Dengue Fever: Rujuta Diwekar Suggests 5 Easy-To-Follow Tips For Dengue Prevention And Recovery

Dengue fever patients should have gulkand in morning for speedy recovery

Dengue fever is also known as breakbone fever or dandy fever. In the past few years, incidence of dengue fever has increased tremendously. The vector-borne disease is quite common during monsoon. Dengue fever symptoms include flu-like illness, body aches, body pain and rashes. Dengue is transmitted to people through the bite of Aedes species mosquito that has been infected with dengue virus. A person catches dengue fever on being bit by mosquito infected with the virus. The virus enters the blood and the person catches infection. Aedes species mosquitoes are also responsible for spreading chikungunya, malaria, Zika virus and other viruses. In this article, we are going to talk about dengue prevention tips that can offer protection from this disease effectively.

Dengue prevention and recovery tips

Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar takes to Instagram (and Facebook) to talk about dengue prevention and recovery tips that can prevent dengue fever. She begins her post by saying that while most common cause of dengue fever is being bitten by infected mosquito, it also because of poor immune system that people catch dengue infection.

She goes on to say that constant dieting and over-exercising - without giving your body sufficient time to rest and recover - puts people at risk of diseases like dengue. Other common dengue fever risk factors include unregulated or very high blood sugar levels (as in the case of diabetes) and hormonal imbalances (as in the case of PCOD and thyroid)

Also read: Dengue Fever Prevention Tips: Safeguard Your Family With These Simple Preventive Measures

1. First thing in the morning, have 1 tsp of Gulkand, recommends Rujuta. She says that it can prevent acidity, and nausea and weakness - which are usually the first sign of dengue fever.

Take steps to prevent mosquito bites to keep dengue at bay
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2. Create a herbal concoction using milk, water, turmeric, saffron and nutmeg. You can take 1 glass of milk and water each, add a pinch of turmeric and 2-3 strands of kesar. Add a tinge of nutmeg and boil this mixture. Reduce it to half. You can add some jaggery or honey to sweeten the drink. This drink can be used as part of dengue fever treatment. It can give a boost to your immunity, reduce inflammation in the body and prevent loss of protein.

Also read: Dengue Fever: 5 Effective Home Remedies For Dengue Fever You Must Try

3. People with dengue fever should make sure that they drink water throughout the day. It helps in restoring urine volume. Drink sufficient water to ensure that urine colour is clear.

Drink sufficient water for dengue treatment and prevention
Photo Credit: iStock

4. Have rice soup as part of dengue fever treatment. Dengue fever causes dehydration, loss of electrolytes and reduces appetite. Drink rice soup and add either black salt or rock salt, a pinch of hing or asafoetida and ghee. It can give a boost to your immunity and also help you recover from dengue.

5. Rujuta suggests that staying Supta badhakonasana (with a support for the back and blanket under your head) can offer relief from back ache and body pains - common dengue fever symptoms.

Dengue: how to prevent being bitten by mosquito

The most effective way to prevent dengue is preventing being bitten by mosquitoes. Follow these tips to prevent mosquito breeding at home:

1. Wear clothes that cover you properly, especially when you are visiting damp areas where mosquitoes can breed easily.
2. Avoid going to damp areas especially at night. 
3. Apply mosquito repellant creams when sleeping at night. You can also apply them when you are stepping out or as regularly as possible - for added protection. 
4. Use essential oils that can be used as diffusers in your bedroom, drawing room, etc. Peppermint oil, lavender oil and tea tree oil are some effective essential oils for keeping mosquitoes at bay. 
5. Keep your indoors clean. Sweeping, mopping, dusting and cleaning with disinfectants should be done on a daily basis to prevent mosquito breeding and incidence of dengue. 

Foods you can eat for dengue fever 

Intake of healthy foods can give a boost to your immunity and help you recover from dengue at a a faster pace. Here are the foods you should eat when you are suffering from dengue fever:

• Papaya leaf juice
• Vegetable juices
• Coconut water
• Cardamom/ginger/cinnamon tea
• Neem leaves

Avoid intake of deep fried, processed and packaged food during dengue recovery period. Spicy foods aerated drinks also need to be avoided. Try to have simple, home-cooked food which is light on the stomach. 

Also read: Diet Tips For Fast Recovery From Dengue; Know Foods To Eat And Avoid

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.