Cool Coriander

Just as we say Mother is the first teacher for her children, Similarly Kitchen must be considered First Doctor to our Illness . Some basic ingredients in the Kitchen can act as a Medicine to some Minor illnesses or Can act as a Supportive treatment to Major illness. Lets look into some of the ingredients.

Coriander Seeds

These Coriander seeds which are readily available in the kitchen can be used in Conditions like Headache (due to Variation in Blood pressure),Acidic Belching in these conditions we an directly eat few seeds of coriander,chew well and just swallow them.

For Insomnia , Burning Sensation in the Body we need to make a infusion of Coriander Seeds, by soaking it overnight in boiled and cooled water. And drink it instead of water daily.

How to avoid Wrinkles

Wrinkles are the visible lines or folds seen in our face. It is typically visible as we grow older. But it starts bothering us before we grow older. The wrinkles occur as skin starts loosing its elasticity, but there can be many reasons for the wrinkles to appear on our faces. As we grow older either the tone of the underlying muscles gradually reduce. Or it may be due to loss of fat underlying the skin or due increased dryness of the skin. All of us are familiar with the occurrence of wrinkle and also familiar with the preventive therapy. To add up to your list here are three simple ways of getting rid of your wrinkles, to say the least to reduce their visibility in your face.

1.External therapy

• Give a mild massage to your face with pure gingelly oil or any oil which does not get hardened in winter. These oils are thick and when you give a massage they seep into your skin and provide a persistent moisturizing effect to the skin.

• Neck excercise - Forward and backward bending, side stretches, and neck rotation. These movements help to tone the supporting muscles of your face.

2. Internal therapy

Oil Pulling- Swishing of oil around the mouth. We can use any edible oil. Take one teaspoon of the oil and put it in your mouth and start swishing for 5 to 10 minutes. The movement of swishing as well as the absorption of oil within your mouth help in toning the facial muscles.

3.For Internal Intake

• Drink sufficient water- Keeps your body hydrated. An age old method, keep drinking as many as 5-6 large glasses of water everyday.

• Add one teaspoon of fenugreek seeds into your diet at least three times in a week. You can soak it overnight and swallow as it is. Or make a sweet dish out of it and use them like Menthe Ganji . http://cookshup.com/pins/menthe-ganji-thangerre-kanjji

A Moment with ME

Just as we go about our daily routine, let's also make a practice of spending few minutes with ourselves. Those few minutes should have no jumbling of thoughts, no worries, no stress; but just ME, ME, and ME.

It's a simple procedure....which will make you feel everyday is a SUNDAY.

                                        Sit comfortably in a chair, or lie-down on a sofa or bed. Place your hands one over the other, legs NOT overlapping each other. Close your eyes, just focus on the tip of your nose. Now comfortably take a breath in and comfortably leave a breath out. Do not do any deep breathing. Repeat this as much as you can, till you fall into a relaxed state of mind. After few minutes slowly move your fingers, move your toes, stretch your hands and legs, rub your palms to make them warm and using your palms give a gentle massage to your face and neck, slowly blink your eyes and open them with a broad smile.

Then just see the magic, notice how different you feel. You feel as if you are boosted with few power punches.

The only person who supports us 24/7 is our self. So spend some time to boost it at regular intervals.

Love yourself, Make a committed friendship with yourself. That's the Mantra for Health.

Winter Tea

Dry Ginger

Cinnamon

Clove

Long Pepper

Palm Jaggery

                               As the winter has arrived, we can see lot of changes around us to get well with the outer Environment we need to make some changes in our Lifestyle . Mainly with respect to our Food, Drinks, External Applicants etc.

Hera is a simple way to start our day ,All of us prefer a cup of tea in the early morning. In winter Why? Go for normal Tea. Start your day with winter tea.

Preparation

Boil the water, then add Spices mentioned below

*dry ginger

*Cinnamon

*Clove

*Long Pepper

*Palm Jaggery

*Milk (Optional)

Dry ginger and Long pepper enhance your hunger, Thus digesting all the undigested food in the gut, Thus refreshing you. Brings a sense of alertness in you .

Cinnamon and Clove clears the Respiratory track thus reducing the early morning Allergies, cough and Cold.

Palm Jaggery Helps in reducing the phlegm production also gives a soothing effect on the Guts, Also helps in evacuation of bowels from gut.

Simple Changes in our Daily Routine accordingly will help us overcome the major Health Problem due to Climatic Changes.

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.

Before you start on Yoga...

