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Author: ashamadhu

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Home Remedies

Improve your eye sight in natural and ayurvedic way

Ayurveda believes sight (eye) is the most important of all the senses. The significance of eye health can be easily understood as most of the Ayurvedacharyas can diagnose the general health issues of the patient by just examining their eyes. Because of this, most of the Ayurvedic doctors recommend patients to take uttermost care of their eyes.

Among the eight different branches of Ashtanga Ayurveda, ENT that deals with the ophthalmology deals with the eye issues is Shalakya. The Ayurveda believes that most of the eye disease occurs due to discrepancy in tridoshas.

Ayurveda shows that the maintenance of certain lifestyle factor such as excess intake of spicy food, irregular or incompetent food habits, food causing excessive heat in the body, daytime napping, long travel durations, insomnia, sunburn or skin tan, eye strain caused by continuously looking at the computer screen during work, alcohol consumption, smoking, mental and physical stress is all quite harmful to your eyes. These conditions may also put you at risk of generation several other eye problems.

Let us have a look at the minor eye caring tips that can help you in keeping mild eye problems in check and maintain overall health of your eye.

  1. If you are feeling burning sensation in your eyes, pour two to three drops of castor oil in your eyes it will give you instant relief or else you can also put about two to three drops of basil leaf extract in each eye for relief.
  2. If your eye appears reddened, keep an eye pack of Jasminum grandiflorun also known as Picchi. Sprinkling a few drops of rose water in the eyes can also help in refreshing.
  3. Some herbal oils such as karisalaankaani thailam, amalakki herbal oil and ponnanganni thailam can also be helpful if massaged on the hair just before taking a bath.
  4. Eyesight can be improved by pouring 1 to 2 drops of basil leaf extract or rose water into eyes each morning.
  5. Put a few petals of Indian Rosebay, Chameli or Nandyarvattam flower in water and keep it stranded for the whole night. You can use this water to wash eyes early in the morning.
  6. Leaves of Malabar nut or Adalotakam also have excellent medicinal property that helps in improving eyesight. The leaves can be used like an eye pack to enhance eyesight.
  7. Washing your eyes with coconut water also helps in improving eyesight.
  8. Ayurvedic herbs such as amla and garlic also possess medicinal properties that are effective in enhancing vision. Other than these herbs like Bhringraj and oils extracted from Amla can also be used as a vision enhancer.
  9. Ayurveda also puts an emphasis on use of Yoga and pranayama for improvement of eyesight.
  10. Consumption of a mixture of about a tablespoon of cardamom and honey every day can also help in improving vision and keeping eye problems at bay.
  11. Triphala is also believed to possess excellent properties for enhancing eye vision and health. It also helps in fighting cataract issues. Further adding some triphala powder in the water and using the mixture for washing eyes can also help in curing any eye related problems and helps in improving eyesight.
  12. Ayurveda has always emphasized on meditation by keeping focus on a burning candle flame. This also goes a long way in improving concentration and eye sight.
  13. Diet also plays a vital role in keeping your eye healthy. A healthy diet can include fruits such as apple, grapes and other vegetables like spinach, cucumber juice and carrots. Food stuffs like oranges, tomatoes, dates, turnips, etc. are also very good for eyesight. Including almond and honey in the diet also helps in improving the eyesight.

Ayurveda always puts an emphasis on following these procedures with utmost care for improving vision. It is always advisable to consult an Ayurvedic physician for information on eye treatment and health. Consulting an Ayurvedic physician will also help you in getting specialized recommendation based on your current eye health and more clarity about the Ayurvedic procedures you need to follow to enhance your vision.

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Ayurved Home Remedies

Ayurvedic ways to stay calm

The change in the season from summer to winter brings in various changes to the human body. In Ayurveda, this transition is also known as Vata. Vata is the element of air. Vata governs various physical aspects in the human body like physical movement, ingenuity and acuity.

Colder season increase the Vata level in the body. This could bring in trouble if your body is pre-dominant with vata. According to Ayurveda excess of vata can make you vulnerable to the numerous physical and mental problems.

Symptoms of vata dosha are:

  • Fear, depression and anxiety
  • Restlessness
  • Disorganised
  • Too much thinking
  • Forgetting day to day task
  • Impatience
  • Moodiness
  • Constipation
  • Dry skin
  • Acne in lower part of the face and around chin
  • Sore throat, cold and dry cough

If you are experiencing these symptoms especially during the winter season then it may be because of the Vata dosh. But you don’t have to worry about it; Ayurveda has simple and holistic solution. Let’s check on the few dietary and lifestyle changes that you can adopt to avoid any such problems.

Try to consume extractive food and avoid eating raw veggies

Ayurveda treats balanced diet as the key to perfect health. Augmented and extracted foods are little bitter in taste. However, these foods help your body by keeping food moving in the digestive tract. They act more like a cleaning agent but consumption of too much of these may increase your vata dosha and can result into sickness. So, it is advised against eating raw vegetables during the cold season. It is recommended to cook your vegetable with sesame oil or ghee before consumption. Ghee also aids in stimulating hunger and helps in absorption of nutrient from the food.

