How To Treat Melasma Naturally At Home – Top 10 Tips

 Ayurvedic
Dec 292017
 

by Hang Pham

December 29, 2017

Topics: Ayurveda

Melasma is known as a chronic skin condition that can cause discoloration on your skin. It often appears as brown or blue-gray patches on the upper lip, upper cheeks, forehead and chin. The main causes of melasma are external sun exposure and hormonal changes, so the best treatments should be eliminating these causes.

List Of 10 Natural Ways On How To Treat Melasma Naturally

In this article, we will show you some of the best home remedies for melasma that you should include in your skincare routine without needing to worry about side effect. So, if you are worried about discoloration on your skin and want to know how to get rid of them with the help of natural ingredients, you should keep your eyes on this article right now

  1. What Is Melasma?

Melasma is a common skin condition and it is more common in women than men. Melasma affects the natural skin’s color, causing the formation of brown or gray patches on facial skin or body skin. The leading cause of melasma is the overproduction of melanin in skin cells caused by excessive sun exposure. Besides, some other factors that contribute to this skin problem are hormonal changes, toxins, excessive stress, the use of birth control pills and thyroid problems.

  1. 10 Natural Ways On How To Treat Melasma Naturally

There are many treatment options for melasma in the market, but they can cause side effects. Instead, you can try using natural ingredients to treat melasma without side effects.

  1. Apple Cider Vinegar

This is the first one on the list of ways on how to treat melasma at home that I want to mention in this article and want all of my readers to know for good. The acetic acids found in apple cider vinegar make it a wonderful natural bleaching agent. It can help remove spots and give your skin a smoother and more radiant look.

Directions:

  • Mix equal amounts of undiluted apple cider vinegar and water.
  • Then, apply this solution on your melasma spots and let it sit on until it naturally dries.
  • Wash it off with warm water before gently patting it dry.
  • Repeat this remedy once a day.

Read on 35 Best Ways On How To Exfoliate Skin Naturally At Home to discover some of the home remedies for exfoliating skin without causing any side effect.

  1. Onion Juice

Onion juice is another great way on how to treat melasma naturally at home for you. Actually, onion juice has sulfur-containing compounds, so it can fade out discoloration or dark patches on your skin. Moreover, onion juice also gives nourishment to your skin cells.

Directions:

  • Chop 2- 3 onions and then extract the juice
  • Mix the equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and onion juice
  • Apply this solution on your melasma spots with the help of a cotton ball.
  • Let it rest for about 20 minutes before rinsing it off with lukewarm water.
  • Repeat this remedy twice a day for several weeks.

List of 34 Tips On How To Get Rid Of Hyperpigmentation On Face And Body will show you some of the natural treatments for hyperpigmentation on facial and body skin.

  1. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a great natural exfoliating agent that can help you remove melasma spots on the skin and remove dead skin cells to give your skin a brighter, glowing look.

Directions:

  • Mix 2 tbsp. each of oatmeal powder and milk and 1 tbsp. of honey together
  • Apply this mixture on your melasma spots and leave it on for about 20 minutes
  • Then, rub off this mixture with clean water.
  • Pat it dry with the help of a clean towel.
  • Repeat this remedy 2- 3 times a week within a month.
  1. Horseradish

Horseradish is another great way on how to treat melasma naturally that you should try out! The bleaching properties found in horseradish can bleach out any discoloration on the skin.

Method 1:

  • Cut horseradish into some slices and then apply it directly on your affected skin.
  • Allow it to dry out naturally.
  • Then, wash it off with warm water before patting it dry.
  • Repeat this remedy once a week until you get your desired results.

Method 2:

  • Add 2 tbsp. of horseradish powder to a cup of sour cream.
  • Then, apply it on your skin and then let it sit on for half an hour.
  • Rinse your skin with warm water.
  • Repeat this remedy once a week.
  1. Sandalwood

Sandalwood can help to lighten your skin, improve skin complexion and simultaneously reduce the symptoms of melasma effectively. Actually, this is another great way on how to treat melasma naturally that you should not look down.

Directions:

  • Mix equal amounts of sandalwood power, lemon juice, turmeric, and whole milk to create a thick paste.
  • Apply this paste on your affected skin and leave it on until it dries out.
  • Then, scrub the paste off in circular motions, wash with clean water and then pat dry
  • Repeat this remedy 3- 4 times a week.
  1. Lemon Juice

When it comes to natural ways on how to treat melasma at home, lemon juice may be one of the best solutions for you. Lemon juice contains superb astringent properties, so it can lighten the skin naturally. Besides, the acidic properties found in lemon juice also help to remove dead skin cells, thereby removing the top layer of the pigmented skin. This is actually also one of the most effective tips on how to treat melasma that we would like to introduce in the entire article today!

Directions:

  • Take one lemon and then extract its juice.
  • Apply lemon juice on your affected areas and gently massage for 1- 2 minutes.
  • Let it sit on for about 20 minutes before washing it off with warm water.
  • Repeat this remedy twice a day within three weeks.

There are other great ways on how to treat melasma in this article. So, keep reading this article and then try to apply one or more of these remedies for good.

  1. Turmeric

Turmeric can help to reduce the production of melanin and reduce the symptoms of melasma. This is because the compound called curcumin found in turmeric contains antioxidant and skin-lightening agents.

Directions:

  • Mix 5 tbsp. of turmeric powder with 10 tbsp. of whole milk to create a paste.
  • Add 1 tbsp. of gram flour the paste in order to thicken the mixture.
  • Then, apply this paste on your melasma spots and leave it on for 20 minutes.
  • Wash it off with lukewarm water before patting dry with a towel.
  • Repeat this remedy on a daily basis for best results.
  1. Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe vera can help to restore the original color of your skin. Also, it can remove dead skin cells from the skin and boost the skin cell regeneration. So, when you are looking for natural ways on how to treat melasma at home, you should not look down aloe vera.  This is actually one of the best tips and treatments that can help you say goodbye to this stubborn and hateful issue once and for all! Let’s check out how you can make use of the aloe vera gel for this purpose right at the comfort of your own home.

Directions:

  • Cut open a medium aloe vera leaf and take out the fresh gel.
  • Apply the gel on your melasma spots and then massage it for 1- 2 minutes.
  • Leave it on for about 15- 20 minutes before washing it off with warm water.
  • Repeat this remedy twice a day for several weeks.
  1. Almonds

This is another great way on how to treat melasma naturally that I want to mention in this article and want people with melasma should apply for good. Almonds have a natural skin-lightening effect. Moreover, almonds can nourish the skin and remove dead skin cells and discoloration.

Method 1:

  • Grind 5 soaked almonds with some whole milk to create a fine paste.
  • Add 1 tsp. of honey to the paste and mix them well.
  • Then, apply this paste on your melasma spots before going to bed.
  • Let it sit on overnight and the next morning, rinse it off using cold water.
  • Reapply this remedy on a daily basis for two weeks.

Method 2:

  • Mix 1 tsp. of almond powder with some honey to create a thick paste
  • Gently apply the paste onto your melasma spots and let it sit on for half an hour.
  • Wash it off with warm water and then pat it dry.
  • Repeat this remedy 3- 4 times a week.
  1. Papaya

This is the last but very important one on the list of natural ways on how to treat melasma at home. Papain found in papayas is a powerful exfoliating property that can help to remove dead skin cells and discoloration.

Directions:

  • Mash a ripe papaya to get ½ cup of mashed paste and add 2 tbsp. of honey to the paste.
  • Apply the paste over your melasma spots.
  • Let it on for about 20 minutes before washing it off with warm water.
  • Repeat this remedy once per week for a couple of months.

Besides, in order to treat and prevent melasma, you need to:

  • Keep your skin covered when going out in the.
  • Apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Reapply it every 2 hours.
  • Just use mild skincare products
  • Avoid waxing because it can cause increased production of melanin.
  • Consume more folic acid-rich foods and copper-rich foods
  • Take fish oil supplements

After reading this interesting article on this Healthy Guide page, we hope that you can find the best solutions to help you treat the symptoms of melasma. If you know other home remedies for melasma, remember to share with us by leaving your comments in the comment box below.

Author Bio: Lien Nguyen – Writer and Blogger, who has more than 6 years of experience in the industry of Health and Skincare. I work for Healthy Guide – reliable resources that help readers solve all their health, beauty concerning, and many other issues in life. I also focus on nutrition, relationship, fitness, lifestyle, men and women’s issues. Find more of my articles on Facebook.

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How To Get Rid Of Back Pain Naturally – Top 11 Ways To Apply

 Ayurvedic
Dec 292017
 

by Hang Pham

December 29, 2017

Topics: Ayurveda

Back pain can be uncomfortable; however, this pain can go away after several weeks of applying home treatment. Back pain can be caused by heavy lifting, arthritis, osteoporosis or sudden uncoordinated movements. You can treat your back pain with stretching, heat, light movement and medications. For long-standing back pain, go to see your doctor to get the best treatment.

List Of Natural Ways On How To Get Rid Of Back Pain At Home:

In this article, Healthy Guide will show you some of the best ways on how to get rid of back pain naturally at home that everyone can make use at the comfort of their own home. So, if you have back pain and want to get rid of it at the comfort of your own home, you should read on this article right now.

  1. Causes And Symptoms Of Back Pain

Back pain can occur when your muscles, spinal joints, discs, and nerves cannot work together properly. Your back pain can be acute or chronic and there are a few different causes of back pain. Here are some of the most common factors that can lead to back pain:

  • Arthritis
  • Disc problems between the joints
  • Poor posture
  • Stress or depression
  • Lack of exercise
  • Being overweight

Read on Top 48 Best Home Remedies For Stress Relief And Removal to discover some of the natural treatments for stress.

The main sign and symptom of back pain is a pain on the back, and in some cases, on the way down to patients’ buttocks and legs. Some back problems can cause pains in other body’s parts, depending on the nerves affected. Some other signs and symptoms accompanied with a back pain include:

  • Weight loss
  • Elevated body temperature
  • Persistent back pain
  • Inflammation on the back
  • Pain down the legs and below the knees
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Difficulty in urinating
  • Fecal incontinence
  • Numbness around the anus, buttocks and genitals
  1. How To Get Rid Of Back Pain

There are a few natural ways on how to get rid of back pain that you should consider applying at home to reduce the symptoms of back pain. They include:

  1. Apply Ice Pack And Heat Pack

When you are attacked by a back pain, apply an ice pack as soon as possible. Wrap some ice cubes in a cloth and then place it on your back for about 20 minutes. After that, you need to apply heat. Heat will boost up the blood flow and the healing process. Make a warm compress by using electric heating pads, heated gel packs, hot water bottles and saunas. Try 15- 20 minute for mild back pain, and up to 120 minutes for more serious pain.

List of 14 Ways On How To Treat Stiff Neck Pain Fast And Naturally will show you some of the best ways on how to get rid of stiff neck pain naturally at home, so check it out!

  1. Take A Rest

This is another great way on how to get rid of back pain naturally at home without having to use any type of drug, pill, or medication that I want to reveal in this article and want all of my readers to apply for good. When you feel a back pain, you may need to rest right now. Spend time lying on your back on the ground. You can raise your knees with the help of pillows for more comfort.

  1. Stretching

When your back pain occurs, you can do some simple stretches at the comfort of your own home. Learn stretches from your physical therapist, and follow up his instructions. Some stretches can help relax your muscles and reduce your pain.

Directions:

  • Lie on your back on the ground.
  • Gradually, bring one knee up to the chest.
  • Hold this position for a count and then get your leg back to the ground.
  • If you feel painful, stretch in the other direction. For example, lie on your stomach and then raise yourself up on the elbows.
  • After that, place your palms on the ground and slowly extend your elbows so that you can push yourself up from the ground. Place the pelvis on the floor.
  1. Improve Your Posture

Try to stand and sit in a relaxed position. Straighten your neck, relax your shoulders and tighten your stomach muscles. If you need to stand for a long period of time, you should reduce pressure on the lower back by propping one of your feet on a stool. Also, you can rotate the ankles at a time to reduce pressure on your lower back.

When you have to sit for a long period of time, try to sit with your arms and legs parallel to the ground. For more support, sit back in your seat and place your feet on the ground. Occasionally, shift positions in order to prevent your muscles from tensing.

  1. Strengthen The Core Muscles

When it comes to natural ways on how to get rid of back pain at home, you should consider strengthening the core muscles. A lack of exercise can weaken your back muscles, which can cause back pain. There is some evidence to strengthen your core muscles if you want to get rid of back pain.

  • Try some core stabilization exercises such as side bridge, plank, and supine bridge.
  • Try some balance exercises like single leg stance
  • Try some regular strength training exercises such as squats, lunges and hamstring curls as well as leg jumps and bounding.
  1. Massage

Back pain caused due to muscle tension can be cured by massage. The body compensates for pain when it uses other muscles that are not commonly- used and then, these muscles can become tight and sore. In this case, massage can help to relieve tension. Let your masseuse know where your back pain occurs and if they do anything wrong that make you feel painful.

A study found that massaging along with traditional treatments can help:

  • reduce back pain
  • reduce the use of anti-inflammatory medications
  • improve the functions of back
  • minimize days in bed
  1. Reduce Stress

If you have stress, anxiety, worry and depression when treating back pain, you can find it more difficult to recover from back pain. Especially, anxiety can worsen your pain. And, mindfulness may be an effective treatment for you. Therefore, you can consider joining in a course to learn how to reduce stress by applying mindfulness. Besides, self-regulatory and cognitive- behavioral therapies may also be helpful.

There are other great ways on how to get rid of back pain naturally at home in this article. So, keep reading this interesting article and then apply one or more of these remedies for good.

  1. Take Epsom Salt Bath

Epsom salt gets into sore muscles in order to reduce swelling and pain. You just need to soak yourself in warm bath water with some Epsom salt for about 20 minutes. Actually, hot water can cause swelling in muscles while cold water can cause muscle cramping, so you should make sure to use warm water. Besides, Epsom salt is also great for your skin, so it can help to remove dead skin cells, reduce itchiness and soften your skin. Actually, this is one of the best ways on how to get rid of back pain that you should not look down, yet try to apply for good.

