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How to strengthen your hair according to Ayurveda
According to Ayurvedic teachings, you can tell a lot about a person’s body health as a whole based on their hair. It directly reflects how well kept and nourished your body is. The care you give and the lifestyle changes you make for your body will directly affect the health of your hair too. Besides the above mentioned, your dosha type, your age, and hormonal fluctuations, etc. are all factors that affect the way your hair looks. Ayurveda is a way of living that celebrates your uniqueness in everything, including the nature of your hair. Follow these few simple Ayurvedic tips to maintain your precious locks and keep them healthy. A Healthy Diet for Healthy Hair According to Ayurveda, food and digestion are inextricably linked, essential factors that affect your body’s health. Poor nutrition, irregular meals, and an unbalanced diet can lead to lank and lifeless hair. What do you need to do? Follow a dietary routine that nourishes your body’s bone tissue and fat tissue. Incorporate foods such as fresh coconut, nuts, almonds, etc. into your diet. Olive oil and ghee are good and healthy fats you should include in your daily food to maintain healthy hair. Avoid foods that are difficult to digest such as ice-cold drinks, packaged foods, leftovers, and deep-fried foods. Season your daily dishes with spices that promote digestion such as fenugreek, turmeric, cumin, etc. This is a great way to ensure the assimilation of maximum nutrients into your daily food. Care for your hair with Natural products Sodium lauryl sulfate is a chemical that is contained in a lot of shampoos and conditioners that can damage your hair over time if used excessively. Choose hair products that use herbal formulas that are healthier for your hair. Also, make sure that the water you use to shower is chlorine-free. Use Warm Oil to massage your scalp Massaging your scalp helps promote hair growth by strengthening blood flow to the hair and nourishing the follicles. Use a warm, herbal massage oil to stimulate hair growth. For dry hair, massage your head once or twice in a week. Ayurvedic tip for dandruff: Mix drops of lemon with base oils or neem oil and massage gently into your scalp. Let it sit for an hour or a half and then wash it off. Keep Stress in Check Excess stress can lead to unhealthy hair and disrupt the hair growth process. This can also cause premature greying. In order to keep your stress levels in check, exercise regularly with recommended Yoga Asanas. They will also help balance your body’s metabolism. Practice meditation and other stress-releasing activities to maintain a healthy mindset which in turn will promote healthy hair growthAyurveda resorts in and make sure your roots stay strong.
Planning your routine for the New year
The start of a New year is the perfect time to take a look at your daily habits and routines and see how far they’re supporting you in achieving your health goals. Whatever your plans are for the New Year, an Ayurveda-supported routine can help you stay healthy, vital and energized throughout the year. So without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the basics of Ayurveda that can help you in pursuing your dreams this year and staying healthy. Daily Detoxification habits The first order of business is to detoxify your body every day. During your sleep, your body is busy sending waste and toxins to your elimination channels. It is important that your clear out those channels first thing in the morning so that you feel energized and lively. You can do this by adopting several simple cornerstone habits such as: Emptying your body of waste through the bladder and bowels every day, first thing in the morning. (Without straining) Starting your day with a glass or two of warm water. Use a tongue cleaner to clear your mouth of morning ama and to ensure fresh breath, a cleaner mouth and improved digestion. Self-massage with Ayurvedic oil Every morning, right before you take a bath, perform abhyanga (massage) with warm and herbalized Ayurvedic oil. It will help keep your skin moist and improve your body’s blood circulation while also releasing ama from your skin, your vascular system, and muscles. Besides, it will also help tone your muscles, lubricate your joints and also calms your nerves which in turn will aid you in getting a better and more restful sleep every night. In addition to all of this, it is a great stress reliever. A strict diet The New Year is a great time to prepare a proper dietary plan and stick to it. The key to good health is good digestion. Good digestion is a result of good food so that’s where you should start. Stack up your vegetable rack with fresh and organic fruits and vegetables, herbs, spices, etc. When you eat is equally as important as what you eat. Start your day with a warm and well-cooked breakfast but keep dinner light so that you don’t end up overworking your digestive system during the night. Have your main meal for the day around noon (10.am-2pm). This is the peak Pitta time when your digestive fire is at its most fierce. This will also allow your body time to digest your food for the rest of your day. Exercise and Yoga There’s no better way to improve your body’s blood circulation and keep your muscles toned and flexible than through persistent daily exercise. Different types of exercises are recommended for different dosha types. Vata types will benefit more from lighter activities such as walking and yoga. Pitta types do well with exercise in moderation that cools the body such as swimming, skiing, ice-skating, etc. If you’re a Kapha type person then you could largely benefit from vigorous exercises that include aerobics, jogging, running, skipping, etc. Yoga asana is an all-encompassing type of exercise that helps balance all your doshas, revitalize your body’s organs and tone your muscles. Go to bed early and rise early Everything is much better when you’re well-rested. Ayurveda recommends that you get up during the sunrise (somewhere around 6.00 or depending on your time zone) and don’t sleep late till 10.00 (the Kapha time). This can eventually make you feel lazy, lethargic and inactive. Also, try to go to bed before the end of the evening Kapha cycle (6.00 pm- 10.00 pm).