Some typical extractive foods are beans, garbanzos, black peas and lentils. Other than that you can also have some leafy veggies like chard, spinach or collards. Broccoli, cauliflower, celery, nuts, corn etc. can also be used in the diet.

Give emphasis on augmented foods

Augmented are quite good in soothing and balancing vata dosh. Most of these foods are heavy and sweet in taste. According to Ayurveda you should consume about 40 % of extracted food and 60 % of augmented food in your diet. But in the colder season you can increase the ratio to about 70% for augmented food and 30% for extracted food.

Some typical augmented foods that you can induct in your diet are brown/white rice, cereals, barley, oatmeal, beets, millet, quinoa, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, zucchini, squash etc. These foods are quite helpful in balancing your vata dosha.

Follow the routine

The major sign of vata dosha are difficulty in sitting at one place, restlessness, overreacting and loss or sleep or insomnia. Let’s have a look at some lifestyle tips that can relieve you from vata dosha.

Try to wake up at the same time in the morning. Make habit of performing daily routine of meditation and yoga asana. Try to take your meals at the same time each day. Before going to bed rub some sesame oil on to the bottom of your feet and put on a pair of socks. Try to sleep early.

A quick recap

  • Consume warm, cooked meals at the same time of the day. Keep the ration of 70:30 for augmented and extracted foods.
  • Avoid consumption of raw veggies and juices during the cold season.
  • Maintain your routine

The key behind getting relief from the excess vata lies in the routine you follow and lifestyle you maintain. A healthy mind lives in a healthy body.

A tasty treat

A delicious vata soothing recipe containing dates, cinnamon and apple.

Ingredients:

  • 2 apples
  • 9/10 dates
  • 2 cup of water
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp grounded cardomon
  • 1 tsp ginger (grated)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

How to make?

Peel and slice both the apples. Then put all the ingredients into a saucepan and boil it over high heat. After the water starts to boil lower the heat to medium and seethe the mixture for 5 minutes. Using a scoop transfer the content into a juice, blender or food processor and blend it until it forms puree. Stir puree into a pane and serve it.

Categories
Herbs Home Remedies

Benefits of Aromatherapy in treatment of Children’s illness

Aromatherapy can be used as an effective and safe treatment method for treating minor health issues in children. It has no side effects so you don’t have to worry about the unknown side effects. The studies have also revealed that the natural vitality and immune system of the children allows them to be highly receptive to aroma therapy. Aromatherapy can be quite handy in day to day life. This therapy is quite important in dealing with the day to day issues concerning your child. Simple medical conditions like diaper rash can be treated with lavender sitz bath or you can also use lavender and cider vinegar to stimulate the healing of bruised knees. Tea tree oil can also save your child from the mosquito attack during your outing.

Natural remedies are quite helpful when you use at the start of the aliment. Some of the oils that can treat illness in the children are lavender oil, peppermint, tea tree, sandalwood, eucalyptus, bergamot, mandarin and St John wort. These herbal oils are quite effective in treating children’s illness.

How to use aromatic oils for treatment?

The best way to use the oil for treatment is to dilute it in carrier oil; however tea and lavender are  exception to this. The dosage for the child should just half of the dosage used for the adults. The dosage also depends upon the weight and physic of the child. For younger children, it is recommended to use 1 to 3 drops of aromatic oil in about an ounce of the carrier oil. Then you can allow your child to sniff the oil. It is also recommended to carry on an allergy test beforehand to know if the child is allergic to any oil. Chamomile and Lavender can be used even for a child who is highly sensitive.

Use of Oil for different medical condition in children

For diaper rash

Diaper rash is often caused by the yeast overgrowth. Candida can be eliminated and irritation can be soothed by daily use of the lavender sitz bath. Before giving a bath to your child just put few drops (1 to 3 drops) of lavender oil into the bathtub, filled up to baby’s hip level with lukewarm water. Churn the water so that disperse the oil. Let the baby sit in the tub for about 5 to 15 minutes.

For treating wounds

You can mix one part of tea tree oil to sixteen parts of water and mix it. This solution can be used to clean the wound. Wash and clean the wound by using this mixture. This mixture can be quite useful even when you are travelling in the woods where no such sanitary facility is available then also it can be used as an effective disinfectant. It can be quite useful in treating bruises and skinned knees. You use a bowl filled with water with equal part of apple cider vinegar and about six drops of lavender. You can use a diaper to dip it into the water and use the excess liquid for applying to the bruised area.

For treating insect bites

Lavender oil is extremely important in healing burns and rashes from insect bites. You can use the oil by applying it directly to the area of the bite. It provides immediate relief from insect sting.

Helps in Teething

Chamomile is quite beneficial in teething, as it soothes pain and calms your baby’s nerves. You can use a solution of an ounce of carrier oil along with six chamomile drops. Before applying the oil to your baby, just warm it up a little and apply it along the baby’s jaw and around his/her ears.

For treating burns

Lavender oil has always been known to be effective for healing burns. For emergency burn cares take undiluted lavender oil and apply to the affected area. For small burns you can put few drops of lavender oil into a tub and let your child sit in it for some time.

