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

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

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

Last Sunday I happened to accidently brush my hand against a hot iron while ironing a shirt. It happened to be my right hand thumb that bore the brunt.  Obviously I panicked. For someone who spends a greater part of the day with her fingers on the keyboard, getting burns on the right hand fingers wasn’t good news at all. So I tried all that I could at home to avoid blisters from being formed and yes, apart from a small blister which too went away in two days time, my right hand was as perfect as could be. Am happy to share the natural, home made cures I tried…

• Ice-packs: Continously rubbed the affected fingers against ice-cubes for about 10 minutes. This produced a cooling affect and while it hurt
• Toothpaste: Applied toothpaste on the affected area. 
• Atta: And finally, wrapped  up the affected area in atta (wheat dough) which was kept in the refrigerator.

This worked well for me. There was some tingling sensation the whole day and it hurt when I washed hands in warm water, but no blisters formed and the tingling sensation was gone too by the next day.

Some friends also suggested other home remedies for burns. These natural cures are all pretty safe and easy to use. Though I haven’t tried them myself, I know others who vouch for these. Here’s a quick run down on these natural cures for burns, icing must ofcourse precede any of these cures. If you know any other, feel free to share!

• Apply honey on the affected area. (I am told that the burn wouldn’t have hurt at all had I put honey immediately after cooling the burn.)
• Liberally use the pulp from an aloe vera plant 2-3 times a day on the burnt area.
• Dab some moistened salt on to the burn and let dry. This will prevent blisters from forming.
• Apply Lavender oil (essential oil) on to the burn. Prevents sores from forming.
• Another way to avoid the painful sores from forming on the burns is to apply some vinegar on the affected area.

** Remember though that all these home remedies for burns have basically been tried on mild burns.

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

Got this simple Home Remedy for common cold from a fellow tweeter(camellia_).

Called Salabat, this is a Filipino home remedy involving brown sugar, boiled water and ginger. Camellia shares instructions on how to prepare this remedy for cold on her blog. Try it out and see how it works for you!

I think we have something similar in Ayurveda that uses honey and lemon juice (instead of brown sugar) with boiled water and ginger. But Camellia’s remedy sounds easier to make…good for the lazy ones amongst us and that includes me…

Thanks for sharing buddy!

Tags: ayurveda, ayurvedic remedy, common cold cure, home remedy for cold, natural cure, Natural healing, natural health

Lemon has a special place in home remedies. And it carries a special meaning for those of us living in hot climes. A glass of Nimbu Pani (lemonade) is all you want after a day out on a hot summer day. Lemon has significant therapeutic properties and finds use in a wide variety of treatments, some of which I have tried to list below.

As a cooler

• Lemon makes for a refreshing drink in summers. It cools the body and lemonade with a pinch of salt helps replenish body salts lost due to heat.
• Lemonade with salt & sugar is recommended in loose motions.
• Sweet lemonade is recommended in fever.
• Essential oil of lemons is used for cooling.
• Its essence also finds use in soaps, body washes and deodorants to convey a “cooling effect”.

For the skin

• Lemon acts as a natural bleach. Applying lemon juice on face regularly brings glow to the face.
• Because of its high Vitamin C content, lemon helps ward off scurvy.
• Used with glycerine, it works as a good moisturiser.

As a cleanser

• Rubbing the inside of a rind of lemon on elbows and knees cleanses them.
• Lemon rinds have long been used for cleaning brass and copper utensils.

For healing

• Lemon has antiseptic, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.
• Lemon juice creates a soothing effect when applied on insect bites and stings.
• Lemon taken with honey, ground black pepper, crushed cardamom and hot water helps heal sore throat.

In detox

• Lemon, because of its acidic nature, cleanses the system. It acts as a blood purifier and helps the body get rid of toxins.
• Lemon strengthens the immune system of the body and helps protect against infections.
• Its high potassium content makes it useful for brain and nerve cells, and safer for those with heart troubles.
• Lemon taken with warm water and honey, on an empty stomach early in the morning, is known to assist in weight-loss.
• Lemon detox diets, which consist of fresh lemon juice, water, cayenne pepper and maple syrup are known to help cleanse the body of toxins and thus help lose weight quickly while improving general health and well being.

Tags: ayurvedic remedy, benefits of lemon, lemon in ayurveda, Natural detox, Natural healing, natural health

Corns and calluses are often caused by pressure due to wearing improper shoes. Corns are small and round areas of dead skin that form on the bony areas of toes. Calluses, on the other hand, are dead skin areas that develop on the balls or the heels of the feet. To treat corns and calluses at home, try these:

• Apply lemon juice to the affected area.
• Apply onion juice on the corn.
• Apply castor oil on the corn or callus.
• Tie a moist tea bag on the corn. Keep for half an hour. Do this daily till corn peels off.
• Wear shoes that are comfortable, have padded insoles and fit nicely.
• If your feet have high arches, use arch supports.
• Take a  cotton ball and dip it in vinegar. Squeeze and remove extra vinegar. Keep over corn overnight or till the cotton ball is dry. Repeat.

Tags: ayurveda, ayurvedic remedy, cure for corns, home made remedy for bruise, home remedies, natural cure, Natural healing, natural health

Garlic has numerous medicinal values and is often used in Ayurveda. Its role in blood purification and heart ailments is acknowledged even in allopathic medicine. Indian cuisine commonly uses garlic as an ingredient that aids digestion. Garlic is known to aid against digestive issues like belching, flatulence and constipation.

Consumption of garlic helps reduce arthritic pain as it inhibits the formation of free radicals that can damage joints. The normal dosage is a clove of garlic taken with water in the morning.

Garlic slows down the ageing process as it purifies blood due to its detoxifying properties. Garlic also improves blood circulation and prevents clotting of blood. It reduces bad cholesterol and the blood pressure. It is recommended to chew a clove of raw garlic every day.

Garlic paste when applied on acne, boils, eczema and rash for 5 to 10 minutes has curative powers, because of its strong sulphur content. However, it may also irritate certain skin types and should be used with caution.

Garlic also has antibiotic properties and is also sometimes used to treat bronchial troubles.

Tags: ayurveda, ayurvedic remedy, garlic, green living, natural cure, natural cure for heart ailments, Natural detox, Natural healing, natural health