Shri Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Special Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India

Shri Vaidya Dr Rajesh Kotecha is an Indian Ayurveda physician who received a Padmashri Award for Medicine in 2015. He is appointed as Special Secretary in the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India and is the former Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar.

The Indian Government’s AYUSH Ministry is helping to battle the Covid-19 pandemic in India and around the world. It is supporting scientific research on several Ayurvedic and related integrative medicine protocols, and is providing “Self-Care Immunity Guidelines” to the public, with an estimated 100 million people already using these self-care protocols:

These basic Ayurvedic recommendations for boosting immunity include:

1. Take warm water throughout the day.
2. Daily practice of Yogasana, Pranayama and meditation for at least 30 minutes as advised by Ministry of AYUSH
3. Spices like Haldi (Turmeric), Jeera (Cumin), Dhaniya (Coriander) and Lahsun (Garlic) are recommended in cooking.

In addition, AYUSH recommends three simple “Ayurvedic Immunity Promoting Measures”:

1. Take Chyavanprash (1 teaspoon) in the morning. (Diabetics should take sugar-free Chyavanprash.)
2. Drink herbal tea / decoction (Kadha) made from Tulsi (Basil), Dalchini (Cinnamon), Kalimirch (Black pepper), Shunthi (Dry Ginger) and Munakka (Raisin) – once or twice a day. Add jaggery (natural sugar) and / or fresh lemon juice to your taste, if needed.
3. Goldeen MIlk: half a teaspoon Haldi (turmeric) powder in 150 ml hot milk – once or twice a day.

Lastly, AYUSH recommends two daily Ayurvedic procedures:

1. Nasal application of sesame or coconut oil, or Ghee in both the nostrils (Pratimarsh Nasya) morning and evening.
2. Oil pulling therapy: Swish one tablespoon sesame or coconut oil in the mouth for 2 to 3 minutes without drinking it, then spit it out and rinse the mouth with warm water, once or twice a day.

AYUSH is also supporting several scientific research projects at 15 different medical colleges in India:
The first of these randomised controlled trials studies Ashwagandha as a prophylaxis for COVID. Another studies the benefits of Guduchi, Pippali (long pepper), Yastimadhu (licorice) and AYUSH 64 (a product of the AYUSH research council) as an add-on therapy for the standard treatment.

Another is a large scale observational prophylactic study of 80,000 police and law enforcement personnel in Delhi who are using the “AYUSH RAKSHA kit” that contains Chyawanprash, Sanshamani Vati, AYUSH Kwat and Anu Taila. And the AYUSH Central Council for Research is studying the benefits of applying Ayurvedic protocols to 35,000 people in the high-risk population category, also in Delhi. Lastly, across the country a study of a half million people is investigating the efficacy of different interventions of AYUSH Prophylaxis, with 350,000 receiving Ayurveda interventions and the rest different AYUSH systems. These research studies will provide valuable data on the effectiveness of Ayurveda and other integrative health protocols in strengthening immunity, and thereby reducing the spread of Covid-19.

Scientists from all parts of the world are invited to initiate any prophylaxis study or any small clinical study. The AYUSH ministry will be happy to coordinate, provide the material and share the protocol.

To download full AYUSH “Self-Care Immunity Guidelines” click here.