For treating pain in the ear

If your child is witnessing some ear trouble, all you need to do is to mix about 3 drops of chamomile into 2-3 cups of lukewarm water. Then you can use this solution to apply a compress over the ear. Keep on applying as the compress cools. You can also add a few more drops of chamomile if needed.

You can also dip a cotton ball into a solution of 3 drops of lavender, 3 drops of chamomile and about 1 ounce of carrier oil. You can put this cotton ball into the ear. Remember to replace it thrice a day. You can continue the same process until the pain is totally gone. If your child is quite prone to ear infections or troubles then you can use oil of St John’ wort for the preventive care.

To provide relief from stomach ache

Once your child is in his/her bed you can use about 4 drops of chamomile blended into an ounce of carrier oil to massage him to sleep.

To provide relief from cold and fever

Add two drops of tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil into bath water for your child. You can also use a few drops of eucalyptus oil in a diffuser or air vaporizer in your child’s bedroom to purify the air and induce a soothing aroma into the room.  Eucalyptus and peppermint oils are known for their cooling properties so it can be used to provide comfort during fever. However, you should keep one thing in your mind; peppermint can be stimulating so use just 1 or 2 drops of it. To bring down the fever you can also use a solution of about 2-3 teaspoonful of peppermint in a bowl of water. Soak  a sponge or cloth in the solution and apply it on your child’s forehead. If your child has some skin irritation then you should refrain from using peppermint oil.

For getting relief from respiratory tract infection you can bath your child with water mixed with about 3-6 drops of eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil is good for sore throat also and inhaling it with steam could give you immediate relief.

If the baby is suffering from cold form a solution of about 2 drops of lavender, a drop of eucalyptus, 2 drops of chamomile and an ounce of carrier oil. Use this solution to give a gentle massage to your child. You can massage the oil on the back and chest of your child. The unique medicinal properties present in the oil help in loosening the mucus and guide the child to a faster recovery.

Categories
Ayurved Naturopathy

Vasti Therapy Treatments in Ayurveda

Vasti is one of the major treatment procedures in the Panchkarmas. The term Vasti is actually derived from the fact that the instrument used for the medical procedure is made of animal urinary bladder that is also known as Vasti. Most of the Doshas are balanced by using vasti procedure. It has prominent effects on reducing the weight of the obese people and helps in gaining weight for skinny person. Apart from these it also helps in improving vision, preventive aging, increasing strength, health and skin luster. Prominently this medical procedure is used for treating vatic disorders.

The vast has been classified mainly into two types; the first one is ‘Niruha vasti’ which is basically decoction of different herbal medicines and another one is ‘annuvasana vasti’ that mainly comprises of oily elements. In most of the cases an Ayurvedic practitioner uses a combination of both of these. A person with the proper vasti will feel lightness in the body, increase in strength, appetite, balanced doshas and pleasantness.

After finishing the vasti treatment person should avoid taking heavy meals. The activities that put lots of stress like excessive walking, standing for a long time, anxiety, anger and incompatible diet plans should be avoided to every possible extent.

Urovasti Panchakarma treatment

Urovasti is a part of panchkarma treatment in Ayurveda that involves induction of herbal medicinal oils and herbal decoctions in the intestine. The procedure is mainly recommended for the person who is suffering from pain around the chest area. The term Urovasti itself comprises of two words first ‘Uro’ that stands for chest and next is ‘vasti’ that stands for retention. It is basically a chest oil bath treatment. In this procedure the medicated oil or ghee is placed on the chest of the patient for a specific period of time. This medical procedure is sometimes also known as ‘Hrid Vasti’ where ‘Hrid’ means heart. According to Ayurveda, heart is one of the three vital points in the human body, hence it needs to be protected.

This treatment is primarily recommended for the person who suffers from respiratory issues and diseases like asthma and bronchitis. It is also effective in mild angina, cardiomyopathy, muscular chest pain and heart diseases.

How it is done?

The Ayurveda physician chooses the type of medicine and oil required for the therapy depending upon the body constitution and dosha imbalance in the patient. The patient is then made to lie down on a bench on her back. The procedure starts with a gentle oil massage on the whole body. The dough made from whole wheat or black gram flour is then rolled into a small ring of 4 to 5 inches in diameter. The flour ring is then pasted on the patient’s chest using little water as glue. The treatment is done by pouring the medicated oil or ghee into this ring by using cotton gauze to squeeze the oil through the medicinal herbs. Once the oil in the ring cools down it is then replaced by warmer oil by squeezing it through the medicinal cotton gauge. The whole process takes about 30 to 45 minutes for completion.

What are the benefits?

The procedure offers several benefits to the patients like it helps in correction of vata dosha, helps in reducing sadness, frustration, stimulates blood circulation, nourishes connective tissues, enhances neuromuscular system and strengthens heart and balances its functions.

