Take a cup of water, add water to a heating pan and bring to boil. Add 5-6 cloves to boiling water and let it simmer till quantity is reduced to half. Add a tsp. of honey and drink. 

In respiratory problems because of blockage of passage due to dried phlegm, it helps to take 2 tsp. of Ajwain seeds (small sized variety), crush them, add to a glass of buttermilk and drink the mixture.

To 3 tsp. of honey, add 1 tsp. of crushed garlic. Consuming this twice a day can help in bronchitis, especially in children.

Take 2 tsp. of crushed liquorice and 2 tsp. of crushed linseeds. Boil these in 2 cups of water. When the water quantity has reduced to half, take the pan off the flame, filter and add 4 tsp. of honey. Now, take 1 tsp. of the resultant mix twice a day.

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

First and foremost, avoid as far as you can, taking laxatives. They will make your bowel dependent on them if you take them frequently. If you must, then go in for a natural laxative like Isabgol or Psyllium husks, which is bulk forming. You can add a spoon of it to a glass of water, mix it well and consume before going to be bed. Or add it to your yogurt or any vegetable at meal.

You can also add flaxseeds, which are fibre rich, to yogurt to act as a laxative.

Bananas also help in bowel movement and hence can be consumed. Interestingly, bananas are known to help in loose stomach too.

Drink 2 glasses of lukewarm water early in the morning. 

Exercise: Exercising helps improve metabolism and something like jogging or running shakes up the bowels and thus helps cure constipation.

To prevent getting constipated, you could make simple dietary changes and build some form of exercise into your daily routine. 

Incude high-fibre foods in your diet. That would mean including whole wheat grains, porridge, oatmeal, bran, whole pulses. Processed foods on the other hand are low in fibre. So you could reduce the intake of white bread, pasta, biscuits, noodles etc. 

Instead of fruit juices, have whole fruits as the pulp is fibre rich. Include whole fruits and raw vegeatbles, especially green leafy vegetables in your diet. Try and have a bowl of salad with your favorite dressing for those between the meal times.

Dry fruits like raisins, figs, dates and prunes also have high fibre content. 

Make these easy changes in your diet and enjoy good overall health. Keep constipation at bay, and you keep several diseases at bay!

Tags: ayurvedic remedy, healthy eating, home remedies, natural cure, natural health

• Slice open a ripe banana and insert 1/4 tsp. of asafoetida into it, spreading it along the slice. Take this once or twice a day depending on severity of the problem.
• Take 1 tsp. of crushed cardamom, 1 tsp. of ginger paste and 1 tsp. of fennel. Boil in a cup of water till the amount reduces to half. Now, take 1 tsp. of this decoction and along with a pinch of asafoetida, add to a cup of water. Drink the resulting mix for quick effects.
• Take a cup of water in a pan. Add 1 tsp. each of ground cumin, crushed black pepper and ginger. Boil till the water quantity reduces to half. Drink the decoction 2-3 times a day.
• Take a few garlic cloves and crush them. Take 1 tsp. of this garlic paste and boil in a cup of milk. Drink 1- 2 times a day.

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Loose stomach, diarrhoea? Try these simple remedies at home:

• Take 15-20 curry leaves. Crush them finely. Add to a cup of water in a pan and boil till the water quantity reduces to have. Filter and cool. Add 1 tsp. of honey and drink the decoction.
• Mash a ripe banana. Add a tsp. of tamarind pulp and some salt. Take 2-3 times in a day.
• Mix one tsp. ground cinnamon with 1 tsp. each of cumin seeds, ginger paste and honey. Take 1 tsp. of the resulting mixture twice in a day.
• Take some fresh coriander leaves and grind to get a paste/juice. Add to a cup of water and boil. Add 1 tsp. of ground cumin seeds to the boiling mixture. Add salt to taste and have the decoction after meals.

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Toothaches can be very painful. But while you brace yourself for an appointment with your dentist to find and treat the cause of the toothache, try these simple home remedies to ease the pain:

• Take 3 cloves and add to 1 tsp coconut oil. Heat the mixture for a few minutes. Let it cool to a lukewarm temperature and apply on the affected area.
• Take 2 tsp. lime juice. Add 1/2 tsp. of asafoetida powder. Warm and apply on the affected area.
• Apply nutmeg oil on the area that is paining.
• Add some finely powdered pepper to clove oil. Mix and apply on affected area to relieve toothache. 

Tags: ayurvedic cure for teeth, ayurvedic remedy, home remedies, natural cure

Corns can be very painful. While it is best to avoid the corn forming in the first place by wearing proper, comfortable shoes, when they do form, you can try one of these home remedies to treat corns.

Corns and calluses however, will take time to peel off with these remedies and you can try one of the following to alleviate the pain in the meantime…

• Make a mix of 4 tbsp. of epsom salt and half a bucket of luke warm water. Soak feet for 10 minutes. Pat dry and apply lemon juice or one of the other home remedies.
• Boil one bowl of finely powdered oatmeal with 3 bowls of water for 10 minutes. Let it cool till its lukewarm. Soak feet for 10 minutes. Pat dry and apply castor oil on corn or calluses. 

Tags: ayurvedic cure, ayurvedic remedy, home remedies, Natural Cures

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

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

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