Ayurveda- The Natural way of Living

2007-12-20T22:15:00.000-08:00

Hair Care in Herbal way

How do you keep the natural look of your hair? Your hair is an important part of your beauty. Proper care should be taken to influence the healthy grow of hair. Dandruff, thinning hair, balding, premature graying, split ends these are the causes of hair spoiling. Here are some herbal remedies for healthy and shiny hair:-

Homemade Remedies for Dandruff:

1. Mix a tablespoon of neem oil or coconut oil with the same quantity of castor oil and mustard oil. Massage this oil mixture on your scalp every night and wash with a natural shampoo on the next day.

Herbal Tips for Shiny Hair:

1. Make a paste of eight strawberries and one tablespoon of mayonnaise. Massage this into wet hair. Wrap your hair with a shower cap and then a warm towel. Leave it for fifteen minutes. Lastly rinse with herbal shampoo and apply conditioner. You can use it as an effective hair mask which will give you a wealthy shiny hair.

2. Mix one tablespoon of honey into four cups of tepid water. Wash your hair with neem based shampoo; decant this concoction through your hair. Don’t wash; let it dry as normal way.

Herbal Remedies for Premature graying of Hair:

1. Take two tablespoons of henna powder, one tablespoon of yogurt, one tablespoon of fenugreek seed, one tablespoon of coffee, two tablespoon of mint juice and two tablespoons of basil juice. Combined the ingredients and make a paste. Apply this mixture on your hair. Leave it for two to three hours and wash with herbal shampoo.

Herbal Tips for Hair Loss:

1. An herbal remedy to reduce hair loss is prepared with the garlic juice of three flakes of garlic and four crush peppercorns into the 50 ml of heated coconut oil. Let the oil cool and massage it into the hair in regular basis. It’s very useful for hair growth.

2. To stop hair losses apply an easy process. Boiled fresh neem leaves in water. Cool it and wash your hair through it in daily basis.

3. Mix up 20 ml olive oil with one teaspoon of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Make a soft paste. Apply this paste on the scalp and wash it off with tepid water after half an hour. Try out this twice a week for a month. It helps to reduce hair fall.

At last but not least, never forget to brush your hair before shampooing in every time. It’s the first step to a hair care routine. Don’t brush hair when it damp.

Drink plenty of water and follow proper diet. Vitamin B, C, A, K and E are very essential for hair. Vitamin A works especially for hair which is found in green vegetables and yellow color fruits. Vitamin B increases the thickness of hair and provides shine to the hair. Be sure that all these vitamins are included in your diet. Try to avoid spicy food and take more vegetables, salads, fruits, milk, Soya beans, butter milk, proteins, wheat germ and nuts.

2007-12-03T01:35:00.000-08:00

Winter Skin Care with Fruits

Winter is the most problematic season for our skin. Skin becomes rough, irritated and lifeless in this season. Soft, smooth and glowing skin needs lots of moisturizer. But only moisturizer is not enough. Fruits are the key ingredient of healthy skin. Fruits contain essential vitamins and minerals that are good for our healthy skin. There are some winter skin care tips with fruits which are as follows:-

1. Orange juice helps to make instant glow of our skin. Apply the juice in cotton on your face, neck and hand. Leave it for ten minutes and wash it off with plain water.

2. Mix one tablespoon of fresh apple juice with one fourth teaspoon of lime juice. It can be a good refreshing tonic for the skin. You can use it as an effective skin cleanser.

3. Mix one medium very ripe tomato with one cup of un-boiled milk. Apply it on your face and neck. Leave it for fifteen minutes and wash it off. It’s also a good cleanser.

4. Make a paste of papaya, strawberry, melon and banana and rub it on your face. Leave it for ten minutes for the best result. Rinse it and see the difference.

5. Mix one teaspoon of lemon juice with one teaspoon of honey and a half cup of water. Massage into your skin after bathing. It’s a great moisturizer.

6. Grapes are great for the skin. Apply grape juice in cotton on your face to remove dark spots.

7. Amla is a great source of vitamin C. It helps to nourish our skin. So, take amla daily basis to replenish skin and also drink at least eight glasses of water every day to overcome the water loss from the skin in this season.

2007-11-07T20:56:00.000-08:00

Effectiveness of Cucumber

Scientific name of Cucumber is Cucumis sativus. There is a question that cucumber is a fruit or vegetable. There are enormous effectual assessments of cucumber shown in below -

Nutritional value:-

Cucumber is a very good source of the vitamins C (9.2%) and the mineral molybdenum (6.9%). It is also a good source of vitamin A (4.5%), potassium (4.3%), manganese (4.0%), folate (3.4%), dietary fiber (3.3%), tryptophan (3.1%), and magnesium (2.9%) and also contains silica.

Health Benefits:-

This fruit is a great source of ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, which helps console skin irritations and reduces inflammation.

High Blood Pressure:-

Cucumber is quite useful to reduce high blood pressure.

A Radiant Complexion:-

Cucumber is excellent for making skin soft and fair. Cucumber juice is a good source of silica which is an essential element to improve the complexion and health of the skin. It helps to maintain the moisturizer balance of skin. It’s very good to remove sunburn.

For glowing skin:-

1. Cucumber is a natural cleanser. Mix two teaspoons of cucumber juice with two teaspoons of milk and use it as a cleanser.

2. To remove dark underarms and neck mix half cup of cucumber juice with two tea spoons of lemon juice and a pinch of turmeric. Apply it daily. Leave it for 20 minutes and rinse off.

3. Mix two table spoons of cucumber juice with two table spoons of curd. Apply the mixture on your face for getting attractive and glowing skin.

4. Mix a full cucumber with one egg white, one lemon juice and one tea spoon of mint. Refrigerate it for ten minutes. Apply this mask on your face and leave it for fifteen minutes and wash it of tepid water. This mask is very effective for oily skin.

2007-10-09T00:07:00.000-07:00

Medicinal values of Bitter Gourd

Momordica charantai or Bitter gourd is also known as Karela in Hindi Language. It is one of the common vegetables used in India, China, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and in Vietnam. Bitter gourd is a source of all necessary vitamins and minerals such as, vitamin A, B1, B2, iron, Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorous, and Copper. Regular use of bitter gourd can help us to prevent many diseases like hypertension, indigestion, eye complication etc. It purifies blood tissues and stimulates liver functions. Following are some diseases where bitter gourd plays a major role in order to get rid of them:

Diabetes: Researches revealed that it contains insulin like property which is very helpful to lower the urine sugar level. Taking the juice of four and five fruits every morning is quite helpful for diabetic patients.

Cholera: Mixture of two tsp. of bitter gourd juice with the same quantity of onion juice and one tsp. of lemon juice is effective in the early stage of cholera.

Constipation and Piles: The decoction of the roots is beneficial for this kind of ailments. Mixed three tsp. of leaf juice with a glassful of fresh milk. Take it every morning for a month can help to get relief form piles.

Blood related diseases: In case of different diseases which are related to blood, regular use of the blend of a cup of bitter gourd juice and one tsp. of lime juice in empty stomach may give positive result.

Respiratory Disorders: For cough and cold, asthma, bronchitis etc. and also in other respiratory disorders bitter gourd plays an important role. For respiratory problems mix up a tsp. of root paste with the equal amount of honey or the juice of basil leaves and take it once before going to bed at night.

Alcoholism: Bitter gourd is also helpful for damaged liver caused by intaking excess alcohol.

2007-08-23T06:14:00.000-07:00

Relax with spa treatment at home

Spas are an excellent way to rejuvenate body, mind and soul. It is the easiest way to pamper yourself and make your skin refreshing and gorgeous. All through the week days, we lead such a hectic life that at weekend, a spa treatment is always preferable. But generally spa treatments are quite expensive. So, here are some of the essential tips which you can follow even at home for an exquisite spa therapy.

The followings are some of the homemade herbal packs for rejuvenating your skin:

1. Mix two tablespoon of dried lavender with two tablespoon of plain yoghurt. Stir it with thinly chopped oatmeal until the mix becomes a paste. Then pull back your hair and wash your face with normal water and pat dry it. Apply the mix all over the face avoiding eyes and mouth. After 10 minutes, remove the mask with lukewarm water.

