Stress management in ayurveda

Stress management

How to detect the origin of body

Begin with the body

The human body is one of the most intelligent, resilient structures in all the creation. The kapha dosha rules body framework, holding bones and muscles together and providing support and strength. As long as you use your body well,  the kapha dosha makes sure your body performs at peak levels.

But when you tax your body  beyond reasonable limits, or simply do not use it enough, you start accumulating toxin ama inside your body.More specifically, kapha imbalance robs the skin of lubricant and become stiff.The tongue is coated with ama and the breath smells stale.The knees look dull and devoid of ojas.

Another way in which a stressed body created imbalance is by disturbing the vyna vata, the vata deputy that governs circulation, blood pressure, and the sense of touch. If your blood pressure, and the sense of touch. If your blood pressure is high, your nerves on edge, or your circulation sluggish, it is probably your vyna vata calling out of relief.

These distress signals can seem terribly alarming, but if you give your body some tender loving case the damage can be rapidly reversed. Start by making a list of the small ways n which you have been misusing or abusing your body. Are you giving it too much exercise, too little exercise, or not enough rest? Have you been reading in low light, watching television too closely, not sitting erect? If you answer "yes" to some or all of these questions, don't feel sorry. Instead, rejoice. You have done something remarkable, you have discovered the root cause of your stress. Now you can restore balance to your body without reaching for a pill or making a doctor's appointment..

De-stress your body in three Easy Steps


1.Drink plenty of water.Nothing tones up the digestive system like a regular sip of lukewarm water.This is important because, more often than not, the stresses that burden the mind originate in the gut. Warm water helps flush out the toxins that throw kapha out for balance and lead to problems like bloating and water retention. At the same time, water balances vata, which, when aggravated, can cause stressful digestive problems like constipation. Water ( at room temperature) also calms pitta, which though blessed with a strong digestive fire, can be plagued by acidity and ulcers. the answer to all three problems:irrigate your body: drink more water.


2.Take a fresh look at your daily quota of exercise.If you spend most of the day sitting at the desk, your digestion can slow down, encouraging toxins to build up inside your system. There fore, you will benefit by working a moderate amount of exercise - an easy-paced twenty-minutes walk, for example - into your schedule. On the other hand, too much exercise also throws the doshas out of balance. In that case you should stop exerting and start making time for some rest.Eat a peace-promoting snack. In Ayurveda, certain foods are identified as natural stress busters. Among them are walnuts, almonds, coconut, lightly cooked juicy fruits like pears and apples, milk, fresh homemade yogurt, ghee and fresh cheeses such as Indian-style homemade paneer or ricotta. If your body is feeling stressed, get more of these ingredients in your diet.


Move on to your mind


Do you think all the item but without clarity, work hard but without enthusiasm, and lie in bed without sleep? If yes, your stress has its origins in your mind. In Ayurvedic term, these are classic symptoms of an out-of-balance vata.


Follow simple ways 


Five ways to balance your vata


1.Don't work Long hours at the computer : it saps the mind of energy.
2.Don't stress over a niggling problems: it makes you lose your calm, thus disturbing vata.
do get up and take a walk in between jobs, even a short break can restore calm in both body and 
mind
3.Change coffee breaks into herbal-tea breaks. Good quality Ayurvedic herbal teas contain healing 
herbs such as brahmi, ashwagantha and arjuna. Extensive modern research has established that 
the herbs bra mi enhances all three mental capacities. Ashwagandha is an effective weapon against 
physical fatigue. And arjuna heals the emotional aspect of the heart.Thus, just one cup of herbal 
tea can take you from stressed to rested within minutes.
4.Allow yourself the luxury of a natural walk, and evening spend among flowers, a healing nap. 


Such calming activities recharge your batteries and are very pleasing.


Examine your emotions.
Do you notice a pattern so far? Physical stress is connected largely with a kapha imbalance, and 
mental stress with vata disturbance. Logically, then emotional problems should be related to 
pitta. More specifically, emotions are the terrain of the dosha. Ayurveda recognizes that deep-seated stress is always related to emotional problems.The most common among them are marital conflicts or the loss of the loved one. Because the situation that creates emotional stress is generally traumatic, it is also more devastating than any other kind of stress. People going through emotional turmoil can suffer from chronic depression, highly toxic bottled-up anger, nightmares, and terrible insecurity.


Five ways to satisfy your pitta
Appease your sadhaka pitta with sweet,bitter, and astringent foods.
Comfort it with sweet, juiced fruits in the morning or during the day. deliciously flavored sweet lassi in the afternoon, and warm milk at night.
Calm it with the healing goodness of cooling herbs and spices such as cardamom, cilantro, and mint.
Don't rush or skip lunch. To soothe between meal hunger pangs, snacks on something wholesome like fruit or a whole-wheat bagels.



More stress solutions
In addition to these targeted remedies, Ayurveda has some excellent therapies that can vaporize any kind of stress - whatever its origin and intensity. Here are some key recommendations.


Get good sleep
When you deprive yourself of good sleep, you violate every Law that is precious to Ayurveda, you cannot eat regular meals because your appetite is poor, this in turn, slows down digestion, results in toxins buildup slowly, the toxins make you feel irritated and fatigued, and your strain affects your performance, your relations ships and your life. In such a state, you cannot hope to be creative, calm and happy.


Ayurvedic healers studied sleep in great depth and observe several natural rest-friendly aids.Here are some
Eat an early dinner. Avoid eating after 7.00PM  when digestion is slow and even light foods sit in the stomach and interfere with good sleep. Ideally, your physical digestive processes should be completed before you get into bed.


Do some pre sleep preparations.About an hour before you get into bed, start switching off heavy sensory inputs like the three hankie tear hiker on television. Such in formations accumulates ama in your mind, causing disturbed sleep. Now prepare for the night ahead, light some aromatic candles to create an ambiance of peace, listen to soft music, or just lie down and breathe deeply.


Drink milk and honey. Just before you sleep, drink a glass of warm milk with a little honey in it. This has a settling influence on the mind and the body. Although this is an ancient remedy, modern medicine has now established the link between milk and good sleep; milk contains the amino acid trepidation, which releases serotonin, a brain chemical that makes sleep come easily.Never heat honey, as this eliminates its beneficial qualities.Adding a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the milk also promotes better sleep.


Go to bed early.Try to go to bed to 10.00 PM .In you are in the habit of staying up late, aim to achieve this in gradual stages on the first night try going to bed half an hour earlier than usual. This will help set your bio machinery in rhythm promotion better rest. If you work night shifts, follow the rhythm of your body and mind which will tell you when they need rest and how much. The simplest thing to do is ; sleep when you feel sleepy.

Ayurvedic Remedy for Heart Burn And Acid stomach

Although there are several rather strong medications on the market for heartburn and acid stomach, these conditions are usually quite easy to control with the following natural Ayurveda's home remedies.
Aloe vera gel : Take 2 tablespoon of aleo vera gel with a pinch of baking soda. This will have a immediate soothing effect.

Instant effervescence : you might also try this formula .Into 1 cup of water add

• lime juice 10 drops
• organic sugar 1/2 teaspoon
• baking soda 1/4 teaspoon

Put the baking soda into the cup last.When you add it, an effervescent reaction will occur. Immediately drink the mixture to neutralize heartburn and acid stomach.

Papaya juice : Fro hyper acidity and indigestion, try drinking 1 cup papaya juice with 1 teaspoon organic sugar and 2 pinches cardamom.

A soothing breathing exercise: The breathing technique known as shitali prayanamas is also helpful.It is not only cooling but also stimulates digestion.
Increase you digestive fire:


1.Ginger : One of the best herbs is ginger. Before each meal, chop or grate a little fresh ginger, add a few drops of lime juice and a pinch of salt , and chew it up. Alternatively, you can simply cut a thin slice of ginger, put on a pinch of salt, and chew that.

Garlic and trikatu: Here is another before-eating stimulant for you digestion. Make a mixture of 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder,1/2 teaspoon trikatu, and a pinch of rock salt.(trikatu is composed of ginger,black pepper and Indian long pepper in equal pro potions) Take it before lunch and dinner.

Herbal Mix:A similar mixture is 1 clove of fresh garlic, chopped up with 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder, a pinch of rock salt, a pinch of trikatu, and 1 teaspoon lime juice. Take before meals.

Bay leaf : Enliven you gastric fire with the common spice bay leaf. Steep 1/2 teaspoon crushed or ground-up bay leaf in a cup of hot water for about 10 minutes to make a tea. Add a pinch of cardamom, and drink after eating.

• Don't eat unless you are really hungry
• Don't eat emotionally.Emotional eating can affect the digestive fire adversely.
• Eat only two or at most three meals a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Avoid snacking between meals
• Avoid cold and iced drinks, especially during or after meals.They cool the digestive fire.For best digestion, take small sips of warm water during a meal.
• Chew your food well to make sure the saliva is well mixed in.
• You can finish your meal by drinking a cup of Lassie.
• Yoga postures that can be helped for improving digestion including Leg Lifts and the Peacock pose

How the Healing Properties of Metals, Gemstones, Colors, and Aromas

Ayurveda teaches that everything in existence is imbued with the energy and intelligence of Universal Consciousness. That is because all forms of matter, organic and inorganic, are simply the outer manifestations of this most subtle creative energy. Matter is the trapped light of consciousness. The vital force of life flows from the universal source, the essence of all matter, and manifests in the myriad forms and phenomena of nature.

Ayurvedic medicine makes use of almost everything in natural and in daily life, including food, breathing, exercise, meditation, relationship, yoga and massage, as well as regulated daily and seasonal routines. It also uses thousands of herbs and herbal formulas.

