Blackheads...

A single black mark on the face could accentuate the beauty of the face, but imagine what would happen when several black marks appear on the face all at once. This is what happens in blackheads.

Blackheads are actually the follicles which have expanded beyond their limits. That is why they are also known as open comedos. The main reason for their existence is excessive secretion by the sweat (sebaceous) glands. If you have blackheads, it could be because you did not pay much attention to facial attention earlier.

Blackheads are totally curable. In Ayurveda, there are several remedies by which these blackheads can be totally eliminated. Ayurveda describes two types of blackheads – the darker ones called nyachcha and the lighter ones called vyanga. Both nyachcha and vyanga can be cured and further outbreaks of these can be prevented by Ayurvedic treatments.

(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Blackheads

- Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)

Cinnamon powder when applied on the face shows effective results in blackheads treatment.

- Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) and Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

A mixture of coriander powder taken in a teaspoon with a pinch of turmeric powder is good in reducing blackheads.

- Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum)

The seeds of the fenugreek plant are effective. They must be applied in a past form over the blackheads and let to be there overnight. The blackheads would disappear after a few nights.

- Sandalwood (Santalum album)

Sandalwood paste has a very cooling effect on the face. It is effective in the removal of both pimples and blackheads.

- Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

The tomato is a rich source of vitamin C. When it is applied to the area with blackheads on it, it makes the area suppler. This makes the removal of blackheads easier.

(2) Dietary Treatments for Blackheads

- Blackheads are produced due to inconsistencies in the circulatory system of the body. The blood is impure, and that is why facial problems such as pimples and blackheads occur. In order to correct the maladies with blood, a person should drink a lot of water. Drinking excessive water will lead to excessive urination; but this is a way of purifying the blood.

- Keep your diet rich in vitamin C foods. Eat Indian gooseberry (amalaki) a lot. Supplement your diet with vitamin C rich foods such as oranges, strawberries, lemons, etc.

- Digestion is an important key in keeping blackheads and pimples away. The food must be easy to digest. A good portion of the diet must be made of green vegetables and fruits. Protein-rich foods like milk, eggs, white meats and lentils must also be included.

- Fatty foods make the sebaceous glands work harder. Hence they should be avoided.

(3) Ayurvedic Treatments for Blackheads

- One of the simplest Ayurvedic treatments for the problem of blackheads is to apply steam on the face. Steaming improves the circulation of blood in the facial region and helps the blackheads disappear.

- Abhyanga is also used for the treatment of blackheads. Abhyanga is a method of making oil massage on the face. This must be done every morning before the bath. This will not only remove the blackheads, but it will also make the face suppler and shinier.

- Ayurvedic doctors will strongly suggest the disuse of all cosmetic products on the face when a person has blackheads. If cosmetics are used, the Ayurvedic remedies may not work. Instead, efforts must be made to keep the skin fresh with a healthy diet and the mind free from stresses and tensions. Yoga is recommended to keep the mind devoid of worries.

(4) Home Medications

- One simple treatment is to mix some camphor, almonds, sandalwood inrose water. 1 tola of sandalwood is first crushed with 2 tolas of almonds. Then 2 rattis of camphor extract are added to the mixture, and this is finally dissolved in 30 tolas of rosewater. Applying 1 tola of this paste of the face every morning will provide the necessary benefits.

- The Indian plum or jamuna is also a very beneficial remedy. Its seeds must be exuded in water till all the extract is obtained in the solution. This paste is to be applied on the face. This is one of the fastest ways to get relief from pimples and blackheads.

- Chiraunji (Buchanania latifolia) must be ground to a very fine consistency with yellow split lentils (masoor ki daal) and yellow mustard. Warm this mixture every morning and apply it on the face. Let it remain overnight. Each successive morning you will find some reduction in the severity of the blackheads.

- Prepare a mixture of lemon, honey and yoghurt. Add salt in it. The grainy salt will make a scrub out of the mixture. Scrub this on the face for five minutes everyday. This will remove the blackheads.

- A simple ice pack treatment on the face can also show results. This will help to contract the pores.

- Cucumber slices must be put on the face. Alternatively, face packs with cucumber as the major ingredient can also be used on the face. This helps to constrict the pores.

