Ayurvedic Remedies At Home

Health Condition: Congestion in throat and chest during winter.                                   
Ayurvedic Preparations: Hot milk and turmeric mixture.            

Health Condition: Sputum acumulation in throat, as well as chronic colds and cough due to throat infection.                           
Ayurvedic Preparations: Betel leaf juice and sugar candy.

Health Condition: Indigestion and loose motions.
Ayurvedic Preparations: Decoction made of pomegranate peel.       
                                                                                                                                                             

Churnas for Winter

Now that winter has set in, cold, cough, blocked nose, congestion, sinusitis, heaviness of head, breathlessness, burning sensation in feet, loss of appetite, mild feverish sensation - are the conditions that normally visit us. To ovecome these common problems of winter there are a few simple ayurvedic churnas.

                                         

Churna (Sanskrit: चूर्ण "powder") in Ayurvedic medicine, is a mixture of powdered herbs and or minerals.

Sitopaladi Churna
Contains sugar candy, Vamshalochana (the inner core of bamboo shoots), pippali (long pepper), cardamom, and dalchini (Cinnamon).

Talisadhi Churna
Talisapatra (Abies webbiana) , black pepper, long pepper, vamshalochana, dalchini, and caardamom. The ingredients of these churnas are mixed in different proportions accodringly.

Intake of these churnas is by mixing with honey or warm water, or ghee according to the conditions. Dose is as prescribed by Ayurvedic physician.

These churnas are easily avialable in ayurvedic medical stores.

Happy Smoking Ayurvedic Way

There is an ongoing concern about smoking cigarettes, beedis, et al., and its bad effects on health. While the drive is on to discourage people from indulging in this smoking, ayurveda has a mention of smoking using ayurvedic drugs,which actually brings health benefits.

What is this Ayurvedic smoking about?
This type of smoking is prescribed for conditions like heaviness of head, running nose, hemicarnia (one-sided headache), when there is pain and thick discharges from ears and eyes and nose due to infections, foul smelling breath, loss of appetite, hair loss, jaw lock, lethargy, loss of interest in any activities, cough, hiccups, and when mucous is stuck in throat.

Ayurvedic way of smoking uses drugs such as harenu, black cumin, naga kesara, sandalwood, tej patra, dalchini, guggulu, agara, sugar candy, peepal bark, two varieties of lotus, and few other ayurvedic drugs (Ref: Cha.su 5/20).

While the preparation of cigarette, its length, and usage are expalined in detail in ayurvedic texts, the usage is usually done with the help of a cigarette holder.

Most importnt thing to remember is that "Smoke should not be expelled through nose; it should be done only through mouth."

Signs of Proper Smoking:
The smoking is said to be done correctly if you feel a clearness in your sense organs, throat, and chest. A lightness in the head is very much expected.

Thus smoking is not injurious to health if the right type of cigar is used.

Enjoy smoking in an Ayurvedic way, thus continuing with your habit, but in a beneficial way!.

Remedy for Cracked Lips

Cracked lips are one of the most common problems of winter. It is due to excess dryness within the body, and the wintry winds just sap your body of liquids. The excessive drying up can make you start bleeding in your lips too.

External Treatement - To avoid or control the chapped lips apply butter to your lips frequently.

Internal Treatment - Drink lots of water. Ensure that there is a large intake of milk and milk products like curds, butter, ghee. This helps boost your vitamin B complex which in turn helps fight the colds and wintry winds.

Breathe..... Just Breathe to Live Long and Healthy

These days, most of the health issues are due to excess of mental work than physical work. All our physical activities are now shared with the electronic equipments like washing machines, micro ovens, vaccuum cleaners, computers, vehicles, and not to forget, housemaids or house helps.
Due to nuclear families, busy neighboursm and busy couples in their own work world, we hardly interact with people much, not to forget the task targets in IT companies, and work pressure at offices our mental sharing has reduced immensely. There are hardly any get togethers to sublimate any social interaction where one can relax their tensed minds and thus their exhausted bodies.

We need physical activities help us to break down the energy and use for the overall development of our body including our muscles, bones, blood, etc. When there is not enough physical activity the body energy is not utilized properly utillised, and with constant mental stresses there is an immense and constant pressure or stress on the brain. This in turn affects major centres of our brain that is pituitary, pineal, hippocampus, etc leading to major harmonal imbalances, metabolism imbalances, disturbed blood and air circulations. These are opening invitations to major disease conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, irregular periods, PCOS, infertility, thyroid disorders, and many more.

One easiest way to come out of this vicious circle is to do any of household actvity by yourself, be it sweeping, mopping, washing utensils, making chappatis, grinding, etc. These household chores not only burn your calories, but also give some time to be with your family members. If these are not possible, then make it a point to start your regime of walking, jogging, suryanamaskara, etc. The important trick here is to get yoruself involved in some Deep Breathing Techniques for just five minutes for 4 to 5 times a day atleast.

Deep Breathing Techniques like Anuloma Viloma, Pranic breathing, simple abdominal breathing, sectional breathing, and brahmari technique. You can choose any of these or all of them, depending on which one you are comfortable with. These breathing techniques are sure to bring a drastic change in your lifestyle as they:
- control your emotions (including anger, loneliness, and depression)
- improve concentration
- control the gush of thoughts in your mind, thus making you feel more at control of your response to your stress
- help you to make better decisions
- keep you calm and happy always.

One simple thing that is so important too - Never forget to share a Smile With Your Loved Ones.

Leech Therapy for Blood Purification

In Ayruveda, leech therapy is used to purify blood as well as for any chronic skin ailments such as tumours, piles, chronic ulcers, and leprosy. In arthritis leech therapy is used to reduce the swelling.

Leech therapy is specific for pitta dominant ailments, which is usually associated with burning sensation, redness in the skin, etc. While the type of leech used depends on the type of treatment, the pre- and post-treatment too are specific and should be done under supervision. The number of sittings depend on the degree and condition of the ailment.