  1. Get Enough Restorative Sleep

Pain is a common cause of insomnia. About 2/3 of people with chronic back pain experience some types of sleep disorder. And a lack of sleep can make your back pain worse. This cycle makes it ineffective to deal with just the pain. If you suffer from sleep problems, you need to deal with these sleep problems too.

  1. Foods For Easing Back Pain

If you are looking for great ways on how to get rid of back pain naturally at the comfort of your own home, you should try to consume more of the foods that are good for back health. There is some evidence that following an alkaline diet can help improve low back pain. Actually, an alkaline diet involves in consuming foods that are less acidic. Foods that grow in more acidic soils might contain less magnesium, calcium and potassium.

  1. Yoga

You should not underestimate the power of yoga in treating the symptoms of back pain. Yoga can help to strengthen your spine, stretch the muscles, and simultaneously fix the back’s alignment, which may be a common cause of back pain for those who sit at a desk throughout the day. According to a study, patients with chronic back pain who practiced yoga regularly were half as likely to use medicinal treatments for heir back pain as those who did not.

Although you can ease your back pain by applying some natural treatments, you should see a doctor if you experience the following symptoms:

  • pain lasts more than 6 weeks
  • pain interrupts your night sleep
  • pain gets worse
  • additional stomach pain
  • pain associated with weakness, numbness, or tingling in the legs or arms.

Dealing with back pain is not easy. For the quick and effective results, you need talking to your doctor about your individual condition. In addition, do not forget to apply one or more of these natural treatments to get a quick relief. If you know other great ways on how to get rid of back pain at home, remember to share them with other readers by leaving your comments in the comment box below. Do not hesitate and never miss your chance to say goodbye to the stubborn back pain issue you are suffering every day!

Author Bio: Lien Nguyen – Writer and Blogger, who has more than 6 years of experience in the industry of Health and Skincare. I work for Healthy Guide – reliable resources that help readers solve all their health, beauty concerning, and many other issues in life. I also focus on nutrition, relationship, fitness, lifestyle, men and women’s issues. Find more of my articles on Facebook.

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Home Remedies and Ayurvedic Treatment for Diabetes

 Ayurvedic
Dec 282017
 

ayurvedic treatment for diabetesPrameha, according to Ayurveda is a group of urinary disorders. There are 20 types of urinary disorders (prameha) based on doshas. Among these 20 urinary disorders (prameha rogas), 4 are due to vata, 6 due to pitta and 10 due to kapha. Diabetes that is characterized by an increase in blood sugar levels and frequent micturition is a type of vataja prameha, known as “Madhumeha”. The causative factors and pathogenesis are very important to be noted in the Ayurvedic Treatment for diabetes.

Causative factors of diabetes

  • Excessive consumption of food especially: the meat of domesticated/aquatic animals, curd, milk, newly harvested grains, jaggery/molasses
  • Food and drinks that increases the kapha dosha.
  • Overindulgence in sleep
  • Living a sedentary life
  • Laziness

Knowing the causative factors are very much essential in the  Ayurvedic Treatment for diabetes. Ayurveda says that “Nidana Parivarjanam chikitsa” which means that elimination of the causative factors is one the main steps in treating a disease. 

Due to the above causative factors, agni is disturbed and kapha dosha gets aggravated which vitiates the fat, muscle and watery elements (medas, mamsa and udaka) of the body and causes prameha that is predominant of various doshas.

Madhumeha

Madhumeha is a type of vataja prameha that can be co related to Diabetes. In this condition, the urine of the person becomes similar to that of honey. (“Madhusamam jayate”).  It is also said that any type of prameha that is not treated properly eventually becomes madhumeha over a period of time. Similar to the modern theory pertaining to diabetes, Ayurveda also has mentioned about congenital type of prameha known as “Sahaja prameha” and acquired type of prameha known as “doshaja prameha”.

Ayurvedic treatment for diabetes

Ayurvedic treatment for diabetes is based upon the built of the patient as sthoola pramehi (obese patient) or krisha pramehi (lean patient) based upon the dosha predominance.

Purificatory therapies like panchakarma are performed as the first stage of treatment in an obese patient and then rejuvenating herbs and formulations are prescribed. Whereas in cases of a lean patient with prameha, nourishing therapies are done in the first stage of treatment.

Herbs used in the Ayurvedic treatment for diabetes

Saptarangi – Salacia Oblonga

Haridra – Curcuma longa (turmeric)

Shilajit – Asphaltum (mineral pitch)

Haritaki – Terminalia chebula Retz.

Amalaki -Embilica officinale (Indian Gooseberry)

Jambu – Syzygium cumini

Guggulu – Commiphora mukul

Guduchi – Tinospora cordifolia (Neem giloy)

Nimba – Azadirachta indica (Neem)

Bel – Aegle Marmelos

Herbal remedies, if taken correctly, have a powerful effect on your body but should only be used under the care and guidance of an Ayurvedic practitioner. Most of these herbs target elevated blood sugar levels and balance the same.

There are several home remedies and ayurvedic medicines that you can take for lowering of your blood sugar levels.  As a precaution, you should monitor blood sugar on a regular basis.  Blood sugar level should not fall drastically with all these medicines and remedies.  Kindly speak to your allopathic doctor and reduce the dosage of the antihyperglycaemic drugs, so that you can use the Ayurvedic formulations simultaneously.

Home Remedies in the Ayurvedic treatment for Diabetes

  • Drink a glass of bitter gourd juice mixed with amla juice, added with half teaspoon of turmeric powder, daily morning on empty stomach.
  • Mix half teaspoon each of amla powder and turmeric powder in a glass of warm water and consume it n an empty stomach.
  • Include fenugreek seeds in your daily diet.
  • Consumption of Jamun seeds (dried and powdered) has proved to beneficial in case of type 2 diabetes.
  • Jamun seeds are said to be highly beneficial in treating diabetes because of its effect on the pancreas. Dried and powdered seeds should be taken in the dose of 1 tsp twice daily with warm water.
  • Water can be stored in the cups/containers made from the trunk of the jamun tree and that water can be consumed in the morning.
  • The seeds of parslane are useful in diabetes. A teaspoon of the seeds should be taken everyday with half a cup of water for 3-4 months. It will increase the body’s own insulin and will help in curing diabetes. The leves can also be cooked and taken as a vegetable.
  • Neem leaves should be ground and made into a paste and a small bolus of this should be added to water. This should be taken on empty stomach in the morning.

Ways to Reduce Insulin Resistance

  • Add 1 tsp of cinnamon powder to a glass of hot water and drink it daily for a couple of months.
  • Mix ground flax seeds to a glass of water and drink daily.
  • Consume fish oil which is rich in omega 3 fatty acids. It will improve insulin sensitivity. It will also help to reduce body fat.
  • To help balance insulin, consider a diet consisting primarily of lean meats and protein, high-fiber, whole grains, leafy greens, fresh vegetables and legumes, and fresh fruit.
  • Essential fatty acids (EFA) or healthy fats, are important to help insulin resistance. These fats include tuna, salmon, and other cold-water fish; fish oil supplements, eggs, avocado, and flaxseed, which can be taken in as a nutritional supplement.

Home Remedies for Oedema (Fluid Retention)

The main reason for oedema is improper blood circulation due to damaged blood capillaries as a result of increased pressure. Damaged capillaries cause peripheral oedema, leakage of fluids into surrounding tissues, which causes swelling.  Here are some natural remedies that you can try:

  • Elevation of feet (above the heart level) using a support or a pillow for 10-15 minutes every day can help to reduce swelling.
  • Regular exercises will improve the blood circulation to the legs.
  • Massage improves blood circulation in the entire leg and reduces pain associated with swelling.You may use Chinchadi tailam for massage. It improves the circulation.
  • Avoid wearing tight shoes. It’s better to buy shoes with one size bigger so that even if your feet are swollen, circulation won’t reduce totally.
  • Apply a paste of coriander seeds soaked in water on the affected area to relieve the water retention in your feet.
  • You can also soak your limbs in rice water for 15-20 minutes for relieving water retention and removing swelling of the leg. Rice water is also good for drinking when you have a swollen leg. This will help in microcirculation and removal of inflammation.
  • Restrict salt intake.

Healthy Diet for Diabetes

  • A diabetic patient should never skip meals.
  • Proper meals on time is a must.
  • Sprouted horse gram, green gram, barley can be taken after boiling or in a soup form.
  • oats, brown rice, flax seed, garlic, onion, cinnamon, fenugreek can be taken regularly.
  • Fruits including berries and apples, vegetables like spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, carrot, all types of gourds and squashes can be taken.
  • Tender coconut water can be taken and the whitish pulp should be avoided as it is high in sugar and fat.Taking coconut water directly improves blood circulation and helps to widen the vessels for smooth blood circulation.Therefore, coconut water provides great relief against fighting the symptoms and side effects of diabetes. It suppresses the appetite and also increases metabolism. Hence it is an ideal drink for obese diabetic patients.  Only pure and unflavoured (fresh) coconut water should be taken.
  • Raw honey can be taken that is astringent in taste and will not elevate the blood sugar levels.

A diabetic patient should avoid the following food items in their diet:

  • Fried and grilled (BBQ) food should be completely avoided.
  • Jackfruit, mango, banana, potato, fruit juices, meat should be avoided.
  • Regular consumption of curd
  • Consumption of milk and other dairy products
  • Food rich in high glycemic index like the white rice, white flour, potatoes, white bread, pasta
  • All kinds of junk food, processed and canned foods are to be avoided.

Ayurvedic treatment for diabetes includes strict diet and lifestyle changes along with the consumption of ayurvedic medicines.

Lifestyle changes:

Lifestyle changes that have to be done in the ayurvedic treatment for diabetes are :

  • Brisk walk for atleast 30 mins in a day
  • Resistance exercises like weight lifting
  • Aerobic exercises like Walking, Jogging/Running, Tennis, Basketball, Swimming, Biking
  • Yoga postures like Mandukasana, Soorya namaskara, Pawana muktasana helps a lot in controlling the blood sugar and insulin resistance. Click here to read more about yoga for diabetes.

Ayurvedic Medicines for Diabetes

If you are looking for Ayurvedic supplements to manage diabetes, Salacia-O capsule is a beneficial formulation, which should be taken in the dose of 1 capsule twice daily, 30 minutes before food.

Traditional Ayurvedic formulations beneficial in case of diabetic patients are:

Katakakhadiradi kashayam

Punarnavadi kashayam 

Chandraprabha vati

Nishamalakadi churnam

Guduchi satva

Triphala churna

Salacia oblonga

Glucobalance

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Top 10 Natural Remedies For Fire Ant Bites Revealed

 Ayurvedic
Dec 272017
 

by Hang Pham

December 27, 2017

Topics: Ayurveda

Fire ants sting can cause lots of uncomfortable feelings including itching, burning swelling, raised bumps, pus-filled lesions, or spreading redness on your skin within a few hours or more. There are some rare cases; however, fire ant bites can lead to death in humans because fire ant has the toxin similar the one of wasp sting or result in an allergic reaction. These symptoms appear after fire ants remove chunks of your skin with their mandibles, and fire ants sting with their venom. More than 220 species of fire ants are now found around the world. This writing will explore the top natural remedies for fire ant bites including how to treat the itching and prevent infection from fire ant bites.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Unlike formic acid found in the sprayed venom of other ants, the venom of fire ants is alkaline. Apple cider vinegar is one of the top natural remedies for fire ant bites. It works by neutralizing the venom and decrease the pain, itch, and inflammation caused by fire ant bites.

Direction:

Apply some apple cider vinegar on the skin areas stung by fire ants. Leave it and massage gently for 15-20 minutes.

Lemon Juice

If apple cider vinegar is unavailable, lemon juice with citric acid will work in neutralizing the alkaline venom.

Direction:

Apply some fresh lemon juice on the skin areas stung by fire ants. Leave it and massage gently for 15-20 minutes. You can also apply limes or fresh orange juice if lemons are unavailable.

Raw Potato

Raw potato is mildly acidic (PH= 5-6), so it is quite useful in easing itching and inflammation as well as reducing swelling caused by fire ant bites.

Direction:

Place some slices of raw potato on the skin areas stung by fire ants. Leave it for 15-20 minutes.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is one of the great natural remedies for fire ant bites. It may reduce the itching, redness on the affected areas. Baking soda works as a wonderful natural acid neutralizer which helps lessen the effect of the fire ant venom. This also reduces the risk of infection from fire ant bites.

Direction:

Apply some baking soda water on the affected areas. Leave it for 15-20 minutes. If the itchy and burning feelings persist, you should apply the paste again after a few minutes.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a pretty effective home remedy for any type of itching, burning feeling and inflammation. Oatmeal contains soothing properties, anti-irritating, and anti-inflammatory which may relieve you from itching and burning feeling as well as reduce inflammation.

Direction:

Stir thoroughly some cups of oatmeal in a bathtub which is filled with warm water and.

Soak your body in this water for 30 minutes. If the itchy and burning feelings persist, you should repeat this after a few minutes.

Onion

Onion with potent anti-inflammatory properties is beneficial in treating various skin conditions. So, it helps to cure itch and swelling. Onion contains the sulfenic acid which can neutralize the venom and decrease the pain, itch, and inflammation caused by fire ant bites. However, the sulfenic acid turns into sulphuric acid, causing you crying in a few seconds when it reaches your eyes.

Direction:

Place some thinly-sliced onions on the skin areas stung by fire ants. Leave it for 15-20 minutes.

Raw Honey

Raw honey is another of natural remedies for fire ant bites. Honey contains antibacterial activity and skin-soothing properties which may lessen itch and swelling caused by fire ant bites quickly.

Direction:

Apply some raw honey on the skin areas stung by fire ants. Leave it and massage gently for 15-20 minutes.

