Jan 252018
 

An abundance of thanks to my amazing patients who have kept me on my toes and provide the feedback I need to be the best acupuncturist I can be.

For the third year in a row I was selected as one of the best acupuncturists in San Diego.  I could not do it without all of you!

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Jan 142018
 

britt_pic_2_crop
Britt Marie Hermes is an ex-naturopath who has come clean about her time as a naturopath. This video explains her transition from naturopathy to science and evidence, and is well worth watching:

Britt is being sued by a naturopath who believes you can treat cancer with vitamins and baking soda. From Britt’s post:

Colleen Huber is a naturopathic cancer crusader and owner of Nature Works Best (NWB) naturopathic cancer clinic in Tempe, Arizona. She is not a medical doctor and, to the best of my knowledge, has no formal training in cancer research. Yet, Huber promotes herself as a cancer expert (here, here, and here) and is an outspoken critic of standard-of-care treatments for cancer. She wrote that “conventional treatments (chemo, radiation, etc.) sicken and weaken you and ultimately strengthen the disease.”

Huber treats cancer using alternative therapies, including intravenous injections of vitamins and baking soda. She staunchly advocates that her cancer patients should follow a strict sugar-free diet. She advertises that a sugar-free diet increases a cancer patient’s overall survival, regardless of cancer stage or type.

Naturopathy is based on the idea of vitalism, a pre-scientific belief that some type of magical “energy” is a part of all living things. The idea of vitalism was disproved by Wöhler in 1828, yet the idea remains central to naturopathic ideas about medicine. Naturopaths believe their treatments restore this “vital force”. The practice of naturopathy has evolved over time into a mix of disproven or unproven health practices that includes homeopathy, acupuncture, “detoxification” and herbalism, along with the occasional science-based belief repackaged as “alternative”. (For more information, see my series of naturopathy vs. science posts at Science-Based Medicine.)

If you support science-based medicine you’ll recognize the importance of helping Britt defend herself. See her post here. If you can’t donate, please amplify her post by sharing it widely on social media.

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Jan 042018
 

ayurvedic treatment for slip discSlip disc herniation is commonly known as slipped disc, a condition affecting the intervertebral discs of the spine. Slip disc is only one of the several conditions affecting the spinal column, the others being disc bulge, disc degeneration with or without osteophyte formation and disc thinning.  The slipped disc is that one which has peeped out of its original space and puts a pressure on the nerves arising out of the vertebral column. The pain is due to the nerve root compression. Ayurvedic treatment for slip disc employs to heal the nerves affected by the herniated disc and to relieve the muscular spasm as well.

What causes a slipped disc?

  1. Trauma to the vertebral column – due to accidents or physical injury.
  2. Physically strenuous jobs or exercises such as weight lifting or riding on a two-wheeler on a bumpy road.
  3.  Obesity
  4. Ageing
  5. Smoking and drinking

According to Ayurveda, aggravation of vata due to the above causative factors is known as the main cause for slipped disc. Hence Ayurvedic treatment for slip disc aims at maintaining the normalcy of the vata dosha by various medications and treatment procedures.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary according to the site of herniation.

Symptoms of a slipped disc in the neck:

  • Pain in the neck, shoulders, and arms
  • Numbness in part of the hand
  • Radiating pain that arises from the neck and reaches to the fingers of the hands over a period of time.
  • Muscle weakness in the hands
  • Burning sensation in the affected area

Symptoms of a slipped disc in the back:

  • Pain and numbness in the back.
  • Pain that arises from the back and radiates to the legs.
  • Worsening of pain while standing or sitting
  • Pain even while walking for short distances
  • Muscle weakness of the back and legs
  • Burning sensation in the affected area

Other associated symptoms include:

  • Insomnia – due to pain
  • Debility
  • Loss of appetite – due to several pain
  • Head ache or heaviness of the head

How does Ayurveda help treat herniated disc naturally and safely?

In Ayurveda, herniated disk is a condition that happens due to an imbalance of Vata element. This throws your body out of equilibrium. Ayurvedic treatment is a good way to restore the basic functional strength of your body.

In some people, symptoms like severe back pain, leg pain, or weakness of the lower extremity muscles are traced to a herniated disc. When the cushion that sits between the spinal vertebra is pushed outside its normal position, you have a herniated disc. This can occur as a result of rupture or bulge due to injury, disease, or deterioration. The spinal disc when pushed out irritates the spinal nerves that lay very close to the edge of these spinal discs causing severe pain.

A herniated disc can occur to anyone. It is, however, seen more commonly in people between the ages of 35 to 45 who perform heavy manual labour or drive motor vehicles for long periods of time. There are a plethora of effective Ayurvedic treatment for slip disc that help restore the equilibrium that is caused by Vata imbalance and provide you relief from lower back pain.

