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Author: ashamadhu

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Ayurved

Ayurvedic Treatment for Cramps

A painful contraction of the muscle is known as cramps. There are various reasons for cramps like excessive physical exercise/work, taking too much of dry and rough food articles are few of the reason behind cramps. Metabolic waste generated in the body should be discarded from the body as soon as possible, but when it doesn’t get discarded and circulates in the body, it tends to deposit at the end of nerve endings and muscle tissues which is known as ama in Ayurveda, this results in cramps. Cramps might be experienced due to various other diseases in the body too and should be diagnosed by a good doctor if it occurs frequently.

Ayurvedic Treatment: Massage is many times considered as a good therapy to treat cramps. Massaging affected parts along with the whole body with a medicated oil like Mahanarayana Taila is helpful to get rid of cramps quickly. Daily massage by self with a non-medicated oil like gingelly oil before taking a bath is generally advised for the patients who gets frequent cramps.

Note: Massage should be done properly by a professional to get best of it.

Many ayurvedic doctors prescribe Shivananda Guggulu to treat cramps as it helps in cleaning bowl, thereby helping the body to discard unwanted elements gathered in the body causing cramps.4 tablets of Shivananda Guggulu is generally given to the patient with hot milk.

Small amount of Castor oil can be given to the patient in case, Shivananda Guggulu fails to clean bowl effectively. Many times Isabgol is prescribed to the patient which can be taken with a glass of warm water or warm milk. As this is fibrous food, it helps in cleaning bowl effectively.

Diet: Foods like pulses should be avoided as these kinds of food aggravates vayu. Pungent, cold, raw foods are harmful to cramps patients.  Fibrous foods should be given to the patients adequately. Garlic, asafoetida are few of the recommended foods to cramps patients. Take sufficient quantity of clean water.

Light exercise for the patient is recommended. Keep the patient out from cold wind or direct rain. Suppression of natural urges, fasting, remaining awake till late night, worry, anxiety and anger are responsible to aggravating vayu. Try to keep the patient away from all these. Don’t let the patient sleep during day time.

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Ayurved Home Remedies

Hair Care

Healthy and shiny hair is one of the vital ingredients of beauty. To maintain a beautiful life one has to take care of his/her hair properly.

Hair care industry has become a billion dollar market. Beauty product market is filled with several hair care products and most of which are made up of harmful chemicals, which has adverse affect in long run. But still there are several natural and herbal home remedies available. Which are cheaper or almost freely available. A healthy living and few hair care habits will help you to have a healthy hair for ever.

Below are few points those are helpful in keeping hair healthy during the rainy season.

  1. Always keep an umbrella with you when ever you are going outside of your home, so that you will be able to use it during unexpected rain.As it is known that rain water might negatively impact your hair health if not dried quickly, resulting in more dandruff like scalp problem.
  2. If you forgot to take an umbrella and your hair got wet due to rain water, wash your hair with a mild shampoo and apply a good quality conditioner on your head to avoid any infection on your scalp, which lead to hair loss.
  3. If you got oily hair, take one mug full of water and squeeze a lemon in it. Rinse your hair with lemon water, after washing your hair with a mild shampoo.
  4. Wash your hair regularly for a healthy hair which lasts for ever. Never let your hair be dirty for a longer time.
  5. Don’t comb your hair when it is wet.
  6. In rainy season avoid excess oil on hair.
  7. This is a good practice to go for hot oil massage once in a week. This will help to maintain healthy hair on your head.
  8. Don’t keep your hair wet for a longer time. Dry it out using a dry towel.
  9. The combination of paste of neem leaves and lemon juice is an excellent Ayurvedic and herbal medicine for dandruff. Apply the above-said paste on your scalp and rinse your hair after few minutes.
  10. Add few drops of lemon juice in multani mitti and apply the paste on your hair.Wash it after few minutes. You will find a noticeable difference. It helps in making your hair shiny and beautiful with out any side effects.
  11. In the rainy season, it is advisable to keep short hair if possible. Because maintaining short hair is far easier than long hair.
  12. Try to avoid all kind of hair spray. Use only tested mild shampoo and conditioner.
  13. Don’t use any chemical on your hair as a  short cut route to get beautiful hair. This may result in severe hair loss along with other negative consequences.
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Ayurved

Stop hair loss and balding: Ayurvedic treatment

Hair loss is a common problem faced by many. Baldness in men is at least accepted in the society, but it is not the same for women. Just like any other part of our body, hair is also considered to be part of our body. So taking care of them has always been significant.

