Try this simple home remedy:

Take some turmeric powder, powdered cumin, unboiled milk and sesame oil in equal amounts and make a paste. Use as a face pack, applying neatly on the affected areas.

Tags: home remedies, natural cure

Chanced upon some information on the web, which I think is of immense help to those of us suffering from frquent bouts of acidity. Apart from our lifestyle (read constant stress and meal skipping), the type of food we have has a significant effect on the levels of acid in our body. Certain foods are by nature acid forming while others have an alkalizing effect on the body. It is interesting to note that foods that taste acidic may not actually be acidic. So if you think orange juice has an acidic effect on your body, you couldn’t be further from truth. The reason these seemingly acidic foods have an alkalizing effect is that post-digestion, they leave certain minerals which help remove hydrogen ions and thus counter acidity.

Too much of acidity in the body (acidosis) can lead to an impairment of cell metabolism, weak bones and several other diseases. Therefore, one must have knowledge of acidity and alkalinity of various foods in our diet so one can make sensible food choices. It is important to know that no foods are bad. Our body needs both acid causing food and those that have an alkaline effect.

Foods like cheese, chocolates, cashewnuts, pistachio, barley, beans, eggs, chicken, butter, honey, wheat flour, peas, oats, mushrooms, sugar, wine and foods rich in animal protein are acidic.

Bananas, apples, apricots, oranges, lemons, broccoli, carrots, celery, coconut, onions, pineapple, raisins, walnuts are alkaline forming.

If you want to know more about acidic and alkaline foods and how they affect our bodies, I highly recommend this Acid and Alkaline Food List.

Tags: healthy eating, natural cure, natural health

Lets take up from our January article on Color Therapy, and dig a little deeper. We did some research and found that color therapy is being used to treat common ailments like colds to those like typhoid fever. As you read the list below, you will notice that the principle color therapy works on, is to expose the affected body part to colors that it is deficient in.

• Gout: Orange, which is a mix of red and yellow colors is thought to have high heat inducing powers. Exposure to orange colored light is supposed to help break down uric acid crystals. It has an anti-spasmodic effect and thus is helpful in cases of muscle cramps.
• Laryngitis: Blue colored light is thought to be cooling and exposure to blue colored light is expected to soothe inflammations.
• Tonsilitis: For the same reason as above, patients are exposed to blue colored light to soothe tonsil inflammations.
• Anaemia: To treat anaemia with colors, the patient is exposed to red light. The theory being that red, being the color of blood, helps in tackling the deficiencies of blood and helps build haemoglobin. Red colored light is also thought to increase circulation of blood.
• Paralysis: Expose the affected body part to red rays to stimulate and improve blood circulation.
• Respiratory Troubles, for example bronchitis: Red colored light produces heat that energises the respiratory muscles.
• Common Cold: Red is associated with heat and so exposure to red colored light is supposed to generate heat in the body and also vitalizes the immune system of the body.
• Physical strain and Mental stress: Green is the color of nature - the trees, the plants, the grass. And green colored light is considered cooling and soothing, and is thought to produce the same effect that we feel when we go for a nature walk. It helps in cases of both physical and mental exhaustion.
• Insomnia: Because of its relaxing effect, green colored light is supposed to help induce sleep.
• Typhoid, Red fever, Hay fever: Expose to green colored light.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any proof that exposure to different colored light has beneficial effects in specific diseases. However, if the topic is of interest to you and if you would like to explore it further, try this. The series here is interesting too though again does not quote any specific research to prove the claims. It would be interesting to know feedback of someone who has actually used color therapy to treat a condition. Anyone out there…?

Tags: color therapy, natural cure, natural health

Do you experience heartburn, have a bloated feeling? Belching, acidic burps? Feel like throwing up even after consuming small portions of food? You might be suffering from acidity. Acidity can be naturally cured and is easy to prevent. So before you start taking allopathic medicines, you may want to try one of these easy home remedies:

• Have a banana.
• Have a glass of cold milk. Be careful while trying this one. Some people find their acidity to get worse with milk. Works for most people I know though.
• Coconut water, coconut milk have a very soothing effect.
• Mix a tsp. of baking soda in water and have it while its still fizzing.
• Popping 2-3 walnuts or almonds helps (personal experience).
• Yogurt, fresh curd cool the linings and thus help counter acidity.
• Consume 2-3 dates.
• Orange juice or lemon juice help in acidity. 

