Ghee is made with whole milk and is about 62 per cent saturated fat
It is a popular age-old belief that applying ghee to your nostrils can prevent weather-related colds and coughs, respiratory diseases, allergies, chronic cough, and rhinitis, among other ailments. According to Ayurveda, the ancient medicinal practice, ghee in your nostrils keeps infections and chronic diseases at bay. However, experts say it can be dangerous for those battling allergies.
Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips, a renowned liver doctor, slammed a social media influencer who advocated applying warm ghee on children’s noses to relieve infections.
“How does applying saturated fat in the form of clarified butter inside and outside the nose reduce allergic inflammation, which is a type 2 immune disorder classically characterized by high levels of immunoglobulin E?” Dr. Philips wrote on X.
“Keep doing it until you get lipoid pneumonia,” he said in a response on social media.
Ghee is made with whole milk and is about 62 per cent saturated fat. Experts say saturated fat can increase LDL or bad cholesterol levels, which causes heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association recommends that saturated fat should make up no more than 5-6 per cent of your daily calories.
What is lipoid pneumonia?
Lipoid pneumonia is a rare condition that occurs when fat particles enter the lungs. Lipoids, also known as lipids, are fat molecules that cause inflammation of the lungs. There are two types of lipoid pneumonia:
Exogenous lipoid pneumonia
This happens when the fat particles enter from outside your body and reach the lungs through the nose or mouth.
Endogenous lipoid pneumonia
In this type, also known as cholesterol pneumonia, fat particles accumulate in the lungs, causing inflammation.
Signs and symptoms of lipoid pneumonia
Doctors say the symptoms of lipoid pneumonia vary from one person to another. While some do not have any symptoms, others experience mild signs. Symptoms of lipoid pneumonia worsen over time. In some cases, they can become severe or even life-threatening. Some common symptoms include:
- Chest pain
- Chronic cough
- Difficulty breathing
- High fever
- Coughing up blood
- Weight loss
- Night sweats
- Difficulty swallowing
Who is most at risk for lipoid pneumonia?
A few risk factors for lipoid pneumonia include:
- Neuromuscular disorders that affect the swallow reflex
- Forced intake of oil
- Those battling gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Snorting oil-based drugs
- Being unconscious
- Oil pulling
- Psychiatric and mental health disorders
- Throat or esophagus abnormalities, including hernias and fistulas
- Oral ingestion and aspiration of mineral oil used as laxatives
How is lipoid pneumonia treated?
Doctors say treatment of lipoid pneumonia depends on the type and cause of the condition, as well as the severity of symptoms. The lipoid pneumonia eliminates exposure to the fatty substance, which is often enough to improve symptoms. Your doctor might suggest using prescription anti-inflammatory medications like corticosteroids to reduce inflammation caused by lipoid pneumonia.
Other treatments include oxygen therapy and respiratory therapy, which make breathing easier for people with lipoid pneumonia.
Whole lung lavage may be used to ease symptoms of lipoid pneumonia caused by PAP. In this procedure, one of your lungs is filled with a warm saline solution and then drained while under anesthesia.
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