Menopause - Useful Herbs and Ayurvedic Treatments

Menopause is the stage in a woman’s life when the menstrual cycle stops. This is not a disease; rather it is a natural process in a woman’s life. However, the stage when a woman has her menopause could be a very painful and mentally debilitating stage. There could be several complications.From an Ayurvedic point of view, menses is the flow of excess pitta from the woman’s body. Menses is called as Raja in Ayurveda. For this reason, the stoppage of the menses flow permanently, i.e. menopause is called as Raja Nivrutti, which literally means retirement of menses.Menopause is a culmination of all the three doshas of the woman’s body. The menses themselves are pitta, while the woman may gain in her weight during this time. This indicates a kapha imbalance. Since the woman may become moody and even lose her sleep during menopause, there is a strong indication of the vata dosha at play also.Menopause can occur in women after the age of 45 years, though this widely varies from one woman to another. The average menopausal age could be taken as 51 years. It must be made clear that menopause is not an abrupt end to the menses. The decline of the menstrual flow occurs gradually as the months progress. Generally, a woman is said to have had her menopause if there has been no menstrual flow for at least one year.
(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Menopause
Ashwagandha(Withania somnifera)Ashwagandha is more popularly known as Indian Ginseng for its believed aphrodisiacal properties. In the case of menopause, this herb is usually prescribed to cure insomnia and mood swings.Beetroot (Beta vulgaris)Beetroot is found to be extremely effective in making the menopausal experience less painful. It should be taken as a salad, in which the beetroots are boiled with their peel on. The peel must be removed before eating.Indian Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi)Known popularly as the jatamansi in India, this is another herb prescribed to cure insomnia and mood swings. For such benefits, this herb is prescribed to be taken along with ashwagandha.
(2) Dietary Treatments for Menopause
The complications during menopause can be reduced by bringing about changes in the dietary patterns. There are some very beneficial points that can be followed:-Bitter foods are good dietary indications. The dark green leafy vegetables are mostly bitter in taste. They must be regularly incorporated in the diet as a woman is moving towards her menopause.Astringent foods are also advantageous. These foods include beans, soybeans, potatoes, cabbages and poultry foods. Both the bitter and the astringent foods help in reducing the excess heat in the woman’s body that is produced during menopause.Foods that are sour, salty and pungent are contra-indications for menopause. Onions, garlic, mustard and chilies are pungent foods. Tomatoes, tamarinds, vinegars and curds are sour foods. These must be avoided.Consume foods that can provide some phyto-estrogens. Such foods are watermelon, berries, legumes, licorice and pomegranates.During menopause, the need of the following nutrients increases:-a) Vitamin D – obtained from egg yolk, milk and animal liverb) Vitamin K – obtained from green vegetables, cereals and animal foodsc) Magnesium – obtained from nuts, bananas and dairy productsd) Manganese – obtained from cereal, bran, nuts and teae) Calcium – obtained from milk and milk products.
(3) Ayurvedic Treatments for Menopause
Chandraprabha is the tablet of choice that most physicians would provide for menopausal problems. This tablet helps in reducing the vata vitiation which is one of the foremost causes of menopausal problems. Along with this, Punarnavasava or Lodhrasava must be taken thrice in 15 milliliters doses for a month. In order to increase the strength of the body,Dashamoolarishta and Pradari Lauha are prescribed.If there are hot flushes during menopause (which increase body temperature and then cause sudden chills), then Ashokarishta is given along with Useerasava.For any irritations or infections that may occur in the vagina during menopause, Gokshuradi Guggulu is prescribed to be taken in doses of two pills twice a day.Massaging the back with Chandanaadi taila helps to allay insomnia and mood swings which can occur due to vata vitiations during menopause.
(4) Home Remedies for Menopause
Licorice must be consumed in fair amounts during menopause. It has the phyto-estrogens that are necessary to correct the hormonal imbalances during menopause.Have beetroot juice daily or include it in salads.Another recipe is to boil a few carrot seeds in a glassful of milk. Consume this milk with carrot seeds in it on a daily basis.During menopause, there is a chance of osteoporosis setting in due to loss of calcium. Hence take adequate care of your calcium intake. The foods mentioned above must be had in the proper amount to maintain calcium levels.Maintain a healthy active regime. Sluggishness and a sedentary life will make the menopausal process quite difficult.