As all of us know how difficult it is to do and continue yoga on your own. Ask yourself a few questions before you join yoga or any other fitness classes.

First question should be "Why do you want to do Yoga?" It tells you the reason as to why you are starting and also the results you are expecting from it.

Second Queston is "How long?" This will help you determine how many days or months or year are you going to practice it, you are now fixing your target.

Recall all the silly reasons you might use to skip the classes, and compare how important are they than your goal of learning yoga and its results.

Everyday recall your aim and reason to have joined the classes.

Tell to yourself "If Not Now Then Never".

With these questions and thoughts start into your yoga or fitness class, and then see how you will enjoy the daily practice and achieve your results. At the end of the day, its all about developing positive attitude within ourselves.

Just as they say 'All is Well That Ends Well"

Ayurvedic Regimen for Winter

As we all know apart from curative medicine ayurveda also talk about preventive care for all seasons. With the winter season in, here are some references where ayurveda talks about what to do, what to eat, etc., during winter season in order to maintain a good health.

Ayurveda says, during Winter:
-  We should preferably take food that is spicy, pungent, and sour in order to maintain the body temperature within our body and thus manage the cold climate.

- If you are a non-vegetarian, you are advised to have non-veg which has lot of oil, bit salty, and sour to taste, viz. fish, any sea food, poultry meat, etc.

- As the digestive fire within us is very strong and any can digest any heavy food easily, try to eat more during winter. Try and eat as much as possible, the pulses available during the season.

- Try to take honey and warm water. You can also consume alcohol in limited quantity.

- Should take more milk products like curds, butter, and cheese, sugar cane and its products, oily food, freshly harvested rice.

- As the moisture in body dries off causing  dryness in the body,so external supplement of  oil should be applied.

- Should go for oil massage and steam bath, sauna bath etc,. You can try an external application of agaru drug or any moisturising cream to avoid excess dryness of the skin.

- Cover your body with thick warm clothings.

- Indulge in sexual activity.

 

How to Get A Glowing Skin

It is dream of everyone to get glowing skin and to look beautiful. Some supportive ways to achieve that glowing skin are:
- A regular practice of deep breathing
- Wash your face with normal as you return from outside
- A simple ice massage before you leave your home
- Good, regular sleep of at 6-7 hours
- Intake of healthy food and sufficient water regularly
- A smiling face (just being happy)
- Drinking and applying tender coconut water

Some of ayuvedic preparations like Kumkumadi [an applicant], Multhani Mitti, Raktha Chandanadi Churna, and Manjistadi Kashaya can help bring a glow into your skin always. It is preferred that an ayurvedic physician gives you directions in using these various medications.

Gas Trouble - Some Simple Home Remedies

Gas trouble though sounds simple, is one of the most irritating problems in our daily routine. It all the more affects us:
- if there is a frequent passing of gas.
- if there is sudden pain in stomach, on and off (commonly known as colicky pain).
- if there is aching or stiffness in arms, neck, calf muscles, and back - this pain is not continuous and usually gets releaved with slight massage.

If the pain is acute and not chronic, you can solve it from your spice jar itself. Jeera and Ajamoda [Ajwain in Hindi] are the two simple ways to get rid of these problems.

In case of body aches or colicky pain arising due to gas trouble, you can use the decoction of jeera along with a cube of butter. This gives an immediate relief as the gas is released as a burp or flatus.

In case of flatulence, colicky pain, and unsatisfied bowel movements a decotion prepared from two tablespoons of ajamoda, one tablespoon of anise seeds, with little sugar for taste, will help.

if the problem is chronic a detail examination is to be done, and can go for some ayurvedic preparations like Asthachurna, Trikatukadi Churna, Triphala Churna, Vyoshadi Churna, Jeerakadhyrista, and Bhunimbhadi Kwatha. Precaution: All these medicines should be taken under the supervision of an ayurvedic physician.

Ayurvedic Coolant - Khus Khus Grass

Khus Khus Grass is a dense shrub, easily available in the market or at ayurvedic medical stores as ushira. It has a very cooling effect, and slightly sweetish in taste. The khus khus grass is used in two forms - infusion and powder.

Khus Khus Grass as infusion is used in the treatment for the following medical conditions:
- fever
- inflammation
- irritability of stomach
- heavy menstrual bleeding
- menopausal syndrome
- urinary tract infection
- and for someone who complains excess heat within the body

Khus Khus Grass is used externally in the powder form for:
- burning sensation of feet in diabetes
- hot flushes in conditions like hypothyroidism
- acne (used along with raktha chandana).

