What’s in the Kitchen: Conventional Household Practices during Minor Health Problems

Abstract

Objective: The Food habits of the people are the outcome of the general beliefs and are deep-rooted in the minds of the people of any community. Home remedies coming from the kitchen are the basis of treating commonly occurring illnesses for a long time. The present study was aimed to study the long-established household practices that are followed for the cure of minor health problems in North India (Uttarakhand) and assess their usage trends over three generations. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The study was done in three districts of Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, namely Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal and Haridwar. The respondents were categorized in three age group range as- 20-34 years, 35-55 years and above 56 years. A structured diet recall interview schedule was prepared for the collection of data. The subjects were asked about the previous and current practices followed for the cure of minor health problems. Results: A list of local food items used during various ailments like Cold/ Cough, Fever, Constipation, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Jaundice was prepared. A number of commonly used spices were used for the treatment along with few special recipe preparations. Among the age group above 56 years and 35-55 years, the percentage of respondents following traditional household practices during minor health problems and considering them better than medicine was more in rural areas while among 20-34 years of age group, the percentage was more for the urban population. It was noticed that the number of respondents following these practices slightly decreased through the generations, and are still practiced among the youngest age group interviewed (60.53% of rural and 66.67% of urban subjects). Conclusion: Documentation and validation of these household remedies is required so that they can be used for the low-cost treatment of many common ailments.