Shirovasti Panchakarma treatment

Shirovasti is basically a head treatment therapy and one of the most prominent external oil treatment procedures in the Ayurvedic medical system. The term itself is made of two words; ‘Shiro’ means head and ‘Vasti’ is actually a container. In this procedure the medicated oil is warmed and placed into a hollow cap kept on the head. This hallow cup is kept on the head for some time, as this treatment can take about an hour.

This type of treatment is quite helpful in medical conditions like deafness, paralysis, cataract, cranial nerve disorder, earache, scalp dryness, skin conditions and can even be helpful for mental disorders.

How it is done?

The procedure involves massage of oil based mixture called ‘Rasnadi choornam’ and medicated oil. Most of the oils that are used by the Kerala Ayurveda centers are Bata Tailam, chandanadi tailam, karpasashyadi, Tailam, dhanwantara tailam, Narayana tailam and ksheerabala Tailam. Before the procedure actually starts, head of the patient is massaged with medicine based oil. Cotton strands are inserted into both the ear to stop oil from flow into the ears.

Dough of black gram flour is created and is made into small poultice. A cotton ribbon is then dipped into the mixture and is tied around the head just above the eyebrow of the patient. The main purpose of this cotton strap is to hold the oil leakage and provide a comfort to the patient by stopping it. Then another leather cloth is placed acting like a cap to withhold the lower part. Both upper and lower parts are then sealed with the dough of the black gram flour. It basically appears like a hollow vessel to fit in the poured oil. The oil is then warmed slightly above the body temperature and is poured into the cap. The oil is poured at just about 2 to 3 cm above the roots of the hair. The temperature of the oil is checked frequently to make sure it’s time for the change. If oil began to cool, the oil is taken out of the cap and reheated. The oil is reused by warming it again and again.

The Rasnadi Choornam is then applied to the head of the patient and the patient is asked to take rest for about an hour. After the rest, the patient is allowed to take a bath with warm water.

Categories
Ayurved

Some traditional Ayurvedic treatments which help in psychosomatic disorders

The Ayurvedic medicinal system defines health as equilibrium between a healthy mind and healthy body. Ayurvedic and yogic treatment helps you in managing and reducing stress in an effective manner. It also offers systematic specialized treatments for various psychosomatic disorders. Some of the popular treatments offered by Ayurveda for treating psychosomatic disorders are:

Shirodhara treatment

Shirodhara treatment is sometimes also used as a precursor treatment in Panchakarma procedure. It has been practiced by the various Ayurvedic practitioners for over 5000 years. The treatment is quite helpful in relieving patient from stress, insomnia, headache, nervousness and fatigue. The procedure includes mixing of different medicinal oils with milk or ghee that have already been fused with other medicinal herbs. The mixture is then poured on the forehead using a mud pot. The mud pot is made to be hung at a particular height above the person for a particular span of time. A little hole at the bottom of the mud pot allows the mixture to flow down continuously on the patient. A headband is also used to prevent any oil from getting into the eyes of the patient.

The Shirodhara treatment helps in relieving your stress and calm down the nerves, restores your nervous system, purify your mind and balance vata. Apart from being effective on these, this treatment also treats some skin diseases and mental imbalance. Before starting this treatment a head massage is carried out to remove all stress and relax your mind. The treatment also helps in improving the functionality of your five senses and relives your from insomnia, depression, fatigue, vata, stress, and revitalizes the patient. The treatment is also helpful in beating mental exhaustion, headache, nervousness, anxiety, etc. that affects the psychological aspect of any person.

Ayurvedic medical head packs or Shirolepa

Shirolepa is a procedure of applying medicinal paste on the head. It is a traditional Ayurvedic treatment that is mainly followed in the Kerala Ayurvedic centres, where it is referred to as thalapodhichil. It is quite effective in helping patients out with psychosomatic disorders. Basically, it is a treatment for diseases related to skin and scalp. It also has cooling effects, hence it is also known as rejuvenation therapy.

The treatment process involves creating a paste of various medicinal powders and herbs. Then the paste is applied on the scalp of the person. The scalp in then covered with some leaves so that the herbs and medicinal powders in the paste could get some time to interact with the scalp. This procedure provides necessary nourishment to the head and scalp. After keeping the paste intact for about 50 to 60 minutes it is removed and oil is wiped by using a clean cloth. After that the head and body are massaged with medicinal oils and the patient is then allowed to bath with warm water.

Other than being an effective treatment for psychosomatic disorders, shirolepa also helps in numerous other medical conditions such as hypertension, dry vision, migraines etc. it also helps in memory improvement and concentration. It also offers ultimate relaxation by soothing the nervous system and offering extreme cooling to the patient’s head.

Nellikka Talam Treatment

Nillikka Talam is used by Ayurvedic practitioners for treatment of a variety of medical conditions like tension, stress, insomnia, etc. The treatment comprises of application of medicinal paste containing ‘Amla or Indian gooseberry’ also known as ‘Nellikka’ on the forehead. The nature of the application can be different and depends upon the type of illness for which it is applied.