Backache

Backache is medically known as lumbago. It is the disease which afflicts any region of the vertebral column or the associated muscles. Each of the 32 vertebrae can develop sudden pains which could become a chronic condition. Though we use the term backache in general, actually it is a collection of various types of pains of the vertebral column.People find these kinds of pains to be more common as they grow older. Though there are no gender specifics, lumbago may be a bit more in men than in women.In Ayurveda, backache is called as Nithamba Shoola. Ayurveda treats this pain as a vata disorder, which causes both the types of weaknesses, i.e. the bone weakness and the muscle weakness. Hence when deciding on a proper treatment pattern for backache, one needs to consider the vitiation of the vata dosha.
Let us see some of the common treatment patterns used in Ayurveda for the treatment of lumbago.
(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Backache-
Betel (Areca catechu)Betel is one of the traditionally used herbs in the treatment of backache. The juice of the betel leaves is mixed with refined coconut oil. When this juice is applied on the loins, it provides relief from the sudden pains.- Garlic (Allium sativum)Among the many benefits that garlic has, an important one is relieving pains of lumbago. An extract of garlic provided to the patients provides relief from the pains without having any undesirable side effects.- Indian Aloe (Aloe barbadensis)The pulp of a single leaf of aloe consumed on a daily basis provides relief from backache problems.- Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citrates)Lemon grass is mixed with twice its bulk of coconut oil and applied externally on the affected regions. This eases the pains.
(2) Dietary Treatment for Backache
Since backache is a condition caused due to vata vitiation, any food that can aggravate the vata further must not be taken. Sour and fried foods must be totally avoided. Even pulses must be eliminated from the diet. Rice must be reduced; rather food grains such as wheat, millet and sorghum are better.
(3) Ayurvedic Treatments for Backache-
The Ayurvedic preparation, Prasarani, is the drug that is most commonly used for the treatment of backache. Prasarani is Paederia foetida, which is a plant species. The method of use can be either external or internal. For better effects the oil of the plant is used. Massaging with this oil about two or three times a day provides immense relief from backache problems. Even if the pain subsides, the treatment must be continued for a month so that the pain does not recur.- Other oils available for massaging the affected parts are the Narayanaand the Mahanarayana oils. These oils must be used for fomentation or mixed in warm water to give a hot tub bath.
(4) Home Remedies for Backache-
Mix equal proportions of limestone and honey. Apply this paste on the region where the pain is the severest.- Grind some sesame seeds in water. Warm this solution and apply it repeatedly on the part where it pains the most.- Put two teaspoonfuls of cumin seed powder in a glass of water and warm the solution. Soak a towel in this water and then use it to foment the affected parts. Relief should be obtained within a couple of hours.- Roast about 100 grams of fenugreek seeds. Then grind them roughly and mix in them a quarter portion of rock salt. Put two teaspoonfuls of these in hot water every morning and evening and let the fumes come in contact with the region where the pain is persistent. This treatment provides relief in fifteen days.- Take 1 gram of pure asafetida and mix it with egg yolk. Apply this paste on the affected spinal region. This is a quick method of getting relief from the pains, but it is a temporary method.- Mix two or three pieces of cardamom in warm milk. Introduce about a pinch of turmeric in it. This is to be drunk every night before going to sleep. Immense relief will be obtained in the morning.
(5) Preventive Methods-
Instead of sleeping on a soft mattress at night, use a hard mattress. If you can, sleep on the ground with the back straight; that is, with the spine touching the ground as much as possible.- Use ergonomic chairs in your workplace. See that the chair makes contact with the spine fully when you sit on it.- Do not cramp yourself in one position. Shuffle your position often. When traveling, try to get up and move about whenever you can.- Exercise often, but do not stretch your back. Perform gliding motions when exercising.

Grandma's Tips For Common Problems

A few tips from Grandma to help Indian women cope with common problems.

• An itchy insect bite? Rub a little vinegar on it. Add a bit of baking soda to the vinegar if the bite is painful. It alleviates the itch and soothes down the bumps.