To prevent acidity from occuring, keep in mind these preventive measures:

• Avoid stress. This is probably the most common reason for acidity.
• Avoid having meals at irregular timings.
• Do not go hungry for long periods of time. Keep a protein bar or some biscuits handy. Even if you don’t have time to have a sit down meal, be sure to pop in a biscuit anytime you begin to feel hungry.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks.

Remember to consult a doctor if acidity persists.

Tags: healthy eating, home remedies, home remedy, natural cure, Natural healing, natural health

Mango, also known as the king of fruits, is eagerly sought after every summers. Though savoured mainly for its taste, it is a little known fact that mango has several health benefits. 

• Mangoes should be dipped in water for a few hours and then kept in the refrigerator before consuming. Eating cooled mangoes provides a refreshing feeling and fight dehydration.
• Mangoes are good sources of energy.
• Mangoes, being fibre rich, are good for digestion. They help prevent constipation, piles etc.
• Mangoes are rich in Vitamin A, and C. 
• Vitamin E and K are also found in mangoes.
• Mangoes are rich in antioxidants and hence good for skin.
• They are also rich in beta carotene and so protect skin from tanning in summers.
• Mangoes, being rich in Vitamin B, iron and folate help boost metabolism.
• Mangoes are good sources of potassium, calcium and iron.
• Mangoes have low sodium content!
• Mangoes are also good at fighting acidity.

Tags: ayurveda, healthy eating, natural health

Recently my little nephew, he is six going on seven, was diagnosed with nearsightedness. Came as quite a surprise to me…he doesn’t watch that much of TV and nor is he addicted to computers. Does his home work in a well lit room…Ok, he is a fussy eater but one can’t really say his diet is seriously deficient in vital nutrients. His mom never suffered from myopia and dad developed it well into his late teens. So, what caused it really? It got be searching the net and I chanced upon this article on research on the relationship between outdoor activity and myopia in 6-12 year olds.

The article says that it is the time spent outdoors in the Sun that is important rather than engagement in some form of active sport. Thats exactly what my nephew does not do. He likes to play indoors and more often than not the only time he steps out of home is to go to school (where he is indoors again) or to visit a friend at his home (again indoors) or for an outing in the evening with his mom and dad.

According to the research it is the intensity of outdoor light that may be an important factor. And they use it to explain the lower prevelance of myopia in children in Australia. It goes on to suggest  that public health measures would do well to encourage children to indulge in some form of outdoor activity, to reduce their chances of developing myopia. 

Alright, gives me enough reason to push him to go outdoors and play. And just be! All the synthetic environment gets to me anyway and I can’t imagine why kids these days want to be indoors all the time, when they can very well be playing out in the open! Perhaps we need to introspect and see if we are creating an environment of too much comfort for them indoors and if it is that which gives them little reason to step out.

Tags: cause of shortsightedness, healthy living, myopia, natural health, prevent nearsightedness

Fully ripe olives are purple-black in color. These black olives are natural artery protectors. They contain mono unsaturated oils which help lower the bad (LDL) cholesterol without lowering the good (HDL) cholesterol.

Olives are rich in Vitamin E and therefore good for the skin. And hence is also considered a very good anti-oxidant.

Olive oil is known to be beneficial in ulcers and gastritis. It is easy on the stomach. Olive oil is said to prevent the formation of gallstones in the body as it activates secretion of bile and pancreatic juices. It also aids in metabolism and finds wide use in the Mediterranean diet.

Tags: ayurveda, ayurvedic remedy, healthy eating, High Cholesterol, natural cure, natural cure for heart ailments, natural health

Today is World Health Day. And I thought why not just remind ourselves of some basic do’s and don’t for good overall health. And in the process make some resolutions

