Myth: Ayurveda medicines have no side effects….

There is a belief that only allopathic medicines have side effects

& as ayurvedic medicines are made up of natural substances,

they don’t have any side effects. Since covid has entered your

life you are in race to raise your immunity by any means. You take different

herbs in any dose you like or advised by your friends, relative or

any forward on social media. You don’t even give a thought

whether that herb will suit you or not. You think that

as it has benefited others, it will also help you.

Unfortunately, it is not correct.

Let us understand this with an example of one ayurvedic medicine/ herb

that has become very popular during this corona pandemic- GILOY.

Giloy has many health benefits like:

• It is an immunity booster
• It also helps in diabetes
• It helps to reduce stress & anxiety.
• It improves digestion
• It helps in different types of fever like hay fever, dengue fever etc.

However just like everything else, taking too much of Giloy

without any expert advise can lead to complication like:

# Constipation

Giloy is known to improve digestion. But, for

some people it can also lead to constipation.

# Blood sugar level

Giloy is known for its natural way of controlling

your blood sugar levels. However, if you are taking diabetes

medicines and also Giloy along with it, it can drop your

blood sugar level suddenly (known as hypoglycemia). You should

also not stop taking your diabetes medicines while taking Giloy

assuming that automatically diabetes will be

under control. Arbitrarily stopping your diabetes medicines may

increase your blood sugar level as well.

# Autoimmune disease:

You may be taking Giloy because of its immune boosting

property thinking that it will protect you against corona. However,

taking too much of Giloy can over-stimulate your immune system

which can lead to further complications. If you are having any

autoimmune disease, you need to be extra cautious before

taking Giloy.

So, the TRUTH is-

Every medicine has its own side effects. Don’t

take any medicine on your own for long period

of time even if it is an ayurvedic medicine.

It is always better to consult your ayurvedic

doctor or a naturopath before starting any medicinal herbs

for long period of time.

That’s all for today.

See you next Tuesday with another Tuesday tip.

Till then…..

Take care.

Providing simple solutions for the complexities of life

Dr Bhumita Makwana

Your Dietitian and Homoeopathic physician.