2. In a bowl, take half a cup of brown sugar, one-forth cup of honey and some essential oils and mix it well. Scrub your body during shower with a natural loofah and apply the mixture. After a while, wash away the mix with normal water. This will make your skin glow and soft.

3. Blend half a cup of sea salt, half a cup of vegetable oil (almond or apricot oil are preferable) with three tablespoon of coconut oil and fifteen drops of essential oil. Apply this mix on your wet skin just after the shower and rinse it off well.

Some of the essentials tips which you should keep in mind are:

1. Make sure that you have a minimum of one and a half hour in your hand for a complete relaxation.
2. Light few fragrance candles.
3. Fill your bathing tub with tolerably hot water.
4. Unplug your telephone cord so that none tries to interrupt you.
5. Practice anti-stress exercise for fifteen to twenty minutes to keep you relaxed and calm.

Thus, with a spa treatment, have a wonderful weekend ahead!!

2007-08-07T05:51:00.000-07:00

Herbal way to remove under eye dark circles

Dark circles are a common beauty problem. Some of the basic reasons behind it are lack of sleep, hormonal imbalances, lack of proper nutrition, too much exposure to sun, due to stress or it can even happen due to heredity. This under eye dark circles gives an appearance of tiredness and illness. So, the following are some of the essential tips to get rid of the dark circles in herbal way:

1. Grate potato and apply it overnight atleast three times a week.
2. Make a paste of lemon juice, tomato juice, orange lentil flour and turmeric powder. Apply it on under eye dark circles and leave it for fifteen minutes and finally wash it off.
3. Squeeze juice out of grated cucumber. Dab two cotton balls into the juice and keep it onto your eyes. This will help the eyes to relax and make it tired-free.
4. Mix lemon juice, tomato juice and potato juice all together. Apply it on the dark circle and keep it over a night.
5. Massage your under eye dark circles with almond oil at bed time daily for two consecutive weeks.
6. Apply a mix of a teaspoon of milk powder with honey. Keep it until it dries out completely and wash off well.
7. Take plenty of sleep; atleast for eight hours.
8. Drink plenty of water.
9. Eat healthy nutritional diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. 10. Finally, reduce stress by practicing yoga and meditation. Pranayama helps to reduce dark circles and increases the glow of skin.

2007-07-24T22:55:00.000-07:00

Homemade Remedies for Acne

Acne is generally found among teenagers having oily skin on their face, neck and back. Here are few homemade recipes for preventing acne and reducing their marks left on the skin:

1. Make a paste of orange peel powder with water. Then apply it to the effected areas.
2. Make a paste of fresh fenugreek leaves and water. Apply it all over the night and then wash it off the next day morning.
3. Mix equal amount of lemon juice and rose water. Apply it on the acne with a cotton ball. Leave it for half an hour and wash off well. Continue with this recipe for atleast twenty days.
4. Remove all the makeup at night and wash your face with lukewarm water using Neem based soap.
5. Several times in a day, rub the acne with garlic cloves. They are really helpful.
6. Squeaky clean your face and dab egg white with a cotton ball on the acne. Leave it for an hour and wash off well.
7. Only on acne spot apply some toothpaste at night time. Make sure that you do not apply it on your skin, as it’ll make your skin dry.
8. Apply a paste of rosewater with sandalwood on the acne area. It is the best home remedy basically for oily skin.
9. To one cup of boiling water, pour two to three teaspoon of dried basil leaves. Leave it to cool down and then with a cotton ball, apply on the acne.
10. Finally drink atleast one liter of water and plenty of fresh fruits.

2007-07-22T21:48:00.000-07:00

Take care of your skin in Monsoon

‘Rain’ – to hear this word for the first time, the foremost thing which comes to our mind is cooling effects and relief from scorching heat. But it has also some negative effects on our skin, just like the way we suffer in other seasons. The foremost harmful effect is the fungal infection, which basically occurs in toes and armpits due to wet clothes and footwear. So everybody should take care of their feet. Use anti fungal soap while bathing and apply anti fungal powder after bath. It is easily available in any medical store. To get soft and smooth feet, rub petroleum jelly and wear socks (if possible, since it will help to soak up the jelly) before going to bed. To get rid of bad odor of feet, mix rose oil, lavender oil with milk and apply it onto your feet. Because of humidity, our skin gets easily attracted to pollution and dirt. So, proper cleansing, toning and moisturizing are required at a regular basis for healthy and glowing skin.
Some home based formulas for cleanse, tone and moisturize Cleansing for dry and oily skin:
a) Make a paste of some almonds and honey, massage onto your face for 10 minutes and wash off it with plain water.
b) For oily skin use oatmeal as scrubber. You may use mash of papaya. It works as mild exfoliant.
Home made toner for dry and oily skin:
If possible use anti-bacterial toner. Because here is a great chance to be affected by air and water microbes during monsoon. If you have dry skin, few drops chamomile oil in one teaspoon milk will be better for you. In case of oily skin make toner of ten drops of lavender oil with one tsp water. Moisturizer for dry, oily and combo skin: After cleansing and toning, proper moisturizing is essential.
a) Blend curd, honey and jojoba oil of one tsp each. Apply this mask onto your face and neck. Leave it for 10 minutes and rinse it well.
b) For oily and combination skin apply mix of mix of orange oil, two tsp rose water and two drops of strawberry. Wash off it after 10 to 15 minutes.

2007-07-19T23:51:00.000-07:00

Spa for healthy mind, body and soul

The concept of spa came from the time of Roman Empire in 14th century, when the exhausted military men returned from the battle field and are trying to find out a way to have a speedy recovery of the wounds and ailment. So, they started hunting for hot wells and put up it as bathing places to heal their aching bodies. They called these places as ‘aquae’ and named the treatment as “Sanus Per Aquam”, that is SPA. This means healing through or by using water.
Now-a-days, spa treatments are gaining popularity, since it is used as a refreshment treatment as well as has a manifold wellbeing benefits. The atmosphere for a spa massage should be like a ‘castle in the sky’, which will help to relax mind, body and soul completely in a quiet ambiance.
There are different types of spa treatments. Medicinal spa, health spa, destination spa, beauty spa, resort spa and day spa are some of them. Each and everyday, new healing processes are added to the list for a spa treatment. So, some of the basic processes of a spa treatment are message using hot stone, Japanese shiatsu, reflexology, aromatherapy, deep tissues etc; facials usually consist of cleansing, exfoliating, steaming, extraction, a mask and finally moisturizing or massage, even including hands and foot treatment; body wraps and scrubs; waxing and even manicure and pedicure.

2007-07-14T03:11:00.000-07:00

Vegetables for Healthy skin

For glowing skin and healthy body, vegetables are always recommended. But many of us are quite unaware of the fact that vegetables can be applied directly to our skin as face masks and skin care treatment.
The following tips are used to make the skin lustrous using vegetables:
1. Take gauze and fill it with grated potato. Compress it around the eyes to remove dark circles. You can even use sliced cucumber onto your eyes for making the eyes relaxed and giving it a cooling effect.
2. For smooth skin, grate a carrot and mix it well with one teaspoon of honey. Now apply the mask all over the face. Leave it for 15 minutes and wash it off. Feel the difference.
3. Mix a spoon of fresh cream with a cup of pureed spinach. Apply all over the face and leave it for about half an hour. It gives a glowing effect to the skin.
4. Mix grated fresh radish, one spoon of vinegar, one spoon of lemon juice and one spoon of honey with distilled water and store it in a bottle. Wash the skin regularly with the mix. It is useful for shrinking open pores and reducing greasiness.
5. If you are tired, then mix one spoon of honey with an egg white and grated potato. Apply it all over face and let it dry for sometimes. Then wash off your face with cold water and feel the freshness.
6. Apply a mix of one grated tomato, a spoon of sandalwood powder, half a spoon of china clay and rose water as per requirement. Leave the mask for twenty minutes and then wash off your face. It helps to tighten the skin.
7. Make a puree of pumpkin and mix it with egg yolk and milk. Apply the mask onto the face and wash it off after thirty minutes for a glowing skin.
8. Apply carrot juice on daily basis to remove the blemishes.
9. Apply cauliflower juice on moles in regular basis to fall quickly.
10. For reducing pimples, apply garlic juice onto the face for regular basis.