Burning fires within: How to deal with Common Cold
ayurvedic resorts in keralaCatching a cold during the Winter season is quite common.It can be a very bothersome illness that ends up ruining your holiday plans. The person may exhibit symptoms such as a stuffed nose, sore throat,coughing,congestion, sneezing and mild to heavy body aches along with sneezing. Let’s take a look at the Ayurvedic perspective on common colds and some of the effective remedies that can be used to treat them. Common Cold (In Ayurveda) Illness or disease is caused as a result of an imbalance in the elements (life forces) that make up your body. This imbalance can be caused by several other factors. In the case of common cold, the body’s immunity takes a dip when the outside temperature goes down. The cold weather dampens your body’s digestive fire (agni) and as a result, affects your body’s immunity. This is eventually what causes common cold. Why is agni so important to your body’s immune system? It burns away body toxins known as ama. When agni is dimmed, it fails to eliminate the body’s ama fully. These residual toxins accumulate and eventually clog up your body’s microchannels,inflaming tissues and generating phlegm. Combined with the toxins, the phlegm forms mucus. In short, a weakened immune system transforms your body’s bheej-bumi (body soil), now tainted with ama into a fertile breeding ground for viruses. What you should and shouldn’t do to prevent common cold Changes in Diet Besides the obvious cold foods that you must stay away from this season such as ice-cream and yogurt, Ayurveda also recommends that you avoid foods that slow down your digestive fire. This includes tomatoes , eggplant and bananas. Warm up your insides with healthy spices It is time to stack up your spice-rack with ama-burning, heat generating spices. This includes cumin, black pepper, coriander, clove (boiled with milk) etc. Turmeric is the ideal spice that is great at clearing your body toxins (ama) and boosting immunity. It is also a traditionally recommended home remedy that helps cure cold symptoms and make you feel energized. Add a quarter teaspoon of turmeric into your veggies every now and then. Although cakes and desserts are usually slow to digest. You needn’t fully abstain from treating yourself to a delicious slice every now and then.A good idea would be to incorporate bay leaf and cardamom and cinnamon into your dessert and cake recipes. Lifestyle tips Practice moderation when it comes to eating habits. Don’t skip meals and starve your body of much-needed nutrition. Don’t overeat and dim your body’s digestive fire either. Eat fresh seasonal fruits. Make sure that your meals are well-cooked. Have a glass of warm water to start your day. Sleep on time to build up your body’s ojus (radiant,positive energy) Home remedies So far we have talked about ways you can prevent common colds. Now Let’s take a quick look at some of the effective home remedies for treating them. Turmeric paste A paste of turmeric powder mixed with organic honey can be great at fighting viral strains, flus and common colds. Gargle with salt water once in the morning and once in the evening. Drink plenty of water and get enough rest. Basil leaves (Tulsi ) mixed with dried ginger powder and honey. It is an excellent remedy for combating common cold and flu. Half a teaspoon of black pepper powder mixed with jaggery taken 2-3 times a day. Small piece of Ginger (Adraka) fried in ghee, to be taken two times a day. Gargle with warm turmeric powder 2-3 times a day to releive a sore throat.