• Breathless with incessant coughing? Just swallow a spoonful of sugar mixed with butter. It will solve your problem. It soothes the airways and makes breathing a lot easier.

• A congested chest? You need ginger tea. Cut up a few pieces of ginger. Boil in water for about ten minutes. Strain well. Drink hot ginger tea about three times a day. It helps relieve the congestion.

• Battling a cold? Try this remedy. Make some fresh lemonade using three lemons. Add water to it and warm it up. Add some honey. The lemonade will soothe your throat and drive away your cold.

• Dehydration? That could be dangerous. Take a litre of water. Add a tablespoon of sugar to it. Add an equal amount of salt. Mix well. Drink it all up. Rest indoors for a while.

• Racked by hiccups? Swallow one teaspoon of granulated sugar. It is almost always effective.

• Coming down with a massive cold? Your head aches and your breathing is heavy? Rub some vapour rub on the soles of your feet at bedtime. Massage well. Wear some warm socks and retire for the night. You'll feel much better in the morning.

• Low immunity to colds and coughs? Mash some gooseberries. Marinate them in jaggery syrup. Bottle the mixture. Have a teaspoon of it everyday. It works wonders for your ability to fight colds and congestions.

• A toothache? Bite on a clove and place it against the offending tooth. It will help relieve the pain.

Health Benefits of Strawberry

The health benefits of strawberry include eye care, proper brain function, and relief from high blood pressure, arthritis, gout and heart diseases.

The health benefits of strawberry include the following:

Eye Care:

The primary reasons for almost all the problems of eyes are free radicals and deficiency of certain nutrients. With the growing age and lack of these protective nutrients, the harmful oxidants or free radicals cast heavy damage on our eyes, such as drying up of eyes, degeneration of optical nerves, Macular degeneration, vision defects and make them prone to infections too. The anti oxidants such as vitamin-C, Flavonoids, Phenolic Phytochemicals and Elagic Acid, present in strawberries can help avoid this situation to a great extent. One more factor is ocular pressure, i.e. the pressure of the eyes. Any disturbance in it is also harmful for the eyes. Here too, strawberries are helpful as they contain potassium, which help maintain right pressure.
Arthritis and Gout:

The degeneration of muscles and tissues, drying up of the fluid which help mobility of the joints and accumulation of toxic substances and acids (such as uric acid) in the body are some of the ill effects of free radicals present in our body, which are primarily responsible for Arthritis and Gout. Strawberries, with their team of anti oxidants and detoxifiers, can effectively help push away such health hazards forever. It is a famous saying in India that a serving of any fruit a day will remove the rust from the joints. It is very true for strawberries.
Cancer:

Vitamin-C, Folate and Anthocyanin, Quercetin and Kaempferol (few of the many Flavonoids in strawberries which possess excellent anti oxidant and anti carcinogenic properties) together form an excellent team to fight cancer and tumor. A daily intake of strawberries is seen to have remarkably brought down the growth of cancerous cells.
Brain Function:

It is a very common observation that old people tend to lose their memory and control over their activities, limbs etc. This is because of aging of their brain and the nervous system. Actually, the free radicals, the agents very much responsible for aging, have a very adverse effect on these systems. Due to them, the brain tissues start degenerating and the nerves get weaker. Strawberries can help you out. The vitamin-C and the phytochemicals in them neutralize the effect of these oxidants and also rejuvenate the system. One more thing, strawberries are rich in iodine too, which is very helpful for proper functioning of the brain and nervous system.
High Blood Pressure:

Strawberries are very good in potassium and magnesium content, both of which are very effective in lowering high blood pressure caused by sodium.
Heart Diseases:

High fiber, Folate, no fats and high anti oxidants such as vitamin-C and those phytochemicals (Flavonoids) together form an ideal cardiac health pack, as they effectively reduce cholesterol. Some of the members of the vitamin-B family present in strawberries also strengthen the cardiac muscles and help better functioning of the heart.
Other Benefits:

Folate is known to protect from birth-defects. Vitamin-C effectively prevents from infections and cold. The phytonutrients also have anti inflammatory properties. Wait! I forgot to tell you about the best benefit. The strawberry preserve tastes just awesome