As it is evident from the name itself the past, mainly comprises of ‘Amla’. The same paste has several other applications also. The Ayurvedic practitioners use this paste to treat a number of illnesses including asthma, fever, cough, stomach problems and skin issues. The amla paste is used at the place where the pain is maximum from the headache. For relieving patients of anxiety disorder the amla juice is extracted from the fruit and is mixed with two tablespoons of lime and two tablespoons of honey and is given to the patient diluted in a cup of lukewarm water in the morning. Other than consuming this mixture, the amla paste is also used for external application for quick relief from anxiety.

This treatment doesn’t not only helps in dealing with the problems related to the psychosomatic disorders, but also does help patients in treating hair problems. The hair problems like dry hair,  grey or damaged hair can be easily managed from this treatment. Apart from this it also helps in sinus, headaches, infections and helps in improvement of eyesight, smell and hearing power of the patient.

Categories
Herbal Plants Herbs

Indian Gooseberry -Ayurvedic health benefits

Phyllanthus emblica also known as Indian Gooseberry or Amla in Hindi is commonly found in India. Amla is basically a deciduous tree reaching to a maximum height of 18m. The leaves are quite simple looking and are pinned together just like pinnate leaves. The Amla tree is basically categorized into two types; these are the one that grows in the forest and the other one that’s grown in Indian villages. The trees in the forest bears fruits which are much smaller in size and have thicker skin while the village gooseberries are bigger and softer. According the some people the gooseberries grown in the villages possess far more medicinal values than the one that grows in the forests.

Let us look at some of the prominent medical benefit of Indian gooseberry.

  1. Act as a hair tonic

Amla offers excellent nutrition to the hair. It can be used as a paste or can be eaten to get the desired effect. Several herbal hair care product in the market has amla as their main ingredient.

  1. Relieves from sore throat

Amla has unique property that relieves you of sore throat. Mix equal amount of carom seeds, turmeric and amla powder. Use 1 to 2 gm of the mixture with honey, this will help you in getting relief from the sore throat.

  1. Benefits Eyes

Amla behaves as an excellent eye coolant and helps in removing dark circles. You can nurture your eyes by using a mixture of 20 to 50 grams of amla in half liter of water, then you can use this solution as an eye drop

  1. Helps with breathing problems

Take about 10 to 20 grams of amla and extract its juice. Now mix the juice with 2 to 3 grams of honey. Consuming this mixture will help you in getting relief from any breathing problems.

  1. Pitta dosha

For long term relief from Pitta dosha, all you need to do is to mix amla with honey and ingest it on a regular basis.

  1. Nausea

Intake of 10-20 grams of amla juice helps in soothing nausea. If you continue to intake the same for 2-3 times a day, it will help in the stopping the nausea.

  1. Clear Urine retention and Urine Infection

There is a simple yet effective method to clear urine retention. Just have some dried amla and soak it in water for some time. Then boil the water along with the amla extracts. Consuming this potion twice a day will clear all your urine retention problems.

Make a mixture of about 10-20 grams of Indian gooseberry juice, about 2 grams of turmeric powder and 10 grams of honey. Intake of the mixture twice a day can offer immense relief from urinary infections.

  1. In treating Jaundice

A mixture of amla and honey when consumed in semi-liquid form twice a day has a medicinal impact on internal organs like liver and helps in treatment of Jaundice.

  1. Indigestion and Constipation

Boil amla until it turns into a semi liquid form. Dry it properly with sun ray.  Make a powder of pepper, ginger, cumin seeds and black salt and previously prepared dried Amla. Eating it with a little asafoetida powder for a few days will remove any indigestion problems.

Mix about 3-6 grams of amla powder with water and consume it on a regular basis. Regular consumption relief you from constipation, piles and headache.

  1. Cures Diarrhoes

Mixing 5 grams of amla and a teaspoonful of ginger extract with water can help in curbing diarrhea.

  1. Cures wounds

Amla juice massage on the wound place provides an immediate relief from the pain.

  1. Builds Endurance

Mix 3 to 6 grams of powdered amla and amla juice, along with a teaspoonful of ghee, two teaspoons of honey. The mixture when consumed on a regular basis, with a glass of milk, helps in building endurance and longevity.

Categories
Yoga

Using Yoga to tackle Diabetes and hypertension

Everyone nowadays is aware of the positive effects of yoga and how it helps in dealing with various frailties. But one thing that everyone should also know is that there are some specific Yoga asana or poses that are helpful in handling specific health conditions. In this post we will discuss about the yoga poses that can help in dealing effectively with diabetes and hypertension; two most common symptoms found in youngsters due to their lifestyle.

Yoga asana or postures to deal with diabetics

The onset of chronic conditions can be prevented by daily use of Yoga. Moreover, practicing yoga postures or asana is also helpful in improving lowering blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity while detoxifying and maintaining your internal organs. One of the most prominent reasons behind the increase of blood sugar level is secretion of stress hormones. Yoga can be of considerable help in calming stress levels and keeping check on your blood sugar levels. Some of the Yoga asana that can help you in keeping a tap on your blood sugar levels are:

Ardha matsyendrasana

This asana is considered as a boon for the diabetics as regular and continuous practice of this posture helps in simulating beta cells present in the pancreas to emit more insulin. This posture is targeted at simulating pancreatic cells and secretion of insulin helps in soothing blood sugar levels and hence helps people who are suffering from diabetes.

