Treat Chikungunya naturally

Natural Remedies to resist Chikungunya

Firstly, it is important to protect yourself. Obviously try to avoid getting bitten. I suggest taking care of yourself and improving your immune system. Eat healthy foods and boost your immunity with the following:-

-Vitamin C 1000mg daily- basic immune support

-Zinc 50 mg daily for three months then stop - a mineral most of us lack and is vital to our immunity.

-Echinacea - 30 drops daily for a week every couple months. Stimulated the Immune system.

-Astragalus - 40 drops twice daily for a month or more - A Chinese medicine to build the Immune System

-Udo’s Oil - three tablespoons daily - to make healthy cell membranes making it harder for the Virus to penetrate the cell wall.

Homeopathic Prophylactic

Use the homeopathic medicine, Eupatorium perfoliatum 200C strength at six drops daily for a week each month while the epidemic is present. This has been used successfully in Kerala, India in 2006 as a prophylactic/ preventative for ChikV where half the population was given nothing and the other half was given this homeopathic medicine. In the half that received nothing 73 percent came down with ChikV and in the half that received the homeopathic medicine only 17 percent got infected.

Fighting the infection

If infected, it is important to abstain from sugar in all forms, including natural sugars, fruits, juices, soft drinks and reduce carbohydrates, as pathogens live off of sugars, and sugars can reduce our immunity by 75 percent.

Fever management

Fever is a symptom of the natural body’s response to fighting an infection. The body metabolism is increased when its white blood cells called phagocytes start becoming active in their “seek and destroy mission” against the invading pathogens and when we start making our own antibodies and getting them it to the sites of infection.

If you use pharmaceutical medicines to reduce your fever you will inhibit your natural immune responses and will therefore enable the invading pathogen (infecting organism), and as such will cause the duration of the infection to increase. Also your will cause increase severity of other symptoms and cause additional manifestations or symptoms of the disease.

At the first sign of fever, take your prescribed natural medicines with two cups of hot water, and some Elder as a tea, and cover up well in bed and assist the fever, while keeping the head cool with cold water and a small towel - Especially important with small children to prevent convulsions if the head gets too hot. Belladonna 30C or 200C can make a very hot dry fever very bearable

Homeopathic Treatment

Eupatorium perfoliatum 200C is the number one homeopathic remedy for Chikungunya and besides being used as a prophylactic, it is used during the infection and is very helpful for the symptoms of pain in the joints. Other useful remedies include Ruta (especially when the glands are swollen), Byronia, Gelsemium, China, Act, Arnica and Lycopodium among others. Individualised remedies may be needed as symptoms vary from person to person. Patient homeopathic remedies like Oscillococcinum for fever, headache, body aches and chills, and Traumeel for body pains and soreness, can also prove useful.

Herbal Treatment

Definitely Echinacea, as is indicated in all infections and a dose of 40 drops, three times daily for adults is to be used. I have found that Cat’s Claw, a South American herb, is extremely useful as it is anti-viral as well as anti-arthritic/anti-inflammatory. I have used Cat’s Claw with great success on myself and with my clients for ChikV. Paw-paw is useful but according to research it only reduces the hospital stay by 20 to 30 percent. I have not seen great benefits with this.

Other herbal anti-inflammatory herbs would be Devil’s Claw, Turmeric, Guaicum, Meadowsweet, Feverfew, Boswellia and of course Boneset. For the rash I would suggest using Bacial Scullcap to ease the swelling and itching. Also known as Chinese Scullcap, this works like magic to lessen all itchy situations of the skin especially with allergies.

Philip A. Franco BSc, DBM, GDCN, DM, RH. Naturopath, medical herbalist,

clinical nutritionist

Natural Balance -

The Natural Medicine Centre - 115 Cascade Road