Here are some simple home remedies for eczema:

• Apply coconut oil on the affected area.
• Apply lemon juice. Be careful though and avoid if there are wounds from scratching.
• Crush a few garlic cloves and use the juice to apply on the eczema. [Avoid applying if there are wounds].
• Apply un-boiled, cooled milk on the affected area for a soothing effect. 
• Boil a few neem leaves in water for 5-10 minutes. Let the water cool. When it has cooled, use this to wash the affected area. You can also ice-cool this water and use as cold compress on the eczema.
• If you have access to some sandalwood and can make fresh sandalwood paste, mix 1 tsp. of this paste with 1 tsp. of camphor. Apply on affected area. Will really soothe the skin.

Tags: ayurvedic remedy, home remedies, natural cure, Natural healing

A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience has found that chronic backaches can result in shrinkage of gray matter by about 5-11%, which is the equivalent of shrinkage that takes place in 10 to 20 years of aging! 

The shrinkage, it appears, is related to the duration of the pain. It is a 1.3 cu. cm. of gray matter loss for every year of chronic pain.

Well, who could have thought of that! But now that we know, don’t take that back pain lightly. 

Again, remember that chronic back pain may not necessarily be because of bad posture. It is advisable to consult a qualified orthopaedic doctor when you have back pains. Osteoporosis (weakening of bones) is one of the major causes of back pains. If you have chronic back pains, consult your doctor now.

Tags: healthy living, natural health

Warm up 1 tsp. of mustard oil. Make sure its lukewarm and not very hot. Now, using a cotton ear bud or your index finger or a dropper, whatever you find convenient to use, put 1-2 drops of this lukewarm mustard oil in the ear that is aching. It works!

Using Ajwain (carom seeds): Boil 1 tbsp. of milk. When it boils, add ½ tsp. of Ajwain seeds. Filter it once it cools and use as ear drops.

Ajwain, Mustard Oil and Garlic: Add ½ tsp. of Ajwain seeds to 2tsp. of hot mustard oil. Add one or two flakes of crushed garlic. Keep heating oil till garlic turns red. Cool and filter. Use as ear drops.

Ofcourse, consult an ENT specialist if the pain persists.

Tags: home remedies, home remedy, natural cure

Our sedentary lifestyle and invariably wrong sitting posture often cause back pains. While the main attempt should be to attack the cause, that is not sit for long hours, get some exercise, sit on an ergonomic chair and ofcourse sit in the correct posture, we do need an immediate way out when the back becomes stiff with pain.

• Lie down and rest: If you are at work, you do need a pain reliever for immediate effect. However, if you can afford it, get some bed rest.
• Get a soft, soothing massage with lukewarm mustard oil. Better still, make your own massage oil…you can make a good quantity and keep for future use. Here is how you make the massage oil at home:

Heat 1/2 litre of mustard oil. Put 25 gms. fenugreek seeds, 10-15 cloves of garlic, 2 tsp. ajwain (carom seeds) and 10-12 neem (margosa) leaves into the oil. Now, heat over a slow flame taking good care that no oil spills. Otherwise it can be hazardous. When the oil is well heated, the ingredients will turn black. Remove from fire and let it cool. Once it cools, sieve and bottle.

Note that massaging with this oil is good for relieving joint pains too.

Tags: ayurvedic remedy, home remedies, natural cure, Natural healing

Halitosis is a term used for bad breath. My fellow contributor gave some interesting home remedies to counter bad breath. I am going to take it a step further and elaborate on what causes bad breath.