Gomukhasana

Gomukhasana is one posture that offers an incredible amount of benefit. It helps in simulating different organs. It induces relaxation, stimulates, kidneys, helps in stretching muscles in the knees, buttocks and lower side of the back. Regular practice of Gomukhasana also massages pelvic and reproductive organs. These all round effect of the asana is considered beneficial for tackling diseases like diabetes, sexual malfunctions and high blood pressure.

Paschimottanasana

Paschimottanasana benefits abdominal organs. It helps in simulating life energy and manipura chakra, helps in stretching the back muscles, leg muscles and increases the blood supply. It also triggers smooth functioning of kidney and pancreas, which in turn helps in controlling weight and keep a tab on the diabetes.

Sarvangasana

Any Yogic asana that mildly compresses an organ beneath the intestine, liver, abdomen and pancreases simulates them to function properly as expected, which in turns keep the blood sugar level to normal. Sarvangasana also gently carries out massage of the parathyroid and thyroid while you perform the chin-lock. This gentle massage smoothens the blood flow circulation to these glands and helps them in efficiently performing their tasks.

There are several other asanas like Malasana, Halasana and Adho Mukho Snavasana that consists of postures that can be helpful to people suffering from diabetes or to someone who is aiming to keep diabetes at bay.

Yoga postures that can help in curbing Hypertension

Hypertension is one of the most widely growing concerns among the present generation.  So, if you are suffering from high blood pressure then these yoga asanas may help you in keeping a check on it.

Shavasana

Shavasana or the corpse pose offers uncanny relaxation and relieves the muscle tension. It also helps in releasing stress and is excellent to lower the blood pressure.

Paschimottanasana

Hypertension has adverse effect on the body, it contract your arteries, which may also result into some serious issues like stroke or even heart attack. The bending posture like paschimottanasana helps in providing flexibility to the arteries and helps in lowering down the blood pressure.

Balasana

The prefect way to remove hypertension is to free your mind of unnecessary chaos. Hypertension is the result of the uneven thought process, anxiety and anger. Balasana helps you in flushing out all the negative thoughts and toxins, thus helps in considerable reduction of stress.

Adho mukha svanasana

This posture can help you in efficiently removing stress and tension from your back and shoulder. The asana is also known as down facing dog because of its appearance.

Anulom Vilom Pranayam

This is actually not a pastor, but a pranayama or breathing technique. This is quite great in calming your mind and reliving your stress. The regular and controlled breathing helps in lowering down the anxiety level and downgrades the heart-rate which in turn lowers your blood pressure. Research claims that pranayama helps in balancing the endocrine and immune system.

Setubandhanasana

This yoga posture is also popularly known as the ‘Bridge pose’. Setubandhasana is made of two conjoined words; ‘Setu’ meaning bridge and ‘asana’ meaning posture. This asana helps in improving blood circulation, reduces stress, induces concentration and relieves one of tension.

Other asanas like Sukhasana also induce a salutary effect for people suffering from Hypertension and helps in relieving stress from your body.

Categories
Yoga

Meditation and Ayurveda

Meditation is the practice of training the individual mind to induce consciousness. It is a state of mind in which individual acknowledges the content, i.e. memories of the past or ideas for the future without being identified with them. Once an individual removes the limitation of the past and future, he/she can achieve the balance of psychological, physical and emotional state. Dr. Joan Borysenko, a leading researcher in the field termed meditation as ‘Pleasantly anchored in the present moment’.

Meditation is a type of mind & body exercise. It actually refers to a number of techniques that promotes relaxation, helps in building internal energy and induce compassion. It also helps in attaining physical and mental calmness, enhancing health and treatment of diseases.

Meditation is the art of attaining mental discipline to get afar the impulsive mind into a deeper state of calmness and relaxation. There are numerous meditative principles that emphasize on different psycho-physical and spiritual practices with several goals like the attainment of higher consciousness, increasing focus, self-awareness, creativity or just a peaceful mind.

Concept of mind as per Ayurveda

Ayurveda treats mind as an atomic element consists of three qualities known as Trigunas which are; Tamas, Rajas and Sattva. The whole concept is quite similar to Vata Dosha as it is very unstable and fast. It can navigate from past to future in a fraction. The turmoil in the mind makes a person restless and a calm, composed mind is the budding ground for creative work and healthy body.

What do we need for meditation?

It is always good to have a calm and quiet location. The comfortable posture is also important as it allows you to focus on one thing at a time. Try to focus your thought on one thing or object, don’t let your thought wander and try to concentrate on this one object/goal.

Which time is perfect for meditation?

The best time for meditation is early morning before sunrise. This time is known as Brahma Muhurta in Ayurveda. At this time nature is completely quiet and there is no disturbance or noise.

To meditate,  sit calmly in a comfortable position and close your eyes, think of any object and try to concentrate all your thought on the same with your incoming and outgoing breath. At first there will be thoughts coming from all directions, allow your mind to wander. Slowly the thoughts will start decreasing and your mind will become quieter and will reach a stage when there will be only calmness and quietness in the mind.

