During the pandemic, a popular preventative measure against cough and sniffles have been homemade concoctions. Also called kadha, Indian mums everywhere swear by these good ol’ recipes with natural ingredients like turmeric, ginger, lemon, and honey that could keep colds, and all its other symptoms, at bay.
But as we know, too much of anything can be bad.
While individuals continue to be inundated with social media messages about homemade recipes, or supplement marketers advocating vitamins and other immunity boosting alternatives, here’s a reminder that there is no such magic pill or potion. Most often, these homemade kadhas are offered to everyone in the family, but what needs to be understood is that people react differently to it.
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Bleeding
Particularly for those who have comorbidities, patients who are on blood thinners or medications for chronic diseases, drinking too much kadha could be dangerous as it could increase the risk of bleeding tendency. Depending on the bleeding location, whether the brain or the intestine, the case criticality could range from normal to life threatening.
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2. Esophageal erosion
Consuming warm concoctions in excess could lead to side effects such as ulcers or superficial bleeding in the mouth.
Condiments in homemade concoctions generate excessive heat in the body and could cause nose bleeding; it upsets the esophagus causing esophageal erosion. It could also cause gastro-esophageal reflux which affects digestion.
3. Liver damage
Components in ingredients like turmeric and aloe vera, if used in excess, could harm the liver. This may also cause bleeding in the organ which could lead to life threatening liver failure or injury.
Arsenic album is another commonly used immunity booster. If used in limited and supervised quantities it could be beneficial to one’s health; however, if used in excess it could harm the kidneys, liver or brain, at times leaving a patient unconscious due to arsenic toxicity.
4. Nausea or dehydration
Vitamin D for the immune system is a well promoted necessity. Excess Vitamin D from drinking kadha could increase the calcium content in the body, leaving a person irritable and sometimes unconscious. Spike in blood and urine calcium levels due to high Vit-D levels causes nausea, dehydration, giddiness among other fluctuations.
It is important to note that when consumed in small quantities and under medical guidance of your physician, these ingredients are harmless.
Serious consequences are faced when there is an imbalanced intake; be safe, be aware. Speak to your physician before beginning your course of homemade kadha to understand the role of each ingredient and the frequency at which it is to be had.
IANS
READ MORE: Boost your immunity with turmeric