Metals
For medical purpose , metals are traditionally processed to be taken internally in small doses, after undergoing rigorous and extensive purification to negate any toxic effects upon the body's vital organs.The following recommendations are safe, as they do not involve ingestion of the actual metal.

Copper

Copper alleviates excess kapha and reduces fat. It is good tonic for the liver,spleen, and lymphatic system and helps in curing anemia. To treat obesity as well as liver and spleen disorders, throughly wash some copper pennies and boil them in quart of water or boil the quart of water in a copper vessel. until half the water remains. Take 2 teaspoons of this copper water 3 times a day for a month. It is also helpful to buy a copper drinking glass, fill it every night with pure water and drink the water in the morning.

Gold

Gold is strengthening to the nervous system and the heart, improves memory and intelligence, and increase stamina. It is also good for week lungs. Gold can be helpful for students' pre-exam tension, for arthritis, and for heart arrhythmia.
The energy of gold may be harnessed by preparing gold medicated water. Use pure gold(24 karat) such as a gold band. Place the gold into 2 cups of water, and boil until 1 cup evaporates. Take 1 teaspoon of this gold water 2 or 3 times a day to energize the heart, strengthen mental faculties, and awaken pure awareness.
You can also make golden rice. While cooking rice, place a piece of gold in the rice pot and cook as usual. When the rice is finished, remove the gold before serving.
NOTE:Gold has heating properties and should be used sparingly by individuals with pitta constitution.

Silver

Silver has cooling properties and is beneficial for treating excess pitta. Silver increases strength and stamina and s thus helpful for balancing vata. Emaciation, chronic fever and weakness after fever, heartburn, inflammatory conditions of the intestines, and profuse menstrual bleeding may all be helped by silver. Silver is antiseptic, antibacterial, and disinfectant. Make silver water following the above directions of r gold water, and take 1 teaspoon 2 or 3 times a day. Drink warm milk heated in a silver vessel to build up strength and stamina.

Iron

This metal is beneficial for bone marrow, bone tissue, liver and spleen. It increases the production of red blood cells and helps to cure anemia. Iron also strengthens muscle and nerve tissues and is rejuvenating. For extra iron, try cooking in cast iron in the system is harmful, so be careful about using it. Although women during their menstruating years may be iron-deficient and may benefit from additional iron, very few men in Western society need extra iron. An exception might be longtime strict vegetarians.

GEMS AND STONES

Gems and precious stones contain healing energies that can be activated by wearing them as ornaments, such as rings or necklaces, or by placing them in a water overnight and drinking the water the following day. Gems enliven the vital energy centers in the body(the chakra) and have a direct influence on vata, pitta, and kapha. They may be used to pacify or activate specific organs of the body, or to enhance or neutralize the effects of particular planets in the person's astrological birth chart.
Before we go into the effect of specific gems and stones, here are a few important general points.
Gems tend to absorb the qualities and energy vibrations of their owners. It is beneficial to purify any stone before using it. Soaking it for  two days in saltwater or milk should be sufficient. This will not harm the stone.
When you wear a gemstone, it should touch the skin through a small window in the setting, so that the subtle energies of the stone can interact directly with the energies of the body.
Where you wear the stone is important. Here are some recommendations.

• diamond-ring finger
• pearl-little finger
• red coral-ring finger
• emerald-little finger
• opal-ring finger
• yellow sapphire-index finger
• blue sapphire-middle finger

Ayurveda generally recommends that rings be worn on the right hand, though in the West, if someone wants to wear their wedding ring on the left hand to conform with tradition, that is all right.
Processed or chemically treated stones may not have the same healing energy. It is best to get authentic, unprocessed. clean stones without a flaw or crack. When you are considering buying a stone, be sure to use a magnifying glass to examine it for cracks or imperfections.
Stones should be 3 to 5 karats if possible, but a 1-karat diamond is large enough. A stone that is too small will not produce much of an effect.
Unless you are knowledgeable both in stones and in Vedic astrology, it is wise to consult an expert before investing in a stone. The wrong gem for you or one worn on the wrong part of the body, can have a negative influence.Here are some of the characteristics of the main gems and stones.

Ruby
Astrologically, the ruby represents the sun. It is a life-protecting stone that promotes longevity, especially for vata and kapha individuals, and brings prosperity. This gem strengthens concentration and bestows mental power. It also strengthens the heart. Rubies pacify vata and kapha but may elevate pitta. Garnets have the same vibration as rubies, they are the poor man's ruby. Wear both rubies and garnets either in a ring on a the ring finger or in a necklace.

Pearl
As rubies represent the sun, pearls symbolize the moon. They have a cooling effect and a calming, healing vibrations. Pearl are balancing to all the doshas, though their cooling action is particularly good for pitta. Pearls confer mental peace and tranquility. Pearl ash is used internally to effectively treat many ailments. You can gain many of the strengthening effects of pearls by making pearl water. Place 4 or 5 pearls ina glass of water, let it stand overnight, and drink the water in the morning.

Yellow sapphire
This is precious stone, which represents Jupiter, brings groundlessness, stability and wisdom. It helps to calm both vata and pitta and may slightly increase kapha qualities. It strengthens the heart and also builds lung and kidney energy. Yellow sapphire should always be worn on the index finger, the finger of Jupiter. Yellow topaz, the poor man;s sapphire, has many of the same qualities and produces similar benefits.

Blue sapphire
This beautiful precious stone represents Saturn and brings the benefits of that very spiritual planet. Saturn, a deity of earth and iron, confers enlightenment. Blue sapphire calms vata and kapha and may stimulate pitta. It builds up muscles and the skeletal pitta. It builds up muscles and the skeletal system and helps to heal arthritis. Wear blue sapphire on the right middle finger, preferably in a silver setting. Do not wear it with diamonds this will create disharmony.

Lapis Lazuli
This stone, which has Saturn-like energy, is heavenly and scared. It gives strength to the body, mind and conscienceless, and it sensitizes the wearer t higher spiritual vibrations. It strengthens the eyes, calm vata and pitta, and is helpful for anxiety, fear, and weakness of the heart. It is also good for the liver and for skin diseases. Lapis should be set on gold and worn on the little finger, or worn as a necklace.

Emerald
This powerful precious stone brings prosperity and spiritual awakening. It calms vata and pitta, settles the nervous system, and relieves nervousness. Symbolic of the planet Mercury, emeralds improve writing skills, enhance the power of speech, and promote intelligence. They are best set in gold and worn on the little finger.

Diamond
This very powerful gemstone combats premature aging, enhances the span of life and strengthens immunity. Its energy brings subtle energy vibrations to the heat, brain, and deeper bodily tissues. It is the best stone for rejuvenation. It brings prosperity and is spiritually uplifting.
The doshic effect of diamonds vary according to their color. Red diamonds have a fiery energy that stimulates pitta, blue diamonds are cooling and calm pitta while increasing kapha. Clear, colorless diamonds calm pitta but increase both vata and kapha.
Symbolic of the planet Venus, diamonds actually do help to create a close bond in relationship and are tight fully associated with marriage. These stones stimulate shukra the body's reproductive tissue. Art , music, romance, and sex all go together with this stone. Wear your diamond set in gold, either as a necklace or as a ring on the ring finger. But note: Diamonds of low quality may have negative effects upon the body.

Red Coral
This gemstone from the sea represents the planet Mars. It calms pitta and helps one to control anger, hatred, and jealousy. Coral gives energy to the liver, spleen, and pericardium. Wear your red coral as a necklace or as ring set in copper, silver or white gold and worn on the ring finger. Red coral is strength-giving and imparts gracefulness.

Opal
This semiprecious stone represents the planet Neptune. It strengthens majja dhatu(bone marrow and nerves) as well as shukra dhatu.(reproductive tissue)> It improves vision, relieves fever, calms pitta, and is good for migraine headaches. Opals enhance spiritual feelings, increase devotion, and help to unfold intuition. This gem is particularly beneficial, for individuals with Neptune in their third, fourth, sixth, tenth or twelfth astrological house. It should be set in gold or silver and worn on the ring finger.

Cats-eye
This stone is good for allergies, repeated colds and congestion, and allergic asthma. It pacifies kapha and vata while slightly increasing pitta. It aids in healing kidney dysfunction. Cats-eye enhances awareness and helps a person not get caught up in emotions. People working in psychological healing should wear this stone in a gold settings in their ring or little finger. it will help protect them from negative influences.

Quartz crystals
These stones have a Venus-like vibratory energy that is somewhat like that of diamonds. They calm vata, improve the quality of perception, strengthen communication, and enhance intuition. You can wear quartz crystals as a necklace or set in either silver or gold and worn on the ring finger.

Onyx
This stone is excellent for vat disorders.It is good for old age, debilitation disorders, and neurological dysfunction, and it helps with epilepsy. Parkinson's disease, and even schizophrenia . It induce quiet, deep sleep yet combats lethargy. It is good for memory and promotes positive thinking. Onyx makes life peaceful and happy and enhances love in relation ships. It has energy vibrations that are sun like and Jupiter like. This stone should be set in silver and worn on the ring finger(if your sun sign is in Sagittarius or Gemini, it is better not to wear this stone)

Jade
Jade is beneficial for longevity. It strengthens kidney energy and is reputed to bestow success upon its wearer.This tone is also good for the power of speech. It helps to prevent cataracts and is strengthening for the prostate. Wear a jade ring set in silver on your little finger.

