Every second watsapp message I get is about how warm drinks- hot drinks can kill the virus….. ahhhh if only it was that simple people!? come on lets be realistic here, we cant be having a worldwide pandemic with over 100, 000 people dead, if the cure was hot drinks.
Mama Bear rings me everyday and asks if I have had lemon water, if ive had Vitamin C tablet, if im making turmeric milk… is this an indian culture thing? Im not so sure? maybe you can tell me. Are you all going through the same thing?
But in all honesty- what wrong can a warm drink do? I love all things Tea and if a warm drink can give people hope, gives them a bit of sunshine, acts as a preventive measure then at the end of the day whether it works or not- its soothing and also make you mentally fit- whats wrong with that? Go make yourself a warm drink.
So why is there a craze for this ‘Warm Drink’ and where is it coming from;
Here comes the science bit. (Say it like the Loreal advert). Concentrate (*wink seductively*)
We know that the virus hits the lungs and sits in the sinus area, hence the dry cough and breathing difficulties. We also know for the breathing difficulties its straight to the hospital and air ventilators (which are very scarce due to amount of people needing them)- So the hot drinks are put into place so that we can keep the air passages clear and hopefully avoid the whole hospitalisation issue.
Usually the signs that coronavirus has hit are after 3-4 days, and it takes hold of the throat and sinus area which leads to the dry cough. The coolest part of body is the sinus area therefore it sits there and then aims to get into your lungs. This is actually the hardest part as this affects the breathing of a person- hence the gasping of air and need for ventilators.
We know that the virus dies in heat, so the best thing to do is to keep the throat and sinus area warm and hydrated and that is by having loads of warm fluids. (Another thing that may be helpful is nasal spray- when you dose yourself with inhaler- within a second you will feel your passages open up. Could be worth considering)
So the whole ‘Warm Fluids can kill the virus‘ may not be true but it can help in the symptoms and the easing of the symptoms within you. As with a normal flu we clear our throat with warm drinks- here the same method can be used- to stop the irratation and also ease the breathing.
Lets go through a couple of drinks as advised by mama bear and quite a few practitioners aswell (who would have thought that doctors would be telling us to go back to natural remedies?!)
Firstly I just need to advise that almost everyone that is anyone is advising of Vitamin C! so get making those Fresh Orange Juices- we all have the time for it now! or if it helps then the soluble Vitamin C tablets are really good. You should be able to get them at your pharmacies.
I went into Costa Coffee once and they had a new hot drink called ‘The Golden Chaii’ – They had me at Golden!! I needed that thing…..I wanted that thing…. I needed a picture of the thing!….. and what did it turn out to be? For all my fellow indians it has ‘haider kheer’- For those that dont know ‘The Golden Chaii’ from Costa is what we have at home- and mama bear makes it in a pot when we are ill- Its a warm milky drink we have when we are sick. i.e. ‘Sick Drink’. …..’Golden Chaii’ does sound better though- but ill not be having that at Costa again. Mama makes it better! It basically is boiled milk with turmeric and honey. (add a dash of saffron if you have at home- but not necessary- makes a nicer picture) And it is so good and relieving…. (when you are ill, not when your out shopping!)
Golden Chaii Alternative
Fresh Lemon for its acidity is another thing we keep on hearing about. I make the hubby a glass of warm water with fresh lemon inside- which they enjoy- but if you are liking your golden chaii- add fresh lemon into there, add a few of the peels too! and some ground ginger. It makes for a very interesting and refreshing drink!
Lemsip Max Strength
If you do see these around whilst shopping- pick up a box or two- maybe send my way too, as im struggling to find them!…. Ok so if you get a fever whilst the coughing is going on then that means the virus has kicked in. This is where the Lemsip Max Strength will really come in use. To this add honey, ginger and a little turmeric. Because the Lemsip Max Strenght has paracetamol in it- it should help bring down the temperature and the honey, ginger and turmeric should help in clearing up the throat.
When we were young we use to watch ZEE TV a lot at my aunts house and I always saw the advert for this….. the theme song always rings in my head, and I always say ‘Vicks vaporub’ with a slight indian accent….. try me next time, its funny, and I cant get away from it…. Ok so this isnt exactly a drink but it may help…… Use the Vicks into boiling hot water as a steam inhaler. The Steam will get into the lungs and will help warm up sinuses, and make your throat feel less itchy. If you also have Black seed oil- add this into the water aswell- just a few drops, Its soothing effects are really good!
I dont have a fancy name for this- nor a story- this is pure CoronaVirus related and hopefully only for that, because its not nice. But if it helps then its got to be done! Peel Ginger and add to Boiling water. Allow the water to boil for 10 minutes and have it as a hot drink. Eating the pieces of ginger afterwards are really good too- if you can stomach it. ( This one is for me is ‘IF all else fails’).
Ok so I have a little on this earlier but here is a bit more….cut up slices of lemon in boiling water. The hot water will turn it into an alkaline which is good for the ph balance and good for fighting off the virus. There are also further benefits of lemon which also regulates the bloodpressure, reduce blood clotting , and helps in regulating blood circulation. Which is all good- especially if your having anxiety or panic attacks.
Black Seed Oil
Have I gone through the benefits of this hidden little secret? The reason why I call it a secret is because- this little miracle in a bottle has so many benefits, yet it is widely ignored. Search it up on Google. It really is miracle.
So how to use it?
as I mentioned before- you can inhale it with steam. Or we add it to a hot coal and allow the steam to float around the house which is another form of inhalation
Also add it to your honey and lemon drinks and drink it, Or just add it to a spoonful of honey and lemon and swallow it- youll feel the soothing of the throat straight away.
And guys dont feel nervous to experiment- I add some mint to my drinks, to make them more digestable, and a mint tea bag, or anything you’d like, keep it warm and try and keep the main ingredients in- like honey, turmeric, ginger and lemon.
And lastly Exercising and eating healthy food whilst in quarantine is important because it strengthens the immune system, and to fight the virus you need a good and strong immune system. I know its hard and all to easy to grab the packet of crisps but do try to avoid it.
**Pease note I am not a doctor or practitioner and that this is not medication for the coronavirus- it will not cure the virus, it can just help with the breathing and keeping the air passages clear so that you dont struggle with breathing. If conditions do get worse. Seek help with 111.
Hope you guys benefit from the above.
Stay safe, Stay Indoors
Love and Regards