Ayurvedic treatment for slip disc

The Ayurvedic healing therapies are beneficial in many ways:

  • -They help in strengthening the supportive tissues that hold your spine.
  • -They help release the muscular spasm and nerve compression.
  • -They nourish the joints by enhancing circulation and relieve pain.

Here are the Ayurvedic therapies you can employ to treat herniated disk:

Kativasti

The term ‘Kativasti’ is made up of two parts – ‘Kati’ meaning the waist area of your body and ‘Vasti’ meaning a pouch like arrangement. kativasti is an Ayurvedic treatment for slip disc, where medicated oils are used on your back to treat the herniated disc condition.

Procedure:

The patient is made to lie down on his/her stomach on a bed. Medicated oil is spread over the lumbosacral area. After this, a reservoir or a ring is made on this lumbo-sacral region with dough made out of black gram powder. It is made sure that the ring is free of any leakage.

Medicated lukewarm oil is slowly poured into this ring. The temperature of the oil is preserved by reheating and continuously adding more oil. This is done for 30 to 40 minutes.

Later, the affected area is massaged lightly. It is followed by steaming for another 15 minutes which allows better absorption of medicated oil in your body. This process is carried over five to seven days as prescribed by the ayurvedic doctor.

How safe is Kativasti?

Kativasti is pretty safe for you. There are no side effects. This treatment is even safe for heart patients as only gentle massage is given. The only precaution to be taken is to keep the temperature of the medicated oil lukewarm to avoid blistering or scalding of skin.

Abhyanga

Abhyanga is a process where a person is given massage in slow and rhythmic movements throughout the body from head to toe. Warm medicated oils are used by one or two massage therapists for 40 to 60 minutes. The Abhyanga is performed in seven postures in by varying pressure at different points in the body.

What are the benefits of Abhyanga?

  • It harmonizes the imbalance in the body due to Vata.
  • It provides nourishment and vitality to the bones, tissues, ligaments, helps reduce pain and enhances your healing capacity.
  • It keeps you full of vitality, removes fatigue and relaxes your body and mind.

Kizhi

Kizhi involves massaging your body with poultices that are made of therapeutic herbs and medicated healing oils. These warm poultices are used to massage the body. This helps the oil to get absorbed by your body tissues, helps in eliminating accumulated toxins.

This therapy rejuvenates your body, improves blood circulation throughout the body, removes muscular fatigue, alleviates mental stress and effectively helps treat herniated disk condition as well as other joint ailments or injuries.

Dhanyamla Dhara

‘Dhanyamla’ means body and ‘Dhara’ means a continuous flow of liquid. This therapy involves pouring herbal medicated oils throughout different parts of your body. This is done by pouring warm oil from a vessel hung overhead over the affected areas of your body in a rhythm.

It is given for 45 to 60 minutes and lasts for 7 to 12 days depending on your doctor’s assessment.

This therapy helps relieve body ache and muscular spasms by boosting blood circulation. It revitalizes your body and enhances immune system immensely. It is an effective method of treating herniated disk.

Click here to know How to Cure Herniated Disc Safely

Here are Some Pain Relieving Ayurvedic medicines for slip disc you Would Like to Know

Vata imbalance causes herniated disk condition. So, by correcting this imbalance, the symptoms of herniated disk get treated. the following ayurvedic remedies and medicines help treat herniated disk condition effectively. Ayurvedic medicines for slip disc are:

  • Gandharvahastadi kashayam
  • Cervilon
  • Lumbatone
  • Take 5 gm Triphala Churna with luke warm water at bedtime daily. This will ensure the expulsion of excess Vata from your system.
  • Take 5 – 10 ml of Gandharvahastadi Castor oil before food, or on empty stomach, once or twice a day or as directed by Ayurvedic doctor to relieve lower back pain.

Go for these Ayurvedic therapies and remedies for relieving the herniated disk. They are free from side effects and are an alternative to surgical procedures. Let your doctor decide upon the Ayurvedic treatment for slip disc best suited to your condition.

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Jan 022018
 
trataka-meditation

‘Trataka’ is a Hatha Yoga method to develop concentration. It is a simple, yet powerful practice, which form part of the six purification methods in Hatha Yoga. The technique involves gazing or fixing the eyes on one point, either on an object or on a candle flame.

Scientifically, the practice of Trataka, involves the movement of eyeballs, which in-turn reflects our thinking process. When we concentrate on an object, our thoughts are focused on that alone, and everything else may vanish. The eyeballs too become steadier. There is a definite link between our eyeball movement and mental state. This is the principle that is applicable when practising Trataka. When we compulsorily fix our gaze on a particular point, we can induce a steady concentrated mind. Our thoughts become less turbulent, and our mind can be brought under control.

