Dr. Hardeep Kaur Saluja

Cough is the natural reflex action of a human being to clear the throat or breathing passage from obstructions by foreign particles. Whooping cough or pertussis can be identified by the whooping sound that accompanies cold cough. Whooping cough is caused due to bacterial infection or through transmission from the infected person.

The following are few symptoms of whooping cough:

1. Runny nose and frequent sneezing
2. Cough accompanied by a whooping sound
3. Frequent vomiting
4. Nasal congestion
5. Fever
6. Sore throat
7. Fatigue

Whooping cough must be cured since it can pose serious health hazards for both children and adults and at times can even turn out to be life threatening. Ayurveda can effectively heal whooping cough naturally. The

Following are few simple steps offered by ayurveda for treating whooping cough:

1. Honey: This is the most common and effective remedy suggested for whooping cough. Take a tablespoon of honey and mix it in a glass of lukewarm water to experience fast relief.
2. Avoid smoking: Smoking makes whooping cough worse. So you must take care to quit the habit of smoking.
3. Castor oil: Castor oil is also a remedy for whooping cough offered by ayurveda.
4. Ginger juice: Ginger juice is a very effective remedy for curing whooping cough. You may mix the juice with honey or herbal tea.
5. Aloe Vera juice: Aloe vera juice mixed with honey is considered to be a cure for whooping cough in ayurveda.
6. Cloves: Sometimes cloves can also offer very fast relief from continuous coughing.
7. Tulsi leaves: Tulsi leaves are also considered to be a very effective cure for whooping cough according to ayurveda.
8. Breathing exercises: Practicing breathing exercises regularly can also give you relief from whooping cough.

Whooping cough generally persists for a week or two, but if severe it can continue to persist for even longer. You should not neglect whooping cough and must follow the above mentioned remedies right from the beginning to experience faster relief.

Folic acid is an important form of vitamin B which women must take during pregnancy. It is a form of man-made vitamin B known as folate. Folate plays a significant role in producing red blood cells and helps in the development of your baby’s neural tube into the brain and spinal cord, preventing any kind of birth defects in babies. Birth defects of the brain or spinal cord may occur in early stages of pregnancy. Therefore, by the time a woman discovers her pregnancy, it may become too late to prevent the defects.

How much folic acid should be taken?

A woman should start taking folic acid within the first three to four weeks of pregnancy, as birth defects may occur during this time. Women who start taking folic acid a year before getting pregnant produce healthy babies without birth defects.

400 mcg of folic acid is the recommended dose for all women who are of childbearing age and also in the first trimester of pregnancy. Multivitamins with the recommended amount of folate and folic acid supplements are generally prescribed as they help the mother deliver a healthy child. From the fourth to ninth month of pregnancy, the dose must be increased to 600 mcg.

Benefits of Folic Acid

Without sufficient folic acid in your body, the neural tube of your developing baby may not close properly. This may lead to neural tube defects, which include:

• Spina bifida, a condition where the spinal cord or vertebrae develop incompletely. A baby with spina bifida may be disabled permanently.

• Anencephaly, a condition that features incomplete development of the brain. Babies affected with anencephaly do not live long.

Having a sufficient supply of folic acid prevents these neural defects from developing in your baby.

Taking folic acid before and during pregnancy protects your baby against many other conditions. They include:

• Cleft lip and palate.

• Low weight during birth.

• Chances of miscarriage.

• Premature birth.

Folic acid also reduces the risk of developing pregnancy complications in the mother such as heart diseases, stroke, several cancers and Alzheimer’s disease.

Folic acid is naturally found in dark-green vegetables, which you must consume in abundance. Other sources of folic acid include fortified breakfast cereals, beef liver, lentils, egg noodles and great northern beans.