New Delhi/Indore/Bhopal: The past one year has been extremely difficult for people. While the pandemic brought much-needed focus on health and hygiene it also created a lot of confusion among people about what is good for health and what is not. A steep rise in demand for immunity-boosting supplements and alternate medicines which apparently strengthened the immune system was seen. From vitamin C and zinc to protein supplements most companies touted their version of a cure as best to protect people. WhatsApp group chats social media platforms and family discussions were flooded with home remedies recipes and Kadhas to boost immunity! The most googled health topic in 2020 was "how to increase immunity" a clear indication of people wanting to adopt any and everything that would give them protection from Covid-19! With the growing number of cases the number of variants and double mutations being found it is certain that no supplements and kadhas can protect us from the virus. We have to understand that our immune system is very finely tuned. IANSlife talked to Kirti Sabnis Infectious Disease Specialist Fortis Hospital Kalyan and Mulund who said: "There is a balance between an immune system that is effective at limiting the ability of bacteria viruses and parasites to cause infection and a hyperactive immune system that can cause such problems as allergies diabetes and other types of auto-inflammatory and auto-immune disorders." Can home remedies really harm us? The answers lies in the fact that there is no proper evidence that says a particular remedy can be adopted in one way or the other. "While there will be some science attached to it the scientific value is never measured. Also nobody knows which remedy may suit one person or the other. Therefore the most dangerous aspect of a home remedy is that it is undertaken without expert monitoring and without knowing the right dosage/ frequency as it is never prescribed by a doctor. Experts share some remedies if adopted fervently can do more harm than good: Drinking kadha: Common ingredients used to make kadha include black pepper cinnamon turmeric giloy ashwagandha cardamom and ginger. While these are good stimulants during winters these items create immense heat in the body. Excessive consumption of these can be harmful and cause problems like nose bleed persistent acidity lead to mouth ulcers and black stools. While making kadhas one has to be extremely careful about the quantity of herbs and spices that are being used to make it these can cause long-term effects too!

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