Technique

The practice is done with open eyes focused on an external object, which then progresses into internal practice, and to gazing the void. There are many types of Trataka. Practitioners use various objects for doing steady gazing. These may be ‘flame of a candle’, ‘a black dot on the wall’, ‘the crystal ball’, ‘the picture of your favourite diety’, ‘the sun or the moon’, etc. However, the most commonly followed technique is gazing on the candle flame.

  • Sit straight in a relaxed manner on the floor or on a chair.
  • Place a burning candle, or the object you wish to focus on, at a distance of one or two feet away from the eyes. However, ensure that the candle flame is at the same level as that of the eyes, so that you can gaze straight at the flame without having to tilt your head upwards or downwards.
  • Now keep your body steady and gaze at the bright spot of the flame just above the wick. Do not focus on the top of the flame, as the flame may flicker and you will lose focus.
  • Gaze at the flame without blinking the eyes. With practice, you can progress from few seconds to few minutes without blinking. With practice, you will notice that you are aware only of the flame, while the rest of the field including the body goes into oblivion. The practice time should only gradually build from few seconds to minutes.
  • When your eyes get tired, slowly close the eyes and relax. Sometimes the eyes may water. Keep the eyes closed till the strain is relieved. Try to see the image of the flame in the space in front of the forehead. View this internal flame as long as it appears.
  • Now, slowly open the eyes. You may blink a few times to relieve any strain.
  • • Repeat this process a few times.

Tips:

  • A candle is the preferred object, as fire is like a magnet for eyes and mind. It leaves a clear after-image in the mind.
  • After practicing with a candle for a couple of weeks, you can break from the practice and swap to another object.
  • It is advisable not to practice trataka for more than 10 minutes, unless you have an experienced teacher to guide you.
  • Ensure that the object you are focusing on is at eye level and is clearly visible without any blurr. It can also be practiced wearing your glasses.
  • If practising this using a candle, make your room completely dark, and ensure that there is no wind. For other objects dim light is preferred. The source of light should be behind you.
  • Try not to blink, but don’t try too hard. Do not strain your eyes. In case you experience discomfort, then blink the eyes and continue the practice. But don’t move the pupils.

Benefits of Trataka

  • Through the practice of Trataka, the attention and power of the mind is channelled in a continuous stream. It is considered as a highly effective concentration technique. In fact, the ancient yoga manuals say that ‘Trataka’ destroys eye diseases and removes sloth.
  • Trataka is good for the eyes. It strengthens the muscles surrounding the eyes, helps in getting rid of mild eye problems like short sightedness etc.
  • Trataka prevents insomnia. Practice of Trataka a few minutes before sleep can actually improve the quality of sleep.
  • More than anything, Trataka completely removes distractions in the mind. It makes the mind calm, steady, and increases concentration immensely.
  • Trataka practice also helps improve memory. Therefore, it is highly recommended for school children.
  • It develops intuition, the ability to visualise and develops willpower.
  • Trataka is also believed to improve mental and nervous stability, improves cognitive functioning, calms anxiety, balances the activity of two hemispheres of the brain, improves vision in the dark, instils self-confidence and patience, and has a soothing effect on the cranial nerves.

Caution:
This exercise is not suitable for people with psychic problems. Therefore, those who suffer from Schizophrenia or hallucinations should not practice Trataka. Also do not practice trataka on a candle if you have cataract, glaucoma, myopia, astigmatism or epilepsy.

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Dec 292017
 

For thousands of years, lettuce has also thought to contain medicinal properties and its health benefits have been confirmed by science. In this article, Healthy Guide will show you some of the best benefits of lettuce for health and beauty that you should not skip out.

List Of Benefits Of Lettuce For Health And Beauty:

Now, I will show you some of the nutrition facts of lettuce as well as benefits of this leaf veggie for health and beauty. So, if you love this kind of veggie and want to know more about benefits that you can reap from the consumption of lettuce, keep the eyes on this article right now.

  1. Nutrition Facts Of Lettuce

Lettuce is cultivated with ease. It is a great source of antioxidants, vitamins A, C, K, iron, potassium and folate. Although lettuce looks like cabbage, one of the differences between them is the water content, Lettuce is crunchier while cabbage contains less water and is tougher than lettuce.

This leafy green vegetable helps in fighting inflammation, diabetes and cancer. The omega-3 fatty acids found in lettuce help to protect the heart and simultaneously improve hair and skin health.