2007-07-06T02:38:00.000-07:00

Facial at home

We invest quite a large amount of money on facial at beauty parlour. But many of us are unaware of the fact that facial can be done even at home. The steps for home facial are as follows:
Step 1: Soak a soft towel into herbal tea liquor and press it onto the face, neck and shoulder. This should be done quite a number of times to open the facial pores.
Step 2: Apply cleanser onto the face in circular motion with a piece of wet cotton and then clean the face with a soft towel, soaked in lukewarm water.
Step 3: Apply toner all over the damp face, neck and shoulder with another piece of cotton. Avoid using toner around the eyes.
Step 4: Now massage and apply mask according to your skin type (whether oily, normal or dry).
Step 5: Finally apply moisturizer. It is always recommended to apply moisturizer on damp skin for maintaining humidity.

For oily skin, the best facial packs are as follows:
1. Brandy facial, which contains two crushed strawberries, two teaspoon of brandy, two teaspoon of powdered bread, two teaspoon of fuller earth and a drop of rosewater. It gives instant glow to your face.
2. Fruit Facial, containing, one cucumber, half teaspoon of lemon juice and egg white. This mask would soften your skin.

Some of the home made facial packs for dry skin are as follows:
1. Honey facial, which include, one tablespoon of honey, an egg yolk and one teaspoon of olive oil. It is highly effective as a natural home made moisturizer.
2. Revitalizing facial, having one smashed banana with one tablespoon of honey and orange juice as per requirement. It refreshes the skin and makes it glow.

The natural facial pack for normal skin is Aroma facial, which is a wonderful facial pack. It brings glow to the skin and makes the skin looks attractive. For the facial mask, mix half teaspoon of milk powder, two drops of lemon oil and one drop of cider wood oil. Mix fuller earth and rose water to make the toner and for the moisturizer, make a paste of non-perfumed moisturizing cream with lavender oil.

2007-06-23T02:22:00.000-07:00

Tips for beautiful nails

As we take care of our hair and our skin, nail should also be taken care of; as it is also a very important part of our body. It helps us to protect fleshy fingertips from getting hurt and even provide us aid to manipulate small objects. Since our nails protect us, so we should take proper care of it. Manicuring is the process of caring our nails and our hands. It isn’t a tough job to do manicure at home. Just follow the below steps to have a French manicure, which makes the nails healthy and shiny:
1. At first, remove your nail polish with a nail polish remover dipped in a piece of cotton.
2. Take tepid water in a small tub and add one teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide and shampoo to it.
3. Soak your hand in the water atleast for ten minutes.
4. Then clean your nails with a soft bristle brush and remove the dead skin with a cuticle cutter.
5. Finally pat dry the hands and apply hand cream/ lotion. Massage your hands for around five minutes.
Some of the very important tips, which should be kept in mind, are:
1. Stop biting nails. They carry harmful bacteria under your nails, which can get into your stomach and cause illness.
2. Instead of peeling off your nail polish with your nails, use nail polish remover to get the job done.
3. For cleaning your nails, just rub a slice of lemon under your nail and the result is fabulous.
4. To make soft nails harder, soak them in warm olive oil for about twenty minutes on every alternative day.
5. The best time to do manicure is after a shower. It softens the dry nails and will even remove dirt from under the nails.

2007-06-19T06:12:00.000-07:00

Massage with Ayurvedic massage oil

The exact meaning of ‘Massage’ is to treatment the soft tissues of the body by the different techniques of hands. Massage has been used as medication since ancient time in India, china, Greece, Egypt, Rome etc. According to ayurveda massage has lots of benefit for making body fit and also for curing different diseases. Some of them are as follows-

1) It helps to remove fatigue.
2) Soothes the nerves.
3) Makes skin smooth and also stronger the surface of the skin.
4) Boosts up endurance.
5) Stimulate to well sleep.
6) Build up the total body system. It strengthens the immune system and enhances energy and vitality.
7) Removes ageing etc.

Massage also helps to cure different ailments like Insomnia, anxiety, indigestion, stress, infertility, sciatica, hormonal imbalance, skin disorders, lethargy etc.

There are many different forms of massage therapies each of them having several benefits. It can be performed in standing position, sitting position or laying upon on a flat surface. Massage therapy helps to bring fresh oxygen to various tissues of the muscles through direct pressure, improving circulation and thus facilitating the eradication of the waste products of the cells.

Massage therapy can be done with different products. Among them ayurvedic massage oils have their great importance. They may contain many aromatic herbs (lavender, bergamot, ashwagandha, lemon etc.), castor oil, eucalyptus oil, clove oil etc. which make you feel comfort and promote deep sleep. Some may also contain herbs those are having cooling effect like aloe vera, vetiver, neem etc. These type of oils help to get more benefits at the time of massage.

2007-06-18T21:49:00.000-07:00

Medicinal Herb Vasaka

Vasaka (Adhatoda vasica) a household remedy of numerous ailments. In early Indian ayurvedic medicine it was usually known as vasa. Though it generally found in waste but it is as much valuable as other medicinal herbs. In India it has been treated as grandmother’s medicine. Not only its leaves are used to aid but the flowers, stem and roots also very useful in curing cough, cold, asthma, bronchitis. The fluid extract from leaves is very helpful to treat diarrhea and dysentery.

The root, bark and flower of vasaka can help to eliminate intestinal parasite. In this case intake one teaspoon of juice of fresh leaves thrice for three days or the decoction of its root and bark twice up to three days.

Bruised some petal of vasaka flower in a pot, add some sugar. Keep this solution regularly in sun and should be stirred well everyday twice. It is very useful to aid tuberculosis and you can use this substance for a month.

For cough, boiled the leaves in water and mixed honey and take this till complete healing.

To get recover soon from fresh injuries, rheumatic joint and inflammatory swellings apply a poultice of vasaka leaves. Its leaves also cure many skin diseases.

2007-06-14T03:12:00.000-07:00

Stay away of smoking - Lead a healthy life

Care for skin, hair and fitness? The first step towards it is STOP SMOKING. It has been found that smokers start their habit of smoking from adolescence period. They smoke because their friends smoke, they want themselves to look older, they think that it’s an adult activity and they are unaware of the harmful effects of smoking. Statistics shows that smoking kills a person eight years earlier and it’s the root cause of almost each and every lung diseases, including lungs cancer. It is said that 87% can die due to lungs cancer which cause from smoking tobacco. Tobacco contains nicotine, which is highly addictive. So, once you get a habit of smoking, then it becomes a tough job to quit.
Smoking, not only leads to yellow teeth and wrinkles, but it also makes the bones loose its density, which cause older people to bent over and bones can be easily broken. For women smokers, they can have a great chance of pregnancy problem. Other than its huge list of unhealthiness, smoking is also highly expensive.
Once you are addicted to smoking habits, then it becomes quite a difficult task to quit. So, for flushing out the nicotine, eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, drink lots of water, fruit juice and herbal tea. Since herbal tea is made up of precious herbs, so it’ll help to fight against the urge of smoking. Some of the home remedies to quit smoking habits are as follows:
1. Whenever you feel like smoking, lick a little salt with the tip of your tongue. This will break the habit within one month.
2. A traditional Chinese way to quit smoking is mixing grated fresh radish with two tablespoon of honey and drink it.
3. Eat lots of food which are having high concentration of alkaline, like almonds, spinach, raisins, figs, dandelion greens and beet greens.
4. Mix eight drops of cedar, four drops of lavender, five drops of lemon, five drops of orange and six drops of tea tree oil. Use this blend as an air spray. It might help you to stop smoking.

2007-06-14T02:45:00.000-07:00

Yogurt for skin, hair and healthcare

The numerous ways of using yogurt for glowing and attractive skin/hair/health are as follows:

1. For oily skin, you should daily exfoliate your skin to get rid of blackheads and whiteheads. So, blend rice powder and curd into thick consistency. Then gentle rub on the skin with little circular movement and leave it for sometimes and finally wash off your skin. Avoid using this scrubber on the pimple; or else you can use it all over the face.