Amethyst
Amethyst is stone for the crown chakra and is good for mental clarity. To bring prosperity, it should be set in gold. You can also wear it around the neck on a gold necklace. A person with neuromuscular weakness can be helped by wearing amethysts and by putting them at the four corners of the bed. Some amethysts have a darker color, which gives them a Saturn like energy similar to blue sapphire. Amethysts bestow dignity, love, compassion, and hope. This gem helps the individuals to control emotions and is good for vata and pitta imbalance.

Aquamarine
A substitute for emerald, which symbolizes, Mercury, aquamarine reduces dullness of mind, promotes happiness and intelligence, enhances the power of speech, and improves memory. This tone also had Venus-like qualities, it is good for marred couples to wear aquamarine to enhance love in their relationship. Aquamarine should be set in silver and worn on the little finger.

Eyes - Ayurvedic Care

Ayurveda has a number of excellent suggestions for maintaining your eyes in strength and health.

Cool Water Wash : Early in the morning when you wash your face, fill your mouth with cool water and hold it there, then splash cool water over your open eyes. Traditionally, you're not supposed to swallow or spit you sprinkle the cool water on your eyes. This has a double cooking effect, both from outside and from the oral cavity, that will make your eyes feel fresh, happy, and cheerful.

Ghee lamp : A traditional Ayurvedic way to strengthen and soothe the eyes is to gaze at the flame of a ghee lamp. Prepare a ghee lamp by taking a small bowl, placing a cotton wick in it, and adding ghee. Be sure the wick is made of genuine ghee. Be sure the wick is made of genuine cotton, synthetic cotton will burn up in an instant. Also be sure the wick is not too thick. Apply a little ghee to the tip of the wick and then light it.

Salute the sun : Another effective way to keep eyes strong is to the Sun Salutation exercise. Performing 12 sets of Sun saluatations is one of the best exercises for the entire body, including the eyes.

Read sitting up : While reading, keep your vertebral column straight. Avoid reading while lying down.

Use a non glare computer screen : If you are using a computer, be sure it has a non glare screen, or use a protecting filter to reduce glare so it won't hurt your eyes.

The following six remedies are especially helpful for pitta types, who are more likely to find their eyes burning.

Triphala eyewash : Boil 1 teaspoon of triphala in a cup of water for 3 minutes. Cool the tea and strain it with double or triple folded cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter so that no particular of triphala is left in the tea.

Castor oil remedy : At bedtime, put 1 drop of pure castor oil , with no preservatives, into each eye. Also rub 1 teaspoon of the oil into the soles of your feet. Next morning your eyes will feel really happy and fresh.

To soothe burning eyes : For a burning sensation in the eyes, put 1 drop of lukewarm liquid ghee in each eye at bedtime. That will lubricate the eyelid and eyelashes and will also soothe and strengthen your eyes.

Rose Water : you can also pure 3 drops of pure rose water into each affected eye. Rose water is cooling.

A Healing salve : Collyrium is effective for soothing your eyes. It is available in most of Indian grocery stores. Ask for Kajal. It is made of castor oil and natural camphor. It is black and people use it cosmetically as an eye liner, but it is actually medicinal and good for the eyes. Scoop out a small amount of salve with your little finger. Make sure the nail is well trimmed,. With the other hand pull the lower eyelid down while looking in the mirror and with your little finger apply the salve sparingly to the inner edge of the eyelid.

Stress Reducer : For eyestrain, Ayurveda also suggest taking a sterilized cotton ball or a piece of gauze, dipping it into cool goat's milk, and putting it over your closed eyes. This will ease stress and make your eyes feel better.

Ayurveda : Body , mind , soul

As a science of self-healing, Ayuveda encompasses diet and nutrition, lifestyle, exercise, rest and relaxation, meditation, breathing exercises, and medicinal herbs, along with cleansing and rejuvenation programs for healing body, mind , and spirit. Numerous adjunct therapies such as sound, color, and aromatherapy may also be employed. 

Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word means " the science of life and longevity" According to this science, every individual is both a creation of cosmic energies and a unique phenomenon, a unique personality. Ayurveda teaches that we all have a constitution, which is our individual psychobiological makeup. 

From the moment of conception, this individual constitution is created by the universal energies of Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth.

These five elements combine into the three fundamental energies or doshas. Ether and air constitute vata, which is the energy of movement; fire and water constitute pita, the principle of digestion or metabolism , the transformation of matter into energy; and water and earth make up kapha, the energy of structure and lubrication. When the male sperm and the female egg join at the time of fertilization, the vata-pitta-kapha factors from the parents's bodies that are most active and predominant at the moment, due to the season, the time, the emotional state, and the quality of their relationship, form a new individual with a particular constellation of qualities.

According to Ayurveda, our life has a purpose. Simply stated, that purpose is to know or realize the Creator(Cosmic Consciousness) and to understand our relationship with That, which will entirely influence our daily living. This great purpose is to be achieved by balancing four fundamental aspects of life dharma, which is duty o right action; atha, material success or wealth, karma positive desire; and moksha, spiritual liberation.These are called the four purusharthas, the four great aims of achievement in the life of any individual.

The foundation for all these facets of life is health. To maintain dharma and carry our duties and responsibilities to ourselves and others, we must be healthy. To have creative, positive desire, we need a healthy mind and consciousness. 

Ayurveda is the mother of all healing system. From its eight principal branches(pediatrics, gynecology and obstetrics, ophthalmology, geriatrics, otolaryngology, toxicology, general medicine and surgery) have come the main branches of medicine as it is practiced today, as well as many modern healing modalities including massage, diet and nutritional counseling, herbs remedies, plastic surgery, psychiatry, polarity therapy, acupressure and acupuncture, color and gem therapy and meditation.

Love is the essence of our life. 

The causes of disease and how to avoid them

Ayurveda teaches us that there are three basic causes of ill health, all of which we can avoid by adopting a way of life in harmony with our particular environment, stage of life and constitutional type. They are

----> the impact of time
----> unhealthy use of the mind and intellect
----> abuse of the five sense(taste, hearing, sight and smell)

Each of these factors has a power upset our doshic balance. Once this happens, the fabric of our system begins to malfunctions.

The law of similarity or dissimilarity


According to Ayurveda the key to disease causation,prevention, and treatment lies in the law of similarity and dissimilarity or ' samanya vishesha' in Sanskrit. This teaches us that like substance increase their like and dissimilar substance reduce their opposing qualities in the mind and body. For example Vata dosha - which has cold and dry qualities - is increased by cold,dry whether, why the fiery nature of Pitta is aggregated by hot,spicy foods and why Kapha itself predominantly heavy, cold and oily in quality - is increased by heavy, mucus-producing foods such as dairy products, as well as by cold and damp weather.According to this law, Vata can therefore be reduced by substances with opposing qualities, such as warm, oily nourishing foods, Pitta with cook,slightly drying substances and Kapha by warm,light and drying qualities.

As a result, all the therapies used to promote good health or treat an illness in Ayurveda - be they foods, natural medicines, exercise routine, methods of mind control or hands-on healing techniques - are defined and applied according to their core properties(hot,cold,dry,oily, etc) and their related effect on the doshas and functions of the mind and body. For example fresh ginger root, which is warming by nature is used to pacify chilly Vata dosha and build digestive fire. Cooling foods such as ghee and peppermint tea take the heat out of pitta. High-impact exercise, which is warming stimulating and energizing, helps to counteract the heavy, indolent nature of Kapha dosha.

This principle is nothing new. When you think about it we already apply it to our everyday lives. When it is cold, we were warm cloths, we quench our thirst with liquid and moisten dry skin with hydrating oils. to lose weight we cut down on sweet, fatty foods, to soothe an overactive mind we take time out to relax or practice calming therapies such as deep breathing, meditation and yoga.These common practices are everyday examples of amanya vishesha n action.

How time influences our health


Time is a common cause of ill health because its impact is constant unstoppable and profound. When we ignore the rigours of time, we are ignoring the rhythm of nature of which we are all part. Consider how, as time passes, the fabric of our minds and bodies alters. Our skin becomes drier, our bones more brittle, joins less flexible and our senses less active. Consider how changes in the season bring with them specific pathogens, bacteria and infections such as influenza and how eating too fast can cause gas, bloating and indigestion.

The stages of life or ageing process


Kapha governs our childhood, which is why up until our late teens we tend to need more sleep and are prone to congestive problems such as coughs , colds and allergies. Pitta rules between the ages of 20 to 55. At this time we are at our most dynamic but are also susceptible to conditions such as 'burn out', peptic ulcers and hypertension due to the intensity of Pitta qualities in the mind and body. Vata takes control in later life. It explains why in old age we sleepless and are prone to degenerate disorders such as arthritis and Alzheimer's.

By understanding the impact of time we start to appreciate why it is so important for us to tailor our diets and lifestyles to suit our time of life. In youth, for example, out bodies are capable of - and indeed thrive on - high-impact exercise, whereas in old age we benefit from more gentle pursuits, such as yoga, which boost circulations and flexibility without straining our joints and bones.

How to seasons influence health

Changes in the season bring different weather conditions as well as various disease-causing organisms. While we can't control the weather, or the prevalence of viruses and bacteria, we can take steps to protect our-selfs by dressing warmly in winter, increasing our fluid intake in summer and eating seasonally fresh foods to build our natural immunity. These are all practical examples of how we already take timely action to manage the impact of the seasons and avoid becoming sick.

Just as the stages of life are governed by a particular dosha, so too are the seasons. The moist, slightly warmer conditions of spring liquefy and aggravate Kapha; in the heat of summer Pitta is increases while the dry,windy and cold weather of autumn/fall and early winter excited vata dosha.