Cucumber

Cucumber contains caffeic acid and ascorbic acid which may reduce itch and swelling caused by fire ant stings by neutralizing the alkaline venom of fire ants. Cucumber also contains anti-inflammatory properties which may cure and prevent inflammation on areas affected by fire ant bites.

Direction:

Apply some fresh cucumber on the skin areas stung by fire ants. Leave it for 15-20 minutes.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is really effective in reducing symptoms associated with the fire ant venom because it contains oleocanthal content which may inhibit inflammatory enzymes including COX-1 and COX-2.

Direction:

Apply some olive oil on the skin areas stung by fire ants. Leave it and massage gently for 15-20 minutes.

Eucalyptus Oil

According to researchers, eucalyptus oil has various antibacterial, antibiotic and immune-modifying properties such as eucalyptol, a chemical which helps to fight against skin irritation caused by fire ant bites.

Direction:

Apply some eucalyptus oil on the skin areas stung by fire ants. Leave it and massage gently for 15-20 minutes.

In conclusion, you need to be far away from fire ants as much as possible. However, in case of being attacked by fire ants, the top natural remedies for fire ant bites mentioned above are effective ways on how to reduce itchy and burning feelings from fire ant bites. If you enjoy our list of the top natural remedies for fire ant bites, please click like and share for more articles and leave your comments below.

Posted by Huyen My, a health and beauty expert at AllRemedies.com

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How to Balance Pitta Dosha

 Ayurvedic
Dec 252017
 

Balance your Pitta DoshaWhat is pitta? This has been described as one of the three biological humours and Pitta in scientific interpretation; pitta has been quoted as the biological fire. As regards physical attributes, pitta is usna (hot), aarda (moist) and laghu (light). Pitta executes important function in the human-body with aiding the process of digestion, regulating the body temperature, maintaining the visual-perception, process of hunger and thirst, and above all, maintenance of complexion, intelligence, courage and softness.

In aggravated state, pitta renders yellow-colouration to waste products (stool & urine), skin and the eyes and aggravated pitta results in polyphagia, polydipsia or morbid-thirst, burning-syndrome and inflammation.

As far as the primary site of pitta is concerned, it is grahani (first part of the small) intestine. Other important sites include amashya (stomach), sveda (sweat), sveda- granthi (sebaceous glands), rakat (blood), lasika (lymph) and akshi (eye).

Five types of pitta

  • Ranjaka: This variety imparts colour to the bile, stools and the blood.
  • Sadhaka: This variety is helpful in maintaining memory and intellect.
  • Alocaka: This variety is responsible for the visual-perception.
  • Bharajaka: This variety imparts colour to the skin.
  • Pachaka: This variety deals with the digestion of the food.

Caraka has mentioned 40 diseases caused as a result of aggravation of pitta.

  • A little internal burning
  • bitter taste
  • black pimples on skin
  • burning in a particular limb
  • burning of skin
  • burning of the eyes
  • burning sensation over body
  • chlorosis
  • dirty matter in blood
  • dirty matter on flesh
  • dusky sight
  • eructation of acid food
  • excess of heat
  • excess of perspiration
  • excessive thirst
  • feeling of everlasting hunger
  • Feeling of heat on sides
  • fissures of the body
  • fissures of the dermis
  • fissures of the skin
  • foul smell from body
  • furunculosis
  • haemorrhage
  • hematemesis
  • internal combustion
  • jaundice
  • pits on the skin
  • putrefied gastric gas
  • putrefied taste
  • red boils
  • semi-digestion
  • taste of blood
  • ulcer in the eyes
  • ulcer in the mouth
  • ulcer in the rectum
  • ulcer in the throat
  • ulcer of the penis
  • urticaria
  • Yellow urine/eyes/and stool
  • yellowishness

Some common pitta diseases seen in clinical practice are listed below:

  • abdominal colic
  • anaemia
  • bleeding-diathesis
  • burning sensation
  • diarrhoea
  • haemophilia
  • hepatitis
  • haemorrhage
  • hepatomegaly
  • hyperacidity
  • jaundice
  • pain
  • prurigo
  • pyuria
  • sour belching
  • toxaemia
  • tuberculosis
  • urine diseases
  • vertigo
  • Urticaria
  • Yellow skin.

Pitta pacifying diet

Fruits to be used

  • Mango
  • Sweet apples
  • Pears
  • Plums
  • Sweet pineapple
  • Pomegranate
  • Sweet grapes

Fruits to be avoided

  • Banana
  • Grapefruit/oranges/lemons
  • Olives
  • Papaya
  • Peach
  • Persimmon
  • Sour pineapple

Grains (to be used)

  • Barley
  • Basmati rice
  • Oats

Grains (to be avoided)

  • Brown rice
  • Buckwheat
  • Corn
  • Millet

Dairy-products (to be used)

  • milk
  • ghee (clarified butter)
  • unsalted cheese

Dairy-products (to be avoided)

  • Buttermilk that is sour
  • Cream
  • Salted cheese
  • curd

Vegetables to be used

  • Asparagus
  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Cucumber
  • Leafy vegetables
  • Mushroom
  • Potato
  • Sweet potato

Vegetables to be avoided

  • Beets
  • Carrots
  • Garlic
  • Hot peppers
  • Onion
  • Radish

Spices – to be used in moderation

  • Coriander
  • Cinnamon
  • Cardamom
  • Fennel
  • Turmeric
  • Black pepper (very small amounts)

Pitta pacifying herbs

Chandana

Dughdpheni

Karu

Kumari

Kutki

Yastimadhu

Manjishta

Pittas pacifying Ayurvedic formulations

  • Chandanadi Lauha
  • Chandanasva
  • Kumayasva
  • Arogyavardhini vati
  • Punarnava Mandoor
  • Navayash Lauha
  • Yastimadhuadi churna
  • Dhanyak Panchak churna
  • Dhanyakadi Hima

Agni and pitta

Agni and pitta resemble each other as far as physical attributes are concerned, just as correlation exists between kapha and ama. Agni stands for the digestive fire. It executes important physiological and pathological functions in the human body. In Tikshagni, the agni is vitiated by pitta. In case of Tikshagni, agni is high and has both pitta and agni characteristics.

Virechana treatment in pitta

Virechana is the best Ayurvedic option for pacifying vitiated pitta humour. Virechana is one of the principal steps of seasonal purification process, panchakarma. Several clinical studies have confirmed the utility of virechana in the treatment of pitta-diseases.

Clinical research

Prurigo nodularis: As per Ayurvedic concept, Prurigo vulgaris can be treated as Tridosa kustha rog (skin disease caused by vitiation of three humours) having predominance of vata and kapha. In cases diagnosed with Prurigo nodularis, virechan (therapeutic laxation) and Takradhara were administered in a specific schedule for three months. After internal administration of virechan and Takradhara for ninety days (three months), it was observed that nodules became thin and itching completely vanished. After four months of therapy, the colour of the skin became normal. It was concluded that administration of virechan and Takradhara was effective in spurning symptoms of prurigo nodularis.

Psoriasis: In Ayurveda, psoriasis is known as Ekakustha. A comparative clinical study was executed in 20 patients. Virechan karma with two different formulations was carried out in two groups.

  • Group I: Virechana karma with Ichhabhedi ras and
  • Group II: Virechana karma with Trivritadi churna.

Better results, in terms of statistical grounds, was observed in the group with Icchabhedi rasa. The reason being psoriasis is tridosha disease with prominence of vata and kapha humours. Icchabhedi rasa is vata kapha pacifying.

Conclusion

Pitta is one of the major biological humours of the human body. The balanced state of the three biological humours represents health. By proper diet-regimen and code of conduct, deranged pitta can be normalised. Several Ayurvedic formulations are successfully used by practitioners to pacify pitta. Virechana, as per old belief and the modern clinical research is complete solution for eradicating pitta disease.

References

Bera Pabitra Kumar, Kar Pulak Kanti. Role of Virechan and Takradhara in a Case of Prurigo Nodularis. Int J Ayur Pharma Res 2014; 2(5):58-62.

Shah P. A Comparative Study of Two Virechana Yoga In The Management of Eka Kustha (Psoriasis). The Internet Journal of Alternative Medicine 2008 7 (2).

Find out your predominant dosha:  Dosha Calculator

To get more information and to buy ayurvedic products useful for balancing pitta dosha, click on the links below:

Pitta Oil

Organic Ayurvedic Pitta Spice Mix

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Ancient Indian ayurvedic herb treats insomnia, confirm researchers

 Ayurvedic
Dec 222017
 
ashwagandha herb

Do you suffer from insomnia or poor quality of sleep? A popular ancient herb, widely used in Ayurvedic treatments, often referred to as the king of herbs, namely, Ashwagandha, was used for centuries in Ayurvedic line of treatment to promote sound sleep, say Indian researchers.

Their study showed that an active component of Ashwagandha leaves, ‘Triethylene glycol (TEG)’, reduces sleep related disorders. According to Mahesh K. Kaushik from the University of Tsukuba in Japan, the research team investigated the effect of various components of Ashwagandha (somnifera) on sleep in mice and recorded the electroencephalogram and electromyography. It was noticed that Ashwagandha significantly induces sleep and may revolutionise the natural plant-based therapies for insomnia and sleep-related disorders.

A water extract of the leaf of the plant, rich in TEG increased non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and slightly changed rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

On the contrary, the alcoholic extract containing active withanolides showed no impact on sleep, while the sleep induced by TEG was as good as normal sleep. Further, TEG which is commercially available increased the amount of NREM sleep.
Therefore, the researchers concluded that TEG is the active component that induces physiologically sound sleep. Sleeplessness and other sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome are common complaints among the middle-aged population.

Insomnia is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders with an estimated 10 to 15 percent seen in general population, and 30 to 60 percent seen in elderly population. Insomnia is closely linked to certain other diseases including cardiovascular diseases, obesity, depression, anxiety, mania deficits etc.

The otherwise available over-the-counter medications for synthetic drugs often show severe side effects.

On the other hand, Ashwagandha crude powder with significant amount of TEG can help immensely in better sleep, without any associated side effects, researchers concluded.

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Home Remedies for Wet Cough – Get rid of them!

 Ayurvedic
Dec 202017
 

what to do when you have a bad cough?Coughing is a protective reflex but continuous coughing can be pestering and painful. A cough is often triggered due to mucus that runs down the throat. Here are some simple home remedies for wet cough.

What to do when you have a bad cough?

  • At night, take a glass of hot milk mixed with 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder.
  • Drink warm onion soup with a pinch of pepper powder and ginger.
  • Take 1/2tsp each of tulsi juice and honey with yashtimadhu powder for an allergic cough.
  • Take 2 tsp of the juice of betel leaves with 1 tsp of honey 30 minutes after each meal.

Simple Home Remedies for wet cough

  •  Grapes tone up the lungs and act as an expectorant, a cup of grape juice mixed with a tsp of honey is advised for cough relief
  • 1 tsp of raw onion juice mixed with 1 tsp of honey, kept for a few hours, should be taken twice daily to relieve wet cough.
  • Heat karpooradi thailam, mix with salt and apply it to the chest, throat, and face. Massage for 10 minutes and then Steam should be taken with hot water. Doing this procedure regularly cures phlegm of the chest and throat.
  • A medium sized onion crushed, juice of 1 lemon added to it, and then 1 cup boiling water poured on it, along with 1 tsp of honey.This remedy should be taken twice daily.
  • Belleric myrobalan powder 2grams, mixed with 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of long pepper and 2 tsp of honey, should be taken twice daily.
  • Aniseed is another effective remedy for hard dry cough as it breaks up the mucus. A tea made from this spice should be taken regularly.
  • Take 1 tbsp of lemon juice and add half tsp of black pepper powder and salt each.Mix well and heat the mixture till it becomes lukewarm. Consume this mixture once daily.
  • In a glass of hot water, add half tsp of black pepper powder and cinnamon powder each. Add 1 tsp of salt, allow it to rest till it turns lukewarm. Gargle with this decoction for beneficial results.
  • Ginger in combination with tulsi is also an effective remedy for a cough. Crush about 10 leaves of Tulsi, mix with juice extracted from a small ginger piece.  Add an equal quantity of honey and mix.  Take 1 tsp of this twice daily for beneficial results.
  • Slightly crush about 4 cloves of peeled garlic and saute in a tsp of ghee. Consume this daily to get relief from a cough.
  • Boil a few corns of pepper in water for  20 minutes. Mix a little cumin and jaggery and drink.A quarter part of an onion mixed with jaggery can be chewed daily, to expel the sputum.
  • Chewing on licorice root and sucking on it clears the mucus off the throat.
  • Chewing basil leaves or making a tea out of basil leaves, ginger root and honey and taking it once or twice a day cures congestion from the chest.
  • Gargling with warm water mixed with salt soothes the throat and makes the mucus thin.

Click here to know more about Ayurvedic treatment for cough

All the above things are answering and addressing your main question on what to do when you have a bad cough and these home remedies for wet cough will help you get rid of them in a very effective manner . If you are looking for Ayurvedic medicines for the treatment of cough/upper respiratory tract infection, apart from the home remedies for wet cough, I would recommend the following formulations:

The first line of treatment in Ayurveda for cough when it is associated with phlegm is to remove the accumulation of phlegm. Ayurvedic medicine for cough with phlegm is Dasamoolakaduthrayam kashayam.

Ayurvedic medicines for cough and cold that is effective in all age groups are Kanakasavam, Thaleesapathradi churnam. Click here for more on remedies for a cough.

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Lemon Vs Lime

 Ayurvedic
Dec 122017
 

Many people think, rather assume both lime and lemon are the same or can be used interchangeably. The basic uses of lemon and lime, the properties, as well as the health properties also vary. Lemon and lime, both have acidic properties. However, they vary slightly in terms of flavor and smell.

Every food in Ayurveda comes with certain healing and balancing properties. Lemon and lime come under the category of citrus fruits, which has the sour flavor. Both lemon and lime is used in cooking as well as for other purposes.