  1. Benefits Of Lettuce For Health, Skin And Hair

Keep in mind that not all varieties of lettuce are created equal. You just get all of the benefits if you consume the Romaine variety of lettuce. Some of the best benefits of lettuce for beauty and health purposes include:

  1. Reduce Diabetes Risk

This is the first one on the list of benefits of lettuce for health and beauty purposes that I want to mention in this article and want all of my readers to know for good. Studies have found that the consumption of lettuce can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Also, one cup of lettuce has only 5 calories and 2g of carbs, making it a great addition to your diabetes- friendly diet. Moreover, lettuce contains lactucaxanthin that helps reduce blood glucose levels, making it a potential remedy for diabetes.

List of 26 Best Smoothies For Diabetes Treatment and Relief will show you some of the healthiest smoothies that patients with diabetes should drink for good, so check it out!

  1. Improve Vision Health

The omega-3s found in lettuce can help improve vision health and fight off any eye-related ailments. Besides, Romaine lettuce also has a super antioxidant called zeaxanthin, which can promote vision health and prevent age-related macular degeneration. Actually, Romaine lettuce is a great replacement for spinach that is another kind of veggie great for eye health. This is also one of the best benefits of lettuce for beauty and health purposes that we would like to reveal in this article!

Read on Top 19 Healthy and Nutritional Foods for Eyes Improvement to discover some of the best foods you should consume to help you improve eye health.

  1. Reduce Cholesterol Levels

Lettuce can help to reduce cholesterol levels that can cause cardiovascular diseases as well as other health conditions. Actually, the high levels of “bad” cholesterol are harmful and can lead to heart attack and stroke. According to a study conducted on mice, lettuce consumption caused a reduction in cholesterol levels if compared to mice that did not consume lettuce.

  1. Work As An Antioxidant Agent

Studies have found that lettuce contains antioxidants, which are necessary for human health. Actually, these antioxidants work to fight against free radicals produced during cellular metabolism. Studies indicated that these free radicals could attack healthy cells and tissues and then mutate them into cancer cells, resulting in the development of diseases. On the other hand, antioxidants fight against these free radicals and then neutralize them.

  1. Fight Cancer

When it comes to benefits of lettuce for health and beauty purposes, you should not skip its ability to fight cancer. The extract from lettuce leaves can help control some certain types of cancer. Some studies found that human cancer cells could be controlled after being treated with the extracts from lettuce leaves.

  1. Induce Sleep

One of the common uses of lettuce is its use to induce sleep. The white fluid called lactucarium is what you see when breaking lettuce leaves. This contains relaxing and sleep-inducing properties. Therefore, if you are suffering from problems with sleep, simply consume a few lettuce leaves or drink lettuce juice.

  1. Protect Neuronal Cells

Neuronal cells have to form physical connections in order to make up memory. Therefore, the death of neurons can cause memory loss. In some cases, the neuronal death can lead to the onset of mental diseases like Alzheimer’s. The lettuce extracts had a control of neuron cell death thanks to its effect in glucose/serum deprivation. Besides, the research has also shown that lettuce could be used in neuroprotection as a natural treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.

  1. Fight Inflammation

If you are looking for benefits of lettuce for health and beauty purposes, you should know that this leafy veggie can help you fight inflammation. Some certain proteins in lettuce can help control inflammation. According to a study, lettuce is rich in vitamin K that can help lower inflammation. Other veggies that are rich in vitamin K are spinach, kale, broccoli and cabbage. Also, the omega-3s found in lettuce contribute to its anti-inflammatory effect.

  1. Improve Bone Health

Vitamins A, C and K are essential for collagen production and bone formation. And lettuce is a great source of all three vitamins. Vitamin A helps with new bone cell growth, and the deficiency of vitamin A can cause osteoporosis and a higher risk of fractures. Vitamin K supports to build cartilage as well as connective tissues and a lack of vitamin K can cause reduced bone mass and a higher facture risk. And, vitamin C helps fight bone depletion.

  1. Taste Great

Although lettuce is very low in calories, many varieties of lettuce still bring on a sweet taste. Lettuce called Lactuva sativa is often added to salads, soups, sandwiches, grilled and wraps.

There are other benefits of lettuce for health and beauty in this article. So, keep your eyes on this interesting article right now and then consider adding this healthy veggie to your daily diet for good.

  1. Aid Weight Loss

A reason why lettuce can be a great option for weight loss diets is calories. A serving of lettuce has just 5 calories. Besides, lettuce helps make up for the lack of micronutrient on a low-calorie diet. Also, lettuce is low in energy density. For example, Romaine lettuce has 95% water and just offers 1g of fiber per cup. And we all know that fiber keeps you full. Moreover, lettuce is also very low in fat, so it can be an ideal addition to your weight loss diet.