Nowadays increasing workloads have resulted in stress and anxiety, which are some of the common causes of hair loss. Some of the causes can be linked to hormones. In men, the sexual hormone testosterone is converted to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is responsible for hair loss or pattern baldness. The same hormone in women called androgen when in excess causes hair loss. This hormonal imbalance in women appears during and after pregnancy and around menopause.

Baldness can be avoided if you follow these guidelines;

There are many herbs available which help to reduce hair fall. Some of these are:

1.    Saw Palmetto
2.    Stinging Nettle
3.    Green Tea (Camellia Sinensis)
4.    Pygeum (Pygeum africanum): Africa
5.    Dong Quai: Chinese
6.    He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum): Chinese
7.    Channelled Wrack (Pelvetia Canaliculata Extract)
8.    Ginseng: Chinese

Saw Palmetto, Stinging Nettle, Pygeum, Dong Quai curbs production of DHT. Green tea and Ginseng inhibit production of 5-alpha reductase which converts testosterone to DHT. Channelled Wrack contains isoflavones which have anti-oxidant properties like vitamin E. used to promote hair regrowth. This and Dong Quai are prescribed for hair loss cure for women.

•    Diet: Vitamins A, B, E are essential in your diet for healthy hair. Vitamin A acts as an anti-oxidant and helps in the production of sebum in scalp. Vitamin E stimulates blood circulation which helps to keep hair follicles productive, but excess may harm your hair. Vitamin B also helps in blood circulation. Eating a small amount of white sesame seeds regularly adds calcium and magnesium to the body which assist in strengthening hair follicles.

•    Massage: Massaging the scalp thrice a week improves blood circulation. Rubbing vigorously activates the sebaceous glands. Massaging with the aid of oil helps to nourish and strengthen the roots. Coconut, almond, and sesame oil can be used for massages. Bhringraj (Eclipta Elba) oil, Amala oil, and Arnica oil are also very useful. Ayurvedic preparation Bhringraj (Eclipta Elba), Amala, corals, iron and black sesame seeds are very useful, and even stops the graying of hair.
•    Washing: Washing hair with Amala (Embilica Officinalis) and Shikakai (Acacia Concinna) nourishes them.

•    Ayurvedic tips: “pitta dosha” in the body can cause hair fall. It is caused by excessive intake of alcohol, tea, coffee, meat and due to spicy, oily, sour, acidic foods. Some of the ayurvedic remedies for hair loss:

1.    Apply coconut oil with lime juice daily.
2.    Drink lettuce and spinach juice. It can also be mixed with alfalfa.
3.    Wash hair with paste of fried black beans and fenugreek 2-3 times a week,
4.    Make the paste of licorice in milk or paste of lemon and black pepper and apply on bald patches for hair growth.

•    Yoga and meditation: It also helps to improve blood circulation and relieve stress. Yoga poses like headstand, standing forward bend and shoulder stand helps.

Ayurveda is a sure-fire way to get rid of hair loss and balding.

Categories
Ayurved

Taking care of eyes: Ayurvedic way

Eye, one of the five sensory organs, without which doing any work is unthinkable. Though eyes have so much importance in our daily life, not many people give proper attention towards their well-being and proper functioning. It is only when we see a severe problem, we consult a doctor or a specialist. Taking care of your body is one’s rightful duty, and if it is possible using Ayurveda, it is an icing on the cake.

Taking care of your eyes involves a proper healthy diet, some exercises, and some precautionary measures. There are also some herbs available which act wonders for your eyes. Follow some simple steps for healthy eyes and you could maintain ideal eyesight for the most of your life.

Diet: A proper diet helps in maintaining a healthy body. Eyes for their proper functioning especially require vitamin-A, whose deficiency could cause night blindness. Some common sources of it are milk, butter, cheese, eggs, and cod-liver oil. Also fruits and vegetables like papaya, mango, carrots, cabbage, and spinach. Carrots which have beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin-A, and cabbage help to nourish eyes when eaten raw. Consumption of vitamin-C also helps in prevention of cataract. It is present in guava, mango, orange, papaya, etc.