It stands to reasons, therefore, that if your constitution is Pitta predominant, you need to take particular care to avoid heat-increasing foods and activities in summer. Similarly. if you are a Kapha type of person, keep mucus-producing foods such as dairy and wheat to a minimum in spring. In early winter, Vata types need to keep warm and eat plenty of nourishing foods such as soups and stews.

Listening to our internal body clock.


Ignoring the demands of our internal body clock- the timely calls of nature - by suppressing natural urges such as thirst, hunger sexual desire and sleep, can also damage our health.



Sleep is also a vital for our wellbeing. Lack of sleep reduces our IQ and compromises our immunity, allowing mental and physical toxins to build. A short catnap of 10-15 minutes during the day is good for both Vata and Pitta types and helps our bodies to recover from long-distance travel and late nights. Kapha types, however should avoid sleeping in the day as it slows their already sluggish metabolism.

Late nights increase Vata and decrease Kapha, depleting our system and so reducing our immunity factor. If you stay awake after 11 PM, Pitta will kick in, which is why many people find it harder to fall asleep easily or sleep deeply thereafter. Another bonus of be before 11 PM is that it enables you to get up earlier, ideally before 6 AM. Vata rules at this time of day, which is why it is known as brahma murta.It's also helpful to get us early if you suffer from constipation- Vata controls all bodily movements including the process of eliminations. Getting up before 6 am can therefore help to promote regular bowed motions.

All of these time-related factors have the power to upset our natural equilibrium. This is why Ayurveda puts such great emphasis on adopting a disciplined daily routine to suit our specific environment, time of life and constitutional type.

The Power of mind

Once we accept that our mind and body are inextricably linked, it makes sense that our thoughts and emotions have the potential to affect not only our state of mind but also our physical wellbeing. Every thought and emotion actually triggers a biochemical reactions within the body, which is why keeping our mind healthy is such a vital part of preserving our overall health. Just as positive emotions boost energy levels and our enthusiasm for life, negative emotions such as anxiety, guilt, envy, fear and anger - deplete our system and can trigger many health problems, such as depression.

Stress and disease

Stress is common cause of illness in the modern world. There are many triggers; our work-life balance, relationships with friends and family or simply pushing our bodies too far with late nights, alcohol and inadequate diets. Whatever the reason, stress is thought to cause many problems, including high blood pressure, asthma, anxiety and even heart disease.

Depending on which of the doshas is upset, stress manifests itself in different ways. If Vata increases, fear , anxiety, insomnia, feeling so isolation, loss of appetite and weight loss usually follow. In Pitta aggravation we may suffer from heartburns, hypertension or ulcerative colitis, while Kapha types become lethargic, despondent and try to eat their way our of trouble.

The key to manage stress is self-knowledge and awareness. we may not be able to alter the pressures around us but if we know our mind-body type- and use it to identity our personal hot spots - we can reduce its impact on our health by adapting our diet, lifestyle and mental approach and through the use of rejuvenating natural therapies.

A unique feature of Ayurveda medicine is 'rasayana' or rejuvenation therapy. Only Ayurveda has a specific branch of medicine dedicated to building our core immunity factor on a psychological and physical level. It is a useful tool we can build into our everyday lives to overcome the impact of conditions which as stress.

Negative thoughts and emotions


Ayurveda  sees negative emotions as mental toxins. As well as upsetting the mind they have a direct impact on our physical state. Feat, for example, is often accompanied by tummy upset. Seeing negative thoughts and motions as mental toxins can help us find ways to eliminate these disease-causing agents. In the same way that we detoxify our physical body, we can detoxify our mind.The secrete lies in the practice of mind control, that so on our ability to capture, rationalize and replace these thoughts with healthier, more positive perceptions.

Here are some simple ways to eliminate mental toxins

Apply the principles of 'samanya vishesha' to your mind. If you are feeling fearful, think of situation that make you feel safe and secure. If you are angry, try meditating on a peaceful scene or situation.
Don't bury your emotions. Instead,recognize them and take steps to resolve them. If you are having relationship problems, for instance, ignoring them won't make them go away - you need to act it.

Use your intelligence to measure the quality and accuracy of your thoughts. Are they a valid response, a mis perception or an over-reaction?

Talk to a friend or a therapist. Sharing your worries with other helps to process problems, cleanse the mind of negative thoughts and to correct faulty perceptions.

Practice 'pranayama/ and meditation.

Doing what's right!


One of the great pearls of Ayurvedic wisdom is its focus on 'wise living'. By setting our self wholesome standards of behavior and ethics, we avoid many negative emotions such as guilt and fear.
Yoga- which is an integral part of Ayurveda - teaches us that 'right conduct' is the path to peace of mind and therefore a key method of achieving good health.

1. non-violence in our thoughts, words and deeds
2. truthfulness
3. cleanliness of mind and body, through the purity of the foods we eat and our standards of personal hygiene for example
4. contentment;being satisfied with our inner self
5. practicing self-restraint.

Wise Living and the environment

The need for wise conduct does't just apply to ourselves - we can see its impact, or lack of it, all around us. It has a power to positively or negatively affect our surroundings and therefore our collective and individual health.

Consider how commercial activities around the world are polluting and denuding the environment and are linked to a surge in health problems, such as asthma and infant skin conditions.

Knowing better

Wise living also means listening to that 'inner voice' , the one that tells you when a particular path is not the right one.

Exercise is   good example of an activity that we all know is good for us but which we often avoid. Lack of exercise is the root of many disease common today, such as obesity, heart problems and diabetes. The trick is to find a form of exercise that suits you, whether it's talking a brisk walk, climbing the escalators everyday on you way to work, going to the gym, practicing yoga or simply doing some vigorous housework.

Abusing our senses

How we use of abuse our sense of taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing actually affects our health. Like our bodies, our senses need a balance of wholesome exercise and rest. As with all our mental and physical functions, a biochemical actions occurs every time we use our senses, which means over, under or misuse has a direct impact on our core being.

Straining your eyes can cause headaches(overuse),getting water in your ears can lead to hearing problems(misuse), while lack of sunlight can trigger despondency and lethargy. Sensory overload is a big problem today and a common cause of stress due to the steady assault of e-mail,mobile phone calls, TV,noise and air pollution , for example.

Using our senses wisely

Just like the rest of our body, we need to use our senses wisely and give them healthy doses of exercise.

Positive form of sensory exercise-so often underestimated - include aromatherapy({smell),massage(touch),listening to soothing classical music or mantras(sound) and eating wholesome foods which are fresh, in season and free from preservatives(taste)

We also need to find space in our busy lives to ' take time out' and rest our senses. Yoga is actually designed to 'still' the mind and the senses, rather than simply promoting flexibility and muscle tone. By concentrating on a certain posture or pattern of breathing, meditating on a mantra or visual image, we can detach ourselves from our senses, giving them time to rest and ourselves the chance to get in touch with our inner being which is the key to tranquility and well being.

The important of good digestion

What ever the cause of an illness, an invariable and critical step in its development is a faulty digestive system, according to Ayurveda. When our digestive capacity is compromised we lose our ability to build healthy tissues and nourish our immune system, allowing disease to take hold.

'Agni' in term used in Ayurveda to describe our digestive fire and metabolic processes.

What and how we eat changes according to the seasons. Physical, mental and emotional factors all have the power to upset agni and allow undigested food substances called 'ama' to buildup in the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract.Ama is highly toxic,heavy,sticky substance, which coats the GI tract before invading our tissues and impeding metabolic functions. The result is malnourishment and a breakdown in immunity.

Detecting AMA in your system

One pf the easiest ways to detect the presence of ama is to check your tongue and stools. Typically, the tongue will have a whitish coating, while the stools will be heavy(tending to sink rather than float), dark, smelling and possible contain some mucus.You may feel tired,especially after eating, and have symptoms of indigestion, such as bloating and wind as well as bad breath.

Three types of faulty digestion

Ayurveda teaches us that there are three types of improper digestion:

Erratic digestion is 'sometimes quick and sometimes slow' and is typical of Vata aggravation.

It can be triggered by an erratic routine, eating and sleeping at odd hours oft he day and night, for example. You can treat it by including more sweet and pungent flavors in your diets such as fresh ginger root, cumin and fennel, taking Ayurvedic remedies such as Trikatu and Hingvastaka churna before you eat and eating at regular times of the day.

Rapid digestion is a sign of Pitt aggravation. The excess heat and quick-moving properties inherent in Pitta dosha mean we burn up food too quickly, once again leading to malnourishment and debility.

You can combat it by increasing the use of mild,sweet flavors in your diet, such as buttermilk and complex carbohydrates which balance blood sugar levels. Useful Ayurvedi remedies include Shatavari,(asparagus racemosus), guduci(Tinospora cordfolia) and Amalaki(Emblica officinalis).Eat small regular meals and avoid hot spices , fried foods , coffee and alcohol.

Sluggish digestion is the principle cause of ama and the root cause of many diseases, including rhematoid arthritis,diabetes and obesity, according to Ayurveda.

Use more bitter and pungent flavours in your cooking to combat it, such as fresh ginger root and cinnamon, and adopt a lighter diet. The Ayurvedic remedy, Trikatu, is often used to treat mandagn. Eat simple, small meals and leave at least 4 hours between each meal.

All forms of inadequate digestion result in malabsorption and derangement of one or more doshas, as well as causing upset to the tissues, channels of the body and our ability to properly form and eliminate waste products.

Keeping your digestion healthy

Good digestion is an invariable goal of Ayurvedic medical intervention. To achieve it we must first purge the GI tract and tissues of the body of undigested toxins through a light diet or period of fasting, plus ama-digesting herbal remedies like Trikatu.

