The Moron: Omicron
Posted on Jan 15, 2022 by Nidhi Agrawal (Co-founder, Director & Trainer)
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A new star has arisen in the horizon and its name is now Omicron. Did you know that Corona, Delta and Omicron are actual names of the islands in Antarctica? Worrying part is there are many other islands left yet to lend their names to the fiasco we are facing. Omicron has grabbed the attention, of the population already suffering from attention deficit, most of which is engaged in screens of various sizes. The IT revolution had imposed upon us a great responsibility of finishing our daily quota of 2 Gb data. The Whatsapp University had made us teachers and guides that we could not be in the past. Humanity had finally learnt the skill of 'sharing' with other humans albeit only videos, pictures and messages. People had become 'forward' in their thinking by pressing the forward/share button.
In our overstretched 'information life', we are overwhelmed and disturbed with yet another wave of Covid by the new mutant….I call it the moron, Omicron. He wears several guises each time. This time he has developed multiple porcupine spikes to poke humanity into awakening towards its vulnerability. The big EGOs running helter-skelter at the possibility of yet another RTPCR or actually falling sick. Having a longish cotton bud poked into your nasal orifice and deep down your throat is not an experience one likes to remember, leave alone repeat. Furthermore the chains of forcible stay-at-home schedules, wherein wives had stopped complaining that husbands don't give them time. And men, by now amply appreciative of a house maker's workload, wished away the new nuisance while eyeing every sneeze or cough suspiciously. Omicron, the bull in the china shop, ran amok amongst us.
Yes, my family and I while merrily celebrated the New Year in a distant Gujarat resort watching African fire dancers, were taken by surprise on our return. Initially, the usual denial that it's a passing cold which everyone gets in winters (while silently reading online, the omicron symptoms worryingly). Then the symptoms we read became more evident and then loud and clear. The fever showed up timely, the throat caught with cactus like lumps, coughing, headache, body-pain and the incontestable symptoms made their presence felt. Did I miss anything?
We called up the RTPCR test lab guys and they promptly came home. And Yes!! That it was. In no time the otherwise lax, government officials arrived, almost on cue and sealed the premises and locked us in. The house became a pigeonhole. And then there was this cosy family time together, with all the time in the world.
Seriously enough now!! In my new resolution to be medicine free as long as possible, we stayed away from all Paracetamols, cough syrups, antibiotics and all fancy medicines you can think of. I resorted to treat our family with the wisdom of elders and not the knee jerk approach of standard medicine. Fever is an indication that the body is fighting the infection, why bring it down unless it crosses too high. We waited patiently for nature to take its course. The wisdom we earlier gathered of desi concoctions, steam, mulahati, warmth, gargles and this time a new trick of gulping down, which I would recommend, a teaspoon of edible grade cold pressed coconut oil worked wonders for the throat.
Everyone knows coconut oil is a great immune modulator and anti-microbial agent besides being a wholesome consumable. It is rarely celebrated for its healing properties.
The second most effective strategy that worked for us was gargling with warm water mixed with a spoon of Baking soda. Let me point out that baking soda is abundant in nature and inexpensive and it is highly effective in creating an alkaline environment inside and outside the body. It is antimicrobial and sanitizing in nature. It can also be used to wash your vegetables and fruits before consumption. I'd encourage you to read more about it. No time to mention details in this blog.
And it so happened, that all four of us were free of all infections in three days without medicines. The Dadi-Nani wisdom was very handy. I usually tend to avoid antibiotics as long as possible as it destroys the delicate gut bacterial balance of the body. The precious intestinal bacteria is destroyed with most antibiotics and it takes much longer for children to get back their balance.
Another important thing is not to be fearful of any health situation as it suppresses the immune system. Always feel good in the mind, be happy, be courageous and visualize being healthy even if you are ill. Worrying or thinking negatively about possible situations that will probably never occur, can actually make them happen. Furthermore, It adds to your levels of anxiety or stress and can adversely affect your health. When you look at fear in the face, it shrinks and disappears. So do diseases.
So that's my little experience of the latest wave, I hope those in very alike circumstances can benefit out of my experience.