If video games are your addiction and you are a frequent visitor to cyber café, it may just help to smear the headphones used with a mixture of clove, asafoetida or camphor powder. This could go a long way in preventing skin diseases, tonsillitis, meningitis and respiratory infections picked up from microbes in the headsets.
According to a study done by B Charumathi a student of KLE college, neisseria, streptococcus mitis, kingella were some of the microbes detected and clove was most effective in inhibiting them.
This is just one of the many research experiments conducted by a group of scientists working with the Indian Holistic Medical Academy (based in Thanjavur). Among the other remedies that have emerged include amla as a destroyer of free radicals, extracts from the stem of amruthaballi help regulate blood glucose and jackfruit is a potential weapon against cancer.
‘Holistic’ varsity
“We believe in a holistic approach that involves the body, mind, environment,” said Dr S Nagendran, chairman of the academy, adding that there was a proposal to have a holistic medical university in India, preferably in Bangalore. A World Congress of holistic medicine is also planned in Bangalore this year.
“There are plans to have some of the courses integrated under the Rajiv Gandhi Medical University in Shimoga from this year. Talks are on with the government officials about a medical university,” he said.
This will have all systems of medicine integrated into it as also a special focus on lifestyle that does not necessitate taking pills for everything, added Prof Geetha Vishwanathan who guided Charumathi’s research.
The academy has many members who are scientists working on various research activities revolving around the use of natural extracts against diseases. Prof Ataaz of Al Ameen college works with cobra venom to study their effect on neurological disorders like Parkinson's, etc.
Results
Wheat grass, aloe vera , mangrove wood, gharki grass, spinach, etc have been shown to control diabetes, hypertension, cancer, heart problems. While these are results obtained in a controlled environment, clinical studies are the next step.