2. For lustrous thick and shiny hair, mix one teaspoon of lemon juice, one teaspoon of coffee, two eggs, two teaspoon of coconut oil and enough curd to henna powder. Make a paste out of it and apply thoroughly on the hair. Keep it for an hour or two and then wash your hair with normal water.

3. For reducing weight, include unsweetened curd along with fresh fruits and salads in your regular diet.

4. Yogurt softens and soothes the skin, because of the presence of lactic acid. So, mix one cup of unsweetened yogurt with two and a half spoon of honey. If you have oily skin, then add a teaspoon of lemon juice to it. Apply the mix evenly onto your skin with a cotton pad and then leave it for five minutes. Rinse well with warm water and then pat dry your face. There is no need for applying moisturizer, since honey works great, both as a cleanser and as a moisturizer.

5. For a beauty mask, mix one tablespoon of gram flour, one forth tablespoon of orange peel powder, one tablespoon of yogurt and a teaspoon of olive oil. Apply the paste all over the face and even on the neck. After some times, wash your face at first with warm water and then with cold water. This will make the skin soft and smooth.

6. For preventing frizzy hair, mix in a bowl four tablespoons of plain yogurt and one egg. Pour the mix onto your head and massage it thoroughly into your hair. Make sure that all the hairs are well coated with the blend from roots to tips. Leave it for five to ten minutes and then rise the hair well with lots of normal water. This treatment even softens the dry hair.

2007-06-07T03:36:00.000-07:00

Five type of Facials

There are different types of facial for dissimilar kind of skins, which can be easy done at home. Those are as follows:

1. Acne Facial: It is mostly recommended for oily skin, as because oily skins are generally acne prone. At first, clean the face with a lemon juice (add a bit of rose water to it). Then apply astringent on the dry face. Mix one tablespoon of sugar/salt to olive oil and then scrub the mix onto the face until the sugar/salt is finally dissolved. Wash the face well with tepid water and then apply a mix of one cup of yoghurt with the juice of a half lemon. Keep the blend for atleast half an hour and then wash off your face.

2. Anti-aging Facial: For ten minutes, apply a blend of one teaspoon of honey, egg white and two tablespoon of flour. Then wash off your face well with lukewarm water. You can even add honey and lemon juice to the water, since it gives a moisturizing effect.

3. Floral Facial: It is useful for every type of skin. Mix two tablespoon of red or pink rose petals with two tablespoon of lavender, one tablespoon of jasmine’s petals and two cup of fresh water. Then simmer it. Now, dip a cotton ball into the floral water and apply it all over the facial skin. Leave it for fifteen minutes and then wash it off. It helps the skin to give a glowing effect.

4. Ayurvedic Facial: Massage your face with a blend of one teaspoon of neem oil, one teaspoon of tea tree oil, a cherry, milk and lemon juice. Then wash off the face with cold water. Then take a clean cloth, soak it into the water and press it onto your face for sometimes. This facial can be done at any age and it is highly helpful for the blood circulation.

5. Gold Facial: This facial is used for reducing the effect of skin toxins, maintaining the elasticity of the skin and it even helps to trim down wrinkles. Massage a mix of one teaspoon of gold cream or gold gel with one teaspoon of aloe vera oil for atleast thirty minutes. Then clean the face well with cotton ball. This facial is effective for any person of any age.

2007-05-30T22:21:00.000-07:00

Vitamin E for skin

Vitamins are highly essential for our skin. It saves our skin from becoming lifeless, blotchy, oily or dry. So, healthy skin requires variety of vitamins, like vitamin A, E, C and D.
Basically, Vitamin E consists of alpha, beta, gamma and delta components, which is combined to be known as mixed tocopherols. Research had shown that Vitamin E had a wide variety of skin benefits. It aids in lessening the effects of psoriasis, reduces the appearance of the stretch marks and the marks of scars due to wounds and might also decrease the risk of skin cancer.
Vitamin E is said to be antioxidant, which even helps to prevent skin damages from free radicals, protects the body against negative environmental stresses, like pollutants, bacteria, aging and sun’s UV rays. It even makes the skin smooth and soft and thus protects the skin from skin cracking and early age winkles. Vitamin E is generally found in green leafy vegetables, wheat germ oil, egg yolks and nuts.

2007-05-29T23:57:00.000-07:00

Neem Shampoo for healthy and shiny hair

Neem has been used from thousand of years possessing miraculous benefits in almost every ailment. Each and every part of the neem tree is used either for medicinal purposes or for skin or hair treatment. With proper application of neem leaves one can get healthy and beautiful hair. Neem is broadly used in hair falls, premature graying of hairs, to eliminate dandruffs and even for lice. Some of the homemade recipes of making hair soft and lustrous with neem are as follows:

1. Mix few drops of neem based hair oil with coconut or sesame oil and warm it. Apply the warm oil on to the scalp; and then wrap the hair well with a towel and leave it before you go for a mild herbal neem based shampoo. Ayucare Neem shampoo is an herbal, neem based shampoo which contains neem leaf extract and bergamot oil (bergamot oil helps to revitalize the damaged hair and it even aids to moisturize the peeling-off scalp).

2. To treat lice, apply neem oil to the hair and to the scalp over a night and rinse well the next day with neem water (soak neem leaves in water). This will leave your hair soft and shiny with hair growth.

3. To avoid itchy scalp, it is highly recommended to wash the hair with Ayucare Neem shampoo which will help to keep the allergies, infections and the dandruffs away. Since the herbal shampoos are natural cleanser, so it helps to promote hair growth and strength without any unhealthy side effects.

4. Boil neem leaves and use the water to wash your hair. It helps to reduce dandruffs. Neem shampoo can be made at home also. Mix gram flour, Shikakai powder, sandalwood powder to neem leaves powder and then keeps it in an airtight bottle. When needed, soak two tablespoon of it and then apply it thoroughly all over the hair and scalp.

Ayucare Neem Shampoo is completely free from chemicals and hence does not have any side effect. This shampoo is unique as its Sodium Laurel Sulphate is derived from Coconut oil and therefore it is from natural source. Most of the modern shampoo uses chemical based products.

2007-05-26T03:13:00.000-07:00

Toner for your skin

We are quite aware about this term ‘toner’, but many of us don’t know the actual reason behind using toner. Well, basically, toner is a cosmetic product which is used for cleansing the skin and it even helps to shrink the facial pores. It completely eradicates the dead cells and the alkali residue, which will immensely help the skin to breathe properly. Finally, it makes the skin feel fresh, smooth and clean. Toner can be applied to the skin in different ways; like, either by putting some toner on a damp cotton wool and dab it onto the face; or soak a piece of gauze into the toner and cover your face with it for few minutes. Then pat dry your face with a tissue paper.
You can even use home made toner rather than buying it. Blend half cup of dried rose petals with three cups of hazels (which is an excellent cleanser) and five twig of fresh rosemary (which works as a superb astringent). Thus your toner is ready to use. It can be applied to any type of skin including sensitive skin.

2007-05-26T03:10:00.000-07:00

Foster your beauty with milk

Milk is a wonderful nourishing drink which consists of numerous nutritional benefits; since it is the primary source of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, which strengthen the muscles and heart and even calms the nerves. Milk’s characteristic is so diverse that, it is even used for skin care and hair care on daily basis.
Some of the simple solutions with milk for making skin beautiful and well nourished are as follows:
{i} In a water tub, add two tablespoons of milk powder followed by two drops of lavender oil and a tablespoon of honey in warm bathing water. Then soak yourself as long as you want and finally shower. This will make your skin super smooth and super soft.
{ii} Apply a paste of two tablespoon of ground almond with cold milk onto face, neck and hands. Leave it for twenty minutes and wash your face with lukewarm water. It will leave the skin smooth and soft.
{iii} Instead of using cleanser, mix cucumber juice with milk and apply it on to the face to have a squeaky clean face.
{iv} Make a paste of one tablespoon of fresh milk cream with two tablespoon of honey and two teaspoon of lemon juice. It is a wonderful face mask.
{v} Apply a mixture of honey and milk on the face. Leave it for few moments and then rinse well. It will give the skin a glowing effect.