There are several causes of bad breath. The most common being:

• Dry mouth – Not having enough water, taking medication that causes dryness in the mouth can cause bad breath. The reason is simple. Our saliva controls the growth of oral bacteria. A dry mouth helps bacteria to build up and hence causes bad breath
• Certain foods, for example taking raw red onions can cause bad breath
• Smoking
• Consuming certain drinks (even tea and coffee) can lead to bad breath
• Poor oral hygiene, not brushing often or well enough can cause halitosis
• Any gum diseases
• Stress

Home remedies for bad breath:

To counter bad breath, attack the root causes. And so if you look at the list above, here is what one needs to do to remedy bad breath:

• Have plenty of water. And have frequent sips.
• When you consume foods and drinks that cause bad breath, make sure you brush your teeth soon after.
• Avoid smoking Its not good for your health anyway.
• Try and brush your teeth after every meal, if possible. If not, then atleast after breakfast and before retiring to bed.
• Use a dental floss every night to clean your gums.
• Bust stress. 
• This one is more reactive than preventive, but popping peppermint, clove or an elaichi(green cardamom) helps.

Know of any more natural, easy ways to tackle bad breath? Do share!

Tags: ayurvedic remedy, bad breath, home remedies, natural cure

This is a very simple and convenient remedy that I heard from a fellow tweeter @emergencyoh. When you have a headache thats driving you crazy, try chewing on a cinnamon stick. As simple as that? Wow! Sounds like something thats quick and easy to do even when you are at work, though you need to carry a few cinnamon sticks in your bag. Am going to try it the  next time I have a headache.

Headaches inflict us so often and for different reasons. Some of the common ones are:

• Flu
• Lack of sleep
• Lack of oxygen and natural light
• Stress
• Excessive heat

Honestly speaking I don’t like the idea of taking medicines anytime headache strikes. And so try one home remedy or another. I’ve found different things to work for me at different times. And the most common ones:

• If at work, the first is to treat myself to a cup of strong tea.
• Use a herbal headache balm. I always keep one in my bag.
• Get up from my desk and take a shortish walk. 

But my all time favorites are:

• Apply a herbal balm on the forehead. Take a short nap. Get up and have a good cup of tea or coffee. Super if its flu
• Or go out into the open for a walk. Nature walk works wonders if the headache is because of lack of O2, natural light or because of stress!
• Catch up with someone you like to be with, go out, have a good chat and a good laugh even if its over trivial things. Sounds odd but it often works for me. Especially when I am stressed.

Tags: healthy living, home remedies, natural cure, Natural healing

Age spots or liver spots or sun spots are pretty harmless discolorations* that normally occur on the face and neck, arms and hands. However, they are not very pretty looking and those of us who have them want to leave no stone unturned to get rid of them. But before I go into what can be done to get rid of them, let me point out that age spots take years to form, and hence don’t expect them to instantly disappear with any of the natural, home remedies. 

Why are age spots or sun spots formed?

Age spots, unlike what their name suggests, are not exactly age-related. Yes, they are common in those above 50 years in age or so but are also found in 30 year olds. The main reason behind the formation of age spots is exposure to Sun. And hence the name sun spots. And that also explains why they appear on sun exposed parts of the body. 

How to prevent age spots from forming?

• Cover the Sun exposed parts of your body with a good sunscreen half an hour before you step out.
• As with any other skin trouble, drink plenty of water to flush out toxins.
• Include antioxidants like aloe vera, citrus fruits and nuts in your diet.

Home remedies for age spots -

If age spots or sun spots have already developed on your face or hands, you could try one of these home remedies. Remember though that they won’t act like a magic wand!

• Take the skin of a lemon (should still have some juice in it) and rub the inner juicy part on the age spots. This will lighten them considerably if used regularly.
• Rub onion juice on the affected areas. This will cause the upper layer of skin to peel off and its acidic nature, like in the case of lemon, will cause the spots to lighten.
• Garlic juice, for the same reasons as in the case of onion juice, helps with the Sun spots.
• As in other skin conditions, applying aloe vera pulp on the spots helps too.
• Apply Apple Cider Vinegar on the age spots. Because of its acidic nature again, it acts as an exfoliator and lightens the spots.
• If the spots have a rough texture, applying castor oil helps.
• Almond oil can also be applied on the liver spots. It is rich in Vitamin E and helps smooth out and lighten the blemishes.
• Potato juice or orange juice can also be used to lighten the liver spots.

*It is advised to have a Doctor examine the spots as spots on the skin can sometimes be related to certain diseases, deficiencies or liver malfunction.

