Ayurveda and Herbal Remedies Blog

All You Want to know about Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Medicines, Home Remedies, Herbs and Alternative Health Care By AyurvedicCure.com

 

July 09, 2008

   

How to Overcome Stress

Stress cannot be overcome unless the cause itself is removed. Good health and stress free life is all that one needs. The main hazard of stress is not that we need more nutrients, but that anxiety or pressure can cause us to neglect proper dietary habits.

Your body is like a capsule that keeps your spirit here on earth. Your body is like a delicate shield. When you constantly have stress in your life, you are constantly being bombarded with blows of stress that hits your shield (your body). Your body can only take so much stress to the point it turns to burnout and after burnout it can fester into illness such as: high blood pressure, heart attack, arthritis, and more. You must find and get rid of the things that are causing your stress.

How to Overcome Stress

In order to get control over your stress, something in your life must change. We all live with a certain degree of stress in our lives, but there is a point at which it becomes unmanageable, causing physical and mental illness.

How to overcome stress - The first thing that you should do is to sit down and make a list of all the things that are causing you to be stressed out. It doesn't matter whether or not you think something should be stressful - write down anything that genuinely is stressful to you. Then, go through the list again and see which things you can eliminate from your life.

Get your sleep. Most people are living on less than 6 hours a night of sleep. Studies suggest at least 8. Recently it has been reported that naps cut down on heart disease. Try and keep a routine of regular hours to ensure that you get enough rest.

How to overcome stress - Develop a support system to prevent stress. By sharing with family or friends you can gain insight and perception. Always try to make sure this is a positive person who won't drain your energy and will truly listen without criticizing. Talking with friends about problems can make them disolve or be viewed in a different light.

Take a deep breath and hold it for a couple of seconds, then release it slowly and steadily. Then repeat this two or three more times.

How to overcome stress - To get rid of stress and anxiety, sit for a moment or longer if you choose. Relax and extend your feet on the floor in front of you and feel the stress and anxiety leave your body.

For maximum stress relief, place your head back on the headrest. Raise your arms in front of you. Then permit them to gently fall towards and rest on the top of your thighs. Feel the stress relief and peace of mind.

For more helpful information visit Natural Cures

May 10, 2008

   

Natural Headache Relief - Tips to Cure Headache

The majority of headaches are caused by tension, which tightens the muscles in the head. Vascular headaches, such as migraines and cluster headaches result from constricted blood vessels. Medications relieve headache temporarily. Long term use of medications such as Demerol, ibuprofen, aspirin and codeine may increase the frequency of headaches or make them more severe. Natural remedies can offer relief, without side effects, by promoting relaxation or dilating constricted blood vessels.

The first of the natural headache relief techniques offered below is acupressure. This involves pressing and rubbing specific points on your head, hands and feet that have been proven over many centuries in China to relieve and prevent various kinds of headache. Acupressure is simple to do on yourself and others and may be the only headache pain remedy you ever need.

Massage with Pressure Points - Since stress and tension can cause headaches, it’s best to reduce and remove them. Nothing does the job quite like a massage, especially if you incorporate pressure points. If you’re new to these techniques, check out this great video. You’ll be stress and headache free in no time.

Dandelion Root as natural headache relief - an important liver tonic, dandelion can cleanse the liver and help remove toxins which may be the root of headaches and other health conditions.

Icepack - An icepack will cool your hot head. Icepacks work especially well if you’re exhausted - when giving yourself a massage just takes too much effort.

Rosemary as natural headache relief - The herb rosemary has been found valuable in headaches resulting from cold. A handful of this herb should be boiled in a litre of water and put in a mug. The head should be covered with a towel and the steam inhaled for as long as the patient can bear. This should be repeated till the headache is relieved.

Ginkgo Biloba as natural headache relief - one of the oldest herbal remedies, ginkgo has been shown to increase oxygen and blood flow to the brain. It can help dilate blood vessels therefore easing headache symptoms.

Lavender essential oil is commonly used in aromatherapy for headaches. Lavender has very soothing properties. For this reason, lavender essential oil works very well for getting rid of tension headaches. For best results for headache relief, apply lavender essential oil directly to the temples or ears in a circular motion.

Different natural headache remedies work for different people, so you need to experiment to find out which ones suit you best. If you have recurring headaches or they are very painful, it is best to consult with a doctor.