A cup of milk everyday ensures better hair, nails, teeth and skin.

2007-05-25T02:35:00.000-07:00

The Multipurpose use of Neem

The wide range of medicinal properties of neem has been known to the people of India since time immemorial. Each and every part of neem tree serves a certain purpose. Like, with the neem bark and sap, Ayucare Neem Toothpaste is made for maintaining healthy and bright teeth. Other parts of neem tree which are used for various purposes, are neem leaves, stems, fruits and flowers. Neem leaves are used in hot water bath to make the skin free from germs and any other kind of skin allergies. It even reduces perspiration and body odor. The best way to get rid of lice and dandruffs is to massage the hair with neem oil on the scalp over a night and then wash off the hair with neem water at the morning with the use of Ayucare Neem Shampoo, which even helps to moisturize the blistering scalp.
Neem oil is highly effective for treating diseases like ringworms, eczema, scabies, skin fungal infection and even ulcer. The barks and the leaves of neem is said to be having healing powers for cuts, acne, bruises and even skin blemishes. With the antibacterial properties of neem, Ayucare Neem all Purpose oil is highly effective for itchy and dry skin. It is even found that neem works excellent as a natural moisturizer which helps in reducing fine lines and wrinkles. So Ayucare made use of the effectiveness of neem on skin care as moisturizer for producing Ayucare Neem Moisturising Lotion. Basically, neem has been proven medicinally beneficial for some of the following purposes:
1. Allergies: Apply neem-based cream like Ayucare Neem Moisturizing Cream, which will help you from itchy and inflammation of rashes on skin.
2. Viral diseases: Neem is used to treat viral diseases such as small-pox, chicken-pox and the best way to treat them is to make paste out of the leaves of neem and rub them directly on to the infected areas.
3. Arthritis: Neem contains many antibacterial properties which help to suppress pains and kill infectious causes.

Because of such miraculous healing effects of neem, even now, India consider neem tree as “Village Pharmacy”. In many of the parts of India, neem tree is used as an essential for daily life.

2007-05-25T01:08:00.000-07:00

Tulsi - The Queen of Herbs

Tulsi, also known as the holy basil in English, belong to labiateae family. It is one of the most sacred herbs in India. Tulsi is believed be a Goddess, having great spiritual and healing power. It is having an aroma, as because of the presence of scented oil.
The whole plant of tulsi is highly useful; like its leaves, its seed and even its stem. Tulsi is recommended in ayurvedic medicine, as because it helps to enhance immunity, metabolic functions as well as helps in managing respiratory problems. From the early days, for a variety of purpose, tulsi are quite helpful; which includes disorders of mouth, throat, lungs, heart, blood, liver, kidney, and even the digestive system, metabolic systems, reproductive systems and nervous systems. Still now, tulsi are commonly used to treat cough and cold, fever and even helps to cure various skin disorders.
In today’s perspective, the use of tulsi had become much more scientific. There are considerable proof that tulsi works wonderful in dropping stress, enhancing stamina, increasing the immune system, protecting against radiation damage, supporting heart, lungs and liver and even has antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal properties.

2007-05-18T04:03:00.000-07:00

Alzheimer: a mental disorder

A progressive destroy in mental function of an individual leads to ALZHEIMER. It is basically a condition where a person’s memory is unable to remember the places, the things or people with whom they are mostly familiar with. Mild forgetfulness is the initial stages of Alzheimer; but it may lead to tremendous declination of the mental condition of a person. Thus, an individual experiences a change in their personality. As the disease progress, the patient may not have control in their bowels; may hallucinate or accuse their family members of stealing; may keep on repeating the same things or may not recognize themselves and they are even unable to make judgment.

Beside solving puzzles, which is a wonderful way of doing mental exercise; regular physical exercise, regular social interaction, keeping a control on high blood pressure and cholesterol level and reducing the smoking habits can reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease; although the exact condition of the diseases is not yet clear. Age is definitely a factor which plays a big role, but still now it is not clear whether the disease is hereditary or not.

Foods which are antioxidants in nature works well for the patients of Alzheimer. They need to take a nutritional diet rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Green tea is also considered to be useful for them.

2007-03-09T03:15:00.000-08:00

Care for your beautiful eyes

Here I am once again to give my viewers some interesting tips about those beautiful pairs of eyes which are God gifted. Yes, I think God had gifted us with five very precious common senses and eyes are once of them. So, proper care should be taken to keep it beautiful.

1. for removing dark circles: Under eye dark circles are caused due to lack of sleep, for some vitamin/mineral deficiency, due to aging or for fatigue. So, regarding this problems, the homemade recipes which we can use are:
a. Grate a raw potato and wrap it in cheesecloth. Put it onto the eyelids for about fifteen to twenty minutes and then rinse it well with warm water.
b. Make a mixture of one teaspoon of lemon juice and one teaspoon of tomato juice. Apply it on the black circles around the eyes two times a day. It lightens the circle.
c. Apply crush mint around the eyes to lighten the dark under eye circles.

2. for better vision of eyes: Some of the points which we should keep in mind to avoid glasses or lenses are as follows:
a. Eat lots of green vegetables, fish and fresh fruits, especially carrot which are enriched in vitamin A.
b. Carrot leaves are wonderful herbal medicine. At first, submerge carrot leaves in hot water and then leave it for sometimes. Before meal, drink this liquid three times a day.
c. Dip a cotton ball in cold water and then keep it on the eyes. It gives a feeling of relaxation.
d. Tea bags are even good for eyes.

3. for reducing swells and bags under eyes: To reduce the puffiness of the eyes, we can do the following:
a. Compress the eyes with cheesecloth containing grated fresh potato for about four tablespoon. Place it for about fifteen minutes and then rinse well with cold water.
b. Place left over tea bags, slightly cool, onto the eyes. It even soothes the eyes.
c. Prepare a strong tea and then dip two cotton balls in it. Now, place it on the eyelids for a while.
4. for tired eyes: Tiredness of eyes is caused due to many reasons, like, lack of sleep, tension, stress etc. So, some of the homemade remedies which can help you to get rid of these are:
a. Dip two cotton pads in icy cold water and then place it over the eyes to ease to your eyes.
b. Place sliced cucumber on eyelids to sooth the eyes.
c. Soak cotton balls in cold milk and place it over the eyes for about ten minutes. After ten minutes, rinse well with warm water and then with cold water.

2007-03-06T21:13:00.000-08:00

Usefulness of Ginger

Ginger is a tropical plant which is mostly flourished in southern Asia, Jamaica and Nigeria. It is commonly used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for over two thousand years to treat number of health related problems, like stomach disorder, vomiting, diarrhea, motion sickness and rheumatism. Ginger is anti oxidant in nature.
In Chinese medicine, half of the prescription contains ginger in some or the other form. Basically, there are two forms of ginger; viz. fresh and dried. Fresh ginger are used to get relief from cold, vomiting and it weeps away toxic waste from our body. Whereas, dried ones are useful in stomach pain, rheumatism and cough. Ginger even decreases the risk of heart diseases by lowering the level of cholesterol. It is also beneficial to cure bowel infections. Ginger gives ease to soar throats, headaches, fevers and aches during flu. Other than herbal remedies ginger is also used as a common cooking spice and is found in a variety of foods and drinks, like ginger bread, ginger sticks, ginger tea; where ginger tea is known to have great refreshing properties.

