In the Natural Remedy for Malaria diet is of supreme importance. In the beginning of the treatment the patient should keep a fast on orange juice and water for seven to fifteen days depending on the severity of the fever. The tepid water enema should be administered on a daily basis during this period to cleanse the bowels. After the fever has subsided, the patient should be placed on an exclusive fresh fruit diet for more three days. In this course of therapy, he should take three meals a day, at five hourly intervals, of fresh, juicy fruits, like grapefruit, apple, pineapple, oranges, grapes, mango and papaya. Milk may be added to the fruit diet after this period and this diet may be continued for a further few days.
Subsequently, the patient may embark upon a well balanced diet of natural foods consisting of seeds, nuts and grains. The patient should stay away from strong tea, coffee, refined and processed foods, fried foods, condiments, sauces, pickles, white sugar, white flour, and all products made from them. He should also avoid all meats, alcoholic drinks and smoking. The best way to lessen temperature naturally, during the course of fever, is by means of the cold pack, which can be applied to the whole body. This pack is made by wringing out a sheet or other large square piece of linen material in cold water, wrapping it right round the body and legs of the patient ( twice round would be best ) and then covering from top to bottom with a small blanket or similar warm material. This pack should be applied every three hours during the day while temperature is high and kept on for an hour or so. Hot water bottles may be applied to the feet and also against the sides of the body.
Certain home remedies have been found advantageous in the cure of malaria. One such remedy is the use of grapefruit. This substance can be extracted from the fruits by boiling a quarter of the grapefruit and straining its pulp. Lime and lemon are beneficial in the treatment of quarter type of malaria fever. About three grams of lime should be dissolved in about 60 ml. of water and juice of one lemon added to it. This water should be taken before the onset of the fever. Cinnamon is regarded as a successful cure for all types of colds, as well as malaria. It should be crudely powdered and boiled in a glass of water with a pinch of pepper powder and honey. This can be used constructively as a medication in malaria. Alum (phitkari) is also useful in malaria. It should be roasted over a hot plate and powdered. It should be taken about four hours before the expected attack and every two hours after it. This will give great respite to the patient.
The preventive facet in malaria is as important as the curative one. The best way to defend against malaria is to take on all measures required for preventing mosquito bites. For this purpose, it is very important to maintain cleanliness of surroundings, environmental sanitation and to eradicate stretches of stagnant water. As the mosquito generally perches itself on the walls of the house, after biting a person, it would be advisable to spray the walls with insecticides. The leaves of the holy basil ( tulsi ) are considered valuable in the prevention of malaria. An infusion of some leaves can be taken on a daily basis for this purpose. The juice of about eleven grams of tulsi leaves mixed with three grams of black pepper, powder, can be taken beneficially in the cold stage of the malarial fever. This will check the severity of the disease.