So here goes my list of resolutions…

• Exercise - Build any form of exercise into daily routine. Meditation and deep breathing, yoga exercises, aerobics, walking, running, gyming…could be anything. 30 minutes of exercise, especially in the morning help improve our metabolism and also keep us fresh and active during the day.
• Five to ten minutes of Kapalbhati pranayam over and above the above. It improves the functioning of the respiratory system, improves blood circulation, improves digestive system, tones abdominal muscles, cleanses and purifies both the mind and the body, fights stress and helps lose weight.
• Eath healthy - Include nuts and fruits in breakfast and salads in lunch.
• Have a hearty breakfast so I have energy for the day. Also helps improve metabolism to have a good breakfast after the night long gap.
• Go in for a decent lunch but have a frugal dinner.
• Avoid skipping meals even when there seems to be no time for one. Am going to carry a banana or some almonds or one of those Protein bars and po-in any time I feel there isn’t time for a sit-down meal.
• Better still, try and have 5-6 small, healthy meals during the day.
• Have atleast 8-10 glasses of water every day. I find it difficult to have so much of plain water. So am going to try lemonade, RoohAfza, orange squash to get my full quota of water for the day.  Worth doing for good metabolism and happy skin!
• Avoid stress - That is something that is going to be tricky for me. And this will probably be my most important Health Day resolution.
• Avoid late nights as far as I can - whether it is for work or partying. Am going to follow the “Early to bed and early to rise…” dictum. That isn’t going to be tough though as I am mostly a morning person.
• Get atleast 6 hours of sleep everynight. A good, sound sleep allows the body to heal itself and get ready for the next day.
• Catch 40 winks, if I can, during the afternoons. Its like a quick refuel for me!
• Go for nature walks, and just immerse myself in the sights and sounds of nature…pure bliss!
• Laugh as often as I can…not waiting for a big joke to be cracked.

Ok, so thats my list. What’s yours? Do share!

Tags: ayurveda, healthy eating, healthy living, Natural detox, Natural healing, natural health

Ok, we are approaching that time of the year again when we love to shut ourselves up in AC environs, at office, on the road and at home. And with the ads from AC companies being bombarded at us, it is easy to assume that when we confine ourselves to an AC room, we are safe in a pollution free environment. But is that really so?

A report by NASA confirms the opposite and advises on how the problem of indoor air pollutants can be tackled. The main cause of indoor air pollution is the increasing use of resins and solvents being used in modern home and office materials. Because of increased indoor air pollution, health problems like irritation of eyes, throat and lungs, and various allergies can arise.

And as my grandmother would say, staying in AC environs all day long prevents our body from sweating, a natural mechanism of flushing out toxins. Besides, lack of natural light and fresh air makes me feel tired and stressed. So I am one of those who prefer to open a window when I can and just do with a fan. And depend more on summer coolers (read drinks) to keep myself cool. And now that I chanced upon this report, I am just going to do that more often. But there are times when one can’t afford this ‘luxury’. What does one do then?

NASA’s research has found that indoor plants can absorb these harmful pollutants. 15 indoor plants have been recommended to help purify indoor air. Take a look at the list of these indoor plants here. I am going to try and find the common names of these plants and find out which of these are locally available. Their beneficial effect on cleaning indoor air notwithstanding, I just love the sight of plants in my room. It just feels to be good to be surrounded by plants, something green and alive to remind us even in our modern rooms, that we are a part of nature.

By the way, plants are also known to absorb CO2 and release O2 in the air,  help decrease sound levels and increase humidity. So much more reason to do up our homes and offices with plants!

Tags: green living, healthy living, natural health

Did you know that prunes contain natural aspirin? Try some prunes next time you have a headache instead of popping in a pain-killer.

Prunes or dried plums are also a good source of fibre and sugar. It is advantageous to use prunes (a source of natural sugar) as sweetners instead of refined sugar.

Prunes are also said to be a good laxative( dihydrophenylisatin) and are often used to treat constipation. 

Prunes are known to be good anti-oxidants too.  They neutralise the damaging effects caused by oxidation and so fight against aging.  The Chinese use a drink made with prunes to counter acidity.

Prunes are rich sources of Vitamin A and therefore beneficial for eyes, skin and the immune system.  Prunes are a rich source of Magnesium, which is a vital mineral needed in the body. Perhaps because of their rich magnesium content, they are also known to help in prevention of bone loss in post-menopausal women.

Prunes are rich sources of dietary fibre as well. Pectin, the soluble dietary fibre found in prunes helps lower blood cholesterol levels.

So what are you waiting for, go grab a box of prunes or better still buy some ripened plums and dry them naturally!

Tags: ayurveda, ayurvedic remedy, healthy eating, healthy living, High Cholesterol, natural cure, natural cure for heart ailments