For more helpful information visit Natural Cures

May 03, 2008

   

Herbal Treatment for Depression

Many herbal treatments for depression are available but only a few have actually been proven to effectively relieve depression. Most of the medicinal herbs marketed for depression have not been studied at all, and even those claiming to be "scientifically proven" are often supported by just one or two poorly designed studies. A handful of herbs, however, have been proven to effectively relieve depression by multiple well-designed clinical trials. The best herbal treatments for depression are those that contain these proven herbs in high-quality forms and in the proper dosages.

St. John's Wort - Natural, wholesome, inexpensive. Hypericum perforatum seemed to be the dream remedy for depression. The herbal remedy had fewer side effects and as the researchers concluded, it showed promise for the long-term treatment of moderate depression.

Oats - avena sativa

The same oats from which you make porridge. They are reputed to be a very good tonic for the nervous system. The plant is used to combat anxiety, stress and fatigue as well as for depression. It is usually taken as a tea three times per day.

Lavender

Lavender has been traditionally used to promote relaxation and sleep in the form of a nosegay under a pillow. Its essential oil is available in most chemists and health food shops for applying to a pillow or for the bath.

Antidepressant Tincture

1 teaspoon tincture of Saint-John's-wort leaf
½ teaspoon tinctures of licorice root, ginseng root, lemon balm leaf and ashwaganda leaf (if available)
Combine ingredients (if you do not or cannot drink alcohol, buy glycerites instead of tinctures). Take 1 dropperful 3 times a day.

Herbal Depression Treatment with Mood Smooth

Mood Smooth is Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan. This Chinese herbal supplement has been around in the past 600 years. The Chinese call them happy pill, as it can magically make a depressed person feel happier. Prozac is the today's most popular medicine for depression. Jia Wei Xiao Yao is the Chinese counterpart of that drug.

Valerian Root (Valeriana officinalis)

Valerian root is possibly one of the most pungent herbs in use. This strong smelling herb is famous for being the plant that Valium was derived from. It is one of the more potent calmatives in use and care should be taken when using valerian for more than three weeks for insomnia associated with anxiety. Valerian can cause drowsiness and prolonged use may disrupt deep sleep which can lead to tiredness, even after a full nights sleep.

For more information visit Herbal Remedies

April 28, 2008

   

Hair Loss Diet - Prevent Hair Loss

Alopecia is the medical or technical name for hair loss. The loss of hair can occur on the scalp or on any part of the body that normally has hair, such as eyebrows or eyelashes. A certain amount of hair loss is normal. The average person normally sheds 50 to 100 hairs every day. The hair shed daily is not necessarily permanent hair loss. Most of the hair we shed grows back. All hairs have a life expectancy of three to six years. At any given time, some of our hair is growing, some is done growing and in the resting stage, and some is in the falling-out stage.

Hair Loss Diet

Defining exactly what a healthy diet is when it comes to preventing hair loss can be a little more complex. Principally, the main vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that one must ingest in some form to maintain healthy hair are vitamin A, all B vitamins-particularly vitamins B-6 and B-12, folic acid, biotin, vitamin C, vitamin E, copper, iron, zinc, iodine, protein of course, silica, essential fatty acids (EFA's, formerly known as vitamin F) and last but not least one must consume water. There are also certain foods that may cause dysfunctions that will contribute to hair loss.

There are many vitamins and nutrients that your body needs in order to produce healthy hair. If any of these are lacking, your hair shafts can become weak resulting in massive shedding, also known as hair loss. Sometimes, simply altering your diet to include healthy foods can decrease the amount of shedding you experience.

A wholesome diet, rich in silica, calcium and iron, will help reduce or prevent hair loss. Green, leafy vegetables, especially sea vegetables, are good mineral sources. Raw oats provide silica. Dried fruits and cherry juice are rich sources of iron.

Foods that are useful are: Oats, Sweet rice and pounded sweet rice, root vegetables like carrots, rutabagas, parsnips, ginger, turnips, and onions, black beans, winter squash, pumpkin, black pepper and brown rice syrup. Seaweed inspired daily, can avoid hair loss for many. Other ideal foods include micro algae, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts, green leafy vegetables.

Eat vegetables such as carrots or spinach in unrefined, cold-pressed seed oils such as flax, walnut or pumpkin seed and sea salt. Take turnips, cabbage, mustard, soy beans, peanuts, pine nuts and millet if there is a scantiness of iodine. Zinc is a mineral which aggravates cell reproduction and tissue growth and repair. Zinc also functions in the perpetuation of the oil-secreting glands attached to hair follicles. The testimonial daily intake of zinc is 15 milligrams for an average adult. Good sources of zinc are foods of animal origin, including seafood. Good nutrition also refers to eating fewer calories from saturated fats and sweets.