  1. Good For Pregnancy

The benefits of lettuce for pregnancy may come from its high content of folate, which can help reduce the risks of developing birth defects. Besides, the vitamin K found in this leafy veggie can also help reduce the risk of hemorrhaging. And, you do not forget the fiber content in lettuce can help prevent constipation, which is a common problem in pregnant women.

  1. Prevent And Treat Arthritis

When you are looking for a treatment for arthritis, you should not skip lettuce. As we know that patients with arthritis have to avoid consuming foods that are high in calories and fat because they can increase the pain and swelling to the body. With that reason, consuming lettuce may be helpful in preventing and treating arthritis.

In fact, this is one of the best benefits of lettuce for beauty as well as health purposes that I want to mention in this article and want all of my readers, especially those with arthritis to include this veggie in their daily diet as soon as possible.

  1. Improve Digestion Systems

It is very important to keep the digestion systems healthy. And, lettuce may be one of the best options for you thanks to its high content of dietary fiber. It helps to improve the functions of gastrointestinal tract. To use lettuce for promoting digestion system, you just need to combine a lettuce salad with other veggies such as carrots and cucumber to get a healthier digestion system.

  1. Improve Skin Health

If you want to have a perfect skin, you can take a natural action rather than applying chemical substances on your skin. As you know, consuming healthy foods is a natural way to improve the skin health. And, green vegetables like lettuce is known as a great source of essential vitamins and minerals that are good for skin.

Lettuce supplies most of the nutrients that our skin needs. It provides protection against pollutions and ultraviolet rays thanks to the combination of vitamin C and E. Moreover, it makes your skin youthful and prevents signs of aging. Therefore, improving skin health is one of the best benefits of lettuce for beauty and health purposes that you should not look down.

  1. Improve Hair Growth

Another one among benefits of lettuce for beauty and health purposes is that this food can help to improve hair growth. Actually, lettuce has nutrients that can support the hair health. It helps nourish the hair, prevent hair fall and graying of hair thanks to its content of vitamin K and potassium. Therefore, consuming lettuce on a regular basis can help you enjoy a beautiful and healthy hair.

Consuming green vegetables is a great way to get the nutrient that our body needs. Thus, you should consider adding this vegetable to your daily diet to reap all of its benefits for skin and beauty. If you know other benefits of lettuce for health and beauty purposes, remember to share them with us by leaving your comments 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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Dec 292017
 

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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Dec 292017
 

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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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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Dec 272017
 

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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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 PA 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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Dec 222017
 

By BloggerKhan

My profession is Management and Marketing and it revolves around outsourcing, ecommerce and marketing on the internet. Wise men say identify what you are passionate about and then see if ...

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Every article you read and every TV news channel you watch is talking about the growth in ecommerce, not just in the USA but all over the world. Traditional malls and standalone stores are feeling the pressure and they should as a good portion of sales has moved online. The smart ones leveraged technology to have a strong online presence and have integrated their physical stores with their ecommerce website in such a way that they complement each other instead of cannibalizing each other.

‘Online only’ merchants do not have the luxury of such complementing physical stores to draw crowds from. That is a real problem. Savvy merchants know that the more people see their products, the better their chances of making a sale. The online versions of physical / traditional malls are called online marketplaces and the big ones are eBay, Amazon, Walmart and to a lesser extent Etsy. Merchants sell on their own ecommerce websites but also upload their products to these marketplaces.

People who prefer to shop on eBay go to eBay, Amazon loyalists go to Amazon and so on. There they see the merchant’s products and order via the marketplace. The merchant makes a sale, the marketplace a commission.

Why would merchants want to sell on marketplaces when they know the marketplace is going to charge a hefty commission? Because they get a customer that they wouldn’t otherwise. And now that they have made a customer, they can entice him to buy directly from their website in the future and save them marketplace commissions.

This establishes the benefits of selling on marketplaces. Now lets look at the challenges of selling on marketplaces.

  1. Labor intensive: To keep your own website updated and have accurate product information is quite challenging. To do so on multiple marketplaces in addition is a 5 Advil headache.

  2. GTIN / UPC codes: Amazon and Walmart insists on all products to have UPC codes. If you make your own products or source from smaller manufacturers, you don’t have UPC codes. You have to buy them, add them to your product descriptions and only then you can upload. That is labor intensive and it costs money.

  3. Synchronizing inventory: This is probably the biggest headache of selling products on 3rd party marketplaces. Every time somebody buys off of your website or on eBay or Amazon or any other marketplace, you have to update stock on all of them. If you don’t, then you may be sold out on an item but somebody may buy the same on one or more of the other marketplaces. Now what do you do? You have no stock. You cancel the orders and refund but that results in negative feedback and the marketplace lowers your ratings. Do it often and your account will get suspended. Marketplaces compete with each other and they are all trying to make the customer experience a pleasant one. If you are standing in the way, they will swat you like a fly.