2007-03-05T00:50:00.000-08:00

Garlic

Garlic came from the old English word “garleac”, which means “spear leek”. It’s been used as a staple food for long in Mediterranean region. Egyptians worship garlic and since it is highly prized, so they are even used as currency.
Garlic is used both as for taste as well as for medicine in various cultures for thousands of years. Most of the Indians cannot think of preparing food without garlic. But, garlic almost looses the medicinal value once it has been cooked well with spices. Garlic belongs to onion family. It is mostly cultivated in cool winter climates. Eating garlic daily with proper dose, as per doctors’ prescription, helps to prevent cancer and cardio-vascular diseases specially. The other medicinal values of garlic are as follows:
1). It has anti-viral and anti-fungal properties.
2). It helps to regulate blood pressure as well as blood sugar.
3). It helps in minimizing the cholesterol level.
4). It has anti-oxidant properties.
5). It prevents blood from clotting and thus reduces the possibility of strokes and heart attacks.
6). Raw garlic is wonderful natural antibiotics.

2007-02-24T01:09:00.000-08:00

Tea, the magical herb

Tea works miraculously as an energy booster for us. It makes our morning lovely and refreshing. This beverage was first originated in China around 5,000 years ago, by an emperor Shen Nung, who was also a creative scientist. He used to have a good habit of drinking boiled water for hygienic precaution. One day, few dried leaves from a nearly bush fell into his boiled water from a tree branch and made his drink brown in colour. As he was creative, so he became interested in the new liquid and drank some. He felt refreshing and even delighted about its aroma and flavour. Thus, tea was created. At first it became popular in China and then its neighboring country Japan and gradually spread to other countries. In 793 AD, the drinking of tea became so popular that a tax was imposed on it.

Teas are grown in tropical and sub-tropical areas. The processes through which tea are made includes fermentation, heating, drying and addition of other herbs, flowers, spices and fruits. But basically the process is based on what type of tea is going to be made. There are four types of tea, namely white tea, green tea, oolong tea and black tea.

White tea: White tea does not go through the process of fermentation. They are produced from buds that are well hydrated in dry air for a period of time. They neither go through rolling, breaking or bruising process. They have a very delicate flavour and appear pale.

Green tea: Fresh new leaves are plucked for making green tea. After the leaves are plucked, they are dried in air for about 8 to 24 hours for evaporation. To avoid fermentation, these leaves are then pan fried and rolled up in various techniques. Thus result in a fresh flavour with dark green appearance.

Oolong tea: After the leaves are plucked, they go through a partial fermentation. Then the leaves are dried in air for evaporation of water and then they are tossed in baskets so that the edges of the leaves are bruised. It results in dark brown colour.

Black tea: It is the most common type of tea in the West. It goes through a lengthy process of fermentation after the leaves are plucked. The water is evaporated in dried air. Thus it appears deep black in colour.

Tea is great disease fighter. It has magical power to deal with many major diseases, like cancer and heart problem.

2007-02-23T02:37:00.000-08:00

Brahmi herb

Another name of brahmi is “the memory enhancer” or “the thinking person’s herb”. It is said to be the best brain tonic among other ayurvedic herbs, which are primarily used as nerve tonic to treat insomnia and nervous tension. It eliminates venoms and blockages within nervous system. Other than improving memory, it even helps in the improvement of concentration. If few fresh leaves are eaten daily, then it helps in rejuvenation of mind. It even helps to concentrate while mediation. This brahmi herb works wonderful to calm heart and helps against heart attack. It is even used for all sorts of skin problems like eczema, psoriasis. The other uses of this multipurpose herb are as follows:
It motivates the growth of skin, hair and nails.
It is good for student as it improves the IQ level and general ability.
It has the ability to possess anticancer activities.
It is effective against the diseases of arthritis, asthma, constipation and rheumatism.
It even helps in preventing hair loss.
Many of the Indian salads use brahmi herbs.

2007-02-22T01:39:00.000-08:00

Panchakarma

The Sanskrit term Panchakarma means the five actions take to cleanse the toxic materials form the body. It rejuvenates our body, mind and soul. It is very effective for overall health and wellness. The other benefits are.... panchakarma reduces toxins from the body and mind; strengthens the resisting power; improves energy level, self reliance, vitality and also enhances mental strength.

Five steps:
It consists of Vamana (Emesis), Virechana (Purgation), Vasti(Enema), Nasya(Nasal Application of Herbal Medicines) and Raktomoksha (Blood-letting).

Vamana (Emesis) is a process of therapeutic vomiting. A drink sould be taken which is a mixture of licorice, honey or calamus root tea, cardamom and salt is given to the patient. It helps to eliminate the toxic or waste materials from the stomach.

Virechana (Purgation) is the process of removing the waste substances from the intestine. It also cleans sweat glands, kidneys, colon, liver, stomch and spleen. It cures pitta which controls the diseases. Various types of laxative herbs are used here like dandelion root, prune, castoroil, senna, bran etc. This course is generally used to treat skin disorders, piles, worms, jaundice, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fever, gastrointestinal problems and so on.

Vasti is used to treat several forms of vata diseases like arthritis, gout, sciatica, rheumatism. In addition it also cures constipation, chronic fever, sexual disorders, vomiting, hyper acidity, heart and neck pain, backache etc.

Nasya is the application of medicinal herbs through nose. It is used to heal kapha related ailments like bronchitis, migraine, sinuses. There are few kinds of nasya, ie. Nutritional Nasya, Virechan, Nasal massage, Oil Nasya, Sedative Nasya and Nasya decoctions.

Raktomoksha (Blood-letting) process is used to purify the blood. It removes toxins from the blood flow due to numerous skin disorders such as acne, rash, eczema etc. It also cures liver and spleen enlargement. But blood letting process should not be given to the patients of anemia, edema and weakness.

2007-02-09T03:38:00.000-08:00

Pamper your skin in this summer:

Winter so out and summer is knocking on our door. It is always a pleasure to have a sun bath in a beautiful, mesmerizing beach. But just like winter, we should pay enough attention to our skin to keep it gorgeous. So, I thought to pen down some of the essential points, which were told by my grandma, to keep my skin fresh and healthy even in summer times. They are as follows:
1. Make a puree of cucumber and mix it well with some yoghurt, honey, oatmeal and lemon juice (for oily skin) or rose water (for dry skin). Apply evenly on to the face and let it stay for 20 minutes. Rinse off well with lukewarm water after the aforesaid time. If your skin is allergic to cucumber, make use of apricot or papaya instead of making a puree of cucumber.
2. Exfoliate your skin with lemon. Rub your skin with a half lemon and a pinch of sugar granules to remove dead cells and to lighten the skin tan.
3. For reducing skin blemishes, apply raw sliced potato on your skin.
4. Make a blend of egg white and honey. Apply it on to the face. It not only makes the skin soft and smooth, but also helps to reduce wrinkles.
5. Apply a mask of mashed banana and milk. Wash off after 20 minutes. This mask makes the skin smooth and supple.
6. Summer times are high times for skin tans. So, apply a paste of turmeric powder and limejuice. It helps to remove the tans and it even lightens the skin colour.

Other than these above points, we should also drink enough water to hydrate our body; we should wear cotton comfortable clothes. It is always recommended to avoid bright coloured clothes in summer, as because it absorbs sun’s ray. Wear a hat to keep your head away from direct rays of sun. Before stepping out of your home, make sure that you’d applied sunscreen lotion, having an SPF of 15 or above. Eat lots of green vegetables and fruits. Drink fresh fruits juice to skin your body cool. Try to keep yourself away from spicy and junk foods. Always remove the makeup before going to bed at night. Keep your skin well nourished with herbal moisturizer, containing skin-friendly herbs, like turmeric, aloe vera, saffron, apricot, sandalwoods, honey etc. and finally, wash your face with plain water after every few hours.

2007-01-22T05:05:00.000-08:00

Stress and Relaxation:

Stress is an emotional and physical disorder due to our reaction against the happenings or incidents around us. It can be defined as “a particular pattern of disturbing psychological and physiological reactions that occur when an environment event threatens important motives and taxes one's ability to cope” (Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/13561/english/def_stress.html). The term “stress” is getting very common in our present life style. Everyone here from a student to a Business man, a politician to a house wife almost everyone suffers with it due to our changed lifestyle. The main reason is high competition in our society. Sometimes unlimited tension may leads to our different psychological and physiological problems. It may also be fatal sometimes. Heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, headache, insomnia, mental disorder etc may also occur due to excessive stress or tension. Now the question is how we do stay well and cope up with our hectic lifestyle?