Combating Depression: The Ayurvedic way
Life gets us all down at times. We all have days when we aren’t feeling our best. Sometimes it is hard to see the silver lining in a situation and random mood swings might make it hard to cope with the harsh realities of life. It’s okay to feel sad or upset at times. It isn’t a big deal if those moments are fleeting. However, if you find yourself feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness or general dissatisfaction with life and the feeling seems to last for really long periods of time, then it might be indicative of a much larger, underlying issue. When those feelings prevail for extended periods to the point it starts to interfere with your day-to-day activities, it implies that you might be depressed. A mood disorder that can significantly disrupt your daily life and make it difficult for you to carry out simple tasks or function normally, depression is a major mental health issue that more than 250 people in the world suffer from, irrespective of age. Whether it is the pressures and demands from work, a toxic relationship, or a turbulent domestic atmosphere, a depressed mindstate can be caused by a variety of factors. The following are a few symptoms that indicate a person might be going through depression: Feelings of anger, irritability, restlessness Feeling hopeless, worthless, or empty. Losing interest in your favorite activities. Getting tired easily An inability to concentrate Experiencing difficulty in completing tasks owing to a general sense of apathy Absent-mindedness Insomnia Restless sleep patterns Causes/Risk Factors Hereditary factors such as a family history of depression or similar mood disorders may put you at risk of developing a depressive illness. Environmental factors such as Early childhood trauma and your living circumstances can affect the way you react to certain stressful events. Medical conditions like Chronic illnesses, insomnia, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, are all risk factors. low self-esteem A personal history of mental illness Stressful events such as economic problems or the loss of a loved one. An imbalance of hormones and neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. The Ayurvedic perspective on Depression According to Ayurveda, nature is made up of three Gunas (qualities or principles). They are psychic energies known as sattva(tranquil energy) ,rajas(active energy) and tamas(inertia or dullness). The food you consume may have one or more of these Gunas in different proportions. They end up affecting your body’s basic constitution of sattva, rajas and tamarisk energies. In Ayurveda, depression is characterized by a reduced sattvik energy and an increase in the rajasik and tamasik energies along with an imbalance in the body’s three life forces, namely: Vata, pitta, and Kapha. It is mainly attributed to a weakened Ojas (the refined and subtle essence of a physically healthy body which is a manifestation of toxin-free, positive energy) which will disturb the Prana Vayu (associated with respiration, the flow of breath and oxygenation) a sub dosha of Vata that is responsible for the maintaining health and the proper functioning of the mind. When the prana vayu is disturbed, it fails to stimulate the mind. Lack of energy, absent-mindedness, sluggish movements, low self-esteem is all indicative of a weakened ojas. Apathy, sadness, and despair, on the other hand, indicate an imbalance in the body’s rajasik and tamasik energies. Managing depression through Ayurveda Ayurveda advises therapies, lifestyle changes, and herbal medication to clear the mind of all toxic mentalities and imbibe a positive outlook towards life. The following are a few diet and lifestyle changes that Ayurveda recommends to help combat depression: Waking up early in the morning, avoiding late nights. Do physical exercises, play games and engage in outdoor activities to keep your mind occupied and inclined towards a positive state. Maintain regular meal times Eat fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables Maintain a calm and relaxed atmosphere during meal times. Don’t get into heated discussions or arguments while you’re eating. Yoga, Pranayama (a breathing exercise) and meditation are all effective things you can do to enhance your mental and physical strength. 2 Home Remedies to help lighten your mood. A teaspoon of asparagus powder with half a teaspoon of honey and a glass of warm milk is a great brain tonic that can help uplift your mood. Having a teaspoon of licorice root powder with water in an empty stomach in the morning is a great remedy that can improve your mental state. It is known as mind rejuvenator (Medha Rasayana).
