Home Remedies

The kitchen is the most important room in the house - this is not only where food is prepared but also potential domestic clinic. In the average kitchen many remedies can be found and prepared for minor ailments which work quite as well as expensive proprietary preparations. these ingredients can be bought form Asian grocers and supermarkets and increasingly from most large general stores.

Coriander

This pungent herb can be brought as leaves or as dried seeds. the seeds can be used in preparations to relieve sinus problems, headaches, colds and even cystitis.

• For sinus problems and related headaches boil 4 tablespoons of coriander seeds in water and inhale the stream. Cover your head with a cloth or towel so that none of the steam escapes.
• For colds and flu : brown 4 tablespoon of seed in a frying pan (making sure they do not roast or burn).then boil the browned seeds in 4 cups of water with 4 slices of root ginger.boil to reduce the liquid to 2 cups, strain the mixture and drink. A small amount of sugar may be added to desired.
• For cystitis:boil 4 tablespoon of seeds in 4 cups of water until the quantity is reduced to 2 cups. Drink this solution every day for a week. This will ease the burning sensation when passing urine and will make it clear and alkaline.

Mustard oil and seeds

• For headaches and fever heat 3 tablespoon of mustard oil in a saucepan. Soak a cloth in the solution and apply to the forehead. Dip the cloth into the oil at intervals to keep it moist.
• For rheumatism: mustard as a fomentation relieve aches and pains. Massage the body with upward movements.
• For sore feet:fill a basin with hot water and add 4 tablespoon of mustard seeds,Immerse the feet to relieve aches and pains.
• For col hands and feet : massage them with a mixture of warm mustard and sesame seed oils.

Curry leaves

For period pains : Combine 1 cup of curry leaves with 1 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds and 5 cups of water. Boil this mixture until it is educed to 2 cups. Take this three times a day.

Garlic

Garlic used extensively in Ayurveda and increasingly in the west, is effective in treating indigestion and relieving chest pain and toothache. Garlic in the diet reduces cholesterol levels. It also has antibacterial and anti fungal properties

• To treat chest pain : boil a few cloves of garlic in 2 cups of water until tender. Crush the cloves, mix with the cooking water, drink
• For toothache : crush a clove of garlic and apply to the affected tooth.

Ginger

Ginger is available fresh or as a dry powder.The fresh rhizome is more effective as remedy: the powder, being more concentrated should be used in small quantities.

• For indigestion:crush fresh root ginger to extract the juice.Mix with the juice of a lime and a lemon and add a pinch of salt. Drink. Alliteratively, chew a small piece of root ginger and swallow the juices which are released.
• For coughs and sore throats:crush a 5cm of root ginger to extract the juice. Add the juice to 1 tablespoon of honey and 3 tablespoon of lime juice. Sip four times a day.
• For fungal infections in the mouth: rub the tongue with a piece of ginger.
• For a furry tongue: rub the tongue with a piece of ginger.

Black Pepper

For Diarrhoea: combine 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon o cumin seeds, 5-10 curry leaves, a pinch of salt and 4 cups of water. Boil the mixture until it is reduced to 2 cups.Drink three times a day.

Butter or clarified butter(ghee)

For bee and wasp stings : rub on the effected area.

For burning feet and hands: massage with ghee or butter. Alternatively bath the body with fresh milk.

Lemon/lime juice

For dizziness: add the juice of a lemon or lime to half a glass of soda water.Add some crushed ice if you wish. sip in small doses.

Stress management in ayurveda - Breath out your stresses

Breath out your stresses


Have you ever noticed how you breath when you are angry or depressed ?  Depending on the intensity of your mood, your breath at that time is shallow, rapid, or labored - never deep, calm, and relaxed. Again, this is a sign of imbalanced prana vata. It follows, therefore, that practicing that art of breathing properly will balance your vata and thus ease stress.

Ayurveda recommends some easy and effective breathing exercises - the most important among them being pranayama (regulation of life force). This is how you do it :

• Sit straight and comfortably
• Now gently press your right nostril with your right thumb, shutting the nostril.
• At the same time, breath out slowly through your left nostril until you have exhale a full breath.
• Now breath in through your left nostril and once you have inhale completely, relax your right nostril and press the left one with the middle and right finger of the right hand.
• Breathe out gently through the right nostril, then breathe slowly in again.
• Repeat this rhythm for five minutes, and you will feel your body and mind become relaxed and healed.

Do this exercise whenever you can find five minutes and you will find a extremely soothing to your nerves.