancient Ayurvedic concoction made with a number of herbs and spices, which are generally available close to home.

So, how do we make this drink and what are the ingredients required for it?

The most essential herbs and spices are – raw turmeric, basil leaves, cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, and ginger. All these herbs and spices are natural immunity boosters and packed with several beneficial nutrients. How could I argue against that, for I had heard similar claims about these herbs made by my mother and grandmother in the past?

• Cinnamon has antioxidant properties and is known to relieve sore throat.

• Turmeric helps fight off a variety of viruses, including herpes and the flu. It is also packed with anti-inflammatory properties.
• Cloves are loaded with strong antioxidants and a source of a compound called eugenol.
• Ginger has certain chemical compounds that help your body ward off germs and also in halting the growth of certain bacteria.
• Black peppercorns are also high in antioxidants and can combat some respiratory conditions and rejuvenating the lungs. They also contain piperine, an alkaloid like capsaicin. It helps relieve nausea, headaches, and poor digestion.
• Basil leaf is a healing herb that helps in treating the cold, nasal congestion, cough, and the flu, also great for improving digestion.

Now to prepare the drink.

• Take a pot water (or pan). Boil it for a few minutes.
• Crush all ingredients (except honey and basil leaves) in a bowl. Drop all the ingredients, including the basil leaves, let them cook on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes or until the water is reduced by half. Simmer for a few more minutes.
• Once cold strain the mixture into a glass or a cup and drink it while it is warm.

To improve or sweeten the taste of the drink, you can even add lemon, jaggery or honey. The best thing about this traditional drink is that you can warm it again and have it multiple times a day. For best results, it should be consumed every day, a small cup full at a time.

            I am sharing this gem of information with you because I know this herbal concoction does work. My grandmother used to force us to drink something similar whenever there was a danger of us catching cold and cold. As kids, we used to hate it and often spate out if she wasn’t watching. Of-course now I know better.

If you know of other similar remedies please share them with us.