Conjunctivitis: 7 Effective Home Remedies
Conjunctivitis or Pink eye is an inflammation of the conjunctiva (the thin transparent membrane covering the front of the eye), characterized by redness, itching, and pain, also often accompanied by a discharge of a sticky fluid. Usually not serious, conjunctivitis goes away in few days with some effective home remedies that will be helpful to soothe and reduce the trouble associated with it. Below given are few proven, effective home remedies to bring down the pain and infection from conjunctivitis – EFFECTIVE HOME REMEDIES 1. Avoid direct contact. If effected avoid traveling and exposure to sunlight. Keep your body hydrated – Intake a lot of fluids. 2. Add 3 tablespoon of honey to two cups of Luke warm water. Mix well and allow it to cool. Wash your eyes with this mixture twice a day. 3. Boil coriander leaves or seeds in 250 ml of water. Strain the water and let it cool. Wash the infected eye with this mixture. 4. Mix one cup of juice of Indian gooseberry and two teaspoons of honey. Have it twice a day. 5. Slice a potato and place it on the infected area several times a day. It reduces the swelling and helps you in reducing the pain. 6. Soak 5-10 Tulsi leaves in lukewarm water. Use this to wash your eyes as it will soothe and reduce your pain and inflammations. 7. Mix equal amount of milk and honey. Milk should be warm not boiled. Keep mixing till honey almost properly gets mixed up with milk. You can use an eyedropper. Put 3-4 drops in your eyes every day. DIET AND OTHER REGIMEN 1. Hot, oily, spicy and hard to digest foods should be avoided as they may worsen the condition by producing more inflammation. Sour substances should also be avoided. 2. Fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables in your diet should be increased as these have a cooling effect on the body. Please understand that these home remedies are for relief and alleviating the pain, which also helps in bringing down the infection rate. However, if the symptoms persist even after 24 hours, it would be advisable to consult an Ayurveda physician at the earliest.
How to stay healthy during the Christmas holidays?
Christmas is undoubtedly a time of celebration where your spirits are high and overindulging yourself in pleasantries becomes the norm. However, you might want to be a bit more cautious about your health during the holidays. Try keeping yourself in check so that you don’t end up adversely affecting your digestive system during the season. This can lead to the accumulation of Ama (The toxic by-products that result from incomplete digestion) which can weaken your digestive fire (agni) thereby causing stomach illnesses and sleep deprivation. The following are a few tips to help keep you on track when it comes to staying fit and healthy during the Christmas week. Choose to have your main meal at midday According to Ayurveda, your digestive fire (Agni) is at its highest during midday so this would be the best time to have your meals to combat the undesirable accumulation of the toxic Ama. You should also avoid heavy meals during the evening. This can take a toll on your digestion process and disrupt your sleep. It is also better to have your supper at least three hours before you go to sleep in order to prevent discomfort to your stomach and ensure a good night’s sleep. Avoid Skipping Meals In order to keep your digestive fire burning, you need to have regular meal times and stick to them. Irregular meals will only end up weakening your agni. In addition to this,only eat when you’re hungry. Avoid eating out of compulsion even when you’re feeling overstuffed. Include Amla juice in your daily diet Drinking Amla juice first thing in the morning every day is a great way to make sure your body gets all the essential nutrients it needs. It is rich in Vitamin C and can significantly improve your health by boosting your immune system, enhancing your body’s metabolism by aiding in digestion , reducing cholestrol levels, supporting liver functions and flushing out toxins thereby restoring the balance to all three of your doshas (life forces). Besides, if you happen to be suffering from a cold or a cough resulting from the harsh winter weather, a mixture of amla juice and honey consumed at regular intervals in spoonfuls can work wonders for you. Don’t sit around at home idly all-day Sure, it might be your day off and you finally have some free time to spend with your family but that doesn’t mean you have to do it indoors. Instead of planting yourself on the couch watching Tv all day, encourage your family and friends to take a walk with you outside or accompany you on a trip somewhere close just to make sure you keep moving enough. A quick walk right after the Christmas feast or any meal time in general can greatly aid your digestion. Don’t overindulge during the feast Be careful not to overstuff yourself with food. Just because its Christmas doesn’t mean you have to eat twice as much as you usually do. Make sure that you have a normal-sized meal that keeps your digestive fire in check. Don’t go stuffing yourself when you’re already feeling full Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables In order to stay in good health, there’s probably nothing more important than taking care of your vitamin and mineral intake. In the midst of all your Christmas shopping and preparations, don’t forget to fill up the fruit bowl with ample amounts of fruit and vegetables. Drink a lot of water Christmas is generally a time of late-night parties, traveling and social interactions that can drain away a lot of your energy. It is important that you stay hydrated. Drink warm water in between meals.