    Human beings are always looking at solving problems though and a SaaS product called UMP ( short for UploadMyProducts.com ) now solves the inventory problem. What UMP does is, it Pulls the product data from your website / ecommerce site to it’s own database and then Pushes it to all marketplaces several times a day. This keeps stock levels updated on all platforms and minimizes the changes of you selling something that you don’t have stock on.

    Upload my products to amazon, ebay, walmart, etsy.

    Upload products to amazon, ebay, walmart, etsy and synchronize inventory

  4. Pricing: Setting different prices on different marketplaces: Commissions vary and so does shipping costs. If Walmart insists that you offer free shipping, what do you do. You have to markup your prices but only for Walmart. How do you do that if you have thousands of products? Again UMP comes to the rescue. It allows you to set different prices for different marketplaces.

  5. Blocking products: Some marketplaces don’t allow the sale of certain products, for example, certain kinds of knives or guns. If you violate their rules, your account may get shut down. What do you do? Through UMP ( UploadMyProducts.com ), you can block certain products for some marketplaces while allow them on others.

  6. Shipping policies: This is something that the smart merchants embrace and the dumb ones ignore. I cannot fathom why some merchants proudly proclaim “We only ship to the lower 48 states. No exceptions”. In this day and age you don’t want to ship overseas? Why not? You can’t figure out how to calculate shipping costs?

    Ebay has the best solutions for International shipping and UMP integrates with that. Many merchants see 20 to 25% of their sales coming from International Sales.

    You’ve got to realize that the US Market is a lot cheaper than many parts of the world and also, being a bigger market, there are many more choices that may not be available in other countries. That’s why international customers buy from US companies who are willing to ship overseas. Wake up people! If you don’t know how to enable international shipping, talk to ecommerce specialists like InterloperInc.com and they will help you get setup for international shipping.

In conclusion, ecommerce, like any other business platform, has it’s headaches and it’s challenges. That does not mean you give up. Look around and find solutions. Talk to companies that specialize in ecommerce and let them help you out. Ecommerce indeed is booming. Go get your share!

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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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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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Dec 162017
 

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Dec 162017
 

By BloggerKhan

My profession is Management and Marketing and it revolves around outsourcing, ecommerce and marketing on the internet. Wise men say identify what you are passionate about and then see if ...

If you do not have an online business, chances are you may not have ever heard of the term drop shipping. In this article, we will try to explain what it is and how it can make your life and running your business easier. We encourage you to read on, especially if you are about to start your own business or are looking into expanding online.

Drop shipping refers to shipping directly to your customers from a vendor with no intermediaries in between. As you can tell, this is a complete opposite to the traditional model where you buy and store the products in a physical location. Once, they’re sold, you ship them yourself. With drop shipping, once a customer orders from you, you pass the info along to your drop shipper who, in turn, packages and ships them directly to the customer.

The biggest benefit is obvious, that you do not have to keep any inventory yourself. You free up both your time and resources, have a wide selection of products, you are not limited by the location of your business and your customers will receive their orders on time. It also promotes scalability which is a huge perk. On the flip side, your margins are a little slimmer as the drop shipper charges for his services.

In addition to scalability, reduced risk is another major advantage of drop shipping. In a conventional model, you buy in bulk, store the inventory and then sell over time. If you make a bad decision and the market changes on you, you can be stuck with unsold inventory. That can be devastating. Drop shipping helps you lower your risk and to pay for that reduced risk, you have reduced profit margins.

So, now that we have established that drop shipping is a good idea, the next question is where can you find them. A simple Google search can be helpful, but make sure you expand your search terms by using drop shipping vocabulary such as wholesaler, distributor, etc. Contacting your manufacturer may be also worth a shot as they may be collaborating with a particular drop shipper already. This will be as good of a recommendation as it can get.

The drop shipping model in ecommerce

The drop shipping model in ecommerce

Before making a decision, which drop shipper to use, ask yourself a few questions, See what products they provide, at what cost, what shipping and payment options they offer, what is their return policy, etc. Do they offer any branding recommendations and send email notifications with order status and tracking? During the research process, it may definitely be worth your time to check any reviews and references they have received from their customers online.

Let us take a look at two of the most popular Chinese websites, Alibaba and AliExpress. Alibaba has a wholesale, business to business model, requires minimum order quantities and sometimes the goods are manufactured after your order. So, it may take up to several months from order till delivery. On the other hand, AliExpress works as a retailer, with a business to customer model, it allows the purchase of single units and the products have already been manufactured so shipping is done in a more timely manner. Alibaba is a platform that sells in bulk, that is, the sellers on Alibaba sell in bulk. They are either manufacturers or wholesalers / distributors. AliExpress is a platform for retailers though it also has some drop shippers / wholesalers who give you bulk pricing if you are a bulk buyer.