We have to know the proper way of realizing stress and relaxing to lead a happy and healthy life style. The more we release stress the more easily we can handle the situations. The easiest way of relaxing is to take some nice deep breath. Another way of reducing stress is practicing yoga. One of the common breathing exercises is as follows:
At first, find a calm place where you won’t be disturbed or interrupted by anyone else. Sit down or lie down (whichever you feel would be better for you) and inhale slowly. Count one to ten gently and then slowly exhale by counting backward.

Ayurvedic Massage Therapy is also good for relieving stress. According to Ayurveda ashwagandha is an ideal herb that can release day to day stress. Positive thinking, self confidence and living without abnormal expectations are great ways of leading a healthy and stress free life.

2007-01-17T22:36:00.000-08:00

Importance of Fruits for our skin:

For getting vigorous and attractive skin fruits are one of the most important items. They not only make our skin beautiful but also make it strong from inside. You won’t make your skin beautiful without making your body healthy. So from that point of view fruits should be utilized in two forms- Externally and Internally. Externally means several fruits pack can be used for skin. Internally means you need to have some good fruits on a daily basis to make your skin and body strong and healthy.

Fruits contain acids, which are great for skin as because they untie the stickiness between the dead skin cells and the new cells. Thus results in a smooth and soft skin. According to our skin type, we should choose the fruit masks, which are as follows:

1. For normal skin: take one peach. Cook until it become soft. Then mash it with the backside of a fork and add a teaspoon of honey to it. Mix it well and finally add oatmeal until it becomes thick. Apply it on to the skin and after 10 minutes rinse well with water.
2. For normal to oily skin: cook 2-3 carrots. When it becomes soft, smash it with the backside of a fork and add 4 and a half spoon of honey to with. Apply on to the skin and wait for 10 minutes to get it dried up. Then, rinse off with water.
3. For dry skin: mash 2 medium size bananas with a fork. If you desire, then add a teaspoon of honey to it. Mix it well and apply it on the face. After 10 minutes, rinse off with water.

There are several fruits those are rich sources of vitamins and minerals in our body. We should take them in adequate quantities to get a healthy and good-looking skin.

1. Lemons are the great sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antiaging product. In winter having plenty of oranges in the form of juice or raw whatever possible is recommended to maintain a youthful and healthy skin. Besides lemon, amla also contains high percentage of vitamin C.

2. Strawberries, plums etc. are rich sources of antioxidants. The antioxidants found in these fruits can protect the skin cells from damage.

3. Bananas, they not only good in taste but are also having many health benefits. It contains Vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium. Besides giving healthy skin bananas are also important for making your heart strong.

4. Apples are also having great food values. For detoxifying body there is no alternative of apples. Having apple everyday makes your skin healthy and also reduces your heart attack chance.
Another fruit that is very helpful for getting bright and healthy skin is coconut.

Some fruits and their effectiveness in skin problems:

Apple- Excellent for cracked skin, wrinkles and also in some inflammation.

Apricots- Good for sun burned skin, skin itching and eczema.

Cucumber- Cucumber has beneficial effects on wrinkles, pimples and very good for reducing skin dryness.

Papaya- Can be used for removing whiteheads, boils and spots.

Pineapple- Good skin softener that cleanses and rejuvenates dull and dry skin.

2007-01-10T21:03:00.000-08:00

Winter skin care:

Our skin becomes dry and irritated during the winter season which lacks with moisturizer. In winter we need to increase the moisture level of our skin to get a smooth and beautiful looking healthy skin. Here are some skin care tips that we need to follow mainly for that particular season-

1. Before bathing, do warm oil massage. It keeps your skin smooth and gentle.
2. Do not bath in very hot water; rather make your bathing water lukewarm.
3. Make use of chemical free soap for cleansing purpose. It protects the skin from loosing of natural moisture.
4. Try to exfoliate you skin atleast twice a week.

5. Drink plenty of water and orange juice and eat lot of green vegetables and fruits.

A simple recipe for letting your skin to be wonderful even in winter season is as follows:
Mix 1 teaspoon of brewer’s yeast with 2 teaspoons or more of distilled water. Make a smooth paste out of it and apply it on to the face. After 1 to 2 minutes, wash it with tepid water. And for lip protection, apply a light layer of clarified butter.

2007-01-03T22:36:00.000-08:00

Ayurveda and Allopathy:

Ayurveda means “the science of life”. Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of cure that was originated thousands of years ago in India. Ayurvedic remedies supplies both healing and precautionary measures towards most favorable physical, mental and spiritual well being. The philosophy which is basically related to ayurveda is preventing unnecessary suffering and living a long, healthy life. Thus ayurveda solution which is made up of herbs is based on direct sense perception, logical inference and hearing from authoritative sources, that is saints or realized souls.
On the other hand, Allopathy which is also known as “conventional medicine” is developed in the West. It is also called as the Modern System of Medicine. In this system the diseases are treated with drugs which are having opposite effects to the existing symptoms. It was originated from ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian medicine. Allopathy is based on major three steps: hypothesis, experimentation and observation and finally the theory or the conclusion. In today’s world, allopathy follows a methodological approach towards diagnosing and treating patience.
But the major difference between them lies is the period of curing the illness. Ayurveda comparatively takes a long period of time to cure, whereas in most of the cases allopathic treatment cures the diseases within a short span of time. Although the negative side is allopathy treatment sometimes may causes side effects like hair loss, weak health, allergies and many more. But no such side effects can really be found in ayurvedic treatment. Now-a-days, many doctors those who are practicing allopathy even suggest many ayurvedic medicines for their patients. Still there is no alternative of ayurvedic treatment. This healing method is still widely accepted by almost all countries of the world.

2006-12-11T03:31:00.000-08:00

Vetiver- its different uses:

Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides) is a wild grass with long thin leaves, originated in India. Generally it can be found in Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, java and Haiti. It prevents soil erosion. In India Vetiver oil is well known as Khus or Khas.

Vetiver is well known for its excellent healing property. According to ayurveda the root and oil are used for curing muscular aches, arthritis, heat attack and fever. It has many uses in modern aromatherapy. Vetiver essential oil has deep, sweet, woody, smoky odors and used in making perfumes, soaps etc. It can strengthen the red blood cells and promote oxygen. It is also very useful for many skin ailments. It prevents acne and used for healing cuts. Vetiver is considered to be an effective element on sensitive and older skin.

2006-12-09T02:36:00.000-08:00

Calendula- The ornamental plant with medicinal values :

Aah! The name itself carries a beautiful fragrance….

Another common name of calendula is Marigold. This marigold is grown all over the world as an ornamental plant, particularly in North America and Europe.
My grandma stays in North America. In my early days, almost every year, I used to visit her place with my parents.
The major attraction was her garden in her residence, which was awesome because the garden, which used to be full of Calendula flowers, mostly bloomed once in a month or at the new moon.
Although I have mentioned it as an ornamental plant, but the petals of calendula is used for centuries in medicinal purposes.
In Europe, it is used for producing sweat in fevers and in curing jaundice. Calendula is even used to prepare medicine in United States during the 19th century to treat stomach ulcers, wounds, conjunctivitis and liver complaints. Thus the list of applications of calendula is quite a high; even having the properties of healing wound, anti-inflammatory in nature, used in minor burns (including sunburns) and even used in soar throat. Topical uses of calendula would be for scratch, acne, and burns on skin.
Many of the creams contain calendula which is used especially for dry and sensitive skin. Those cream are used as day cream, mostly on the face and neck area. Calendula works as an exceptional skin conditioner and is well known for its ability to mend damaged skin, reduces blemishes, cure bedsores and other forms of fungus.

2006-12-06T20:04:00.000-08:00

Therapeutic value of Liquorice :

Liquorice is a deep rooted plant and found mainly in the mediterranean region, central and southwest Asia. It is anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic in nature. The main part of the plant which is used in preparing medicine is the root. The root of the liquorice plant is beneficial in treating coughs, colds and some other respiratory infections.