Lemon Vs Lime  – The Flavor

Lemon tastes sour and acidic, while lime tastes bitter and acidic. The basic difference between these two fruits lies in the flavor. Why flavor is highlighted here? Flavor is one of the important elements of Ayurveda. Each flavor comes with healing, medicinal and balancing property.

The juice from lime tastes more acidic compared to that of lemon because of the sugar content which is present in lemon. Limes are plucked from the tree when they are green and unripe but fully grown. If they are allowed to ripe, they will turn to yellow color. Because of this many of us will get confused between lime and lemon. The lemons which we buy from the store are unripe one.

Features of Lemon

Not only the whole fruit or the fruit juice but also all parts of the plant are used in natural medicine and home treatment of some common diseases.

Lemon is rich in vitamin C, A, B1, B2. B3, and carotene, citric acid and malic acid. It also contains bioflavonoid, glucose, fructose, sugar, and minerals.

Lemon juice has lots of healing elements and properties like antioxidants, antitumor, alkalizing, detoxification and blood purifying property. It also helps to build body resistance towards infections and wounds.

Lemon juice is not only used as an antacid and immune booster but also used as a fat burner in reducing excess weight.

Features of Lime

Like other citrus fruits, lime also contains adequate amount of vitamins, dietary fiber, and minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorous, etc.

It also acts as antioxidants and bio-flavonoids that helps building immunity. Lime contains fewer amounts of calories, carbohydrates, and zero fats.

Its peel and pulp are also rich in polyphenols and terpenes.

The peel, oil, and juice of the fruit have antibacterial, antiseptic and disinfectant properties.

Lime has many health benefits includes weight loss, proper digestion, respiratory and urinary disorders, cures constipation, piles and peptic ulcer. It also plays a vital role in skin care and eye care. It helps in skin rejuvenation and protects it from infections. Due to the powerful fragrance component in lime, it is used in cosmetic products.

Differences between Lemon and Lime

There is no big difference between lime and lemon despite size, flavor, and color. The shape of lemon is ellipsoidal but the shape of lime is slightly smaller, ellipsoidal or oval.

Lemon have more sugar content which give sweet flavor compared to lime which is more sour and acidic in flavor. Lemons are rich in vitamin C content compared to lime which has slightly more carbohydrate. Lemon has sour, acidic taste while lime has bitter, acidic taste.

Why Lemon and Lime – An Overview

People think that lime and lemon can be interchanged. Yet, as given above, there is lots of difference in size, flavor, and color between these two fruits. These two fruits are like unity in diversity. They share some unique nutritional health benefits too.

They have low calories and a wide source of dietary fiber. They are also rich in vitamin C and B-9. In addition to the nutritional benefits, they also contain limonoids that helps in preventing cancer.

Lemon Vs Lime – In Cooking

Lemon is more common household ingredient, than Lime. Lemon juice is a favorite thirst quencher and a refreshing drink. It is used in salads, and other dishes. On the other hand, lime juice is also used in rice, meat and flour based dishes like pastas. Thin shavings of Lemon / lime skin are used as toppings for extra flavor and to add tangy punch.

In case of desserts, lemon is predominantly used from ice creams, meringues, cakes and cookies. Lime is quite acidic and it is used very sparingly.

Lemon Vs Lime – in Drinks and Cocktails

Many drinks use the extracts of both lemon and lime, at appropriate places. Lemonade is very common drink and limeade is a part of other drinks.

In cocktails and alcohol, addition of lemon juice and / or lime juice is popular. The subtle to tangy flavor profiles add additional zest to the drinks and cocktails.

Lemon Vs Lime – Other Uses

While lemon is the most common cooking, food and drink, lime comes with uses other than cooking also. It is used on scented products, aromatherapies and perfumes.

Lemon Vs Lime comparison chart
Lemon Lime
Calcium 26mg per 100g 33mg per 100g
Vitamin C 53 mg per 100g 29 mg per 100g
Iron 0.6mg per 100g 0.6mg per 100g
Kingdom Plantae Plantae
Magnesium 8mg per 100g 6mg per 100g
Vitamin A 22 IU per 100g 50 IU per 100g
Family Rutaceae Rutaceae
Taste Sour bitter/sweet/sour
Other minerals Traces of selenium, zinc, manganese and copper Traces of selenium, zinc, manganese and copper
Potassium 138mg per 100g 102mg per 100g
Phosphorous 16mg per 100g 18mg per 100g
Folate (important during pregnancy) 11mcg per 100g 8mcg per 100g
Order Sapindales Sapindales
Genus Citrus Citrus
Species Citrus x limon, among others Citrus x latifolia, among others

Conclusion:

Lemon and Lime contain almost similar nutritional value and health properties. However, due to high quantity if Vitamin C, antioxidants and folate, and versatile uses, lemon has an edge over lime.

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How Much Water Should I Drink Per day

 Ayurvedic
Dec 072017
 

Water is the essence of life. Most of us have come across this rhetorical many a times. Every well-wisher has an opinion or advice to share, each different from the other of course. Why are there so may varied thoughts?

Drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated. Keep aside the hydrating juices, liquids and other stuff. Water is the core for human beings. We cannot survive without water. What could be effect of dehydration? Well, death. While water is essential for life, too much water can also turn detrimental and fatal.

What can be the best way or rather the right way to go about? Let’s Find out!

Water- Nectar of Life

All life forms require water to survive. A human body is made up of 70% water on an average. When we say human body, we denote all the parts; the cells, the glands, the organs and every other component of the human body need water for function.

The brain is made up of 85% water. Any fall in this equilibrium may cause the tissues of the brain to shrink. Water content in blood is 82% and lungs are 90%.

Do you know? Just a 2% drop in the body’s water supply can trigger signs of dehydration. Water is the lubricating oil for the smooth functioning of the engine that is our body.

Right from the moment food enters the body to its final residual excretion, water is a requisite. Water acts as a lubricant in the cartilages and joints gifting us the fluidity in movement. The movement of water within our cellular systems helps to maintain proper body temperature. Water is responsible for the absorption and distribution of nutrition throughout the body. Water is essential to flush out the unwanted toxins from the body as urine, sweat and regular bowel movements.

Going on water fasting for a day, perhaps once a month can bring you miraculous changes in improving your health and immunity.

Nectar indeed!

How much water should you drink?

The most widely circulated recommendation for the quantity of water intake per day is eight glasses, which approximately count to 2 liters.

You can see many charts and calculations to consume specific quantity of water according to your height, weight, etc. But just like any other health requisite, there can be no hard and fast rules as

  • some people live in tropical regions, perspire more, therefore requires more water intake
  • sports person will require more water than an office admin
  • people involved in physical work would require more water

In addition, the body type aka Prakriti also counts on intake of water. If your body type is Pitta (heat) or Vata (air) or combination of any of these, you would need more water intake. Nevertheless, one can always follow a few simple do’s and don’ts to stay out of trouble.

Do’s

  • Arrange a clean source of water and ensure availability at all times
  • Always carry your water bottle – whether out for a walk or out to work
  • Drink water in sips instead of gulps.
  • Take water at short intervals regularly to answer thirst.
  • Try to keep track of how much water you drink per day.

Don’ts

  • Do not compromise with the purity of water.
  • Do not reuse crushable bottles to drink.
  • Do not force drinking yourself too much water when not thirsty.
  • Do not replace water with beverages. Only water is WATER!

So, what is the best way to drink water?

  • Drink water whenever you are thirsty, don’t skip, don’t postpone, don’t go for alternatives
  • Drink water when you feel hungry, sometimes thirst may appear as hunger
  • Drink a glass of water in an empty stomach to energize the internal organs

The quantity of water you drink or your body require vary with every individual, vary within an individual during different seasons, lifestyle etc. The human body is very much resilient. The body has the ability to health on its own. However, there comes a few things to consider. If you treat you well, giving utmost importance to what you eat, how you drink, and care for your wellness, you will be surprised by your body’s own natural ability to heal itself.

Happy Drinking!

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Home Remedies for Facial Hair (Hirsutism)

 Ayurvedic
Dec 062017
 

Unwanted facial hair is a cause of concern of about 60% of the women. It not only affects the physical appearance but in few cases leads to stress. Even though women find their own temporary solutions or try several home remedies for facial hair to have that clean look, it leaves them puzzled on how to remove the facial hair naturally!

Medically termed as Hirsutism (pronounced Hur-soot-ism) is a condition of male pattern hair growth in women. This condition is more common in teenage girls after puberty or mostly in women of reproductive age. The degree of hair growth and texture might vary from person to person. Other than on the face one may notice excessive hair growth on the chest, abdomen and back. It can be a sign of serious underlying medical condition that requires medical attention.

Hirsutism can affect any gender but is a cause of worry for a women particularly due to social concerns.

Causes of Hirsutism

  • Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome:  This is most common causative factor for hirsutism, obesity, irregular periods and acne.
  • Hormonal imbalance:  A tumour that secretes androgen in the ovaries or uterus may cause hirsutism. 
  • Medications. Some medications can cause hirsutism. These include danazol, which is used to treat women with endometriosis; systemic corticosteroids and fluoxetine (Prozac) for depression.
  • Cushing’s syndrome:  This occurs when your body is exposed to high levels of the hormone cortisol. It can develop from your adrenal glands making too much cortisol or from taking medications such as prednisone over a long period.
  • Congenital adrenal hyperplasia: This inherited condition is characterized by abnormal production of steroid hormones, including cortisol and androgen, by your adrenal glands.
  • Hereditary factors: In some cases, the problem runs in the family.

Risk factors:

There are certain factors that increases the likelihood of developing hirsutism.

Obesity: Being overweight or obese can increase the androgen levels in blood that may cause hirsutism.

Familial history : Women whose mother or grandparents affected with hirsutism are likely to develop this condition.

Endemic regions: Women of South Asian or Mediterranean regions are more likely to suffer from hirsutism than other women.

How to identify hirsutism?

  • This problem is self diagnosed from the pattern of hair growth after puberty.
  • The hair growth follows a male pattern of hair distribution, more on the upper lip, chin, neck, back, stomach and chest.
  • The hair looks more coarse and dense than the normal peach fuzz light hair that is seen on the whole body.

Although hirsutism doesn’t cause physical complications, the underlying cause of a hormonal imbalance can.

How to remove facial hair permanently in Ayurveda?

Lomasathana Thailam

Lomasathana thailam is an ayurvedic herbal oil for Removing unwanted hair from body. This oil comes from the great Ashta vaidya tradition of Kerala and is very effective in removing unwanted hair due to different aetiology like PCOS, hormone imbalance, etc.

Dosage:

Take 10 – 15ml – external application.

Mode of administration:

·          The oil is mixed with equal quantities of kasturi haldi and applied on the face.

·          Wash it off with warm water after 20 – 30 minutes.

·          Repeated use give better results.

Treatment and home remedies for facial hair:

Treatment of hirsutism includes medications and home remedies for facial hair, cosmetic procedures that gives short term and long term relief.

  • Medications that are generally prescribed are anti- androgenic medicines, oral contraceptive pills or tropical creams containing eflornithine. These drugs gives relief as long as they are taken and also comes with a wide range of side effects.
  • Treating the underlying conditions such as PCOS, hormonal imbalance helps.
  • Other procedures that may be found helpful are electrolysis or laser hair removal depending on the growth and type of the hair. These are effective after 6-8 sittings but are very costly.
  • Short term therapies include bleaching, waxing, epilator creams, shaving and threading. These are pocket friendly procedures but the results aren’t long lasting And most of these are really painful.
  • Due to the failing results from medications and cosmetic therapies, one may turn towards home remedies for facial hair which gives considerable results in most of the individuals.

You may try the following home remedies for facial hair consistently for beneficial results:

  1. Peel and grind raw papaya.  Add turmeric powder and mix well. Massage your face with this paste for fifteen minutes and wash with cool water. Repeat this once or twice weekly.
  2. Turmeric mixed with milk and made into a paste can be applied as face pack. When it is dry mildly scrub and remove.
  3. Make a paste of chickpea flour, turmeric powder and fresh cream.  Apply this paste as a face pack.
  4. Mix few drops of honey and lemon juice in egg white and apply on affected area. When it is about to dry, remove with cotton dipped in warm water.
  5. Mix sugar, lemon juice and water. Apply this to your face in the direction of hair growth and  Leave for 15-20 minutes. Wash off with water by rubbing gently. Do this twice or thrice a week. After few weeks, you will see noticeable reduction in hair growth.
  6. How to remove facial hair naturally in one day?  Mix sugar and cornflour in egg white. Beat it till you get a smooth paste. Apply this egg mask to your face and let it dry.Once it is dried, pull this egg mask along with the hair.
  7. Applying honey alone on the affected area can lighten the colour of your facial hair and make it blend in with your skin colour. This has to be done on a daily basis. You can also read about natural face packs for hair removal here.
  8. Consume foods rich in Phyto estrogens like flax seeds, fennel, liquorice, alfalfa, asparagus, soy products and aloe vera.
  9. If you are obese, losing excess weight also reduces facial hair growth.
  10. Decoction prepared of Anantmool can be consumed to regularize your hormones.
  11. Spearmint is a drug having anti-androgenic property which is one of the health benefits of spearmint that aids in the removal of unwanted hair.A study conducted by Turkish researchers indicates that spearmint tea can help women with hirsutism. The study subjects were given herbal spearmint tea twice a day for five days in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycles. The follicular phase begins on the first day of your cycle and lasts about 14 days.

Spearmint tea: 

  1. Boil a cup of water. Add one teaspoon of dried spearmint to it. If you have fresh spearmint leaves, use four or five of them.
  2. Cover the container and let it steep for about five to 10 minutes.
  3. Strain and drink the tea.
  4. Have it twice daily.