Then there are drop shipping aggregators who serve as the middleman between drop shippers and ecommerce merchants making it easy for both parties to further their business. Here are a few drop shipping aggregators: Oberlo – importing from AliExpress and other Chinese manufacturers; Doba – they interface with both manufacturers and wholesalers; WholeSale Central – an aggregator with a decent tool for filtering through categories like apparel, electronics and leather goods; Dropship Direct – another significant aggregator.

How can you integrate them with your ecommerce system?

To integrate the drop shipper with your ecommerce platform / online store, contact a web development company like InterloperInc.com that specializes in ecommerce. They have several years worth of experience with both ecommerce development and drop shipping and work professionally and in a timely manner to meet the business’s needs.

Once you have all these streams of product data flowing into your ecommerce system, you may also consider uploading your inventory to marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Sears, Rakuten etc. To upload and synchronize inventory, you may use services like UploadMyProducts.com to make life easier for you.

All these services are there to help you make buying, selling and processing orders easier. Your focus then has to be on generating traffic to your website, servicing customers and doing research on what product mix to carry.

We hope this article was helpful. Good luck!

Ecommerce Drop Shipping Experts

Ecommerce Drop Shipping Experts

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Dec 122017
 

By BloggerKhan

My profession is Management and Marketing and it revolves around outsourcing, ecommerce and marketing on the internet. Wise men say identify what you are passionate about and then see if ...

Competing with the big guys in the industry isn’t easy, especially when it comes to ecommerce as they have bigger budgets to spend on promotion and marketing. However, this doesn’t mean that the world of online marketing is closed to smaller players. There are plenty of ways to stay one step ahead of big businesses. This article will focus on category descriptions.

Most ecommerce websites have their products identified by categories to make it easier for customers and themselves when doing search and filter. Big brands do not have a lot of text on their category pages, but rather go for a more clean look and let the products speak for themselves. They can do this because they do not need long category descriptions for SEO juice as they are already visible to their customers and can afford to advertise. You are small, you cannot spend much on advertising. So you have to be smarter and use search engines are your allies. You can use more descriptive text at the top of your categories to get better ranking on search engines and attract customers that way. See example picture.

Write category descriptions that contain relevant long-tail keywords as the short ones are extremely competitive. Write them in a way that shows your customers that you really understand what this category is about, what kind of products and what kind of situations this category is suitable for. Tell a story if you can.

Add internal links to subcategories to establish a site hierarchy. Search engines will crawl through these, index them and help you rank higher in search results. Not only that, but internal linking also improves site navigation and prompts visitors to view more pages and spend more time on the website.

It’s very important to update descriptions on a regular basis especially if your inventory changes.

Last but not least, don’t be afraid to add other types of media to your descriptions. Recent polls have shown that users absolutely love videos. If you have the time and resources available, make short videos showing the product in use.

We hope this article was helpful.

Good luck!


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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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Dec 102017
 

By BloggerKhan

My profession is Management and Marketing and it revolves around outsourcing, ecommerce and marketing on the internet. Wise men say identify what you are passionate about and then see if ...

Compared to PPC (Pay Per Click Ads) organic search has long lasting effects. If you develop good content, it may continue to show up in searches years from now. What is good content though? Good content is not necessarily academic content. It’s content that covers a topic or sub-topic to be sufficiently informative and engaging, easy to read and understand and keyword rich for a favorable ranking in searches. It should also be relevant to your business or line of operations as after all you want to attract bees, not wasps.

Content can be developed in one of two ways:

  • In-house:
    Larger organizations have whole departments writing content for their marketing collateral, websites and blogs. Small businesses don’t have that luxury. Most small businesses now understand the benefits of content development but don’t have the skills to write or have the skills but don’t have the time to spare 2 to 3 hours a day writing content and then promoting it.

  • Outsourcing:
    Small businesses should consider outsourcing content development to engage their user base and also for SEO benefits. The cost of outsourcing is not that high and most small businesses can afford to get their content outsourced.

The next logical question is who to outsource to? Now, this part may prove to be tricky and somewhat time-consuming but it is well worth it in the end. Again, there are several options for you to pick and choose from starting with, but not limited to:

1. Freelance content writer/ industry expert

2. Content writing agency

3. Content writing team

4. Guest writers/ bloggers

Ask your friends and contacts for recommendations, do your own research on potential content writers or agencies, then proceed accordingly. If verbal recommendations do not come to fruition, you can always head to one of the many freelancing portals and check out candidates there. You can post a project and then people will bid on it and try to get your attention with their offers and writing samples. Make a list of a few potential ones, discuss the task or what the job of content writer for you entails and choose. Rates could even be negotiable so it is a very cost-effective solution. For a list of freelancing platforms, visit http://bit.ly/how-outsource1

But not all writers are a good match for your line of work or the quality you need.

