Suffering from Dengue? Try these alternate medicines for its cure and prevention

With vector-borne diseases like dengue surfacing this season, it is time to turn to some alternate medicines for its cure and prevention. According to the World Health Organisation, "Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by the bite of an infected female Aedes mosquito, which usually bites during the daytime.” While allopathy medicines deplete our blood cells with every intake, natural therapies not only help in prevention but treatment as well without any side effects. Few essential oils that can help us in combating the disease. Khushboo Jain is a wellness expert

• Lemongrass Essential Oil: Lemongrass has antimicrobial properties which makes it an inhibitor of microbial and bacterial growth in the body, both internally and externally. It helps to cure diseases resulting from bacterial or microbial infections such as typhoid, food poisoning, skin diseases, body odor, and malaria (caused due to protozoon). Lemongrass is popular as an anti-pyretic agent that brings down very high fevers. This oil can bring down a fever when it is beginning to reach dangerous levels especially in Dengue.
• Citronella Oil: Citronella oil is one of the essential oils obtained from the leaves and stems of different species of Cymbopogon. Cymbopogon comes from the family of lemongrass. It is a natural insect repellent. You can use Diffuser oil or balm of Citronella though direct application on the skin should be avoided.  Citronella candles are widely used to repel mosquitoes. Citronella oil and other lemon grass oil extracts are used in sprays and topical applications. Studies with birds and starved mosquitoes, using topical applications of lemon grass oil in the form of cream or liquid paraffin solution, was effective protection against the hungry mosquitoes, comparable to commercial mosquito repellents.
• Neem Oil: Neem Oil is a great purifying agent and should be applied on a damp warm cloth in dosages of 15 to 60 gms twice or thrice a day. It should be noted that usage should be restricted in both males and females seeking pregnancy.
• Echinacea Essential Oil: Echinacea Essential Oil boost interferon to defend against Dengue Echinacea Essential Oil is an immune stimulant. Research shows that Echinacea can cut the risk of catching a cold by 58% and could reduce the duration of infection by one and a half days. As colds are viral, Echinacea will also treat and prevent Dengue. Echinacea naturally boosts Interferon and therefore stimulates the whole immune system.
• Peppermint Oil: Peppermint essential oil is a great mosquito repellant.After application of the oul, the participant does not get bitten for 150 minutes. That means the oil completely repelles  mosquitoes for two and a half hours! This makes peppermint oil perfect to use in place of commercial insect repellent that contain harmful chemicals. This oil  also posses larvicidal efficiency against Dengue which means it kills mosquito larvae. So you can control the mosquito population and stop them from infecting you with just one simple essential oil.
• Lavender Oil: Lavender essential oils are nature’s form of a natural mosquito repellent. You can apply these essential oils topically to the exposed areas of your skin, as well as diffuse them in your living space. This will keep the mosquitoes at bay and clean the air you breathe in. These oils being natural repellents don’t form deposits in your body, and any excess is always removed from your body. If you are planning longer periods of stay in a mosquito infested area, frequent re-application of Lavender essential oils will be very useful.

Since Dengue can cause skin rashes, applying Lavender essential oil to the rash areas will reduce the itch and sooth the skin from the irritation facilitating faster healing.

• Copaiba and Panway Essential Oils: Dengue attack is almost always associated with an excruciating joint and knee pain. For such times, Copaiba and PanAway essential oils provide relief on account of their natural anti-inflammatory and painkilling properties. Copaiba acts as an anti-inflammatory and numbs the area, reducing the pain. It is such effective relief against pain that some even use it to their dentist’s appointments.
• Thieves Essential Oil: Thieves Essential Oil is a hot blend consisting of five different essential oils that are effective against most viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms. Thieves blend contains Lemon, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Cinnamon and Clove essential oils. Being very spicy and hot, Thieves should be applied only to the thick areas of the skin, mainly under the soles of our feet. This method of application enhances the benefits, as both Traditional Chinese Medicine and foot reflexology specifies that all the bodily organs are represented in our feet. Oil molecules applied to the soles reach the organs that require them and balance the rest “without any side effects”. I personally would apply 1 drop of Thieves 2-3 times in a day on the soles of the feet and take 6 drops of each Thieves and Oregano essential oil in a capsule.

(The writer can be reached at www.madaboutwellness.com)