Tags: ayurvedic remedy, healthy living, home remedies, natural cure, Natural healing

Some of us continue to have acne well into our adult hood, even though we are long past our teens and even though we long gave up on binging on chocolates, fried food and spicy snacks. Adult acne is a common problem and one or more of these could be its precipitating causes:

• Stress – Bust that stress. Skin is one of the first body part to show the effects of stress. Make sure you have your to-do list ready when stress strikes. A few minutes of deep breathing and other meditation exercises in the morning can help you keep your cool during the day.
• Pollution is a common cause of adult acne – Make sure you use a good protector against pollution. Calamine acts as a good defense against pollution and is also soothing for the skin.
• Seasonal changes can cause adult acne – Well, can’t really help this one  
• Allergic reactions could also cause a break-out. For example, my daughter is sensitive to heat and standing next to a heat source makes her skin break out into a rash. Sometimes, it isn’t too difficult to figure out what is causing the allergic reaction. If you are prone to an allergy, try figuring out if there is a pattern every time your skin develops acne/rash.  Once you have identified the cause, its easy to tackle it. Well, almost! I know of a friend who underwent some allergic tests and was found to be allergic to plants. Nothing much you can do in that case unless you decide to stay indoors all the time!!
• Using wrong make-up is another big cause of a break out in adult women. What suits one person’s skin may not suit another. Its as simple as that. Make sure you do a patch test before you use it on your full face. And steer clear of any brands or products that don’t suit your skin. 
• Avoid greasy creams and lotions. Products containing lanolin, propyl myristate sodium lauryl sulphate can be too greasy for some skin types.
• Keep your face clean. Make sure you wash your face when you get back home with a good cleanser. If you use make-up remove it thoroughly before you retire to bed. Let your skin breathe.

Once you have pimples, make sure that you 

• do not keep touching the pimples.
• do not squeeze the pimples.

In terms of dietary habits,

• Drink lots of water. Can never over-emphasize this!
• Have a fibre rich diet.
• Include fruits and salads in your daily diet.
• Keep your stomach clean.
• Have some aloe juice or pulp every morning. 

You can also try some of these home remedies* for acne:

• Rub garlic paste on the pimples. Helps tackle acne scars as well.
• Mix rose water in fullers earth and apply every evening. Wash off gently when it dries.
• Mix one tsp. turmeric powder, one tsp. honey, a little bit of curd(just enough to cover your face), one tsp. lemon juice. Apply and leave on the face till it dries. Wash off.
• Take a tsp. of gram flour and add half a tsp. of turmeric powder. Make a paste with rose water. Apply on face and leave till it dries. Wash off.
• Use a paste of fenugreek (methi) leaves on your face.
• Wash acne with this leaf infusion. You can make it by boiling some finely chopped neem and guava leaves in water for 10 minutes.

* Do a patch test with these before you apply them on your face. It is common to be allergic to honey, lemon juice and other common ingredients when applied on face. A lot also depends on the condition of your skin at that time.

Tags: ayurvedic remedy, fruits and health, home remedies, natural cure, Natural detox, Natural healing, natural health

There are times when our hair feels lifeless, dull and limp. While sometimes, all that is needed is a good wash and conditioning to get the bounce and shine back, there are times when we need to look at the root causes and work on a more elaborate regimen to get healthy hair.

Stress, pollution, over exposure to intense heat, constipation, chronic cold are only some of the causes that can make your hair limp and lifeless. If you find any of these afflicting you, ACT…de-stress, cover your head when you are out in the heat and pollution, try some easy to use home remedies for constipation or get expert help for your common cold. Include Kapalbhat pranayam in your daily morning exercise regimen. Kapalhati pranayam not just eliminates toxins from the body but also helps purify the brain’s frontal area and thus helps in improving blood circulation to the roots of the hair on the scalp. And in that sense, it also helps hair fall and reduces graying of hair. 

Pay attention to your diet. The health of your hair depends on the general health of your body. A good protein rich diet will ensure healthy hair. Iron rich diet will help the problem of hair fall. Try and include amla soup or juice in your diet daily. The vitamin C content of amla aids in general health as well as arrests premature greying.