The Ayurvedi system of holistic medicine, its rationale for purgation and efficacy, rests on the premise that unless we eat and behave appropriately for our mind-body type, undigested food substances build up in our GI tract, aggravating certain doshas which then invade the tissues of the body and upset our natural balance. After time and depending on our innate digestive capacity, these become deep-rooted toxins that can only be removed - and our constitutional balance restored - by one of five internal methods of GI purgation(panchakarma).

Protecting our immunity

According to Ayurvedc wisdom, our immunity is a by-product of each of the seven tissues of the body, particularly our reproductive tissue. Once our digestion is impaired, these tissues become malnourished, so our body's ability to produce the vital essence - known as ojas(immunity) - is reduced.

Obestiy

Obesity, like gout and diabetes, is classified in Ayurveda as one of the " diseases of affluence" . . Affluence is not restricted to the rich, every one of us who has resources to waste is affluent. 
Extreme dieting can mutate into anorexia, bulimia and binge eating.


Lowered blood sugar increases the appetite. Whenever your crave a tempting dessert but restrain yourself eating it you add a little fat at the moment of craving. Eventually excess fat makes your insulin less sensitive to your blood sugar level, because the body resists laying down any more fat after it passes its preferred ideal.


The ancient Ayurvedic sages first wrote about obesity more than 5,000 years ago. It is Kapha- related condition, so the first step in its management is to reduce your calorific intake and increase your levels of exercise. The following practices can help get obesity under control, but you also need to practice self-restraint and use your willpower.

Dietary guidelines


Adopt the Kapha-pacifying diet and increase your use of digestive herbs and spices such as ginger, black pepper, cumin and coriander to speed up your metabolism.
Ideally skip breakfast altogether and eat just two meals a day. Alternatively, this natural energy drink makes a satisfying breakfast without piling on the pounds. Soak a handful of dates and almonds n water overnight with some fennel and cardamom seeds. Peel the almonds and blend all the ingredients together to make a low-fat, energizing smoothie.
Drink fresh fruit and vegetable juices in between meals to satisfy any hunger pangs.
If you must have a snack make sure it is a healthy one such as a handful of raisins, a carrot or stick of celery.


Drink a glass of water with 1 tsp of honey daily.


Home remedies


At night swallow 1/2 tsp of whole fenugreek seeds with a cup of hot ginger tea. This helps to reduce triglycerol  and LDL cholesterol level in the body.


Or your might prefer to take the following herbal remedy three times a day for one month. Combine 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp of dry ginger powder, 1/4 tsp ajwain, 1/4 tsp rock salt and a pinch of asafoetida in a glass of warm water.


The Ayurvedi remedy Guggulu (Commiphora mukul) , taken with 1 tsp of honey, as been used for thousand of years to treat obesity.Triphala, the Ayurvedic compound formulation, also promotes weight loss.


Lifestyle Practice


Avoid napping during the day; it slows down your metabolism.
Make sure you take regular, high-impact exercise such as jogging and aerobics.  If you can't manage this then at least build half an hour of fast walking or swimming into your daily routine.

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Ayurveda weight loss

Herbal formula that will help you loss weight

1. kulki 3 parts
2. chitrak 3 parts
3. shilajit 2 parts
4. punarnava 5 parts

Take 1/2 teaspoon of this mixture twice a day with 1 teaspoon honey, before meals.

In addition, take 1 tablet of the following herbs all together, with warm water, 3 times a day after meals. triphala guggulu, chitrak-adhivati, punarvana guggle.

It will also be helpful for you to take triphala every night. At least 1 hour after dinner, pour 1 cup fo boiling water over 1/2 to 1 teaspoon triphala, let it steep for 10 minutes and drink.

Ayurveda yoga

Yoga is actually designed to 'still' the mind and the sense, rather than simply promoting flexibility and muscle tone. By concentrating on a certain posture or pattern of breathing, meditation on a mantra or visual images, we can detach ourselves from our senses, giving them time to rest and ourselves the chance to get in touch with our inner being which is the key to tranquility and well being.

What ever your mind-body type, 15-20 minutes of yoga a day will transform your mental and physical state. Yoga is an integral part of an Ayurvedic way of life. As well as improving flexibility, physical strength and the functions of our organs, yoga has a powerful effect on our mind. By focusing your attention on achieving specific asanas (postures) you can quieten your mind, stopping the constant chatter of thoughts and ideas that cloud perception and cause stress.

Practicing yoga leads to state of bliss similar to that achieved through the regular practice of deep meditation.

If you do nothing else, get into the habit of practicing the 12 posture sun salutation. This cycle wakes up all the organs of the body, balances the chakras (energy centers) and invigorates the mind. Remember to regulate your breathing while doing this sequence of postures.

Abhyanga

A form of oily massage in which therapeutic oils are applied to the body in synchronized stokes.

Abhyanga (oily massage) treats Vata and Pitta problems. Generous quantities of medicated oil are systematically applied to the body and massaged from head to toe.

Ayurvedic diet

Food and Diet

A healthy diet - and how we eat it - is at the root of any healthy living programme. Ayurveda sees food as a form of medicine. While slowe to take effect than other medicines, its results are often long-lasting and profound.

Consumed wisely, food nourishes and heals our minds and bodies. Eating the 'wrong' foods and adopting poor habits, however, can kick-start the disease process and are the root causes of many serious and life-threatening conditions today, including type 2 diabetes and obesity.

What makes Ayurveda's approach to diet unique is that, rather than promoting one diet to suit all, it recognizes us as individuals. It makes sense that slender, high energy Vata types need more nourishing and sustaining foods than robust, slow-moving Kapha people; that pitta people, who are prone to toxic disorders such as liver, skin and blood problems, need to eat more of the foods that are naturally cleansng and detoxifying. As a result, Ayurveda teaches us which foods we need to eat to balance our specific constitution or genetic blueprint and so avoid the diseases to which we are susceptible.


Following an Ayurvedic diet does not mean you have to be vegetarian, although many of its followers choose to avoid meat for ethical, health and karmic reasons. If you eat meat, however you need to take steps to build your digestive strength by cooking with digestive herbs and spices, excising regularly to speed up your metabolism and consuming it only in small portions once or twice a week rather than everyday.

This is because meat is much more complex to digest than most other foods and will putrefy in the gut if our digestion is not strong enough to cope with it or if we eat it too often.

Dry ginger powder, for example, is pungent and sweet in taste, hot in potency and has  sweet post-digestive impact. As a result it educes both Vata and kphaha dosha, which are predominantly cold in quality, builds Pitta and so improves our digestion as well as boosting circulation.

Honey is sweet,astringent and hot in potency, so pacifies Vata and Kapha dosha. It has  a drying effect on the body, making it useful for eliminating excess mucus and a powerful cardiotonic remedy.

Onions are sweet and pungent, heavy and hot in potency so reduce Vata and Kapha. The sweetness of their initial and post-digestive taste satisfies hunger and has an anabolic effect on the body. As a result they are rejuventing and promote tissue formation. Applied topically, onion can be used to relieve pain and inflammation due to their hot, sharp, penetrating qualities, which pacify Vata dosha and promote good circulation, so delivering soothing analgesic effect.

Garlic is hot and has five tastes : sweet,pungent,bitter,astringent and salty. This is why it has so many therapeutic benefits and is widely regarded as a 'cure-all'. By balancing all three doshas, garlic rejuvenates the mind and body. Its hot qualities digests mucus, making it an effective remedy fr bronchitis, coughs, and colds; it also improves the functions of the heart and promotes a vibrant complexion.

Lemons are sour.bitter and cold.Their bitterness has a toning and detoxifying effect on the body because it prevents the build-up of Kapha. Their sour taste is appetizing and boosts digestive fire while balancing Vata. Having a sweet post-digestive taste, lemon also soothe Pitta dosha, unlike most other citrus fruits.

Bitter foods and condiments such as leafy green vegetables mustard and black pepper are particularly useful for type 2 diabetics. Being opposite in qualities to the sweet, fatty foods which typically trigger this condition, they work by absorbing fat, cleansing the channels of the body and improving tissue formation.


The principle is simply eating the right kinds of food for your prakruti maintain vitality and balance, while eating the wrong kinds creates imbalance in the doshas, the first step in the genesis of disease.

Ayurveda herbs

Some of the herbs 


Ashwagandha: Maximizing the body’s ability to resist stress, it enables the body to reserve and sustain vital energy throughout the day while promoting sound, restful sleep at night. Ashwagandha is an excellent herb for those who need to support their energy levels to keep pace with the intense demands of modern living.


Brahmi: The medicinal herb Brahmi, or Bacopa  is a common treatment for a wide variety of illnesses, including brain, nervous, respiratory, digestive and circulatory issues. According to Ayurvedic treatment Brahmi increase mental abilities and is often used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Attention Deficit Disorder and memory loss. Eating five brahmi leaves everyday on empty stomach will be activating your several internal organs and brain.

Shatavari: Shatavari assists hormonal balance, stabilizes irregular menstruation, and eases the symptoms of both PMS (chest pain, irritation, sudden pains) and menopause (hot flushes, insomnia, insecurity, depression). It’s also effective during pregnancy, improving lactation and lessening post-delivery bleeding.

Neem : Its blood purification property made it a favourite natural ingredient, as a remedy for skin ailments and curing  diabetes  . It was also used to cure prevalent diseases like malaria and other insect bites. Neem twigs were used as a cheap and healthy oral care.