Khus Khus Grass is also an important ingredient of some of the ayurvedic preparations like
Ushirasava, Shathavari Guda, Lavangadi Churna, Nasika Churna, Arvindasava, etc. But all these medicines should be taken by the prescription of an ayurvedic physician.

Yoga Clothing

While practicing yoga, we need to be very careful in selecting the right clothing. Some key points to remember when you pick your dress:

• Always wear a dress that makes you comfortable.
• The clothing should be preferably cotton and stretchable; it should not restrict hand and leg movements imminent in various postures.
• The dress should be loose, to provide some breathing space for chest movements.
• Shirts or tops should preferably have round neck - not too tight or closed at the neck,  and the length should be to the waist only.
• The pants preferably leggings, or any sports trousers with small ankle circumference should be convenient for inverted postures.
• Inner garments should neither be too tight nor loose.

Know Your Body Constitution

Ayurveda not only offers curative medicine but also talks about preventive measures. By understanding our body constitution, we can accordingly change or modify our lifestyle, food habits, thus build a behaviour to live healthily and happily. Knowing our body constitution also helps to know the condition of the disease,and also helps to prescribe the medicine and diet for the disease.

 

According to ayurveda, our body is made up of 3 basic components called Vata, Pittha, Kapha. Each of us have all these three components with a predominence of one or the other.

 

Kapha-Dominant Individuals

• oiliness of skin
• shining and well defined organs
• pleasing appearance, tenderness and clarity of complexion
• increase in the quantity of semen, desire for sex act and number of procreation
• firmness in discussion making, compactness and stability of the body
• plumpness and roundness of all organs,
• slow in action, intake of food and movement
• slowness in initiating actions, getting irritated morbid manifestations
• non slippery and stable gait with the entire sole of the feet pressing against the earth
• lack of intensity in hunger, thirst, heat and perspiration
• firmness and compaction in joints
• happiness in the look and face; happiness and softness of complexion and voice.
• more liking sweet and salty food.

Pittha-Dominant Individuals

• intolerance for hot things, having reddish complexion, tender and clear body with port-wine marks, freckles, black moles, excessive hunger and thirst;
• quick formation of wrinkles, early greying of hair and baldness, some soft, brown hair on face, head and other parts of body.
• very powerful (strong physical strength),strong digestive power ,intake of food and drink in large quantity, cannot tolerate excess emotional stress.
• looseness and softness of joints and muscles, voiding of  more sweat, urine, feacal matter(bowels)
• some kind of putrid smell of their sweat, mouth, and sometime body also.
• less desire towards sexual desire, insufficiency of semen and procreation.
• taste wise more liking towards spicy and sour food

Vata-Dominant Individuals

• excess dryness of  the body,lean and short body structure,more prone for fracture of bones,dark complexion,obstructed and hoarse voice,less sleep.
• body weight usually under weight,fast and unstable body movements,walking,eating habbit(spilling around the plate while eating).
• unstable movements of joints ,eyes,eye brows,jaws,lips,tongue,head,shoulder,hands and legs.
• excessive ,fast with jumbling not very clear talking nature,visible and many veins and tendons in their hands legs and body.
• quick in intiating actions,gets irritated quickly,more prone for disease,quick in affliction with fear,quick in likes and dislikes,quick in understanding and forgetting things.
• intolerance for cold things,often getting afflicted with cold,shivering and stiffness.
• roughness of hair of head,face and other parts of body,dry and rough nails,teeth,hands and feet.
• crackling sound in joints when they move,cracks in hands and feet.

Yoga Poses For the PolyCystic Ovarian Disease [PCOS]

PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) or the Polycystic Ovarian Disease can be dealt with effectively by practising Yoga regularly. Yoga poses and practices for PCOS vary according to the cause of the medical condition. First of, talk to your yoga teacher and/or ayurvedic doctor about the problem, and trace out the cause of your problem.

For all PCOS, in general ample of physical activity is advised. With this overall approach below are some oof the specific yoga poses.

If the PCOS is due to Hypothyroidism, alog with neck excercises and relaxation, poses such as SetuBandhasana, Mastyendrasana, Sarvangasana, Jalandara Bandha are prescribed.

If the PCOS is associated with the family history of Diabetes, with or without insulin resistence (IR) condition, then abdominal excercise and relaxation are prescribed along with yoga poses like Vakrasana, Ardha Mastyendrasana, Paschimothasana, and Uddyana Bandha.

If the PCOS is due to Stress, then relaxation procedures, inverted postures, counselling, chanting, meditation, etc. are very useful.