For more helpful information visit Herbal Home Remedies

April 21, 2008

   

How to Get rid of Headache

Headaches are common pains that anyone can suffer. They can be caused by many factors such as stress, working for extended hours in front of the computer to injury and migraines which may be triggered by allergies such as food. Whatever the cause may be, the fact remains that having a headache is very uncomfortable and may keep you from performing to your full potentials.

How to get rid of Headache

Try putting a cold compress on your forehead or behind the neck. Many headaches are caused by tense neck muscles. Conversely, use a moist hot pack to loosen up tense muscles - see which works best for you.

Massage the ears and ear lobes as well as the neck. If you can, find two tennis balls or raquet balls and put them in a sock. Lay on a flat surface and place the two balls just below the base of your skull on the occiput and relax. You may feel sinus pressure or minimal discomfort at first but it will go away. Lay in this position with the still point on the occiput for as long as needed. This is especially helpful for sinus headaches.

'Tension headaches' are ones that create pain in the neck and shoulders. Massages are great ways to get rid of such headaches. Make sure the massage hits key areas like the neck and arms. Massages on the scalp also help to release tension.

Peppermint is excellent against migraines, Chamomile is wonderful for stress or tension, and between the two of them, they taste lovely and will help with just about any headache. Keep in mind however that this is a very gentle remedy and may not help with severe headaches, though they would probably make a wonderful addition to, say, Willow Bark tea.

How to get rid of Headache - Take clove, cinnamon and almond in equal quantities (around 1 teaspoon each) and grind together with a little water to make a paste. Apply paste on the forehead. A paste made of sandalwood powder can also be applied on the forehead. This is also one of the useful home remedies for headache.

The seeds of Bishop's Weed (Ajwain) are useful in the treatment of headache and stress. They can be either smoked or sniffed frequently.

An easy remedy for headache pain is simply to go to sleep. Many people are able to sleep off their headaches. Make sure you are not sleeping in an awkward position and do not be tempted to oversleep. Oversleeping is more likely to induce headaches, not to relieve them.

Breathing exercises are a known cure for headaches. Taking very deep breaths and then exhaling slowly may help. The correct breathing exercises will have your stomach moving more than your chest.

Read more about Headache Treatment at Herbal Home Remedies

April 13, 2008

   

Home Remedies for Yeast Infection

Candida Albicans is primarily responsible for most yeast infections affecting humans. This microorganism is naturally present in small amounts in the vagina. That’s why vaginal region is the most obvious victim of yeast infections. Principally, any body part that tends to remain moist due to sweat or other natural bodily fluids, like saliva, vaginal fluids etc., is vulnerable to yeast attack.

The natural remedies involve the use of easily available home-based treatments. For instance, direct application and consumption of yogurt is extremely beneficial in the treatment of yeast infections. Other natural yeast infection treatments include the use of garlic, tea tree oil, boric acid, healthy diet etc.

Home Remedies for Yeast Infection

Insert capsules of boric acid in vagina and keep it every night for several days. It will reduce itching. This is a very effective home remedy for yeast infection.

Regularly daubing apple cider vinegar in the areas prone to this infection. Your can add some garlic to stop the itchy feeling; and water to dilute the vinegar concentration
Curds or yogurt is regarded as one of the best home remedies. In fact, it is advisable to soak a tampon into curds and place it in the infected region for at least an hour. Basically, the healthy required bacteria from the curds will replace the unhealthy yeast bacteria. This could be repeated twice to thrice a day

mix one tablespoon potassium sorbate in one cup of water. Insert a tampton into the vagina and pour this solution inside to be aborbed by the tampon. Keep it in there overnight and repeat this for several nights.

A few drops of tea tree oil poured on a tampon and inserted in the vagina can provide some relief.

Boil water in a pot; add wheat bran, stir, drain and pour into a wash tub. Sit in it for 15-30 minutes. Can repeat 1-3 times a day.

Natural remedy for yeast infection: Drink one glass of buttermilk before you go to bed. Repeat daily

Apply yogurt to vulva and inside the vagina. To insert yogurt into vagina, put some in the top of a tampon applicator, then insert the tampon into vagina. Remove it an hour later. This has a soothing effect and help to fight vaginal yeast infection.

Apply gentian violet on the vagina and the vulva. Wear a pad to avoid staining of the clothes. It is an effective natural cure for vaginal yeast infection.

As far as the diet is concerned, eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, as they are packed with loads of nutrients that the body requires.

