The disease beriberi is caused by vitamin b1 deficiency and the disease is also known as thiamine deficiency. This disease is rampant in south Asian nations, as rice happens to be the staple diet there. A deficiency in vitamin b1 disturbs the entire body metabolism. The polishing of the rice devoids it from vitamin b1; as it removes the pericarp, which is rich in vitamin b1. This disease has two variants; the first affects the cardiovascular system and the second affects the nervous system. Incidentally, the latter one is also known as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Te symptoms are apparent as the ailing person would suffer from “pain, tingling, loss of feeling (sensation) in hands, muscle damage with loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs and feet, vomiting, strange eye movements, mental confusion/ speech difficulties, coma and death”.

However, there is no need to worry, as there is a known herbal treatment for beri-beri. The only effort from your end would be to boil 120 Gms of wheat germ in a cup measure of milk and drink it once daily for a month and the symptoms of beri-beri would be resolved in a month. Incidentally, wheat germ is also known as cereal germ.