12. DIY “Lemon and honey wax” home remedies for facial hair:

Things Required:

  1. 2 tablespoons of sugar
  2. 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
  3. 1 tablespoon of organic honey
  4. 1 to 2 teaspoons of cornstarch or all-purpose flour
  5. Water, if required
  6. A waxing strip or a piece of cloth

Procedure:

  1. Mix the sugar, lemon juice, and honey.
  2. Heat the mixture for about 3 minutes, till it becomes a waxy paste.
  3. To make the paste thinner, you can add water. Ensure that the paste is smooth.
  4. Allow the mixture to cool down.
  5. Apply the cornstarch or the flour on the areas where you have unwanted hair.
  6. Next, spread the paste in the direction of the hair growth.
  7. Using a waxing strip or the piece of cloth, pull the hair out in the opposite direction.

This home wax does not cause any allergic reactions a chemical wax does.

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Top 4 Secrets To Live Longer To Keep In Mind!

 Ayurvedic
Dec 052017
 

by Hang Pham

December 5, 2017

The average lifespan is now longer than it used to be a few years ago. This has been thanks to the medical advancements for curing illnesses and the increasing health awareness among human beings. If you are among people who want to live longer, then your lifestyle must be always healthy and positive. Follow a healthy balanced diet with a lot of veggies and fruits is a good idea. There are even more secrets to live longer you can explore here in the entire article today, so keep reading!

  1. 1. Manage Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a very common issue in the social life in nowadays. It can bring about real damage and harms to our body and put us at increased risks for heart disease and stroke. Think of your blood and the blood flow through the body as plumbing in the house. If the water pressure becomes too high, then it could burst a pipe — this can be like a stroke in our body. If the blood pressure in our body is always high, it will put undue tear and wear on our “pipes” (the equivalent of atherosclerosis) and shorten their life.

The good news is that if recognized and managed properly, hypertension is now controllable. It is essential for people to check the blood pressure levels on a regular basis and control it properly. Diet, exercise and a low-salt, healthy diet can provide a great help.

  1. 2. Control Stress

This is also among the most important secrets to live longer you must know! Very few things can boost our natural aging process faster than stress, particularly the chronic one. Have you ever realized how fast presidents age while working in the office? We all have stress in life, and it could even be good for you in small doses. However, when stress becomes part of our daily comings and goings, it starts to take its toll. Live with more relaxing and try to prevent stressful feelings, and you will definitely live longer than you can imagine!

  1. Get Good Sleep

OK, wake up. Good sleep is really among the key secrets to live longer and you must keep in mind this thing. Sleep is probably one of the most underappreciated aspects contributing to a healthy life. Sleep well will help your memory and your brain function a lot. It is now known that sleep can help embed the things we learn throughout the day in our brain.

  1. 4. Stop Smoking

This is not relevant to brain power, yet smoking can lead to lung and heart disease – the thing we all know clearly. However, did you know that it can also accelerate aging, especially of the skin? Stop smoking if you want to look younger and live longer right from today!

In summary, living a longer life is always the wish of everyone in the world every day. Make it no longer a wish but the reality by following those secrets to live longer we exposed above and enjoy!

Author Bio: Lien Nguyen – Writer and Blogger, who has more than 6 years of experience in the industry of Health and Skincare. I work for Healthy Guide – reliable resources that help readers solve all their health, beauty concerning, and many other issues in life. I also focus on nutrition, relationship, fitness, lifestyle, men and women’s issues. Find more of my articles on Facebook.

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Golden Milk or Turmeric Latte

 Ayurvedic
Dec 042017
 

TURMERIC LATTE OR GOLDEN MILK

Turmeric latte or turmeric milk is also known as golden milk which is the combination of turmeric and milk. The milk can be of any type (almond, cashew, coconut, etc..,).

This golden drink marks an important place as essential drink in the healthy diets. This energetic drink comes with amazing anti-inflammatory and digestion boosting properties. It makes an alternative to caffeinated drinks.

Nowadays people like to sip a cup of golden milk before going to bed and some love to drink it in the morning instead of coffee or tea.

Benefits of Turmeric and Turmeric Latte

Turmeric is mostly used in daily cooking, especially in curry dishes. It adds and leaves yellow stains on utensils and fingernails. Turmeric adds flavour, anti-inflammatory benefits and anti-microbial benefits to the foods cooked.

More than being used as spice, turmeric also addresses itself a healing ingredient, which comes with powerful medicinal features.

Turmeric forms a major part of Ayurvedic medicine that has been practised for centuries in India. The combination of turmeric and milk commonly known as haldi doodh, is a regular drink that most people consume every day. People used to drink turmeric latte for many reasons, from digestion to cosmetic reasons.

From ancient times, turmeric has marked its name for its medicinal properties in both Indian Ayurvedic medicine as well as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Turmeric is used as a primary medicine to treat many health conditions. Some of the severe conditions that use turmeric in the treatment include liver disease, skin problems, respiratory and gastrointestinal problems, sprained muscles, joint pains, and general wound healing.

CURCUMIN, the major ingredient in Turmeric

Curcumin, which is present in turmeric, is one of the most effective anti-inflammatory ingredients in nature which lowers the levels of two enzymes in the body that cause inflammation.

It also acts as anti-angiogenesis that helps in preventing the development of additional blood supply necessary for cancer cell growth. Curcumin is also used in the treatment of arthritis, sports injuries, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, tendonitis and various autoimmune diseases.

Consistent use of curcumin can lower the risk of developing diabetes. Those who have diabetes and who took capsules containing curcumin were less prone to develop Type 2 diabetes, compared with people who didn’t take the curcumin capsules.

Milk or Coconut Milk in Preparation of Turmeric Latte

Turmeric latte can be prepared with cow’s milk. Alternatively, you can use coconut milk replacing cow’s milk. Adding coconut milk in turmeric not only gives a soothing feel but also has lots of health benefits.

Coconut milk is nothing but liquid extraction of the fresh coconut scraps. It is easy to extract the milk from the grated coconut. The fat in coconut oil consists of lauric acid, which is hardly found elsewhere. Next to mother’s milk, lauric acid is found only in coconuts.

Our body converts this lauric acid into monolaurin which destroys the lipid-coated viruses such as HIV and herpes.

In addition to using coconut milk to prepare turmeric latte, you can also choose soy milk or almond milk.

How To Prepare Turmeric Latte

Turmeric latte or golden milk is prepared with the following ingredients.

We can also sweeten the turmeric milk with choice of our favourite sweeteners. Traditionally honey is used as a sweetener since the sweetness honey has its own medicinal qualities. Instead of sweetening the milk, we can also add black pepper to turmeric milk as it enhances curcumin’s bioavailability.

  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1 cup whole milk/almond milk/coconut milk/ soy milk
  • 1 tsp honey or your favourite sweetener (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp ghee/coconut oil/almond oil (optional)
  • 2-3 black peppercorns crushed
  • Pinch of cardamom/ cinnamon powder for flavour (optional)

Take milk in a bowl and add all the ingredients in it except coconut oil and sweetener. Heat milk over a low heat and stir it continuously. Bring it to boil and allow simmering for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and pour the milk into the cup and then add ghee/ coconut oil / almond oil. Add 1 tsp of sweetener (honey) once the milk has cooled down. Drink the milk while it is warm.

You can drink this turmeric latte once a day.

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Ayurvedic Reason to Soak Nuts and Seeds before Eating

 Ayurvedic
Dec 022017
 

Nuts and seeds are the part of a healthy diet. They play a vital role in preventing disease form our body and keep us healthy as we grow. Nuts and seeds consist of fiber, minerals, vitamins and healthy fats which help to reduce the inflammation in our body and it also reduces the risk of heart disease.

Ayurveda celebrates nuts and seeds as super foods. According to Ayurvedic diet, intake of all types of nuts and seeds in moderation, butters and milks are healthy. Nuts and seeds have been one of the staples of foods for ages across different cultures, various countries all over the world. Nuts and seeds provide lubrication and nutrition to body, skin, joints and hair. Nuts and seeds functions as a good fuel for gastrointestinal fire (heart burn).

Purpose of Soaking Nuts and Seeds

Naturally, a seed or nut normally gets enough moistness from rain to wash-down the acids and enzyme inhibitors so it can take root and yield a plant. By soaking nuts and seeds before we eat, we are imitating nature by neutralizing these toxic growth inhibitors by discharging the natural enzymes and energy within them.

Soaking also makes the nuts and seeds easier to digest. The nutrients in them will be easily and fully absorbed by the body. Nuts and seeds are also soaked to get rid of the dirt, dusts and tannins. Please note we are not supposed to use the water used for soaking nuts and seeds.

The water contains inhibitors and toxic substances like enzyme inhibitors, phytates (phytic acid), polyphenols (tannins), and goitrogens.

We can either use warm water to soak the nuts and seeds. Seeds and nuts contain phosphorus in form of phytic acid. It binds to a mineralit and becomes phytate. This process stops nutrients from being engrossed in the digestive system and reduce the digestibility of these foods.

To make these enzymes ineffective we can add little amount of salt in the water before soaking the nuts and seeds.

Benefits of Soaking Nuts and Seeds

Remove Phytic Coating

Phytic acid coats the raw nuts externally. It actually benefits the nuts but not humans. It may lead to gastrointestinal problems and obstruct the absorption of nutrients. Especially, nuts are rich in minerals, which are not absorbed. Soaking nuts before eating removes phytic acid coating.

Nuts and seeds are especially high in phytic acid which can be removed through the process of soaking (and sometimes sprouting) and drying to further reduce the anti-nutrient content. Soaking is still recommended for ease in blending and for nutritional purposes.

Remove Tannins

Soaking removes the enzyme inhibitors which coats the nuts and seeds to protect them. It is critical to those who are already suffering from digestive problems. Tannins is another element, which may lead to digestive and gastric problems.  Besides, there are many with allergic reaction to Tannins. Eating it aggravates the health issues, if the individual is sensitive to it.

So, soaking remove the tannins from the nuts and seeds.

Soaking nuts before eating them also helps to rinse out the colon thus removing the harmful toxins. It also helps in the better absorption of nutrients

Process of Soaking Seeds

Soaking nuts and seeds required two major things. You can either soak in normal water or warm water.

  • Warm water
  • Sea salt

Take warm water (enough to cover the nuts completely) in a glass bowl or jar and mix sea salt to it. Soak the nuts and seeds for 10 to 12 hours. Drain out the soaked water and completely rinse the nuts.

You can either refrigerate the soaked nuts, after drying. You can dry the nuts in a dehydrator or under the natural sunlight. Once it is fully dried, store in an airtight container.

Alternatively, you can eat nuts within 24 hours or include in cooking or otherwise.

Why warm water and salt?

Ayurveda highlights, soaking nuts and seeds in warm water give added benefits. Soaking in warm water will deactivate all the enzyme inhibitors. It effectively increases the bio-availability of the micro nutrients.

Salt is natural preservative. Adding salt to the nuts and seeds gives more benefits. The salt helps in activating the enzymes that deactivate the enzyme inhibitors present in nuts.

SOAKING TIME OF COMMON NUTS

     
NUTS &SEEDS SOAKING TIME (Hrs.) SPROUTING TIME (Days)
Almonds 8-12 No sprouting
Barley 6 2
Black beans 8-12 3
Brazil Nuts 3 No sprouting
Cashews 2-4 No sprouting
Chickpeas 8 2-3
Flax seeds ½ No sprouting
Hazelnuts 8-12 No sprouting
Macadamias 2 No sprouting
Pistachios 8 No sprouting
Pumpkin seeds 8 3
Sunflower seeds 8 12-24 hrs
Walnuts 4 No sprouting
Pecans 6 No sprouting
Oat grouts 6 2-3
Quinoa 4 2-3
Wheat berries 7 3-4

 

Points to note after soaking nuts

  • Since the water removes the coatings of enzyme inhibitors, it should be drained.
  • Rinse the soaked nuts and seeds properly
  • It is also recommended to do a final rinse with a diluted solution of apple cider vinegar or salt water rinse.

Include nuts and seeds in any form in your diet, regularly.

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Reduce arthritis pain with these Ayurvedic herbs

 Ayurvedic
Dec 012017
 

Winter is usually a difficult season for majority of our elderly folks. This is the season of the year when their Arthritis pain will be at its peak. Arthritis refers to joint pain or joint disease, due to inflammation of joints, affecting one or multiple joints.

Symptoms of arthritis are often seen in adults over 60 years of age. The cold weather further adds to excessive pain, stiffness and swelling in joints. Although there is no permanent cure to this condition, Ayurveda recommends some herbs that can help relieve joint pain. These herbs stem inflammation and help the body in its detoxifying efforts.

According to Ayurvedic experts, hot water fomentation is an excellent therapy to relieve Arthritis pain, as it soothes your joints and helps in better functioning. But, this may help only in mild cases. Although, the kind of medicines or herbs to be used may vary from one individual to another, depending on their severity and other health conditions, given below are some common herbs used by the majority for management of arthritis pain.

Nirgundi

This is among the most common herbs used for relief from joint pain. The plant also helps in reducing inflammation and excess pain, as it has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-convulsing properties. The leaves of the plant carry medicinal value, followed by the stem and seeds. Nirgundi oil can be applied on joints. Or, make a paste of the leaves and apply, or make a decoction with the leaves. But, Nirgundi oil is the most effective form for arthritic pain. Apply the oil on affected area and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes before washing in lukewarm water. It is more beneficial to apply nirgundi oil before bath to reduce inflammation and pain.

Burdock Root (Arctium lappa)

Burdock contains fatty oils, apart from the presence of sterols and tannins, which makes it a good anti-inflammatory. You can add burdock in your stir-fry recipes, or make decoction (by adding the root to boiling water and allowing it to simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and drink this lukewarm water thrice or four times a day). The herb is also available in capsule form.

Turmeric

There is no herb, which is as effective as an anti-inflammatory herb, as turmeric. It is also a great pain reliever. It contains curcumin, which decreases inflammation. This anti-inflammatory effect is also the reason behind turmeric being often recommended for treatment of cancer, cataract and Alzheimer’s. However, to get the full medicinal benefits of turmeric, you will have to take it as a supplement, apart from adding to your daily diet. The herb can also be used topically to relieve pain.