In order to find the best content writer for your business, you must be specific about things such as their:

  • High level of proficiency in English to guarantee that a piece will be well written, without spelling and gramattical errors.

  • Knowledge of SEO principles; understanding keywords and correct keyword density so as not to overstuff the writing in a way that will make search engines exclude you and your website from search results.

  • Ability to write in different styles. Articles, reports and press releases are not written in the same format and whoever you outsource to needs to be well aware of the differences.

  • Story-Telling skills. A good writer has to be able to tell a story and awake the curiosity and interest of the reader, make them find out more about the topic. Every good writer needs this particular skill set.

  • Narrative. Pretty self explanatory.

  • Undertaking research. You need to back up your content with well researched examples, facts and figures that lend a certain dose of credibility to the writing and to your business.

  • Detail orientation. Once you have pointed out what the contents should be about, the developer should follow it and make sure he/she does not miss any of the required points.

  • Working with deadlines. Your content developer needs to commit to submitting a piece to a previously agreed date and time as chances are your business is also working on a deadline. Make sure this is stated clearly and that the developer is certain they can finish in time.

Students may be even considered for minor work on general topics, but stay clear of them for serious business matters.

Writing agencies usually have teams that will do the writing and there is overall a good guarantee that the final product will be of high quality. However, they will charge significantly more than a freelance content writer. We recommend reaching out to an agency or team when the quality of the content is especially important and the topics are too specific to tackle by a sole individual. Another benefit of writing agency is that you can be certain that the delivery will always be on time.

Guest bloggers will lend a certain dose of credibility none of the other content writers will achieve. So, reaching out to a few and making a good arrangement will take you a long way. However, this may not be an option for first timers. You need to have an established website and audience before you this. If you are just starting out, keep the idea in mind for a later date.

To sum up, content development is extremely important for any website. Spend some time finding the best writer/agency to outsource to in order to get the desired results. You can go with a company like InterloperInc or post your job on freelancing platforms.

We hope this article gave you an idea on how to outsource your content development. Good luck!

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Dec 102017
 

By BloggerKhan

My profession is Management and Marketing and it revolves around outsourcing, ecommerce and marketing on the internet. Wise men say identify what you are passionate about and then see if ...

Contrary to popular belief, email marketing is still a major driving force in sales. Even though Social Media gets all the hype, email is what delivers in ways that can be better measured. It’s a direct and personal way to interact with customers. But in order to use its potential, you must have a list of emails and constantly grow your list.

How can you convert visitors to your website into leads and leads into sales? Well, you engage with them and encourage them to subscribe to your email newsletter. By simply engaging visitors and asking them to subscribe to your mailing list, you will increase email capture. Offering a reward like a free report, or discount will help you convert even more visitors into subscribers. Once you get that email, you can market to them and inform them about new products and promotions. This also opens the door for driving sales from customers that require more time to be convinced to buy a product.

If you’re wondering why we’re urging you to ask for their email first, it’s because the majority of new visitors do not buy anything on their first visit. That’s why it’s important to encourage people to subscribe to your email list. Getting a visitors email is probably the most valuable marketing exercise for an ecommerce company.

One of the most effective ways to grow your email list is through email pop-ups. This practice is widely used by marketers in ecommerce for its usefulness in list building, traffic conversion and sales influence. However, you must be aware that email pop-ups are a numbers game. The more visitors you engage, the more conversions you’ll get. Try not to annoy your visitors. There are ways to engage shoppers in a relevant way that provides value. Don’t pop-up a subscription box the moment a visitor lands on your website. Be patient. Let him spend some time, see your products, check your prices and then pop-up your form with a nice message.

Your pop-up should represent your brand well and have clear, concise copy and a strong call to action to convince potential customers to act upon it. Focus on these three aspects and you should see high conversion rates with your email pop-ups. Experiment and see what message and what design resonates better with your visitors.

Now that you have a lead capturing mechanism in place, how do you manage them? You must have an auto responder and / or a CRM in place. Without that, you are collecting leads but unable to do much with the leads. If you are not familiar with auto responders, we have a good article on them at http://bloggerkhan.com/review-and-comparison-of-auto-responders/17740 Remember you are collecting leads for a reason. First to convert them to customers and then once they become customers to stay in touch with them so they can buy more from you in the future.

We hope this article was helpful. Good luck!


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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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