Malaria
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- What is malaria?
- Symptoms of malaria
- Causes of malaria
- Prevention of malaria
- Risk factors for malaria
- Complications of malaria
- When to see a doctor about malaria
- Diagnosis of malaria
- Conventional treatment of malaria
- Alternative/complementary treatment of malaria
- Living with malaria
- Caring for someone with malaria
Alternative/complementary treatment of malaria
Never try to self-treat or self-diagnose malaria, as it could be potentially fatal, if the parasite is the one which causes the most severe infection. Always seek medical advice and treatment and apply common sense to prevent infection in the first place.
Alternative / complementary treatments should be viewed only as a way of boosting the immune system to help it fight off the malaria infection and prevent recurrence. Always consult with your doctor before trying any of the treatments recommended, as they may adversely conflict with your medications.
Herbs
The following are the herbs which have been traditionally used by certain cultures to treat malaria infection as a resource on where modern treatments have been derived:
- Annual wormwood (Artemisia annua L) - the Chinese herb Artemisia annua L. (annual wormwood) contains the anti-malarial substance artemisin, which studies show is effective at fighting malaria infection. The active compound in this herb is artemisin, which have been synthesised by modern medicine for use in anti-malaria medication
- Peruvian bark (Cinchona pubescens) - the bark of the tree Cinchona pubescens is the original source of quinine, the substance which is used to effectively treat malaria. This herbal preparation needs to be standardised because risk for over-dosage and toxicity from over-dosage is high
Vitamins
There are a number of vitamins which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Vitamin A - several studies show that children in African who have malaria are also deficient in the potent antioxidant vitamin A, which is important because deficiency in this vitamin seriously affects mortality of any type of illness. The antioxidant effect of vitamin A may be needed to help boost the immune system to effectively fight off the parasite causing the malaria, which is deficient in people who are low in this nutrient (children especially). A randomised double blind study showed that vitamin A, in combination with zinc reduced not only symptoms of malaria, but also levels of the parasite Plasmodium falciparum in the body of those children who were supplemented with these nutrients in Burkina Fosa, Africa
- Vitamin C - the potent antioxidant vitamin C provides a huge boost to help the immune system more effectively fight off any infection from any pathogen. Studies show that children infected with malaria tend to have lower blood levels of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) than their healthy counterparts
- Vitamin E - the potent antioxidant vitamin E provides a huge boost to help the immune system more effectively fight off any infection from any pathogen
Minerals
There are a number of minerals which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Zinc - the very potent antioxidant mineral zinc help the immune system fight off infection and reduces recovery time from infections. A randomised, double blind study showed that zinc, in combination with vitamin A reduced not only symptoms of malaria, but also levels of the parasite Plasmodium falciparum in the body of those children who were supplemented with these nutrients in Burkina Fosa, Africa
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Other nutrients
There are other nutrients which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Alpha-lipoic acid - studies show that the potent antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid is beneficial because it provides a huge boost to the immune system to more effectively fight off any infection and that the parasite that causes malaria is killed by alpha-lipoic acid in vitro (test tubes) so far, so more studies need to be performed before this can be recommended as an adjunct to conventional treatment
- Quinine - the natural substance quinine is used to fight malaria infections and it has now been used to create medication specifically for fighting a malaria infection
Dietary modifications
There are a number of dietary modification strategies which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Adequate liquids - it is important to be drinking enough water, diluted fruit juice or herbal tea (such as chamomile, elderberry, peppermint, rosehip) to keep the body hydrated in order to help it better fight the malaria infection
- Avoid drinking alcohol - drinking alcohol when you have a malaria infection and taking any type of medication for the infection is not recommended. The alcohol can interfere with the action of the medication and it also does not help the body deal with the malaria infection
- Increase intake of vegetables - a diet with increased intake of fresh (preferably organic) vegetables (about 5-6 servings per day) is recommended for people with jaundice, to help hydrate the body and provide more antioxidants and other nutrients to help the body more effectively deal with the malaria infection by providing a boost to the immune system
- Increase intake of fruits - a diet with increased intake of fresh (preferably organic) fruits (about 3-4 servings per day) is recommended for people with jaundice, to help hydrate the body and provide more antioxidants and other nutrients to help the body more effectively deal with the malaria infection
Lifestyle modifications
There are a number of lifestyle modifications which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Rest - it is very important to give the body the best chance at recovery and resting (sleeping or just lying down not being active) will be recommended by your doctor when you have malaria. Rest allows the body to concentrate its energy on boosting the immune system and using all its resources to fighting the malaria parasitic infection without having to waste resources on other bodily processes
Alternative treatments
There are no other alternative treatments recommended for malaria.
Always ensure that you notify your medical practitioner of any supplements that you want to take - it may interfere with other medication or conditions you have. Confirm with your doctor it is safe to take BEFORE you try it.
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