Different types of meditation

  • Concentrative meditation:

It facilitates on usage of one’s own breath, a picture or sound to quieten the mind. Ayurveda and Yoga both believe in a strong connection between one’s breath and mind. A calm mind facilitates slow, regular and deep breaths. When your mind focuses on breath it easily gets absorbed in the rhythm of your breathing pattern.

  • Mindful meditation :

This is one of the prominent Buddhist meditations. It allows you to acknowledge the contents around you like images, thoughts, sound, smell, etc. without getting identified with the content. The person practicing this sits quietly and lets the mind wander without reacting to the content.

  • Transcendental Meditation:

This type of meditation has origins with Lord Krishna. There are also references of this type of meditation in Buddhist works. The knowledge of meditation was passed on for ages from Shankaracharya to Brahmannada Saraswati. But it was Maharshi Mahesh Yogi, who made it famous worldwide. It is based on sound meditation and each person is provided with a beej mantra according to his/her thought.

  • So Hum meditation:

This meditation uses the natural sound that is produced during breathing process. Once a person started concentrating on the sound of his/her breathe, slowly the mind starts to become more and more focused.

  • Vipasana Meditation:

This meditation practiced was taught by Buddha. The word Vipasana actually means to see things clearly. This meditation aims at cleansing the body and mind by removing toxins and impurities. In this meditation, a person is asked to maintain complete silence for a week and search for the inner soul.

  • Zen meditation:

This meditation allows you to relax your body and open your mind to discover your inner self. After days of practice you will be able to reach a meditative state where your heartbeat will slow down and your breath will become shallow. Thoughts will be quarantined and you will be able to concentrate consciously on the current moment.

Categories
Ayurved Herbs

Ayurvedic and Natural Ways To Detoxify Liver

The liver is the primary organ through which body expels toxins from the system. The liver performs many important functions in the body. It is responsible for bile production necessary for the breakdown and assimilation of fats and proteins. When the liver is affected due to stress and is unable to flush out toxins functioning of the whole body may be compromised. Hence it becomes extremely important to take a well balanced nutritious diet.

Go Green!

Eat plenty of fresh green leafy vegetables.  Green leafy vegetables that contain plant chlorophylls that effectively eliminates environmental toxins from the blood. Vegetables like bitter gourd, dandelion greens, arugula, mustard greens, and chicory have cleansing compounds and help to neutralize heavy metals. Eating vegetables aids the flow of bile and helps to remove herbicides and pesticides from the body. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage can increase glucosinolatein the body, promotes enzyme production and helps to flush out carcinogens from the system. Brussel sprouts have glucosinolate and sulfur, which aid in the release of enzymes by the liver and prevents damage from dietary toxins and environmental factors.

Eat plenty of fresh fruits 

Eat plenty of fresh fruits like apples, avocados, grapefruit and lemons. Grapefruit consists of antioxidants and natural vitamin C. It also has compounds that helps to produce detoxification enzymes of the liver. The presence of flavonoid known as naringenin causes liver to burn fat instead of storing it. Avocados are rich in glutathione-producing compounds that guards against toxin overload and repair a damaged liver. As rightly said  “ An apple a day keeps doctors a day “ apple contain a high amount of pectin that aids the release of toxins from the digestive tract.

Drink fresh water and juices 

Drink fresh water and juices whenever possible. Use a water filtration system to remove chlorine and carbon particles before drinking it. You may add the juice of a lemon to add more alkalizing and cleansing properties to the water. There are plenty of minerals and Vitamin C in lemon and citrus fruits that boost bodily functions and helps in the cleansing process. Starting the day with a glassful of hot water mixed with lemon juice is also a good alternative. Other healthy options to drinking water can be drinking herbal tea that is free from caffeine, coconut water and freshly squeezed juices.

Avoid Alcohol 

Apart from diet simple lifestyle changes like avoiding alcohol, drinking plenty of water, eating the best possible foods and eating the right fats and taking smart supplements can also help in the detoxification of the liver. Many believe that red wine is good for the heart, but it is an established fact that alcohol is a toxin. The liver uses large amounts of energy to eliminate alcohol so that it can purify the blood.

Change your recipes

It is important to take care of the kinds of fats you include in your diet.  Choose from healthy fats such as almonds, coconut, almonds, walnuts, hemp, flax, Chia, and along with sunflower and pumpkin seeds, avocado and olives. Choose the right supplements those with selenium and B vitamins. Artichoke leaf and milk thistle are also used in supplements that are effective liver cleansers.

Go organic

Organic foods are easily available nowadays in super stores, always prefer organic foods where ever possible. Add Coriander and Ginger to your food. They help in cleansing the system, are powerful antioxidants and regulate immunity.

Herbs help

Use these safe herbs to cleanse your liver.

Phyllanthus (Hindi Name : Bhumi amla)

This is a small plant which can be grown easily in small pots. When the plant is matured, uproot it and shade dry. Use a small quantity while cooking.