For more helpful information visit Herbal Home Remedies

April 07, 2008

   

Natural Hemorrhoids Treatment - Treat Hemorrhoids in Natural Way

Hemorrhoids are usually caused by big pressure forced upon the rectum or anus often from (but not limited to) constipation, heavy lifting, and remaining seated for very long periods of time. These things can all put stress on the rectal/anal area and cause veins to bulge. These bulging veins in the rectal area are what hemorrhoids are. When someone who has developed hemorrhoids goes to the bathroom or sits down, their condition is further aggravated and inflamed. As you can imagine this can be very frustrating since sitting and going to the bathroom are two things we all the time.

Butcher's Broom

The plant butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus), which is also known as knee holly, box holly, and sweet broom, gets its name because it was once used by butchers in Europe to clean their chopping blocks. Butcher's broom has a long history of traditional use for hemorrhoids and varicose veins. It is often used when there is underlying poor circulation in the veins.

Butcher's broom is usually recommended in capsule or tea form. The tea has a slightly bitter taste, so a bit of stevia or honey can be used to sweeten it. The tea can be made by steeping one teaspoon of the herb in a cup of hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Butchers broom has also been shown to be effective when applied topically as an ointment or compress. This is also one of the good home remedies for piles or hemorrhoids.

Japanese pagoda tree extract is one of the best herbal supplement for naturally treating hemorrhoids. Clinical studies have found that this herbal extract successfully eliminated the hemorrhoids symptoms with an amazing 94% success rate.

The purified herbal extracts of Japanese pagoda tree have been shown to help normalize the permeability of veins and capillaries, strengthen vein walls, and provide the necessary nutrients to maintain optimal vein health.

Pine Bark and Grape Seed

The swelling of your veins is what causes hemorrhoids to be so painful and pine bark and grape seed contain anthocyanins and proanthocyanins which help with the integrity of your veins, therefore helping to keep hemorrhoids in check. You can also get anthocyanins and proanthocyanins through eating more berries such as blackberries, blueberries and strawberries and also cherries

Another natural hemorrhoids treatment component is chamomile tea. Chamomile is a flower that has long been distilled to create relaxing mixes that allow you to decrease your stress. Stress is a large factor in the development of hemorrhoids and is a major player in exacerbating the condition. With drinking at least a cup of chamomile tea a day, you will decrease your stress and allow your body to keep the nutrients it requires to speed your healing process.

For complete information visit Herbal Home Remedies

March 31, 2008

   

Diabetes Diet Plan - Know about the Plan to Follow

Effective diabetic-management requires a healthy regular lifestyle which should include a regular balanced diet, regular exercise and sensible weight control.

Despite diabetes being a condition of sugar regulation, specific restriction of sugars is not necessary, except as part of ensuring a balanced diet overall.

If you have diabetes, your body cannot make or properly use insulin. This leads to high blood glucose, or sugar, levels in your blood. Healthy eating helps to reduce your blood sugar. It is a critical part of managing your diabetes, because controlling your blood sugar can prevent the complications of diabetes.

Wise food choices are a foundation of diabetes treatment. Diabetes experts suggest meal plans that are flexible and take your lifestyle and other health needs into account. A registered dietitian can help you design a meal plan.

While planning diabetes diet we should adhere to certain important factors, they are as follows:

• Fiber should be at least 40 gm / day

• Instead of 3 heavy meals, we should go for 4-5 small mid intervals

• Replace bakery products and fast foods by simple whole cooked cereals, and don't eat carbohydrates 2 hours before bedtime

• Consume fresh fruit and vegetables at least 5 exchange/ day

A diabetic diet is a balanced healthy diet with appropriate mixture of carbohydrates, proteins and fats at each meal so as to both provide essential nutrients as well as create an even release of glucose into the blood from meal to meal and from day to day. Frankly, diabetic diet plan is the diet plan that a person with diabetes follows so as to manage his or her blood sugar levels is based on the same nutrition principles that any non-diabetic person, should follow for good health. That means – the diet low in fat, sugar and salt, with plenty of fruits and vegetables and meals based on starchy foods, such as bread, potatoes, cereals, pasta and rice.

A diabetes therapy diet can vary on certain foods, but foods such as sugars and processed flours like white flour are always restricted. Some foods are less harmful than others and menu plans can alternate between some foods in order to provide a patient with variations. There is a wide range of meats that are allowed including red meat, poultry and fish. Beef cuts, pork chops, bacon, chicken, and seafood are allowable on a low carb diet. Oysters have some carbs which nix them and liver of any kind is absolutely not allowed. Vegetables that are green such as broccoli, green beans, brussel sprouts, and celery are part of a good diet as well.

