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

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.

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

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

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

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

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