Dengue, also known as the ‘breakbone fever' is a disease that spreads through mosquito bites. Usually, the symptoms of dengue appear in seven days, and in most of the cases, the symptoms may be mild, or the patient might not show any symptoms at all. The symptoms of dengue include high fever, aching muscles and joints, eye pain, intense headache, and a characteristic measles-like rash. Nausea and vomiting may also be seen in some cases. Dengue can also reduce the platelet counts in your blood and can cause all kinds of health issues.
Platelets are the cells in your blood that promote clotting, and the accepted range for blood platelets is around 150,000 to 450,000. The obvious risks are during times of injury or trauma, but there are also unseen risks were excessive bleeding can become a serious issue. Although there are no proven medical therapies to improve the platelet count except for platelet transfusion, a few natural remedies are considered beneficial in improving the platelet count.
Herbal medicaments have been used for centuries for the treatment of various diseases, and there are certain home remedies that can help in improving the platelet count. Though this is not a foolproof method, it can help in some cases and does no harm to the patient in any way. One such popular ayurvedic treatment is based on a papaya leaf herb.
Papaya Plant: Biologically known as Carica Papaya, the papaya plant is referred to as the “melon of health” or “medicine tree” owing to its high nutritive constituents in some countries. Even though the papaya fruit is famous for its laxative effect, the leaves are also used topically for rashes, cuts, burns, and stings, and as a folk medicine for contraception and abortion because of its capability to generate uterine contractions. Papaya is also phenomenally successful in curing dengue fever and the latest studies reveal that the leaves of papaya have an anti-pro liferative effect against cancer cells, besides its antibacterial and nephro protective effects. More significantly, papaya leaves have proven effective for increasing platelet counts.
The rise in the blood count by papaya plant is well proven in numerous countries including South America, Australia, Africa, and the Philippines, and has exhibited proven results of extreme boosts in platelet count. The major parts used for therapy are the stem and leaves of the papaya plant, which are washed with water and squashed to get the extract, which is then consumed fresh for a period of 2 – 4 weeks until the platelet count is normalized.
Vegetables and Fruits: Fresh vegetables and fruits contain loads of micro nutrients such as minerals and vitamins, which are essential for humans, especially vitamin K that helps in blood clotting. Green leafy vegetables, lettuce, cauliflower,broccoli,kale,cabbages,soyabean, tomatoes etc. helps in increasing the platelet levels. Fruits such as Kiwi and Orange also helps in enhancing the platelet count.
Antioxidants: Antioxidants that are present in food tend to nullify the free radicals and thus help in dealing with the decline in platelet count. Berries such as blueberries, strawberries, etc., are rich in antioxidants and consuming them in good quantities may help in increasing the platelet count.
Vegetable Juices:Beetroot juice, aloe vera juice, and carrot juice are considered to enhance the platelet count. It is ideal to take aloe vera juice after every meal. Consuming 3 or 4 tablespoons of beetroot juice mixed with carrot juice twice a day can increase the platelet count in just 8 – 10 days.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids:Omega-3 fatty acid rich foods such as flax seed, fish, spinach, walnut, etc., enhances the immunity system and can help in increasing the platelet level count. Including it in your diet will help cope up with the low platelet levels.
Refrain from Processed Foods, Sugars:It is very essential to stay away from unhealthy foods such as junk food, caffeinated beverages, processed food, refined sugars, and alcohol. Intake of these drinks and foods can cause the platelet count to drop even more as these foods may slow down the production of platelets.
Another effective way to increase your platelet count is by taking PAT Syrup, which helps in boosting body immunity against infective organisms. The antiviral & platelet increasing activity of PAT syrup helps to fight against Dengue and other Viral infections.
Ways to Avoid Dengue
There are several ways to prevent the occurrence of dengue, and the best way is to clear out stagnant water in and around the house, which will avoid mosquito breeding. It is better to remove water from tanks, buckets, pots etc, which are there for 2 or more days. Also, it is recommended to store water in a covered container. Using mosquito repellent creams, mosquito nets and coils etc., can help in avoiding mosquito bites.
