Kejriwal's coughing down by 75 percent, says doctor

Bengaluru, March 12 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's coughing has reduced by 75 percent, and he was cheerful and healthy, a doctor treating him at a private hospital here said on Thursday.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader was responding well to naturopathy treatment at the Jindal Naturecure Institute on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

"He (Kejriwal) is cheerful, healthy and active. Remarkable improvement in his health condition, as his coughing has reduced by 75 percent," the institute's medical director Babina Nandakumar told IANS.

A week after being admitted to the hospital, the 46-year-old leader has got used to the punishing regime involving brisk walking, various yoga exercises, including breathing and cleansing, acupuncture and massages from morning to evening.

"We have reduced Kejriwal's oral medication such as insulin, as his blood sugar level is much lower (180 mg/dl) than it was when he came here (March 5)," Nandakumar said.

As Kejriwal is scheduled to return to New Delhi on March 16, the institute is stabilising his health parameters and working on a strict schedule in terms of diet, exercises and medicines to prevent coughing and maintain blood sugar level.

"As Kejriwal is unable to extend his stay here beyond Sunday, we are working on a schedule to ensure continuation of the same treatment in Delhi so that he will maintain good health and cough not often," Nandakumar said.

The Delhi chief minister is staying in a three-bedroom cottage in the institute premises along with his parents Gobind Ram and Gita Devi.

Pictures of the AAP leader taken by an IANS photographer on Thursday showed him performing various yoga asanas at the institute.

Kejriwal, a diabetic, was on March 5 admitted to the hospital for treating his chronic cough and high blood sugar.

He is under a 12-hour regime from 5.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for detoxifying his body.

Waking up at 5 a.m., he goes for a 30-minute walk and does meditation, followed by breathing exercise, cleansing body with kriya technique, acupuncture, mud therapy and oil massage.

His diet consists of vegetable and fruit juices, sprouts, boiled vegetables, chapatis and soup.

He has an early breakfast by 8 a.m., followed by lunch at 11.30 a.m., supper by 6.30 p.m. and retires to bed by 9 p.m.