Diabetes diet should always be combined with the increased activity level and a strict regime. You are recommended to do some exercise daily as it will promote your weight loss and at the same time steady the glucose levels in the blood. It can ... prevent the heart problems which are usually associated with diabetes. Therefore the diabetic diet plan should always be used in the conjunction with some physical activity. Maintaining the daily regime is also very important. Work up some schedule with the strict time when you have your meals, exercise and take medicines.

For more helpful information visit Herbal Natural Remedies

March 24, 2008

   

Side Effects of Asthma Medications

Asthma medication may have saved your day many times, but its heroics carry a price tag. The more you rely on medication to relieve asthma symptoms, the more you are subject to its side effects.

Asthma medication side effects, risks and dangers are sometimes a concern for people who have asthma, or for parents of children with asthma. It can even prevent people from using asthma medicine, which then interferes with asthma control.

Common Side Effects include:

Thrush, which is a fungal infection in the mouth and throat, is one of the most common side effects. Using a spacer with the inhaler can help avoid this problem.

Dysphonia is a type of vocal stress that sometimes occurs when the inhaled steroid dosage keeps increasing. Again, using a spacer can help get rid of this, as can reducing the dosage temporarily.

Many people focus on the side effects of asthma treatment so much that they forget that poorly treated asthma can also cause ‘side effects’. Apart from the (fortunately low) risk of dying from asthma, there is also a risk that lung function will deteriorate over the years and that you will become disabled by chronic asthma as you age. Children with poorly treated asthma do not grow properly and pregnant women with poorly controlled asthma have a higher risk of complications, for example poor growth or death of the unborn baby.

The other common side effect is a fungal infection in the mouth (oral candidiasis). This is easily treated, and can be prevented by rinsing the mouth after inhalation or sometimes by changing your inhalation technique. Inhaled corticosteroids do not cause fungal (or other) infections in the lungs.

Some people find that their voices become husky after using an inhaled corticosteroid. This usually passes when the dose is lowered, but the hoarseness can sometimes prevent further treatment.

How to Avoid Side effects:

Therefore, the best way to avoid side effects is to maximize the amount of albuterol that makes it to the lungs while minimizing the amount deposited in the mouth. There are a number of ways to do this. For the metered dose inhaler (MDI or puffer), using a spacer to breathe through instead of inserting the MDI directly into the mouth will significantly reduce the amount of albuterol wasted by depositing in the mouth. The other way is to use the Rotacaps. Rotacaps work by being released and inhaled solely by the inhalation of the person using it. This is opposed to the MDI which squirts out when squeezed. While it is certainly possible to have the fine powder of the Rotacaps land only in the mouth, many older children and adults find it easier to use correctly than the MDI.

For more helpful information on Asthma Cure visit Herbal Remedies

March 17, 2008

   

Home Remedies for Asthma

Asthma is an allergic condition resulting from the reaction of the body to one or more allergens. It is the most troublesome of respiratory diseases. A person suffering from asthma gets frequent attacks of breathlessness which leads to coughing, wheezing, difficult to breathe and trouble sleeping. Asthma is a life threatening disease and should be treated carefully.

Home Remedies for Asthma

In 1 cup of water soak 1 tsp of Fenugreek seeds overnight. Strain. Add 1 tsp of Ginger juice and 1 tsp of honey to this. It has to be consumed twice during morning as well as evening. This is helpful in asthma treatment

Corticosteroids help reduce the frequency of your attacks and lessen the requirement for other medications you may use to control your symptoms. Leukotriene modifiers are used with other medications — as inhaled corticosteroids — to help prevent asthma attacks.

Use ginkgo biloba, this herb contains ginkgolide B which is very helpful. Some studies indicate that ginkgo biloba reduces the frequency of asthma attacks.

Other home remedies for asthma that focus on prevention include teaching the asthma sufferer breathing exercises, which can help stop an attack in its tracks. Generally, the harder you breathe when you feel an attack coming on, the more the airway constricts. You can learn such exercises from organizations like the American Lung Association or through doctors who specialize in treating asthma, like pulmonologists.

Grind kheel of Borax (heat Borax in an iron vessel so that it spreads and store in a bottle) and liquorice and mix equal amounts of both in a bottle. Take half gram to one gram of it twice or thrice with honey or warm water. One of the useful home remedies for asthma

For asthma cure the patient should also be made to breathe in steam from boiling water mixed with ajwain. Add one teaspoonful of honey and drink the mixture two times or thrice a day for asthma cure. This is an effective Home Remedy for Asthma

For more helpful information visit Natural Herbal Home Remedies