Some medicinal values of liquorice-
1. Quite useful in treating gastric ulcers, gastric distress, acidity, arthritis.
2.It has importance for the treatment of Hepatitis B.
3. Liquorice also has importance in psoriasis, allergic disorders, chronic fatigue, eczema and depression due to hormonal imbalances.

2006-11-28T03:43:00.000-08:00

SAFFRON:

Saffron is the member of Iris family. It has been originated in the eastern Mediterranean region. Then in 8th century, Arabians bought this plant to Spain who discovered that the southern Spain were ideal for the growth of the saffron plants.
Saffron is the most precious and the most expensive spice in the world. The spice is made up of the stigmas of the saffron flower, which are actually dried up. Each saffron flower only contains three stigmas. For one kilogram of dried saffron, approximately 150000 flowers are needed. Saffron is specially used for its strong colouring power and its severe aroma.
Saffron is also having medicinal values. It is excellent for stomach ailment and it helps in digestion. Saffron even aids to boost up appetite. It also lessens pain in stomach, relieves tension and is used to treat measles. In the Indian traditional medicine, it is used for treating kidney and liver disorders and also diabetes. A tiny pinch of saffron in any recipe would create a special delicacy having exquisite flavor and colour.

2006-11-20T22:22:00.000-08:00

Almond Oil for skin care:

In 1500BC, the women of ancient Egypt used almond oil mixed with Frankincense as anti-wrinkle cream. In 100AD, as a fertility charm, Romans gave almonds to the newly wed couples; and in 1840, Victorian women made cream and facial masks out of almond oil. (Ref: http://www.nzgirl.co.nz/articles/2767 ).

From the dried kernels of the almond tree, almond oils are extracted which are pale yellow in colour with a common nutty flavor. The characteristics of the oil are light, non greasy and it even helps to make any type of skin soft and soothing, without clogging the pores. This almond oil is excellent for both body and facial massage; thus helps to increase health and liveliness of the skin. Along with making the skin soft and soothing, almond oil works best as skin conditioner, helping the skin to build clear youthful looking complexion and also aids to relieve muscular aches and pains. Almond oil constitutes of high quantities of vitamin A and is a natural moisturizer, very valuable for dry, chapped hands and feet. In aromatherapy, almond oil is applied as base oil. Apart from using the almond oil as stated above, it can even be used in various Asian dishes, especially during garnishing desserts and decorating sweets.

2006-11-11T05:17:00.000-08:00

Neem – The Miracle herb

Neem leaves are excellent for skin disorders, especially for pimples. But before we know anything else, we should have a clear conception about “pimples”.
Pimples occur when the follicles get obstructed. Sebum oil, which normally bleeds to the surface, gets blocked and bacteria begin to grow. Some pimples can finally lead to permanent scars. Although, acne cannot cause life threatening condition, but it can actually be depressing and upsetting. There are many products which help to cure pimples, but some may cause side effects, which can actually lead to a terrible situation. So, the best way to cure pimples is to go for natural cures.
Neem kills the bacteria, that cause acne, spots and pimples and reduces redness and inflammation. And neem oil works wonderful in reducing acne scars. Some of the ways in which neem can be used to treat pimples are as follows:
1. At first, wash the neem leaves and crush them. Then make a paste out of it and apply it onto the infected parts. Leave it for atleast an hour or so. This works wonderfully to dry up the pimples earlier.
2. Make a paste of neem powder, red sandalwood powder and curd in equal proportions. Then apply this mixture on to the affected area.
Neem is having the properties of antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. So, it is highly beneficial for skin treatment, but with the extra advantage of lofty fatty acid content.

References:
http://www.acne-advice.com/products/skin_care/spots.shtml
http://cgi.ebay.com/Neem-Tone-Herbal-Pimple-Face-Mask_W0QQitemZ190046771615QQihZ009QQcategoryZ21022QQcmdZViewItem
http://www.allayurveda.com/product_month_july2006.htm

2006-11-08T04:08:00.000-08:00

Benefits of Aloe Vera

Aloe vera or the “burn plant” belongs to the lily family and it has a resemblance with cactus. There are around 240+ species of aloe vera which are found all around the world. Inside the leaf of aloe vera, there is a thin, clear, jelly-like material, which is highly effective for skin treatment. Around 99.5% of the aloe vera gel is water and the rest is amino acids, sugar, enzymes and minerals. It works wonder as a healing effect, especially for skin eruptions, allergies, burns, wounds and even in minor cuts. Aloe vera also guards our skin from exposure to ultra-violet radiation. Some of the benefits of aloe vera are listed below:

1. It helps to cure intestinal problems and even constipation and diarrhea.
2. It heals the skin if there are any cuts, burn or wounds.
3. It is even too healthy for mouth and gums.
4. It prevents aging of the skin.
5. It even moisturizes the skin.
Aloe vera if taken as a drink, then it is the most mineral packed nutritious and vitamin contained; having 75 nutrients.

The use of aloe vera can be traced all the way back to the ancient Egyptians. Aloe was held in such reverence in Egypt that it was considered to be the "Plant of Immortality". Drawings of the aloe plant have even been found inscribed in the tombs of pharaohs.

Aloe Vera (barbadensis miller) contains over 20 minerals, all of which are essential to the human body. Aloe Vera has Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E.

2006-10-27T03:20:00.000-07:00

AYURVEDA- the science of life

Ayurveda is a way of understanding nature. Ayurvedic treatment found out the main reason of the disease and solve it from the root. It always gives permanent relief. According to ayurveda the balance between the three doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) is health. Imbalance creates various diseases and restoration process of balance is known as healing. Ayurveda offers a wide range of therapies for restoring balance.

To cure or prevent any aliment natural herbs are taken in ayurveda as juices, paste, powder and decoctions etc. Ayurveda comprise of mostly the things that have their usage in homes and have multifarious medicinal usage also. Few such substances are clove, cinnamon, black pepper, cumin, fennel, rock salt, turmeric, coriander, ginger, honey, licorice, garlic, onion, basil and mint etc. Basil tea is used for Heart ailments; the mixture of resin, black salt and ginger is very effective in indigestion; turmeric is used for skin care treatment; clove oil is used in cold & cough, tooth ache; mixed juice of mint and ginger cures almost all types of fever by causing excessive perspiration; The mixture of lemon juice and powdered black pepper can cures diseases connected with liver. Amla cools down the temperature of blood and purifies it. Chireta has curative effects in fever, acidity, liver problems, jaundice and pimples.

Ayurvedic treatment effectively cures Chikun Gunia fever, from which now Delhi is affected. Chikun Gunia is called "Sandhijwara" in ayurveda.

2006-09-13T06:36:00.000-07:00

Ayurveda- The natural Healer

Diseases are the part of our life. Everyday, every moment we’ve to face lots of viruses, bacteria etc. But with advanced medical science people are now able to fight with different diseases. But another problem will start from there…Side Effect. Yes, there are so many treatments, healing systems that contain chemicals. Minimum intake of those chemicals could be dangerous for our life. Sometimes that may leads to death also. Ayurveda can be the best alternate to today’s medical science without any side effects. A natural harmony between Ayurvedic principles and the human structure is the main factor for its effectiveness. Today’s people are getting sick both mentally and physically. Stress is becoming a part of our life. Ayurveda not only helps to build a strong health but at the same time also helps a human being to get a strong and healthy mind. Stress, anxiety, depression and all other mental disabilities have a deep impact on our physical health. Here ayurveda can solve the problem from the root. It helps to maintain a proper balance between our health and mind.

I’ve found an article Ayurvedic medicine, saying that “In Ayurvedic medicine, disease is always seen as an imbalance in the dosha system, so the diagnostic process strives to determine which doshas are underactive or overactive in a body. Diagnosis is often taken over a course of days in order for the Ayurvedic physician to most accurately determine what parts of the body are being affected. To diagnose problems, Ayurvedic physicians often use long questionnaires and interviews to determine a person's dosha patterns and physical and psychological histories. Ayurvedic physicians also intricately observe the pulse, tongue, face, lips, eyes, and fingernails for abnormalities or patterns that they believe can indicate deeper problems in the internal systems. Some Ayurvedic physicians also use laboratory tests to assist in diagnosis.”