Conditioning: Condition your eyes regularly to keep them healthy. You can do this in the following way:

  1. Triphala is useful for conditioning eyes, mix it with water and wash your eyes every morning with the mixture. It is also prescribed for cataract treatment.
  2. Keep cucumber slices on your eyes before sleeping to avoid swelling.
  3. Babul helps in the treatment of conjunctivitis; its paste can be applied before sleep.
  4. Conjunctivitis can also be cured using coriander. Boil coriander leaves in water and use the solution to wash your eyes when cold.
  5. Marigold also when taken in water helps to soothe eyes and is also helpful for treating conjunctivitis.
  6. A drop of honey once a week also helps causes an irritation at first but cleans the eyes.
  7. Exercises: A common practice like blinking regularly helps. Keep your eyes closed and roll them in clockwise and anti-clockwise direction. Then in straight lines up-down and sideways. At the end rub your palms together till they are warm and place them on the eyes to give a soothing effect. Follow these exercises regularly for five minutes to calm your eyes.
  8. Precautionary measures: Do not strain your eyes during work or do anything that will. Like looking at far away objects, working in insufficient light. Prolonged exposure to high-intensity light or UV rays is also harmful. Do not stare at the sun, or use T.V. and computer for long hours. Take breaks of 10 minutes after every hour while working on a computer.

Follow these steps and you will be able to take care of your eyes in a proper way.

Categories
Ayurved

Eye Disorder

There are two types of eye disorders.

  1. organic
  2. Inorganic.

The organic defects such as cataract, glaucoma, and other disorders of this nature have to be treated by eye specialist. But, on the other hand the inorganic defects like eye strains, eye pain, diminishing vision power, near and far sightedness, watering of the eyes, itching in the region of the eyes, blurring of the vision, redness on one or both of the eyes are mainly owing to faulty diet and certain undesirable habits. These types of defects can be cured if one will be conscious of healthy living.

Many have habits of eating mostly fried, highly spiced and seasoned food. Some develop the habit of drinking excessive coffee, tea or hard liquor, smoking excessively, lack of rest or sleep and undue straining of the eyes, which leads to eye defects.

There are following three categories of sufferers in this respect.

  1. Those who can afford but in the habit of eating only a particular type of food, which causes malnutrition.
  2. Those who cannot afford to eat a balanced diet as they are financially weak.
  3. Those who suffer from certain identified undesirable habits.

Treatment:

A patient suffering from any disorder of the visionary power needs to pay special attention to diet and correcting certain habits.

Proper diet:

Patient shouldn’t eat fully fried roasted food, which is hard to digest. Foods like meat, chicken, highly seasoned or spicy food, pickle, red pepper shouldn’t be eaten. Tea coffee tobacco in any form and smoking should be stopped.

What to eat:

Their diet should be a balanced one, depending more on making efforts than on spending money. The diet should include salads, green vegetables, leafy vegetables, and fruits of any kind. They should take their food according to the diet chart given below.

Breakfast (7 am -9 am):

  1. Any fruit juice or fruit –1cup or one.
  2. Fresh apple or any fresh fruit –one
  3. Wheat bread with green vegetables –as desired.
  4. Germinated gram –¼ cup.
  5. Milk –1 cup to 1 glass.

Lunch and Dinner (12 pm – 2 pm, 6 pm – 8 pm)

  1. Salad (The mixture of tomato, cucumber, radish, cabbage, carrot, etc.) with tiny salt and lemon juice–1 cup.
  2. Vegetable soup — 1 cup.
  3. Wheat bread(chapatti)– as desired.
  4. Pulse (Moong, Masoor, chana and green peas) as desired.
  5. Leafy vegetables.
  6. Green vegetables- -as desired
  7. Fish or lamb liver (For non-vegetarian) –on alternate days.

Afternoon refreshment (3pm-5pm):

  1. Fresh food of any type –as desired.
  2. Salted Biscuit – as desired.
  3. Milk- 1 cup to 1glass (Preferably with a cup of food supplement like Horlicks /Bourn Vita etc.)

The daily diet should be mainly salad, fresh fruit and green vegetables. Special attention should be paid according to the principle given below while eating.

Principles of eating:

  1. One should eat slowly after chewing the food properly.
  2. To eat dinner at least two hours before sleeping time at night.
  3. Always eat a little less than you need.
  4. Avoid drinking as far as possible at the time of eating.
  5. Preferably drink water after an hour of eating.
  6. Drink 10-15(around 3 liters) glasses of water a day.
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Ayurved

Improve Brain power with Ayurveda

Just imagine how it will feel if you start thinking like a super computer. You can answer all the questions; can remember all the words in a book through just one glance. However, this is next to impossible but still you can improve your brain power than others with the help of Ayurveda.