If PCOS is due to Obesity which is usually associated with hypothyroidism, then exercises meant to treat hypothroidism and all vigorous exercises including yoga postures Suryanamaskar, and meditation are prescribed.

In the above sections I have tried to give you a glimpse of various yoga postures prescribed for various PCOS conditions. It is always preferred that you consult your ayurvedic physician to confirm your PCOS type and then proceed with learning the prescribed yoga postures to address your condition. You should in no time be able to treat your condition. 

Yoga Everyday

Doing exercises daily for just an hour too needs lots of efforts in terms of persistent motivation from one's own self as well as our loved ones. One of the best ways to create regularity, and continuous commitment to doing exercises every day is form a group friends who can join you everyday at practising yoga. ,it fun motivating and it happens regularly also.

Group Yoga generates a positive energy within the group, bringing in sense of sharing, learning from others' experiences. Group Yoga is fun, highly motivating, and helps build a drive to practice yoga regularly. Some studies indicate that group yoga helps women the best.

Group practice of yoga is highly motivating which keeps the cycle of yoga in a constant, regular movement. No matter what advanced yoga positions are learnt, no matter how great your yoga teacher is, unless you practice it regularly, yoga is of no use to you or your body.

Yoga should become a routine of one's lifestyle, just as we brush our teeth, and shower. Remember Yoga is an internal body cleansing that makes you feel brisk throughout the day. Hence, Regularity and Awareness for Yoga are a must with a Willingness to practice.

Without Yoga too life is okay, but With Yoga life becomes transcends to being Very Good.

Living a Life and Liking to Live are Two Different Things.

 

 

Water Therapy for Internal Body Cleansing

In our day-to-day busy life we find some time to clean our surroundings be it our home, room, desk, etc. Have any of you thought how necessary it is to clean your body, to rejuvenate it, and keep it young and healthy forever? Let me share a few easy body cleansing procedures, that can be done at home at your leisure time, and maintain a good health.

There are two main types of procedures: one to cleanse through upper tract, Vamana Dhouthi, the other, to cleanse the lower tract, Laghushanka Prakshalana. 
The aim of these procedures is
- to boost up the stamina

- to cleanse the inner tracts

- to remove tardiness of organs

- to develop an inner awareness

- for the desensitization of the body cells

Vamana Dhouthi

PROCEDURE TIME
45mins to 60mins
REQUIREMENTS

- 2 litres of warm water
- pinch of salt
- a glass or a tumbler
- a big container.
PROCEDURE

- drink about one and half litres of luke warm saline water as quickly as you can until you feel like vomiting it out.

- churn the stomach by twisting exercise.

- stand with feet apart at shoulder width and bend the trunk forward forming an angle of 80 degree to the ground.

- now with the help of middle three fingers of the right hand, tickle the back of the throat to vomit out all the water.

- repeat the process of tickling the throat until no more water comes out; which means that all water has been vomited.

Vamana Dhouthi

POST-PROCEDURE  CARE

- relax completely, by lying down on your back for about 15-20 mins

- take a bland breakfast after half an hour of procedure

- for breakfast you can have indian khichidi (rice + moong dal) with or without salt, and a teaspoon of ghee

- avoid tea, coffee, milk, fruits, or anything raw.

- after 2-3 hrs of procedure take your regular food

BENEFITS
- good for flatulence (gas trouble), indigestion
- cleanses the stomach of all its contents, promotes proper functioning of the stomach and prevents hyper-acidity.
- good for asthma and bronchitis.
LIMITATIONS

- cannot be performed in case of severe abdomen pain, or abdominal surgery
- tonsillitis
- hypertension, ischemic heart disease
- cannot be performed during menstruation

Laghushanka Prakshalana

PROCEDURE TIME
- 60-90 mins
PROCEDURE

- Warm 2-3 litres of drinking water and add lime and little salt
- Start sipping the water like hot cup of tea
- After every 4 glasses (1glass = 200ml) of water do the below exercises 10 times each,and again start drinking water.
- Stop the procedure after 12-14 glass of water according to your capacity.

EXERCISES
- Tadasana
- Tiryak Tadasana
- Waist Twisting Exercise
- Tiryak Bhujangasana
- Lumbar Stretches

BENEFITS
- reduces weight
- regulates your lipid function. 
- helps control those with increased cholesterol levels
- helps those with type 2 diabetes
- very useful in constipation

LIMITATIONS AND POST-PROCEDURE CARE
Same as vamana dhouthi.

A Clean Body is the Base for A Relaxed Mind.