Influenza

After fever subsides the patient may adopt an all-fruit diet for two or three days. In this regimen, the patient should take three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits such as apples, pears, grapes, oranges, pineapple, peaches and melons at five-hourly intervals. Bananas or dried, stewed or tinned fruits however, should not be taken. No other food stuff should be added to the fruit meals, otherwise the value of the treatment will be lost. This may be followed by a further two or three days on fruits and milk diet. Thereafter, the patient may adopt a well-balanced diet of three basic food groups namely, (i) seeds, nuts and grains, (ii) vegetables, and (iii) fruits.

Spices and condiments , and pickles, which make food more palatal and lead to overeating, must be avoided. Lemon juice may be used in salad dressing. Alcohol, tobacco, strong tea and coffee, highly seasoned meats, over-boiled milk, pulses, potato, rice, cheese, refined, processed, stale and tinned foods should all be avoided.

Certain remedies have been found highly beneficial in the treatment of influenza. The most important of these is the use of long pepper. Half a teaspoonful of the powder of the long pepper with two teaspoonfuls of honey and half a teaspoonful of juice of ginger should be taken thrice a day. This will help greatly if taken in initial stages of the disease. It is especially useful in avoiding complications which follow the onset of the disease, namely, the involvement of the larynx and bronchial tube.

Another excellent remedy for influenza is the green leaves of basil or tulsi plant. About one gram of these leaves should be boiled along with some ginger n half a litre of water till about half the water is left. This decoction should be taken as tea. It gives immediate relief.

Garlic and turmeric are other effective food medicines for influenza. Garlic is useful as a general antiseptic and should be given as much as the patient can bear. Garlic juice may also be sucked up the nose. A teaspoonful of turmeric powder should be mixed in a cup of warm milk and taken three times in the day. It will prevent complications arising from influenza and also activate the liver which becomes sluggish during the attack.