Ginger

Ginger, which is usually found in every household, has excellent antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps reduce joint pain and swelling. It improves blood circulation too. So it would do good to sip on ginger tea regularly. Also, its essential oil can be applied externally for relief from pain and inflammation.

Ajwain

Ajwain (carom seeds) is a natural aid to arthritis pain, as it has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. The presence of anaesthetic properties in ajwain helps in relieving excessive pain during winter. Add a spoonful of carom seeds into a tub of hot water. Soak your aching joints in the water and sit for 5 to 10 minutes. This will help ease pain and inflammation. This will help in cases of mild pain. Another option is to crush the seeds, make a paste and apply on the affected areas. You can do this, along with drinking ajwain water every day.

Dashmool

Dashmool is a mix of ten medicinal herbs that helps cure variety of ailments. Dashmool (also known as dashamoolam) is an effective anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, and sedative, and helps cure joint pain effectively. It is available in the form of oil and powder.

Shallaki

The herb keeps your joints strong and relieves pain and inflammation. It improves mobility too. It is used by Ayurvedic physicians as a substitute to pain killers. It is available in the form of essential oil and in the form of powder.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus oil is a popular herbal remedy for arthritis. The tannin, present in the leaves of the plant, helps reduce inflammation and pain associated with arthritis. Moreover, the aroma of eucalyptus oil has a calming effect on the brain, while the oil helps relieve the pain and swelling in the joints.

Flaxseed

Due to the presence of Omega-3 in abundance in flax, it helps build immunity and fights inflammation. Include two tablespoons of flaxseeds into your daily diet. However, people with digestive conditions like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), should avoid it, as it may aggravate their condition.

Note: Although these herbs help in relieving pain associated with arthritis, it is important to consult your doctor before taking any ayurvedic medicines.

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8 Effective Ayurvedic Hair Oils for Hair Fall and Premature Graying of Hair

 Ayurvedic
Nov 302017
 

Let me tell you the truth.

One of these Ayurvedic hair oils is certainly going to rescue your hair!

Hair loss and thinning hair, baldness, dandruff and scalp problems, split ends and premature graying of hair are common hair problems. If you suffer from any of these woes, then it is time to reconsider your regular hair oil for an ayurvedic hair oil.

Coconut oil is known to be the best for hair. And herbal infused coconut oil? Even better! If you are wondering what exactly is an Ayurvedic Hair Oil, then I am going to tell you exactly that. For that, let me address your queries one by one.

 What might be the reason for your hairfall?

  • Stress: stress relates to about 30% of the total causative factors of hairfall. This can be temporary unless you take a serious step in managing your stress levels. “When you have a really stressful event, it can shock the hair cycle, (pushing) more hair into the shedding phase,” explains Marc Glashofer, MD, a dermatologist in New York City.
  • Genetic factors: Genes play a role in the hair fall as well. This is likely to happen in the middle age or later years.Unlike men, women don’t tend to have a receding hairline, instead their part may widen and they may have noticeable thinning of hair. But this can be kept in control if one applies oil on the hair and takes care of the roots.
  • Hormonal changes : This might be a major issue especially if you are a female. Generally women with PCOS, Hypothyroidism. Hair fall is also very common during pregnancy as there is a shift in the normalcy of the hormones. Also hair fall is reported with the women using oral contraceptives and the reason is hormones again!
  • Nutritional deficiencies: Anemia and deficiency of vitamin E and B are known to cause hair fall and it is reversible.
  • Chemotherapy and other drugs: Some of the drugs used to beat back cancer unfortunately can also cause your hair to fall out. “Chemotherapy is like a nuclear bomb,” says Dr. Glashofer. “It destroys rapidly dividing cells. That means cancer cells, but also rapidly dividing cells like hair.” Certain other classes of medication may also promote hair loss. More common among them are certain blood thinners and the blood-pressure drugs known as beta-blockers. Other drugs that might cause hair loss include methotrexate (used to treat rheumatic conditions and some skin conditions), lithium (for bipolar disorder), non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including ibuprofen, and possibly antidepressants.
  • Styling products: This is an inevitable cause indeed. Hair fall and dandruff occurs to the harsh chemicals in the shampoos, hair dyes, serums, styling products and chemicals used for smoothening or rebonding the hair.

How does Ayurveda explain hair loss?

According to Ayurveda, hair loss (fall) occurs due to excess of Vata. This vata aggravation is in the site of kapha (as head is the site of kapha). The treatment principle therefore adopted is to regulate Vata and strengthen Kapha. It can also occur due to rasa vaha srotodushti which is blockages in the channels carrying the rasa/lymphatic fluid leading to undernourishment of the hair follicles. (I know that’s a bit of techy! But that’s how serious Ayurveda is about hair loss.) A hair oil is selected depending on the root cause of hair fall.

Symptoms:

  • Loss of clumps of hair from your scalp
  • Excessive thinning of your hair/ receding hairline – you may confirm this from your past photographs.
  • Unexplained loss of hair from any part of the body
  • Incomplete hair loss on the scalp and/or eyebrows
  • Flakes or skin on the scalp
  • Dry scales or dust falling to your shoulders
  • Acne on the fore head region
  • Itchy scalp.
  • Unusual change in the colour of the hair.
  • Splits at the end of the hair giving it a rough and shabby look

bhrngraj

Do’s and Don’ts for a healthy hair

Do:

  • Use a mild herbal based shampoo
  • Prefer a natural hair colour such as henna or Bringaraj to synthetic hair dyes.
  • Take nutritious diet and drink enough water
  • Make oiling your hair as a part of your routine
  • Keep your stress levels down
  • Identify and treat your underlying health issue.

Avoid:

  • Tying the hair tight for a long time. This might damage the shaft of the hair
  • Rubbing your hair when it is wet because wet hair is the most vulnerable to damage
  • Using a lot of hair styling products and creams
  • Overuse of blow dryers and straighteners
  • Alcohol, soda and smoking
  • Usage of oral contraceptives
  • Using combs or hair brushes used by another person.

Recommended diet for a healthy hair

A balanced diet with carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and fats is essential. Some food stuffs that are beneficial include

  • Amla
  • Curry leaves
  • Eggs
  • Walnuts, Almonds and Raisins
  • Lentils
  • Spinach
  • Yogurt
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Bananas
  • Guavas
  • Green tea

Foods to avoid:

  • Sugary drinks/soda/alcohol
  • Strong tea and coffee
  • Fast food
  • Low carb/Low protein/ Low fat diet

Recommended Lifestyle changes

  • Get enough sleep of around 6-7 hours preferably during the night.
  • Regular exercise and healthy sleep habits will increase circulatory and overall health, promoting healthy hair.
  • Take measures to beat the stress.
  • Make oiling the hair a routine and wash it with a very mild herbal based shampoo.
  • Use natural dyeing products like Bringaraj, Amla, Hareetaki and henna.
  • Limit grooming. Do not over brush your hair.
  • Avoid exposure to chlorinated or excessively salty water.
  • Protect your hair from pollution and the sun when you step out.
  • Don’t smoke. According to one report, smokers were four times more likely to have grey hair than non-smokers and were more prone to hair loss.
  • Practice Bhramri pranayam, Uttanasana, Pavanamuktasana, shirasasana, Vajranasana and Ushtrasana helps in increasing the blood circulation to the scalp and helps in hair growth.
  • Love your hair. Gently massage the cuticles, hair shaft and the roots with your finger tips to improve blood circulation and to maintain a healthy hair.

What should you look for in an Ayurvedic hair oil if you have hair problems?

Bhringaraja (Eclipta alba), Amlaki (Emblica officinalis), Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellerica), Aswagandha (Withania somnifera), Yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) and daruharidra (Berberis aristata),  are the main herbs used in most of the Ayurvedic oils.

  • Bhringaraja– Also known as Kesharaja or kesharanjan due to its unique quality to strengthen the hair roots and to impart colour to the hair at the same time. Tis herb helps prevent hair fall, rejuvenates the hair and restores the natural colour of hair. It is known to prevent split ends. It also makes hair more manageable and brings damaged hair back to life.
  • Amla(Amlaki/Indian gooseberry) reduces all the aggravated doshas by balancing them. Amla is a rejuvenator to the body so it does the same to the hair as well. It strengthens the hair follicles and reduces the inflammation of scalp. The juice of amla fruit reduces the burning sensation of the scalp.
  • Yastimadhu also balances the tridoshas, (mainly Pitta).  Yashtimadhu prevents baldness, greying and reduces hair fall.
  • Daruharidra – Aqueous extract of this drug called as ‘anjana’ is known to promote hair growth and impart colour to the hair.
  • Ashwagandha(Indian ginseng) pacifies vata dosha. It is indicated in various problems like stress,insomnia,which results in hair loss.
  • Bibhitaki is a rejuvenative to aid hair growth and acts as a natural hair dye to reduce premature graying of hair.

What are some classical Ayurvedic hair oils for hair problems?

You cannot make a choice of hair oil by looking at these herbs alone. Hence I am providing you with some top rated classical hair oils and combinations for a healthy hair.

  1. Kayyunyadi Tailam & Amla powder : A very popular hair oil, Kayyunyadi tailam is made of coconut oil using herbs like bhringaraja, guduchi, amalaki, yastimadhu, daruharidra and cow milk. This is right for you if you have split ends, grey hair and hair fall. This combination balances all the three doshas  and rejuvenates the dry and unmanagable hair.
  2. NeelibhringadiTailam & Bhringaraj powder: Another favourite of women, Neelibringadi oil is contains the extract of neeli (Indigofera tinctorea), bhringaraja, amla, liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) and daruharidra. It would surprise if I am to tell you that Neelibringadi contains not only the essence of coconut milk but also of the milks of cow, goat and buffalo. You should try this if you have itchy scalp, scalp related disorders, alopecia, premature graying, hair fall, and dandruff. This oil promotes hair growth and has cooling effects, best for pitta kapha doshas.
  1. Bhringamalakadi tailam & Brahmi Tablets: This is excellent for scalp problems and insomnia. With bringaraja and amla as the main ingredients, Bringamalakadi is soothing for the head and the eyes. It is also used in the treatment of eye disorders and head aches. Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), deservedly called as the Herb of Grace, is used in traditional Indian medicines for centuries for the treatment  blood cleansing , chronic skin conditions, constipation, hair loss, fevers, digestive problems, depression, mental and physical fatigue and many more.
  2. Durvadi kera tailam: Itchy head and dandruff? Durvadi it is! Prepared in coconut oil (or sesame oil), Durvadi relieves dandruff with the potent effects of durva leaves (Cynodon dactylon).
  3. Dhurdhurapatradi Thailam & Triphala Tablets : If you prefer sesame oil to coconut oil, then you can use Dhurdhurapatradi tailam to treat hair fall and dandruff. It is made of the juice extract of dhurdurapathra (Datura metel) and is good for itching of the scalp and dandruff. Just note that some companies do prepare this oil is coconut oil base too. This combination balances kapha and vata, dandruff, itching of the scalp, hair fall due to dandruff. Triphala is known to relieve digestive issues, constipation and increases the absorption of nutrients after digestion. Triphala contains gooseberry and hared that are beneficial for the hair.
  4. Chemparathyadi Thailam: I love this! My mother prepares a variation of this at home. Chemparathyadi is made of ingredients including the juice of hibiscus, leaves of bilwa (Aegle marmelos), paranti (Ixora coccinia), betel leaf, tulsi leaf, neeli, vasini, tamalaki, paste of jeeraka (cumin/ Cuminum cyminum)) and krishnajeeraka (Carum carvi). This is very effective for skin and scalp conditions like eczema, scabies, pruritis and dandruff. You may without doubt use this as your regular hair oil to prevent scalp problems and to promote hair growth.
  5. Malatyadi keram: Malatyadi is coconut oil infused with the extracts of malati (jasmin), naktamala (Pongamia pinnata), karaveera (Nerium indicum) and Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica). It is very effectively used not only in hair fall but also aloepecia, dandruff and premature baldness. It promotes hair growth.
  6. Kunthalakanti Tailam: This is a highly cooling and soothing hair oil that mainly treats dandruff and premature graying of hair. The ingredients include vibhitaki, bhringaraja, amalaki, jambeera taila, neeli panchagandha and milk.

There are so many hair oils in the market. How to know what is genuine and what is not?

Every day there is a new product in the market and an exciting commercial to promote it. You are not going to get carried away by the words of your favourite celebrity talking about the product. You are going to look at the labels, identify the ingredients and consider the authenticity of the product. At best what you can do is to buy from a trusted dealer and of a known brand.

I feel you should opt for a classical Ayurvedic hair oil rather than follow the latest commercial.

Listen, your hair is waiting for you.

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Digestion and Its Abnormality: An Ayurvedic Perspective

 Ayurvedic
Nov 282017
 

 

Digestion is the process by which the food you ingest is broken down into a simpler and absorbable form. According to Ayurveda, Agni is considered as the key factor for digestion and it is responsible for good health of an individual and Ayurvedic medicine for indigestion aims at correcting the agni.

The definition of health in ayurveda goes like this “Samadosha, samagni, samadhatu malakriyah Prasannatma indriya manah swastha ityabhidhiyate”- Sushruta.

A person is said to be healthy when there is balance in his doshas (Vata, pitta and kapha), metabolic factors (agni),  tissues(dhatus), excretory products (malas) and harmony in mental factors like senses  (indriyas), mind (manas) and the soul (atma). This signifies the role of agni in maintenance of normal health.

What are the different types of digestive fire or Agni?