Licorice (Hindi name: Mulathi)

This is commonly available in Indian herbal shops. It is sweet in taste. Take a small piece of Licorice and break it into two. Dip it in 2 glasses of water and leave it overnight. Filter this water in the morning and drink empty stomach. This not only cleanse the liver, but also reduce symptoms of upper respiratory tract allergies.

Curry Leaves (Hindi Name: Kadi Patta):

Must use ingredient of many dishes in South India and gaining popularity in the world over, this is easily found in all over India. It has a characteristic flavor which makes it special to add in various dishes especially Sambhar. It is easily available in Indian Shops. It not only detox liver, but also is used in many skin diseases.  Very useful in controlling blood sugar levels. Latest research shows, it is effective in weight loss also

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Herbs Home Remedies

Natural Oils for Hair Care

Beautiful, strong and long tresses are a dream of every woman. Everyone dreams of the perfect hair with volume, luster, smoothness and strength. For men, there is nothing better than strong and healthy hair which can be styled in a multiple number of ways.

Unfortunately, due to increasing pollution, poor diet, lack of nutrition and irregular eating habits have resulted in the type of hair, just as opposite. Hair, today, is more to become weak, dull and lose their sheen and luster resulting in premature graying, dandruff, thinning and even early baldness.

Ayurveda believes in a holistic approach towards hair care. It exerts pressure on the importance of the Ahara – Vihar which means a healthy diet and lifestyle. These are the two major factors that greatly affect the quality of hair and hair growth of an individual along with the type and application of the oil you use.

Ayurveda advocates the use of natural and herbal oils to allow your hair to come back to life. Regular massage with warm oils make the scalp rich in essential nutrients, allowing healthy growth of hair with the improvement in its sheen, luster, color and vitality.

Oils of coconut, sesame seeds, mustard, amla, almond, need seeds and Brahmi are widely used for hair care treatments. They are completely jam-packed with the required nutrition for a healthful and robust hair growth. Their application can result in the cure of multifarious hair problems and it is advised that they should be applied on a daily basis for long lasting results.

Some of the natural hair oils and their benefits for encouraging healthy hair care are mentioned below. The natural oils and their application techniques are recommended by Ayurveda for regular usage to provide you with a satisfactory outcome.

Almond Oil

Almond oil hair treatment is best suited for hair which are predominated by vata. You can judge if your hair falls under the vata type, if your hair is thin, frizzy and dry along with being prone to split ends. Vitamin E, magnesium and calcium are profoundly fused in the almond oil, which does wonders to this type of hair.

You can directly use it to massage your hair to promote hair growth and retain its luster and shine. It is advisable to apply warm almond oil on your hair at night, followed by a warm water bath the next morning. Almond oil is also beneficial for curing hair loss and eliminates premature graying.

Sesame Oil

According to the ancient text of Ayurveda, Sesame oil is considered to be the king of oils. It has always been an ideal choice of Ayurvedic monks to treat diseases related to hair and body. Apart from curing a number of physical ailments, sesame’s antifungal and antibacterial properties can help your hair stay fit against the damaging chlorine water. While it is safe for massaging babies, it infuses a sense of relaxation and can help you get rid of a headache instantly.

It is used for the treatment of kapha type hair,  which are thick and oily in nature. Application of sesame oil gives rise to black, shiny and deep rooted tresses. It helps fight against premature graying, hair fall, dandruff and baldness.

Amla Oil

Since centuries, amla has been an efficient tool in the treatment of hair and is known to make them healthy and robust. Amla, which is also known as Indian gooseberry, is a bundle of vitamin C and antioxidant properties which makes it best suitable for hair care.

You can prepare a pack of amla for the application on your head and hair for maximum benefits. To make the pack, take powdered amla and mix it with equal proportions of henna and Brahmi powder along with curd. Apply the pack on your head for about 30 minutes for satisfying results.

Coconut Oil

One of the lightest of natural oils is the coconut oil. Extensively used in India, coconut oil is used as a conditioner to promote hair growth and strengthen hair from the roots to the tips. It prevents the scalp from being flaky, dry and dull which reduces the chances of having dandruff. It is best suited for people having pitta hair type, that is, thin and fine hair which is prone to premature graying.

Being an outstanding coolant, people living in hot climatic regions generally use coconut oil for hair nourishment. To maximize the hair benefits of coconut oil, massage your head regularly and preferably in the morning, by preparing a weather proof mix for all types of climate applications. Take 100ml pure coconut oil and mix a teaspoon of black pepper to it. Heat the mixture and filter it for use. Apply the oil when it turns lukewarm.

Neem Oil

Neem has been known to man for its greatly effective medicinal values. Oil made up from the neem seeds has all the vital properties of this wonder plant. Neem oil consists of commendable properties such as its antifungal, antioxidant and antibacterial nature will save your head and hair from many types of hair diseases. It is abundant in Vitamin E and strengthens the hair from inside out while stimulating hair growth and preventing dandruff recurrence.

Neem oil has a nature of being solidified at room temperature and thus, it is advisable to mix the neem oil with other essential hair oils such as olive oil or carrier oil so that it can be easily applied.