Amalaki  : Promotes cellular rejuvenation, energy, and vitality, Improves digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall intestinal health, Fights against inflammation, Boosts anti-aging properties, Enhances the immune system, Improves metabolism, Destroy harmful free-radicals (anti-oxidants), Promotes luster of skin and hair, Improves liver health and combats hyperactivity, Promotes mild detoxification

Triphala : Triphala ("three fruits"), a herb originating in India, has been found to act as a complete body cleanser. Not only does Triphala help to detoxify and cleanse the colon, it also purifies the blood and removes toxins from the liver. Other cleansing benefits of Triphala include reducing some forms of cholesterol (serum cholesterol), and reduces high blood pressure.

Arjuna : Arjuna herb is well-known for its beneficial effect on blood circulation, and heart diseases. This is extracted from a Tree called Arjuna.

Turmeric: It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin. It can be used to treat appetite loss. t’s has strong antioxidant.  Guggulu :Very effective as a weight-loss and fat burning agent, Increases white blood cell counts and possesses strong disinfecting properties,

Ayurveda spas

Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom : Rated as one of the top 15 beautiful spots in the world by the National Geographic, the coconut lagoon resort is hidden amongst the palm trees on the eastern shores of Lake Vembanad in Kerala.

Marari Beach Resort : Marari offers endless miles of superb sand beaches backed by swing palms, virgin territory where you can experience the local charm & traditional Keralan hospitality at its best.

Kairali Health Resorts : Situated in the scenic town of Palakkad in Kerala, the famed southern state of India, Kairali Ayurvedic Health Resort is the perfect retreat for the discerning traveler.

Somatheeram Beach Resort : This ayurvedic beach resort has consciously attempted to preserve its natural settings. Guests stay in traditional houses or simple cottages along twisted paths on 13- lush acres above the Sea.

Spice Village, Periyar : Set in the heart of the Cardamom hills of Kerala, Spice Village is an unprecedented tourist destination, offering a rare opportunity to enjoy South India's wildlife & Beauty.

Taj Garden Retreat, Kumarakom : The hotel, originally known as Baker's Bungalow, comprises of a set of completely refurbished colonial bungalows on the banks of the Vembanad Lake.

Taj Garden Retreat, Thekkady : Bus Station: 1 km., Airport: 134 km., Railway Station: 114 km Accommodation: 32 centrally air-conditioned rooms in cottages built on stilts. All rooms are elegantly appointed and have private balconies.

Taj Garden Retreat, Varkala : 51 Kms from Airport, 3 Kms from Railway Station

Golden Palm Resort & Spa : The 148 room resort located in Bangalore, the garden city and IT capital of India is set amidst 14 acres of lush gardens in secluded countryside.

Ayurveda oils

Oils All unrefined , cold-pressed oils are good for Vata people, especially sesame oil which has the capacity to penetrate deep into the tissues, nourishing and lubricating the body and nervous system. Used externally, coconut and sesame oils promote lustrous hair, while mustard oil is great for the skin.

For Pitta nature , olive , sunflower and coconut oils are the best, Use them in small amount as Pitta dosha is already slightly oily in nature.

For Kapha nature, use as little oil as possible.Flaxseed, almond,corn and sunflower ols are the best option available.

Kottakkal ayurveda

Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala (AVS) is a century old Charitable Institution engaged in the practice and propagation of Ayurveda, the ancient health care system of India. Arya Vaidya Sala offers classical Ayurvedic medicines and authentic Ayurvedic treatments and therapies to patients from all over India and abroad

Ayurveda remedies

Muscle Cramp and spasms

Muscle cramps and spasms have numerous causes. They may be due to insufficient blood supply to the muscle or in some cases, to excess blood supply.

For immediate relief

Whenever a muscle is under spasm

Grab hold of it

At the same time, press you index finger deeply into the “belly” of the muscle for 15 to 20 seconds.A marma point(like an acupressure point) is located in the centre of the muscle, pressing on it helps the muscle relax.Take a few deep breath

This procedure will increase circulation and the muscle will relax.

Another pressure point remedy.A marma point is located at the midpoint of both the lips.If there is a spasm in the upper body, such as in the arms or fingers, gab hold of your upper lip, in the middle, between your thumb and index finger. If the spasm is in the legs or the lower part of the body, grab the lower lip.

These energy point on the lips send messages to the brain, which in turn relays a signal to the motor system to relax the muscles. Just grabbing the lips for 30 seconds should help relieve the spasm. Press fairly strongly, but not hard enough to the painful

Contract and relax the muscle:Repeatedly alternate contraction and relaxation of the muscle. This will improve circulation and help to release lactic acid, which will relax the muscle

Memory problem

Every one has occasional episodes of forgetfulness.

The following recommendations will help you improve your memory and prevent memory loss

Memory foods

Carrots:Carrots, which contain carotene are good for memory. Carrots also enhance pitta, which brings sharpness of recall. Drink carrot and beet juice, both of which are blood builder and will help improve memory.

Kitchari fast:Kitchari is a simple, nourishing dish made essentially of 50 percent basmati rice and 50 percent split yellow mung dal with some spices usually added for flavor. A five-day kitchari fast, using plain kitchari with just some chopped cilantro leaves added, will cleanse the system and help to strengthen memory.

Additional food that are helpful for improving memory include sweet potatoes, tapioca, okra and spinach, which promotes pitta and stimulates memory.One food that is particularly bad for memory is heavy meat.This should be strictly avoided by anyone with memory problems.

1. Practical tips for good memory
2. Write it down
3. Develop a poetic attitude
4. Associate
5. Meditation on forgetfulness

Other Remedies

Exercise: Daily walking, especially fast walking if you are fit for it , improves circulation and helps strengthen memory.

Meditate for better memory.

Glaucoma

Increasing intraocular pressure, due to accumulation of kapha dosha in the vitreous humor is called glaucoma.If the pressure in the eye becomes high, headaches may occur. Glaucoma may become a serious condition and can cause blindness, so one has to be very watchful.

Hair care secrets

The following ayurvedic secrets of healthy hair will help you keep your hair's natural strength and luster.

Proper diet

Healthy hair depends fist upon eating nutritious food. Dairy products such as cheese, milk and freshly prepared yogurt are good for bones and hair, as are white radish and daikon. Coconut, cooked apples and cabbage are also beneficial.

Sesame Seeds

Every morning, eat a handful of white sesame seed. One handful of sesame seed contains about 1,200 mg of calcium and magnesium and promotes healthy growth of your hair.

Coconut water for calcium

Drinking coconut water also helps to provide essential calcium for hair growth. You can have 1/2 cup a day. Drinking coconut milk is also helpful, but is a second choice.

Fever

Fever is a sign of ama moving in the circulatory system. Contrary to what some people believe, fever is not often a sign of infection. In some cases there is infection, but most of the time the fever is due to toxicity in the rasa dhatu, the body's basic vital tissue. When the ama has been eliminated, the fever will subside.

Don't eat

There is an old saying " Feed a cold and starve a fever", and truly the first treatment recommended by Ayurveda for a fever is to observe a fast. For acute fever, a total fast is recommended if the person is strong enough. If the person is debilitated or weak, it is better to drink water, some kind of fruit juice, or one of the herbal teas suggested below such as holy basil or lemongrass. Don't drink milk, it will worsen the fever and create diarrhea.

Herbal Remedies

The simplest herbal remedy for fever is cilantro juice. Put a handful of cilantro leaves in a blender with about 1/3 cup water, and blend thoroughly. Strain out the pulp. Take 2 teaspoon of the remaining liquid 3 times a day to help lower the fever.

You can make an effective herbal tea for fever consisting of

1. lemongrass
2. tulsi
3. fennel

in equal proportions. For each cup,use 1 teaspoon of the mixture and steep in boiling water for 10 minutes,strain and drink. This is an excellent diaphoretic , that is , makes you swear, which bring down the temperature.

Another excellent herbal remedy for reducing fever is a tea made of

1. coriander 2 parts
2. cinnamon 2 parts
3. ginger 1 part

Steep 1 teaspoon of this mixture in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes before drinking. You can drink this every few hours until the fever breaks.

Another simple three ingredient tea made of household herbs is this one

1. cumin seeds
2. coriander seeds
3. fennel seeds

Mix seeds in equal proportions. Use 1 teaspoon of your mixture in a cup of boiling water, steep for 10 minutes, strain, and drink.

Grape juice with herbs

Grapes are cooling.Into a cup of grape juice add 1/2 teaspoon cumin,1/2 teaspoon fennel, and 1/2 teaspoon sandalwood powder, and drink. This will help to relieve fever.

EarWax

EarWax is one of the natural secretions of the body. It has the function of protecting the eardrum from dust, and it also keeps the ear canal lubricated.

Soften it with oil

Sometimes the wax is stubborn and doesn't come out easily. In that case, for a day or two before doing the irrigation, soften the wax in the ear canal by lubricating it with warm garlic oil. Take about 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, add 1/2 clove of freshly chopped garlic, and boil it until the garlic pieces turn brown. It will have a pleasant strain it into a jar or other container.

The,2 or 3 times a day, put a few drops of that oil-when it is warm, not hot-into the ear. That will lubricate the ear passage and soften the wax for easy 

ObesityObesity is a condition in which an individual is significantly overweight, and an excessive amount of body fat has accumulated under the chin and on the breasts, belly, buttocks, and thighs.Though it is not a serious disease in itself, it may shorten the span of life as well as create diminished efficiency and a predisposition to diabetes, hypertension, low libido, and arthritis.