Gently massage coconut oil or mustard oil once a week (you could increase or decrease frequency based on your hair type). Keep for half an hour and then wash off. Oil massage nourishes the hair roots and gives shine to the hair.

Soak amla, curry leaves, neem leaves, reetha and shikakai in hot water, preferably in an iron vessel. Leave overnight. Strain, add henna and apply on the hair. Leave for half an hour and then wash off. Do note that if you leave this on your hair for longer periods, henna might impart a reddish tinge to your hair. 

Massage onion juice on the scalp – its said to boost hair growth.

Tags: ayurveda, ayurvedic remedy, healthy hair, home remedies, natural cure, Natural healing, natural health

Problems of the digestive tract lie at the heart of a number of diseases. Thats because when the digestive system is flawed, the body does not receive proper nutrients to ensure proper functioning. Good digestion ensures a healthy body. There are some simple things you can include in your food that will aid digestion. Having certain fruits and adding some simple ingredients to your meals while preparing them can keep digestive problems at bay. For example, papaya is considered a wonder fruit when it comes to be used as a home remedy for digestion. The fruit of Papaya contains a natural digestive enzyme. The pulp of the fruit is high in fibre and so even helps in bowel movement. Papaya is rich in Vitamin C and E and aids protein digestion. 

Bananas: help digestion and are considered a wonder food for those suffering from ulcers. Bananas because of their bland taste neutralise the acids in the stomach and are hence favored in acidity. Their soft texture coats the stomach lining and protects it from high acidity of gastic juices. 

Bananas being rich in pectin which is water absorbent, helps regulate colonic activity and aids in constipation. On the other hand, ripe bananas when mashed with some salt are said to cure dysentry.

Caution: Bananas are rich in potassium and should be avoided by those with kidney disorders.

Peppermint: We all know peppermint has a cooling, calming effect. It works much the same way in our stomach too. It relaxes the stomach muscles and aids in flow of bile juices which digest fats. And so peppermint helps in digestion.

Lemon: because of its anti-bacterial, antiseptic properties prevents the build up of harmful bacteria in the digestive tract. Fresh lemon juice taken with a pinch of salt acts as an appetizer and also gets the digestive juices flowing. 

Avoid ice-cold water with food. Cold water when taken with or after meals slows down the digestion. Infact if you can, avoid drinking water altogether with meals. If you must have, then prefer lukewarm water or at least that at room temperature.

Herbal tea: The Chinese tend to have herbal tea after a meal as they believe it helps digestion.

Probiotics: There are several probiotic options available in the market today – probiotic curd, probiotic milk, probiotic ice-cream. It is said that probiotics, which are essentially live bacteria or yeasts aid in digestion. They are also said to reduce generation of toxins and cancerous compunds in the intestines.

Exercise:  Lack of physical exercise slows down general body metabolism, thus affecting digestion. Try and build an exercise routine though avoid going for a walk immediately after a meal. 

Food ingredients:

Certain foods like beans, pulses are difficult to digest and as such adding a pinch of asofoetida, some garlic or ginger when preparing these dishes, helps in better digestion.

Prevention is better than cure. Avoid eating too much too fast. It helps to have a number of small meals than to skip a meal and have two king-sized ones. It also helps to go easy at dinner and have a good hearty breakfast. Most of us, ironically tend to do the opposite. We have a light breakfast when our body needs a lot of energy to get us going through the day. And take a hearty supper when ideally we should be doing good with lesser load on the stomach. 

It is also advisable to have your supper two to three hours before retiring to bed. Chew each bite properly and don’t gulp food down even if you are getting late for that appointment! 

Avoid having too many nuts as they can cause a feeling of bloatedness.

And if you are already suffering from indigestion, skip a meal or have something very light. Drink a lot of water or fresh lime juice with rock salt or have a banana, whatever suits your body type and system better. And sometimes, remember, it just helps to throw up!

Tags: ayurveda, ayurvedic remedy, healthy eating, healthy living, natural cure, Natural healing, natural health