How Ayurveda helps to improve brain power

According to Ayurveda, there are three aspects of our brain such as Dhriti meaning retention of knowledge, Smriti meaning memory and Dhi means learning and comprehension. As per Ayurveda, these three aspects of the brain should work in extreme co-ordination to make a person mentally optimal. Here are some tips which will help you improve your brain power.

Eat foods that have a good nutritional value

Eating more and more foodstuffs such as whole grains, vegetables, pulses, dairy products, nuts can help to improve your brain power. According to Ayurveda you need to have six tastes such as the sour, sweet, salty, bitter, astringent and pungent to get all the nutrients. However, stay away from frozen foods and foods that have a little nutritional value.

Eat more and more natural Antioxidants

Natural antioxidants such as Amalaki (Indian Gooseberry) contain Vitamin C, which helps to boost memory. Apart from this, vegetables and fruits and sprouts when consumed also help to boost memory which is damaged by the radicals such as environmental pollution, prescription drugs, smoking and drinking and other factors.

Get at least eight hours of sleep

As per Ayurveda, sleep is the food for the mind. Hence, it is important for you to get a sound sleep for at least eight hours a day. Sound sleep in the sense your mind should be disconnected from any thought and senses. Sleep has the power to enhance your both short-term as well as long-term memory and also provides you an ability to think with a fresh mind.

Stay away from stress

Anxiety and stress cause tremendous pressure to the brain and hence need to be avoided. You can do this easily by resorting to activities which make you happy or are of your interest such as listening to soothing music can also reduce the stress levels. Furthermore, aromas such as that of lavender and sandalwood can also help in reducing stress. The best way through which you can reduce stress is by meditating or practicing breathing exercises such as pranayama.

If you follow these instructions, you will be easily able to improve your brain power.

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Herbal Plants

Herbal remedy for Dark Circles

A majority of people have dark circles under the eyes. These look dull, and hence no one likes it as they spoil the look of the entire face. If you are also the one who is having dark circles and have tried all types of medicines and creams but are still finding it difficult to get rid of the dark circles, then you must know that you can easily get rid of dark circles with herbs.

Here are some of the herbs which you can use to get rid of your dark circles

Parsley: If you are fed-up of the dark circles beneath your eyes then use parsley. It is a herb that reduces dark circles under your eyes. This is because it has a very high content of chlorophyll which helps in the fading of the circles. To apply, froze the parsley in ice cubes and place them under the eyes. It is the best herbal you can use instead of eye creams.

Cucumber: We are all aware of how nutritious cucumber is. The other benefit of cucumber is it can significantly help in reducing the dark circles under the eyes. Apart from lightening the dark circles, cucumber also adds a distinct smooth touch to your skin, gives a refreshing sensation and helps you to feel relaxed. Apply slices of cucumber every 5-10 minutes and then see the effects. In the same way, you can also make use of potato slices.

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Rosemary tea: Rosemary is another herb which you can use to lighten the dark circles. Use a cold compress of rosemary tea. Rosemary increases the blood circulation towards the eyes and hence reduces the effects of dark circles. To make rosemary tea, you need to add some rosemary into half-cup of boiled water and then soak it for about 20 minutes, cool it and then apply it beneath the eyes for around 10-15 minutes for at least one time in a day.

Nutmeg: A mixture of milk and nutmeg when applied on the eyes can greatly help in lightening the dark circles. To apply, all you have to do is take some herb of nutmeg and mix it with milk and then place it beneath the eyes for around 10-15 minutes.

These were some of the herbs which help to reduce the effects of the dark circles, lighten them and give you a fresh look.

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Ayurved

Ayurvedic Benefits of Honey

Honey has been in use for the benefit of human beings since as long as 2500 years and that too all across the globe. Though honey has been proved beneficial in various studies in Ayurveda, scientists are now looking for ways through which they can make use of honey in modern medicine.

Honey is a sweet fluid produced by honey bees from the nectar of flowers. Honey in its raw form is pure and doesn’t require any kind of additional flavors. It is one of the best sources of energy. Honey, when consumed with different natural products such as milk, fruit juices, and others, can actually help in treating various diseases which include asthma, cough and many more. Let us take a look on some of the ayurvedic benefits of honey.

Ayurvedic benefits of honey

Helpful in weight loss: Honey, when mixed with warm water and consumed, can prove beneficial for people who want to lose weight. In the same manner, honey when consumed with lemon juice with cinnamon also contributes heavily towards weight loss.

Helps in reducing cough: Honey, when mixed with ginger juice, provides immediate relief from a cough and cold and opens the congestion in the chest.  It also cures a sore throat.