From an Ayurvedic point of view the main causes of this condition are eating too much, sitting too much, and doing too little

Watch you Diet

In treating obesity, the first step is to control what you eat. Avoid habitually drinking cold drinks and eating fatty fried foods.Minimize dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Be sure to include salad and beans in your meals. Drink hot water instead of ice-cold drinks.Obese people generally hate hot water, but they should drink it, either plain or in herbal teas such as ginger, mint,or cinnamon.

Get adequate exercise

Do some regular exercise. A daily walk of at  least half an hour is essential. Swimming is also good exercise.

Eat your biggest meal early in the day

According to Ayuveda, the best policy regarding meals, if you are overweight, is to skip breakfast entirely, then take your biggest meal at noon. Supper should be light. Don't snack between the two meals.

Drop alcohol and tobacco

 Quit drinking alcohol and smoking.

Drink hot water and honey

Whenever you become hungry, drink a cup of hot water with 1 teaspoon honey and 10 drops of lime juice added.This will be a good substitute for eating and will help to melt the fat.

Don't nap in the day time

Obese people frequently like to take nap, but this is not a helpful practice.

Sinus Problems

The sinuses are air-filled cavities located on either side of the nose.There are ten sinus cavities, five on each side, all connected to the nose.

Due to allergies, colds, or bacterial infections, the sinuses in both adults and children sometimes get clogged or infected.This is a condition of excess kapha that can be aggravated by many factors, including cold drinks, dairy products, and smoking.

Herbal antibiotics

To help prevent secondary infection, mix equal amounts of the following antibacterial herbs.

1. goldenseal
2. osha
3. turmeric
4. neem

Fill some 00-size capsule with the herbal mixture, and swallow 2 capsule twice a day.

Use  Medicated steam to clear up your sinuses

You will be amazed at how effective this simple methods is to help clear up painful, congested sinuses.

Hear up about a cupful of water and add 3 to 5 drops of eucalyptus oil. Turn off the flame, cover your head with a towel, lean over the pot and inhale the stream.

You can also use ginger in the same way. Take 1 inch of fresh ginger, chop it into pieces, and boil it in about a cup of water. Then cover your head and inhale the ginger stream. It will be effective for draining the sinuses.

For a sinus headache

Try mixing 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon with enough water to make a paste and apply locally

Skin Ayuvedic care

The following suggestions will help you keep your skin healthy, glowing, and beautiful.

Oil massage

Daily oil massage over your whole body is very effective for keeping your skin healthy and beautiful.

Take turmeric

To have beautiful skin, take a capsule of turmeric daily.

Get enough iron in your diet

If your skin looks pale, it may be a sign of anemia. Drink some carrot juice, and eat cooked beets. This will give you natural iron and should improve skin color.

Use herbalized oils

For a Wonderful face lotion, apply some neem oil for brahmi oil to your face. These oils are acceptable for all constitutions.

Shikakai shamboo

For washing your hair use a shampoo that includes the herb shikakai.

Neem soap

Use a neem or sandalwood soap for bathing

Gentle towel massage

After bathing gently rub your towel over the skin of your face and body. This improves cutaneous circulation, removes dead skin, and helps your skin look young.

Fresh cherry mask

Apply a pulp of fresh cherries to your face at night as a mask before going to bed. Leave it on for  15 minutes. This will relieve dry skin and give you a beautiful complexions.

Sore Throat

A sore throat is caused by irritation and inflammation of the throat.This condition is generally quite easy to remedy using Ayurvedic methods.

Gargle

Perhaps the simplest remedy, and one that is quite effective, is gargling. Ayurveda recommends using 1 cup of hot water with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon salt  mixed in. Gargle with this mixture morning and evening.

Turmeric Milk

Drinking 1 cup of hot milk boiled with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric is also helpful for sore throat.

Soothing herbal tea

Another remedy that works well is ginger-cinnamon-licorice tea in the following proportions

1. ginger 2 parts
2. cinnamon 2 parts
3. licorice 3 parts

Steep 1 teaspoon of the herbal mixture in water for 5 to 10 minutes, and drink up to 3 times a day.

Foods to avoid

When you have a sore throat, it is important not to eat dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Also avoid fermented foods.

Sleep Apnea

Apnea is a temporary suspension of breath. Sleep apnea is a brief interruption of breathing during sleep -  sometimes numerous interruptions in a single night - that is quite common in young children but also occurs in some adults. IT may happen in high altitudes. Sleep apnea is often accompanied by loud snoring and an abnormal breathing pattern.

Stress

Stress is a psychosomatic disorder that has many causes in our day-to-day life.

Stress in turn, may trigger allergies,asthma, herpes, high cholesterol, and hypertension. It may even lead to a heart condition.

Generally, vata individuals ae likely to develop vata-aggravated stress reactions, such as anxiety or fearfulness, even phobias or anxiety neurosis.

Pitta individuals increase in pitta during stressful situations and typically react to stress in the form of anger.They may also suffer from hypertension, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis, and other pitta disorders.

Kapha individuals under stress can develop  under active thyroid function, slow metabolism, and even increased blood sugar, leading to a prediabetic condition.  They tend to eat and eat and eat and become chubby.

Take a relaxation beak

To prevent the buildup of stress, the first line of defense is to stay calm and cool during potentially stressful circumstances. Take  long, deep breaths, and breathe out your stress. Relax. Have a massage, o give yourself an oil massage by rubbing a few ounces of warm oil on your body, from head t toe.

Vata individuals should use sessame oil, pitta individuals sun flower oil, and kapha individuals corn oil.

After massage, take a hot shower or a hot tub bath. Mental techniques such as positive imagery, prayer, singing and chanting and meditation, as well as regular yoga exercises are all effective to minimize and remedy stress

Analyze your stress

Separate the things in your life that you find stressful into two categories, things you can do something about, and things you can't. If you can do something about it, then do it....If there's nothing you can do, then surrender to it.Accept it. there is a peace.

Monitor your negative thinking

Stress if often the result of fear that is based largely on imagination. Look at your negative thinking and replace it with positive thinking.

Examine your role and your goal

Find the right match between your job and your personality. Job stress is a terrible burden on many people when work and personality are not appropriately matched.

A soothing bath

a ginger-baking soda bath is quite soothing. Add 1/3 cup ginger and 1/3 cup baking soda to a hot bath for greater relaxation and healing.

Oils for relaxation

Rub a little brahmi oil on the soles of your feet and on your scalp at bedtime.

Put one drop of pure castor oil into each of your eyes, and rub a little on the soles on your feet for a calming, soothing effect.

Stress-reducing tea

A tea made from equal proportions of the herbs chamomile, comfrey, and angelica will be relaxing. So will brahmi tea, which you can make up adding a cup of boiling water to 1/2 teaspoon brahmi.

Meditation

Sit in the Lotus pose or the Easy pose facing east and meditate. Just observe the inflow and outflow of your breath, or do the so-Hum meditation

Let yourself cry

If you have a lot of grief and sadness, it will help to cry our your stressful feeling. Crying is an excellent release for emotions.

Laughter is good medicine

Laughter is another good way to relieve stress. Try it, even if it is forced at first. Just start laughing. Soon real laughter will come and with it the release of tension and stress.
Start your week with meditation

Many people experience extra stress on Monday. It's a fact that heart attacks are more common on Mondays.To help you reduce stress at this crucial time, keep in mind that Monday is the day of the moon and the moon represents the mind. So begin Monday morning of meditations before going to work.

Stomachache

stomach-ache is a very ambiguous symptom. Many causes are possible, acid stomach, acid indigestion, constipation, eating the wrong kind of food, even toxicity in the liver. All these, and other factors, can create abdominal aches and pains.

To treat a stomach-ache intelligently and effectively, first we have to rule out the serious causes, such as appendicitis, enteritidis, gastritis, and colic.But for a common tummy ache, Ayurveda offers numerous simple, natural and effective home remedies.

Herbal Remedies

• Mix together 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, a pinch of hing, and a pinch of rock salt. Chew well, wash down with warm water.
• For stomach-ache associated with diarrhea, rub a little fresh ginger juice on your stomach, around the belly button.
• Try the Ayuvedic herb shankavati. It ordinarily comes in tablets, just take 1 pill twice a day, morning and evening. It will take care of an aching stomach.
• Another helpful herb is ajwan. Mix 1/2 teaspoon with 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, chew the mixture, and drink it down with a little warm water.
• If this does 't relieve your stomach-ache, mix together some roasted fennel, roasted cumin, and roasted coriander seed, and chew on about 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture.
• To relieve indigestion take 1/4 cup of fresh onion juice with 1/2 teaspoon honey and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Two herbal teas

• Make some cumin-coriander-fennel tea. Mix the three herbs in equal proportions and use 1/2 teaspoon per cup of water. Drink 2 to 3 times a day to help soothe an aching stomach.
• Another simple tea can be made of equal amounts of the common Western herbs angelica, chamomile, and comfrey. Mix them together, and steep about 1/2 teaspoon of the mix in hot water.

The master key to prevent stomachache

• Most of the time stomach-ache is due to indigestion and low agni(fire).
• One of the best herbs to strengthen digestive fire is ginger. Before each meal chop and gate a little fresh ginger, add a few drops of lime juice and a pinch of salt, and eat the mixture. Or just cut a thin slice of ginger put on a pinch of salt , and chew that.
• Ginger tea will also increase the gastric fire and reduce the stomach ache. Boil a little fresh ginger or use powdered ginger make a tea and drink it 2 or 3 times a day.
• Another simple bay to enliven your gastric fire is to use  the common spice bay leaf. steep 1/2 teaspoon of crushed or ground bay leaf in a cup of hot water for about 10 minutes to make a tea. Add a pinch of cardamom and drink after eating.