In Ayurveda, there is description of 13 types of agni in the human body:

  • Jatharagni – Jatharagni is the biological fire in the body which is responsible for digestion of food which you eat. It is only one and is present in the abdominal region.
  • Bhutagni – Bhutagni refers to the agni attributed to each panchamahabhutas ( Akasa, Vayu, Agni, Jala and Prithvi). The food we eat is made up of five elements and even our body, this bhutagni transfers the energy from the food to your body into simplest form and support the panchamahabutas in your system. .It is five in number.
  • Dhatvagni – Dhatvagni refers to tissue metabolism. According to Ayurveda, our body is made up of seven dhatus- Body fluids like lymph (Rasa),Blood and its components (Rakta ), Muscular system (Mamsa), adipose or fat tissue (Meda),Skeletal system ( Asthi), Bone marrow(Majja ) and reproductive system(Shukra Dhatu). The nutrients absorbed from the intestine is processed in each of these system by respective dhatvagnis for their nourishment, proper functioning and development. It is seven in number.

Jatharagni is further divided into 4 types according to the dosha dominance and intensity of  agni:

  • Vishama Agni– Dominance of vata dosha manifests vishamagni in an individual. It is characterised by varying or irregular digesting capacity. Sometimes the digestion will be fast and good, sometimes it will be slow and weak.
  • Teekshna Agni– Dominance of pitta dosha manifests teekshna agni. It is characterised by intense and quick digestive capacity. Whatever you eat gets digested very soon and it starts burning the body tissues leading to weakness.
  • Manda Agni- Dominance of kapha dosha results in mandagni. Majority of the diseases are characterized by mandagni. In this digestion is very slow and sluggish.

Ayurveda quotes that “sarve rogaapi mandagnau sudaraamudarani cha”  which means all the diseases are due to the mandagni and it starts from the abdominal region. Thus agni plays an inevitable role in the ayurvedic treatment and those herbs that have the property of agni deepana and pachana (appetizing and carminative -metabolic properties) are included as ayurvedic medicine for indigestion.

  • Sama Agni- Balance in all the doshas manifests sama agni. It is responsible for healthy development and normal functioning of the body. In this the digestion is neither slow nor fast.

How do you identify that you have indigestion?

Sounds silly! But one may neglect any of these symptoms usually:

  • Acidity, sour belching
  • Bitter or sour taste in the mouth.
  • Constipation or diarrhoea
  • The smell of food while burping.
  • Bloating or gas in the abdomen.
  • Stomach pain/pricking sensation
  • Discomfort or fullness in the upper part of the abdomen.
  • Fatigue.
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea / vomiting.

What causes indigestion?

Before anybody takes any Ayurvedic medicine for indigestion one should know the cause.

    • Are you Skipping breakfast,eating a late night dinner or taking food at irregular timing?
    • Are you over eating or eating before the previously consumed food is digested?
    • Are you a drinking large amount of water or juice immediately after food?
    • Do you drink a lot?
    • Do you take leftovers, refrigerated or frozen foods?
    • Do you Eat too fast or slow, eating while driving, standing, just before going to shower?
    • Do you consume either dry or oily (deep fried) foods very often or foods prepared after soaking for longer duration in water and very spicy foods?
    • Are you emotionally disturbed?
      • “The food you eat can be either the safest medicine and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison”– Ann Wigmore.

What are the different types of indigestion (Ajirna)?

    • Vistabdha ajirna – caused due to vitiation of vata dosha. It is characterized by pain abdomen, bloated stomach or gaseous distension, pain all over the body, fatigue, non elimination of stools and flatus.
    • Vidagdha ajirna – caused due to vitiation of pitta dosha. It cause burning sensation in the chest and throat region, different kinds of pain, increased feeling of thirst, sour eructation or belching, tiredness, fainting and giddiness.
    • Ama ajirna – caused due to vitiation of kapha dosha. The feature of this are puffiness of around the eyes and face, frothy and increased salivation in the mouth, nausea, repeated belching having the smell of the food you ate and feeling of heaviness in the body.
    • Vilambika – caused due to vitiation of kapha and vata along with accumulation of ama. Person suffering with this, feels very lazy and discomfort in the chest region.
    • Rasa sesha ajirna – This is caused due to heavy and late night dinner. In this, you will feel that the food consumed last night is not digested when you wake up in the morning.

What is ama according to ayurveda?

In Ayurveda there is a concept called Ama, which is considered as the main reason for majority of the diseases. Ama is a toxic substance formed due to any of the above said ajirna. This ama is circulated all over the body through minute channels and gets lodged in different parts of the body causing diseases.Constipation is common for all types of ajirna and it is the sign of weak digestion. Ama pachana (metabolising the toxins) is the first step in Ayurvedic treatment for indigestion.

What are the Characteristics of good digestion (Jeerna ahara lakshana)?

  • Clear belching without any smell or taste of the food.
  • Feeling energetic devoid of heaviness and lethargy.
  • Proper and timely elimination of waste products devoid of constipation and loose stools.
  • Sense of lightness.
  • Feels hungry and thirsty after stipulated time.

How to manage indigestion at home?

Ayurvedic treatment for indigestion with home remedies:

  • The first line of treatment for all types of indigestion is fasting (Langhana) . Skip the meal if you feel your previous food is not digested and eat only when you feel hungry.
  • If you are feeling nauseous or vomiting, vomit it out. Never suppress the sensation by taking antiemetic drugs. To ease vomiting, you can drink 2 large glasses of lukewarm water with ½ spoon of rock salt.
  • A pinch of sendha salt with a spoon of lemon juice and ginger juice taken together cures indigestion and increases appetite and taste perception.

Home remedies for Abdominal Pain

  • If you are having pain and gaseous distension of the abdomen, keep hot water bag on your abdomen for few minutes.
  • Chew ½ tsp of jeera with pinch of salt and asafoetida, followed by cup of hot water.
  • Dry roast equal quantity of fennel seeds, coriander seeds and jeera. Grind to a fine powder and take ½ tsp of this powder with warm water thrice a day.
  • Boil 1 tsp of ajwain in 1 liter of water, fill it in a flask and keep sipping this water often.

An ayurvedic medicine for indigestion is not required will not be required for a person who consumes cumin seeds, asafoetida and ajwain on a daily basis.

5 Important must Do’s for a good digestion:

  1. Chew food properly while eating.
  2. Always prefer light food and in moderate quantity. It is advisable to eat only 3/4th of your stomach capacity, never eat full stomach.
  3. Regularly use jeera, pepper, asafoetida, garlic and ginger in your cooking.
  4. Drink water sip by sip along with the meal. Always luke warm water is preferred if you have weak digestion.
  5. Chew a small piece of fresh ginger with pinch of salt just before meals.

How to Naturally Improve Your Appetite and Digestion? Read here

6 Important Things you should NOT DO for Improving Digestion:

  1. Do not take the food stuffs that are incompatible to one another (viruddhahar). See the infographic below on viruddhahar to know about the incompatible food combinations. None of the ayurvedic medicine for indigestion works if a person is continuously taking viruddhahar.
  2. Do not indulge in raw salads. Uncooked foods are difficult to digest. Take soups instead.
  3. Do not eat food if you are not hungry.
  4. Do not consume cold food or reheated food.
  5. Do not take curd  if your digestion is weak. Opt for buttermilk instead.
  6. Do not eat with an anxious, fearful and depressive mind.

Viruddhahar

Ayurvedic medicine for indigestion (Ajirna)

  • Churnas – Hingvastak churna, trikatu churna, vaishvanara churna.
  • Vatis – Chitrakadi vati, agnitundi vati
  • Kashayas – Usually in weak digestion kashayas are not preferred. one may be given Gandharvahasthadi kashayam, Indukantham kashayam according to the nature of indigestion.
  • Arista –  Dasamoolajeerakarishta,, pippalyasavam and ajamoda arka. In children, Aravindasavam is ideal choice as an ayurvedic medicine for indigestion.

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DIY: Prepare your digestive powder / Hingvastak Choorna at home

 Ayurvedic
Nov 282017
 

Toxins get accumulated in the body for various reasons. Ayurveda refers accumulation of toxin as “ama” which is caused by food indigestion, which is an imbalance. Ama affects the immune power, causes imbalance in doshas and opens gate for diseases. Indigestion is the major cause of most of the diseases. Foods you consume should be healthy, fresh and easily digestible in time. Besides, indigestion should be addressed naturally.

Ayurveda Acharyas used “Higvastak Churna” to increase digestion and relieve indigestion in Ayurvedic practice. The hingwastak powder helps to digest the body toxin (ama) and prevents its accumulation. Hingwastak Churna mainly contains very safe and easily available herbal spices.

What is Indigestion

Indigestion (dyspepsia) is a general term for pain or discomfort felt in the upper abdomen and under the ribs that usually occurs after a person has been eating or drinking. Indigestion and heartburn can occur together or on their own. Despite its name, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. It happens when your esophagus, the tube that goes from your throat to your stomach, gets irritated by acid that comes up from your stomach.

What happens if a valve at the top of the stomach doesn’t work properly? Most people have felt heartburn at one time or Indigestion affects nearly everyone at some point in their lives. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s usually not a serious health problem. If it happens often, you may have a more serious condition called GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease.) Left untreated, GERD can sometimes lead to other problems, including:

  • Inflammation and ulcers in the esophagus
  • Hoarseness
  • Lung disease
  • Barrett’s esophagus — a change in the lining of the esophagus that makes you more likely to get esophageal cancer.

Ingredients of Hingwashtak churna or Powder

  1. Dry ginger powder

Ginger is among the healthiest spices on the planet.It is loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds that have powerful benefits for your body and brain.Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice. Ginger Contains Gingerol, a Substance with Powerful Medicinal Properties. It is believed that delayed emptying of the stomach is a major driver of indigestion.Interestingly, ginger helps to speed up emptying of the stomach in people with this condition.

  1. Ajwain powder

The spice, that every Indian household is more familiar with, “Carom seeds help in maintaining your digestive health”. They treat any kind of abdominal discomfort due to indigestion like stomach pain or burning sensation. Ajwain seeds are rich in fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.The active enzymes in ajwain help in boosting our digestive functions by facilitating the release of gastric juices.

  1. Long pepper powder

Long pepper (Pippali) is a very diverse essential in the world of Ayurvedic medicine which means to drink and digest. It Increases the digestion and burns toxins. As an herb or a culinary spice, Pippali is commonly used to treat a wide range of disorders.

  1. Black pepper powder

Black pepper is the fruit of the black pepper plant. The chemical piperine, which is present in black pepper, causes the spiciness, eases digestion and stimulates the stomach, which then secretes more hydrochloric acid that helps to digest proteins in food. Black pepper is a rich source of minerals and vitamins. Black pepper has a high content of dietary fiber and has a moderate amount of protein and carbohydrates too.

  1. Cumin powder

Cumin is a good source of energy, vitamin, and minerals. It is also rich in protein and amino acids, carbohydrates, dietary fiber and a reasonable amount of fats & fatty acids. Thymol, a compound in cumin, helps with digestion by preventing the formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract.

  1. Black cumin powder

Black Cumin is rich in nutrients like protein, vitamins, and calcium and iron. Black cumin after the meals helps digestion or clam upset stomachs.

  1. Rock salt

It is also known as “Halite”, which is a mineral of Sodium chloride. Rock salt is rich in minerals and does not pose health problems. It is used for digestive disorders as it improves appetite, removes gas and soothes heartburn.

8. Hing – This is the major ingredient in this Churna

Hing means Asafoetida, which is the main ingredient and Ashta means 8 indicating that this product contains 8 ingredients. Churna means powder. Hing is known as an old culinary ingredient which is enriched with various healthy properties. In this article, we are going to see how to prepare this Hingwastak choorna at home. This can be prepared at home easily by using ingredients available on kitchen shelves.  Here is a method of preparing “hingwastak powder or churna”.

Preparation of Hingwastak Churna

Take 1 teaspoon of all the above-mentioned ingredients and mix it well. The prepared hingvashtak powder can be stored in an airtight jar and can be stored for 6 months. Consume ¼ teaspoon of higvashtak churna with the equal quantity of ghee (clarified butter) before consuming food, two times a day.  It is a boon for foodies who want to relish food without landing up in indigestion.

Benefits of Hingwastak churna

  • This herbal preparation is the mixture of salt, spice, and herbs.
  • Provide relief from gas, bloating, and spasms.
  • Very good to improves metabolism.
  • This medicine helps in reducing fat.
  • For improving appetite, digestion, and assimilation this is very good.
  • This medicine stimulates healthy and unobstructed peristalsis.
  • It balances downward moving energies.
  • Very effective in stomach infection, bloating, indigestion and abdominal pain.
  • This churna regulates apana vayu (vata responsible for moving downwards and eliminating stool, flatus, urine, menses and the fetus).

Note:

This article is composed for awareness and education purpose only. Visit the nearest Ayurveda doctor or practitioner for the proper dosage and prescription of the preparation for the better management.

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Top 5 Healthy Drink For Your Digestion Are Revealed

 Ayurvedic
Nov 242017
 

by Hang Pham

November 24, 2017

Topics: Ayurveda

Healthy drinks not only have the effect of regular refreshments but also detoxify the body and make the digestive system work more smoothly. Besides having a good diet, you should pay more attention to your daily drinks because they will work well to give you a better health.

This article is only for informational purpose and not aimed at medical advice. In the following content, there are top 5 healthy drinks for your digestion that we recommend you to use every day. Hope that after reading this, you can find the best choice for yourself.

Mint Tea

The very first kind of drinks in top 5 healthy drink for your digestion. Mint tea not only helps to raise our mood up and refresh the muscles but also have many other benefits such as weight loss, bright skin, gastrointestinal treatment. Mint leaves are thought to work well in improving the flow of bile through the stomach, helping to speed up the digestive tract and making it easier to digest. For this reason, you should drink mint tea as a natural remedy for flatulence and may also relieve pain and discomfort from flatulence.

