Covid-19: Herbs in high demand

HEALTH | COVID-19 | HERBS

Residents of Mbarara district and other parts of the country have adopted steam inhalation to prevent and treat COVID-19.

The practice has pushed up the demand for local herbs.

Buremba Street in Mbarara city is always busy with people buying herbs for steam therapy, especially in the evening.

Masitula Kyomugisha, a herbs vendor on Buremba Street, says the demand for herbs is because of COVID-19, which has claimed thousands of lives across the world.

Bosco Turinawe, a resident of Kisenyi cell in Mbarara, says steaming is the only affordable method.

"We strongly believe steaming prevents us from getting this deadly disease," he says.

Teopisita Kamateka, another herbs vendor, says the price of herbs has increased from the previous sh100 a bunch to sh2,000-3,000 per bunch.

Kamateka says some people buy the herbs in bulk.

Kyomugisha says the growing demand has made the herbs scarce as they spend a lot of time in the bushes collecting them.

She says most vendors start selling them at 6:00pm but most of them are bought within two hours.

Prof. Mauda Kamatenesi, the vice-chancellor of Bishop Stuart University, a regular user of the herbs, says steaming is effective in treating COVID-19.



Kamatenesi, a researcher in herbal medicine, says steaming helps to decongest lungs.

She says steaming also improves digestion and detoxicates the body.

"Steaming is recommended even if you are not suffering from COVID-19. When you steam, you will see mucus coming out from your nose, a sign that the airways are being cleaned," Kamatenesi says.

Stephen Tumwine, a 68-year-old resident of Rwanyamahembe in Kashari South, says steaming is an old therapy. "Our grandfathers lived longer because they took the traditional way of medication seriously and steaming was part of it," Tumwine says.

Recommended by medical doctors

Dr Justus Ampaire of St Augustine Medical Centre, says steaming is important for everyone.

"Steam inhalation is a common non-pharmacologic treatment to help clear mucus and open up the nasal passages, throat and lungs," Ampaire says.

He says the warm steam inhalation before bedtime helps to improve sleep quality, and that those who have trouble sleeping, steam therapy is worth a try.

Stopping ICU numbers

Health experts say steaming can play a big role in reducing the number of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions.

Ampaire says if you are not sick, do it at least three times a week while those who are sick can even do it daily.

"When you are breathing well, it means that blood is going to do a lot of work because it has good and enough oxygen," he adds.

Who is supposed to steam?

Ampaire says steaming should be done by everyone, including people who are on other medication.

"Steaming is like doing exercise. It is healthy for people of all ages. I encourage all Ugandans to find some time in a week and do some steaming," he adds.

"The lungs love to have warm air. When you steam, you increase your lungs capacity and make them to expand to the maximum. The oxygen is transported to the blood with ease," he says.

Amapire says steaming is important for old people and those who have breathing problems.

He says steaming is also good for the skin as it increases the skin's permeability, enabling it to better absorb nutrients.

Steaming techniques

Philip Besigye, a nutritionist in Mbarara, says one is supposed to boil two quarts of water, add two handfuls of herbs and leave it for 10 minutes.

Afterwards, one should cover themselves with a sheet around a container with the steaming ingredients and inhale/exhale the steam. He says one should make sure they inhale/exhale the steam for more than 10 minutes.

Caution

Besigye says before steaming, one should first take a lot of water since it involves a lot of sweating.

He also advises people to eat things such as garlic, onions, yellow bananas, carrots, beetroot, pawpaw, red pepper and avocado.

Besigye says it is better to do it after taking a shower in the evening.

The herbs for steaming

Philip Besigye, a nutritionist in Mbarara, says some of the recommended herbs are thyme, mint, eucalyptus, basil and rosemary.

Thyme

Is an expectorant as it helps to loosen the mucus. It also has antibacterial properties.

Mint

Mint has a nice scent and it helps loosen mucus and it is also an antibacterial.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is also important for loosening mucus, but use it in small quantities.

Basil

Basil helps to decongest and is naturally an antibacterial.

Rosemary

Rosemary has antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

Residents speak out

Naswir Ssekamate, aspiring MP for Mbarara City South

Steaming is good. I used to see our grandparents do it, but later people stopped it. It has now become a common practice in our homes.

David Kitengye, chairperson of Bucuro sub-county

 I steam. The Government should support our local herbalists. COVID-19 has taught us a big lesson; that these herbs we think are useless are important for our health.

Tobius Munyaruguru, boda boda operator on high street

 We used to waste a lot of money going for steam in big hotels, but with the outbreak of COVID-19, I have learnt to steam at home.

I do it three times a week and I also ensure all my family members do so.