Additional remedies and recommendations.

Eat lightly

• If your stomach hurts, avoid eating any heavy meals, beans, meat and heavier grains

Sunburn

Sunburn is an acute inflammatory condition of the skin cells due to overexposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

Remedies

• Apply aloe vera cream to the site of the burn.
• Coconut oil is also effective for soothing sunburned skin.
• Apply little fresh cream(from milk) directly on the sunburned skin.
• Make a paste of sandalwood and turmeric by mixing equal amounts of these herbs with a little cool water. Apply gently to the sunburned area.

Tooth ache

For any toothache, use a cotton swab to apply a little tea tree oil or clove oil at the site of the pain.

Colds and Flu

Individuals often get colds and flu during the winter and spring seasons.

Ginger Remedies

The best remedy for colds is ginger.

combine the following herbs together

1. ginger 1 pat
2. cinnamon 1 part
3. lemon grass 2 parts

• Steep 1 teaspoon of this formula for about 10 minutes in 1 cup of hot water, strain it, and add honey for sweetness if you like. If you drink this delicious tea several times a day, it will help to take care of cold, congestion and flu.

Another excellent remedy is ginger cardamom- cinnamon tea.Here is the formula

1. ginger 2 parts
2. cinnamon 3 parts
3. cardamom just a pinch

• Steep 1 teaspoon in a cup of hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. When the tea has cooled down somewhat, you can add about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of honey for taste.
• Boil 1 teaspoon ginger, or a few eucalyptus leaves, in a pint of water. Turn off the stove, put a towel over your head, and inhale the stream. This will relieve congestion and help you feel much better.
• Try 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed powder mixed with 1 teaspoon natural sugar, 2 or 3 times a day.
• For a cold with cough and congestion, mix 1.2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey. Eat this mixture 2 or 3 times a day.
• For flu, make a tea from 1 teaspoon tulsi in 1 cup water. Boil it just 1 minute and then drink.

Vitamin C

• Taking some Vitamin C will be beneficial.

Hot water

• Drinking hot water several times a day is an effective way to remove toxins from the system and hasten recovery from cold.

No dairy products

• Strictly avoid dairy products such as yogurt, cottage cheese and milk and all cold drinks

Baldness

Hair loss is subtle metabolic disorder.

Avoe vera

To reduce pitta and preserve the health of your hair, drink aloe vera juice or take some aloe vera gel 3 times a day for about 3 months.

Oil message

Another effective way to pacify pitta is to rub some coconut oil on your scalp and on the soles of your feet at bedtime.

Massaging the scalp with brahmi oil at bed time can help to prevent hair loss. In addition to the qualities of the oil, the massage itself will improve circulation at the root of the hair, thus brining more nutrients to support hair growth.

Massaging the hair with vitamin E oil may also be effective in preventing or slowing hair  loss

Food for your hair

Healthy hair depends upon a nourishing diet. Dairy products such as cheese, milk, and yogurt are beneficial for the hair.

Eat a hand full of white sesame seeds every morning. One handful of these small seeds contain about 1,200 mg of calcium and magnesium and is a good source of nourishment for your hair.

BackAche

Back Ache is common in these days.

Herbal Remedies

BackAche can also be relieved by the use of the herb musta, which is a muscle painkiller. Take 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon 2 or 3 times a day with warm water.

An enema can help

Individual who suffer from backache often get  constipated, and it may be difficult to tell which is the effect and which is the cause.

Boil 1 tablespoon of dashamoola powder in a pint of water for about 5 minutes, cool it down, and add 1/2 cup sesame oil. When it is cool enough, use it as a enema, retaining the liquid for 5 to 10 minutes if you can. A dashamoola- sesame oil enema is soothing to vata and will help relieve both the constipation and the pain.

• Sit quietly and meditate, or observe your breathing. This will help relax tense muscles.
• Don't walk in high heeled shoes.
• Don't try to do jogging,jumping, or other strenuous exercise, rather do some gentle yoga stretching .

Wheezing and Asthma

Bronchial asthma is characterized by sudden attacks of short, gasping breaths accompanied by wheezing.  If the attach is not stopped, the person may have increasing difficulty breathing.

The underlying cause of all asthmatic conditions is increased kapha dosha in the stomach. From there it moves into the lungs, trachea, and bronchi. The increased kapha blocks the natural flow of air, creating spasm in the bronchial tree and resulting in asthma and wheezing.

Asthma may be brought on by allergies,a cold congestion, cough, or high fever.

Arthritis

To relieve arthritis, it is important to keep the colon clean. To accomplish this, if you do not know positively whether it is vata, pitta, or kapha arthritis, taking triphala at night with some warm water will be effective for all types.

Anxiety

Anxiety, which often is associated with insomnia and feeling of fear,is due primarily to aggravation of vata dosha in the nervous system.

Calming tea

Make a tea of the following herbs

Tagar or valerian 1 part

musta 1 part

Steep 1/2 teaspoon of these herbs in 1 cup hot water for  5 to 10 minutes and drink.

This formula effectively pacifies vata and educes anxiety. ?You can drink this tea twice a day.

Relaxing Bath

A warm bath of ginger and baking soda will help you pacify anxiety. Use 1/3 cup ginger and 1/3 cup baking soda in a tubful of water. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes.

Almond milk

Almond milk helps to eliminate anxiety. Soak about 10 raw(no toasted) almonds overnight in water. Peel off the skins, and put the almonds in the blender. Add 1 cup warm milk. While blending, add a pinch of ginger and a small pinch of nutmeg and saffron.

Orange Juice

For anxiety accompanied by a fast heart rate, c cup of orange juice with 1 teaspoon of honey and a pinch of nutmeg powder can be effective.

Anemia

Ayurveda classified anemia under three basic doshic conditions : vata type, pitta type and kapha type. It does not matter whether a person has iron deficiency or folic acid deficiency, what is important is how the anemia is expressing itself though a particular individual.

For all types of anemia

Eat Iron rich foods

Iron is a good blood builder, so foods rich in iron, such as beets, carrots, grapes, raisins and currants are used  in the Ayurvedic treatment of most anemias. Chlorophyll is also a good source of iron, and many times Ayurveda does suggest using chlorophyll, generally in the form of spinach, chard, and other fresh green vegetables.

Yogurt and turmeric

Eat a cup of plain yogurt with up to 1 teasppon turmeric on an empty stomach,morning and afternoon.Do not eat this after sunset. If kapha is unbalanced, eat this at noon only.

Copper water

Vata and kapha individuals may find copper water effective. Fill a genuine copper glass or cup with water and let it stand overnight, then drink it in the morning.

Allergies

According to Ayurveda , allergies are a doshic reaction to a specific allergen, such as pollen, dust, chemicals on a rug, ragweed,or any strong chemical smell. These allergic reactions are classified as vata type, pitta type, and kapha type.

Secrets of Ayurvedic Self - healing -Acne

Use Triphala

For all three types of allergies, one can take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of triphala at night. Triphala acts are both a laxative and a purgative. It consists of three herbs : amalaki, bibhitaki, and haritake. Haritaki works on vata dosha, amalaki on pitta dosha, and bibhitaki on kapha dosha.

Watch your food combinations

It is important for individuals with allergies not to eat incompatible food combinations, such as mil and yogurt, meat and dairy, poultry and dairy, melon and grains, or fruits and grains.

Avoid the cause

For most allergies, one should try to avoid the immediate cause: the allergen.Also try to stay away from synthetic fibers such as polyester and rayon.

Use of neem oil

Another way to reduce or avoid the effect of environmental allergens is to apply neem oil to the exposed part of the body. The presence of the oil on the skin, as well as the disinfectant properties of neem will minimize contact with the allergen.

Acne

Acne is the result of high pitta moving under the skin and breaking  out in pimples.

The causes are numerous. They include emotional stress, premenstrual normal changes, and exposure to chemicals or too much sunlight. The problem might also be a bacterial infection.

Avoid spicy and fermented foods, salt, fried foods and citrus fruits. Favor blander foods such as rice, oatmeal, and applesauce.

A helpful tea, made from common household herbs, is cumin-coriander-fennel tea. After each meal, steep 1/3 teaspoon of each of these three seeds in hot water for 10 minutes, strain, and drink. Use this tea 3 times a day.

Drink blue water

Fill a clear glass bottle or jar with water, and cover it with some translucent blue paper(such as blue cellophane, available at art supply and some grocery stores). Put the bottle in the sun for about 2 hours. Drink 1 to 3 cups of water each day. This will have a cooling, soothing effect.

Drink Aloe vera juice

You might try drinking half a cup of pure aloe vera juice twice a day.

Keep you colon clean

Keeping your colon clean is important, in order to remove toxins from the body.

Apply Melon

Rub some melon on the skin at bed time and leave it on overnight.It also makes skin soft.

Yoga postures

Recommended yoga asanas for acne are the Lion Pose and the sequence of postures called the Moon Salutation.

Breathing exercise

Breathing through the left nostril only,for 5 to 10 minutes, will help to reduce pitta. (It  is called the Moon breath and is said to be cooling breathing through the right nostril is called the Sun breath and is heating).  Simply cover the right nostril with your thumb, and breathe normally through the left side. If the nostril is blocked, don't force it. try again later.

Relax you face

Rub your hands together vigorously to create a bit a warmth, and place both hands over your face for a couple of minutes. This will relax the facual muscles and increase the blood supply.

Visualization

The root cause of acne is emotional stress. One effective way to relieve that stress is visualization. Close your eyes and visualize that the acne is clearing up and going away - as if you are communicating with the tissues in you skin that are bursting out in acne.