Yogurt

Through the lactic fermentation process, a portion of the protein in the milk breaks down into amino acids, the carbohydrates that are converted into lactose that is easily digested, and when producing the yogurt people will ferment it to create some bacteria good for the intestinal tract, helping balance the intestinal flora. There is a good bacterium in our body that hydrolyzes organic matter, in addition to this, it also produces B vitamins and K vitamins, and in particular, works as a barrier to biology that helps the body fight infections. Lactobacillus Casei Shirota is a highly viable bacterium, regardless of facing gastric or bile drainage. It not only helps stabilize the intestinal tract but also increases the immunity, helps people who are tired of eating feel the appetite. Because of those vital benefits, yogurt is undeniable to be one of the top 5 healthy drinks for your digestion.

Ginger Tea

The next healthy drinks for your digestion is ginger tea. Ginger has been well-known as a favorite spice for its ability to treat various problems of the digestive tract. Some kinds of common illnesses include: Bloating and abdominal distension, indigestion, stomach cramps and nausea or morning sickness can be treated effectively by using ginger. Ginger is used as a condiment ingredient or made into products such as cakes, candies, jams, tea. A cup of hot ginger tea will help you feel much more comfortable, prevent digestive diseases besides supporting, balancing the acid in the intestines and reduce intestinal spasm. You can make fresh ginger tea or use ginger tea prepared as a powder to mix, especially on cold days a cup of ginger tea will help you warm your belly and have a deeper sleep.

Carrot Juice

The next kind of 5 healthy drinks for your digestion is carrot juice. Carrots are the foods commonly used in family meals, not only to help our food more colorful but also good for our health. Substances found in carrots such as vitamin C, D, E and B vitamins. In addition to this, it contains carotenes (higher than in tomatoes) that after entering the body, this substance will gradually metabolize into vitamin A, the vitamin of the growth and youth. Beta-carotene is the active ingredient that helps the liver to eliminate toxic effects, the pectin is especially good for people with gastrointestinal disorders removing all the toxins in the intestine so that the toxins are not absorbed into the body. A delicious and healthy carrot juice that is good for your health should be added to the menu right away.

Sweet Potato Milk

It contains a lot of fiber, calcium, iron, vitamins A, C, E that are good for the digestive system and provides many good nutrients for the digestive system. Sweet potatoes also have the advantage of being easy to find and buy and it is also quite cheap, and this is also the least pest-affected food due to its underground roots, which is very safe for the digestive system especially for young children. Folk experience often tells that if you get into trouble with constipation, you should eat raw potatoes or you can turn it into cooked dishes which also have the same effect. Especially purple sweet potato vitamins replace canned fruit juices with the much better effects such as a fresher mouth, good young skin. To make sweet potato milk, you can prepare milk, filtered water, blender, and get the sweet potato steamed and sliced into the blender with milk. By giving you those important benefits, the sweet potato milk deserves to be one of the top 5 healthy drinks for your digestion.

A healthy body must excrete the toxins in the body smoothly. Do not wait to get into trouble with some diseases of the digestive tract and then try to find drugs. Get started right away with the familiar foods that are recommended to add to your diet every day. Hope that the top 5 healthy drinks for your digestion above will help you in some ways to improve your digestive system. If you have any question, please leave a comment below.

Posted by Huyen My, a health and beauty expert at VKool.com and AllRemedies.com

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Frequent Urination: Causes and Ayurvedic Treatment

 Ayurvedic
Nov 242017
 

Normal frequency of urination varies from 4-7 times to 6- 10 times a day for each individual. Frequent urination is the condition where you tend to pass urine more frequently than what’s normal for you. It may occur either only during night time for some individuals or may be both morning and night time. Ayurvedic treatment for frequent urination employs, medicines, diet and lifestyle.

Causes of Frequent Urination

  • Urinary tract infection.
  • Certain medications which increase urine production.
  • Excessive consumption of certain beverages and fluids.
  • Diabetes mellitus and insipidus.
  • Benign prostatic hypertrophy in males.
  • Pregnancy in females.
  • Overactive bladder.
  • Stones or calculus.
  • Abnormal kidney functioning.
  • Mental disturbance like anxiety, unusual fear, etc.
  • Urinary incontinence due to muscular or neural weakness.

When to see your doctor?

These are alarming call for a person with frequent urination to consult a doctor.

  1. Is there blood in your urine?
  2. Is your urine dark yellow or brown?
  3. Do you have pain while urinating?
  4. Don’t you have control over your bladder?
  5. Do you have fever?
  6. Do you wake up more than twice on the night to urinate?

Ayurvedic view of frequent urination

Atimutrata is the term used for increased frequency of urination. It may be referred to as the excessive secretion of urine (polyurea) or the excessive elimination. The pathogenesis according to ayurveda varies in these two condition which changes the treatment pattern completely. It is considered as vitiation of apana vayu (apana vayu vaigunya) in the channels that carry urine (mutra vaha srotas). The mutravaha srotas has its root at the kidneys and the path extends upto the urethra via the ureter and urinary bladder.

  • When it is due to excessive secretion, it is a pathology in the kapha dosha and the water element (drava dhatu) of the body.
  • When there is no excessive secretion, it is the vitiation of vata dosha along with the water element (drava dhatu) of the body. It may or may not be associated with kapha.
  • In the symptoms of prameha(a group of urinary disorders that includes madhumeha/diabetes), excessive urination (prabhuta mutrata) is mentioned as a cardinal symptom.

Ayurvedic Treatment for frequent urination -Protocol

Ayurvedic treatment for frequent urination (atimutrata) includes the following:

  1. Snehana-swedana (oleation and fomentation) followed by snigdha virechana (purgation) in case of retention of urine (mutraghata).
  2. Enema procedures such as Asthapana basti, anuvasana basti and uttara basti are helpful.
  3. Medicines causing movement of vata in a normal direction (Vatanulomana and udavarta hara) and those which help in voiding of urine (mutrala) are helpful.
  4. Tub bath (avagaha) with herbal decoctions of varuna, gokshura, Brihati, shatavari punarnava are helpful.

Ayurvedic treatment for frequent urination

  1. Sukumaram kashayam is a herbal decoction that is helpful in this condition.
  2. Chandraprabhavati tablets relieves symptoms of urinary retention, Urinary tract infection and BPH.
  3. Ayurstate tablets are exclusively used in the treatment of BPH, urinary retention and Prostate cancer.

Treatments for frequent urination

  1. Kegel exercises: These are floor exercises that can be performed by both men and women that will improve the muscle tone of the pelvis. Results are observed as early as two weeks when performed properly. It is known to reduce incontinence and over active bladder.Learn how to perform kegel excercises here.
  2. Bladder training: This involves holding the urge for a certain amount of time, setting time intervals for passing urine. This technique is known to change the bladder habits.
  3. Changing diet: avoiding foods that irritate the bladder or act as a diuretic, for instance caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, spicy foods, artificial sweeteners. Eating high-fiber foods can help reduce the constipation that worsens an overactive bladder.

Home remedies in ayurvedic treatment for frequent urination

  1. The fruit rind of pomegranate is ground and 1 tsp of this paste is taken with water in the morning and evening before food daily. This is known the cure the urinary frequency.
  2. Fenugreek seed powder  consumed with a pinch of dry ginger in the early morning and at night relieves this condition.
  3. Intake of jamun seed powder with raw honey on an empty stomach is known to cure frequent urination. It is also an effective remedy to reduce blood sugar levels.
  4. Intake of sesame seeds with jaggery thrice a day controlls frequent urination.
  5. Intake of coconut water relieves the UTI symptoms and cures frequent urination.
  6. Intake of Curd helps in reducing frequent  urination. Curd is known to have the property of withholding the liquids (grahi) and thus cures the problem.
  7. Intake of juice of one amla with honey and a banana along with it will take you out of this problem. It can be taken three times in a day and is beneficial for all age groups and in pregnant women.
  8. Reetha powder (soapnut) – 1/2 tsp with a glass of water will relieve the symptom in a week.
  9. Powder of pumpkin seeds with water cures the problem.

Diet to control frequent micturition

The following food habits is known to help along with the medicines is employed in the ayurvedic treatment for frequent urination:

  1. Juice of pomegranate, aloe vera juice, tender coconut water, cranberry juice and gooseberry juice is helpful.
  2. Intake of apples, bananas,apples, sweet potatoes, grapes, raspberries, beans, bananas, brown rice, and cherries.
  3. Add cumin, fennel seeds, jaggery, cinnamon and fenugreek seeds in your diet.
  4. Include curd and buttermilk in your diet.
  5. Take a lot of spinach,pumpkin and plantain stems.

3 foods to avoid:

  1. Artificial sugar
  2. Alcohol
  3. Fried food, junk food and pastries.

3 Yoga poses for controlling  frequent urination

There are a few yoga poses just like kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor.

1.Triangle Pose(Trikonasana):

Stand with your feet very wide apart so your legs make a triangle to the floor. Turn your right foot 90 degrees. Align the center of the right heel with the center of your arch of your left foot. Inhale deeply. As you exhale, bend your body down from the hips to the right. As you bend down keep your back straight, place your right hand down by your right foot (you may place it on your shin, foot or on the ground beside your foot for balance) and point your left arm up to the sky. Breathe deeply while you are in this pose. After you’ve done some deep breathing, inhale and come up. Bring your arms down to your sides and straighten your feet.

2. Squat Pose(Malasana):

Stand with your feet a little wider than hip distance apart. Pivot your toes so they are facing outward and are wider than your heels. Bend your knees deeply until your hips are lower than your knees. Bring your hands palm-to-palm and place your elbows at the inner parts of your knee. Push your elbows into your knees to open up your hips. Attempt to raise your heart up to the sky to stretch your back and spine. Hold for 30 seconds. To release, sit back on your buttocks or push up to stand.

3.Chair Pose (Utkatasana):

Stand with your feet facing forward hip-width apart. Inhale as you face your palms forward moving them above your head. Exhale and bend your knees, while squatting down. Move your hips into the floor, almost like you are sitting in a chair. Bring your weight to the heels of your feet and do not lower your bottom to lower than your knees. Keep your knees pointing straightforward. Press your shoulders down and try to arch your spine. Breathe for roughly three to six minutes. To release this pose, inhale and slowly straighten your legs. Reach your arms up and stretch as you exhale and place your hands by your side.

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Life Changing Ayurvedic Documentary – Have You Watched?

 Ayurvedic
Nov 232017
 

Ayurveda is the science of life. It is one of the ancient healing practices, dates back to 5000 years. Ayurveda emphasize on the way of life. It is not just a medication, but a lifestyle. It connects body, mind and spirit. Besides, it harmonizes the system of wellbeing by focusing on physical, psychological and emotional health.

Adding more life to the the film is a subtle gem. It invites you to discover nature and human nature with poetic images of ancient healing system known as AYURVEDA. The director did a wonderful job of displaying India as the custodian of the ancient science of healing, Ayurveda and covered a lot of ground, both figuratively and literally.

Background score adds life to the movie. The tranquil score evokes another aspect of Vedic knowledge –Ghandharva Veda  the melodious of nature.

Ayurveda: Art of Being – Movie Casting 

DIRECTOR Pan Nalin
YEAR OF RELEASE 2001
CAST Brahmanand Swamigal
Vaidya Narayan Murthy
Dr. Nicolos Kostopoulos
Dr. Ashwin Barot
Dr. Scott Gerson
PRODUCERS Karl Baumgartner (producer)
Christoph Friedel (producer)
Claudia Steffen (line producer)
Christa Saredi (co-producer)
Reinhard Brundig (co-producer)
WRITERS Pan Nalin
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Serge Guez
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT Dilip Shankar (production manager & researcher)
Natasha de Betak (2nd unit director)
EDITING Pan Nalin
Ben von Grafenstein
MUSIC Cyril Morin
SOUND Dominique Davy

About the Director and an Excerpt from his Interview

Pan Nalin is a director, screen writer and a documentary film maker. He is an award winning film maker.

First and most important thing that every film maker should keep in mind is to develop the clarity about the theme on which they want to make a short film. Due to internet, DVD etc. borders are being vanished. Spirituality is in our culture. I came to realize that let it be any kind of story, understanding of spirituality in it has great importance. For example, the latest highly successful commercial film Avatar has the spiritual angle in it. Likewise other films such as Star Wars and Matrix too have the spiritual concept.

But often, people do confuse spirituality with religion. I don’t believe in it at all. I believe that spirituality can exist equally in Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Those who are highly religious, sometimes, there is no spirituality at all in them and to reverse to it, those who are not religious at all, are highly spiritual. This is actually hard to define. It’s indeed a matter of sadness that the gap between spirituality and religion is increasing day by day.

When I left my home for my passion, my father asked me “If you’ve two paths ahead of you, one quite easier and the second very tough, which one will you chose?” To which I replied “the tougher one.” And he said “Now you’re ready to go ahead.”

Take a look at some of the reviews / comments from the movie viewers:

It has been awhile since I last watched this film, but I’ve watched it several times from a standpoint that includes quite a lot of knowledge and direct experience of Ayurveda. Ayus is life and Veda is Knowledge – so Ayurveda is Knowledge or science of life. So-called “modern” or “western” medicine is a relative newcomer – having really only been around for the past 150 years or so, while Ayurveda is thousands of years old. Even in the US there is still a LOT of traditional folk medicine, and increasingly Ayurveda is making inroads and being recognized as holistic and preventative and truly a system of health care – as opposed to “modern” medicine’s fragmented (just look at the specialties) and disease care approach.

It was pleasure to watch this film. I applaud the makers of this film for bringing out this wealth of knowledge; making people aware of this ancient science. Such simple film-making and yet so impacting.

The film is about how the order of the universe, when you have the ability to perceive it, can be used to make individuals right. In essence it is about the practice of understanding cosmic order and the place of entities in that order.

Being a fan of this unique Indian filmmaker, I could not ignore Ayurveda. I watched it twice in theaters and later at home on DVD. One of the most inspiring and thought provoking work.

With “western” medicine – disease care – becoming less affordable every day, “western” drugs costing so much and having so many harmful side effects, and an epidemic of obesity in the US, this refreshing look at a simpler approach is quietly reassuring and shows us the path to integrating the best of western medicine with the time tested Knowledge of Life

Here is the link to the full movie, Ayurveda – Art of Being.

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