Fever: Common symptoms of fever are high temperature, headache, muscle ache, burning eyes, loss of appetite, coated tongue, excessive production of saliva, feeling of heaviness and nausea.
Aggravation of one, two or all the three doshas may cause fever. This aggravation resulting in fever can have many different sources—it can occur as a result of infection, because of external injury, insect bite or poisoning. Anything which disturbs the heat controlling mechanism of the body can cause fever. Fever can also be a symptom of many conditions, like bronchitis, pleurisy, tuberculosis, jaundice, malaria, measles or influenza.
Diet
In all cases of fever, Ayurveda initially advises fasting so that the aggravated doshas or toxins can be digested. Proper treatment should involve a diagnosis of the root cause of the fever. For example, if the cause of fever is an infection, treatment for the infection should be taken.
Some Home Remedies
Warm water (half glass) with one tea spoon lemon juice can be taken 3 to 4 times a day.
Applying a paste of sandalwood powder on the forehead of the patient is also beneficial. The paste can be prepared by mixing a little water in sandalwood powder.
If the fever goes higher than 102 degree Fahrenheit, it should be brought down by putting pieces of cloth soaked in cold water on the forehead, hands, arms and feet. The cloth pieces should be regularly changed after a few minutes.
Mix half a teaspoon of turmeric powder in a cup of warm milk and one teaspoon honey or some other sweetener. Take this decoction twice a day.
Regimen
A light, easily digestible diet is advised for a patient suffering from fever. Boiled or steamed vegetables, vegetable soup, fruit and fruit juices, small quantities of cow milk can be taken two to three times a day. A special preparation called khichadi is very good. It is prepared by cooking together rice and green lentils (mung dal). Spices like cumin seeds, coriander, turmeric, ginger and salt can be also be added to khichadi.
Egg plant, bitter gourd and cooked radish and barley water is good. Small amounts of whole grain bread or biscuits can be taken with milk.
Heavy foods that are difficult to digest like fried foods, fast foods, meat, chicken, fish, and raw foods should be completely avoided.
The patient should take ample rest. Exposure to extreme cold or heat, exertion, exercise, mental stress, sexual activity and any other type of physical activity should be avoided until the patient regains strength.