Helps in controlling high blood pressure: One tsp of honey when consumed with one tsp ginger juice every morning and in the evening can really bring down high blood pressure.

A heart tonic: Honey can also be used as a excellent tonic for the heart. This is because it nourishes the heart muscles and enhances their functions thereby resulting in overall well-being of the body.

Cures asthma: A mixture made up of ginger juice, black pepper powder and honey when taken at least three times a day can really help prevent asthma attacks and cure asthma.

Honey helps to improve eyesight: Carrot juice, when taken with honey, can contribute to improving the vision. Take this mixture one hour before having your lunch.

These were some of the ayurvedic benefits of honey. Apart from these, there are several benefits of honey such as reduction of fat, blood purification, the source of vitamins and minerals, source of energy, healing of wounds and much more. You just need to make a habit of consuming honey daily in adequate quantities and get the best results. So don’t wait to start taking this sweet fluid as mentioned above and lead a healthy and hearty life.

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Ayurved

Yoga for longevity and enhancing quality of life

The notion of enhancing the quality of life and longevity are the main reasons for which majority of people practice yoga. In this contemporary world, the desire to lead a healthy and longer life is what makes people get going, and hence they keep looking at ways that will help them to live a healthy life. Yoga makes us capable of controlling more than one thing at a particular time which is known as three-dimensional awareness which is nothing but an expression of the quality of human life.

How yoga can help increase the longevity and ensure quality life

The primary stages of yoga contribute towards body optimization by eliminating the toxic substances and by diverting your mind away from harmful addictions such as liquor and smoking. By practicing pranayama, yoga leads to the enlightenment of the body and reduces the burden of the body which leads to various diseases.

Yoga has several powers known as ‘Siddhis’ which are the products of our mind and it is our mind which has control over the different things we do. These siddhis that come with the practice of yoga help us to have a better control of mind and hence we can live in peace. These powers thereby reduce the stress and anxiety that comes from external forces and make us free from any stress problems and in turn save us from any illnesses and diseases.

The Bikram yoga poses, also known as hot yoga which when practiced circulates fresh blood throughout the body and revitalizes every system of the body. It stimulates the nerves and glands of the body and gives an instant sensation of calmness and well-being. The poses practiced in Bikram yoga also increase the levels of concentration, provide peace of mind and many other benefits which one or the other way contribute towards a better functioning of the body and keep away diseases and hence increase the quality of your life.

Considering all these factors, we can say that yoga is the sum and substance of longevity and plays a crucial role in keeping us healthy so that we can lead a quality life. So to sum up, practicing yogic poses and especially the breathing exercises help us to remain healthy and hearty and contribute towards the well-being and increase the longevity and quality of life.

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Yoga

Yoga and Mental Health

In today’s hectic world it has become quite evident for people to lose their mental health balance. This loss of balance of mental health is depicted in the form of anxiety and depression. It is a proven fact that yoga helps to stabilize the mental health of human beings. Let us see how yoga can help you enhance your mental health.

Yoga asanas for mental health

There are several yogic asanas which cheer your mood and bring you out from anxiety and pressure. Here are some of the most commonly practiced yogic asanas which can substantially contribute towards enhancing your mental health.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana: This asana is also known as the Supported bridge pose, this asana involves a back bend. Lie on a mat with your arms rested beside your body and then slowly raise your back upwards with your feet firm on the floor. Don’t stretch too much. This asana helps to calm down a frenzied mind and also helps to reduce anxiety and adds an instant vigor to your body. Avoid this asana if you are suffering from any neck injury.

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Salamba Sarvangasana: This asana is also called as Supported Shoulder Stand and involves lying in an upside down position. This asana provides oxygen to the bodies that are deprived of it thereby making you feel more lively and cheerful. To practice this asana lie on your back and then slowly raise your legs in the upward direction, support the hips with the help of your hands but see to it that you don’t raise the head and stretch your legs straight up in the air. Put some blankets underneath your body to feel comfortable.

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Savasana: It is also referred to as Corpse pose, this yogic asana is the most relaxing and rejuvenating asana. Furthermore, it is also easy to perform. Just lie down on your back and close your eyes and allow your mind to settle down. This asana helps to release your thoughts and emotions that are unprocessed in your mind thereby giving you a feeling of relaxation.

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The best way to keep yourself away from stress and anxiety is to practice yoga especially early in the morning. However, bear in mind that if you have any severe mental illness, then it is advisable that you perform yoga only under strict supervision to avoid any further complications.