Acne & Pimples

Acne & Pimples

Acne is a skin condition in which there is excess production of oil from the sebaceous glands leading to the blockage of hair follicles. It is the most common problem of adolescents, therefore, it is known as Yauvanpidika in Ayurveda; Yauvan means ‘adolescence’ and pidika means ‘pustules or papules’.

Home Remedies:

• Prepare a paste by mixing equal quantities of saffron, turmeric, margosa (neem), red sandalwood, basil, and fuller’s earth with buttermilk or milk. Apply twice a day.
• Prepare a powdered mixture of coriander seeds, fennel, basil, turmeric, and Indian gooseberry (amla; amalaki) in equal parts. Take ½ teaspoon of this powder 15 minutes before lunch and dinner.
• Have 1 teaspoon of powdered Indian gooseberry fruit (amla; amalaki) in morning and evening with water.

Diet and Lifestyle:

Avoid spicy, oily, bitter, and sour foods. Eat fresh, unprocessed food. Increase the use of herbs that have cooling effects on the body like fennel, coriander seeds, Indian gooseberry (amla; amalaki), and aloe vera. Increase intake of water to about 8-10 glasses per day, and take coconut water. Wash your face frequently with mild herbal soaps. Cleanse your face with lemon peels.

Anorexia (Loss of Appetite)

Anorexia (Loss of Appetite)

Anorexia means not having any desire for food even though the person is hungry and food is available according to his or her tastes. In Ayurveda, anorexia is known as aruchi. The condition can arise due to a sedentary lifestyle, stress, and wrong eating patterns.

Home Remedies:

• Prepare a mixture of ¼ teaspoon of ginger juice, ¼ teaspoon of lime juice and a pinch of rock salt. This is one dose. Have this preparation 15 minutes before meals, twice a day.
• Clean the tongue after brushing the teeth. This removes the mucus and helps the taste receptors work properly.
• Make a powder of dried ginger root, black pepper, long pepper, celery seeds, cumin seeds, and rock salt in equal quantities. Store it in an airtight vessel. Take 1 teaspoon with the first bite of food at a meal, twice a day.

Diet and Lifestyle:
A single day of fasting is good for digesting ama (mucus). Have freshly prepared warm food. Meals should be taken at regular intervals, so that the previous meal gets digested. Avoiding snacking between meals. When psychological factors are involved, creating a happy and calm atmosphere helps to improve the condition. Being in the company of good friends and relatives relieves stress and improves digestive power.

Arthritis

Arthritis

Arthritis is related to vata aggravation. This often manifests as tension and anxiety, related with pain. There is also a natural aggravation of vata in the elderly. In the case of arthritis, the aggravated vata combines with ama (toxin) and is deposited in the joints. This state is called ‘amavata’.
Ama (toxin) is the result of improper digestion.

Diet
Fruits can be taken in the morning with milk and some nuts and seeds. Lunch may consist of steamed vegetables, bread and a glass of buttermilk. The dinner should usually consist of green vegetables, sprouts (alfalfa, fenugreek, mung or green lentils), bread and salad. Taking a glass of warm milk before bed is good. Cardamom and fennel can be boiled in this milk too. Non-vegetarian foods, tea, coffee, chocolates, sodas, white flour and sugar products, white rice, chemical additives and strong spices should be excluded from the diet. Foods that increase vata should also be avoided. This includes very cold or chilled foods, dry foods, light and airy foods (cabbage, lettuce and raw vegetables). Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, green beans and mushrooms increase vata. Raw apples, dried fruits and any preserved foods also increase vata.

Some Home Remedies

• Green lentil (mung) soup mixed with crushed garlic cloves is easily digested and can ease inflammation.
• The use of castor oil is very helpful in cleansing ama (toxin) and balancing vata. Take one tablespoon before bed, once or twice a week.
• Equal quantities of powdered fenugreek seeds, turmeric and ginger powder can be mixed together. One teaspoon can be taken in the morning and evening.

Exercise & Regimen:
Meditation and relaxation are other very beneficial activities. Try to concentrate on a certain object, and slowly increase the length of time meditated each day. Regularity of time, place and practice are very important for meditation. A suitable time is the twilight—dawn and dusk. A gentle head massage (with or without oil), some form of fragrant aromatherapy, and soft music also helps relaxation.

Backache

Backache

Backache or back pain is a common problem encountered by many people due to poor diet and bad posture. It occurs when the flexibility of the spine is affected. Also the condition can be the result of a spinal disc problem, injury to the ligaments around the spine, nerves emerging from the spinal cord, injury to muscles of the back, or diseases of the organs of the pelvis.

Home Remedies:

• Have 2-3 teaspoons of psyllium husk with a glassful of hot milk at bedtime. This will evacuate the rectum, treating constipation, which is one of the main causes of flatulence and vata aggravation.
• Have 1 teaspoon of castor oil with a glassful of milk at bedtime. Castor oil is considered one of the best oils to pacify vata dosha.
• Massage the affected area gently with warm sesame oil and cover with a cotton cloth. Avoid exposure to air or cold wind.

Diet and Lifestyle:
Avoid having cold, stale, or fried foods; junk food; and aerated and alcoholic beverages, as these aggravate vata in the body. Have freshly prepared warm food and chew the food properly as it helps in complete digestion, preventing constipation and flatulence. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of purified butter to food to pacify the dry nature of vata. Have early and light dinners to aid better digestion because at night metabolism gets sluggish. Avoid excessive physical exertion and take complete rest. Avoid sitting in one posture for long periods. Take a small break every hour. Make a habit of doing light exercises in the morning like walking, jogging, or stretching exercises, and have regular body massage to alleviate vata.

Bedwetting

Bedwetting

Bedwetting (Enuresis) means unknowingly passing urine in bed at night by individuals after the age when bladder control should have been established. The problem is common during the pre-adolescent stage of life. Up until the age of six to eight years, bedwetting is a normal phenomenon that fades over time, but some children continue to wet their bed even after eight years of age. The child fails to have control over the passage of urine while sleeping. In Ayurveda, it is known as shayyamutra, i.e., passing of urine on the bed.

Home Remedies:

• Make a mixture of jaggery, celery seeds and black sesame seeds in equal quantities. Give 1 teaspoon of this mixture to the child with a cupful of milk in the morning. Continue this for 1-2 months. This should preferably be given in the winter or cold weather as it has a heating effect on the body.
• As worm infestation is also a possible cause, deworming is helpful in children suffering from bed-wetting. For this, give a piece of jaggery (about 20 grams) to the child in the morning. After one hour give the child ½ teaspoon of celery seeds with a pinch of rock salt. Repeat this once a week for 4 weeks.
• Mix 1 teaspoon of the pulp of Indian gooseberry (amla; amalaki) with 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper powder. Give this mixture to the child before going to bed.

Diet and Lifestyle:
The child should avoid intake of fluids 2 hours before going to bed. Parents should help the child develop the habit of passing urine before going to bed. Do not scold or humiliate your child for bedwetting. Instead, lovingly guide the child to overcome this problem. Reassure your child that it is not a big problem and can be solved. Do not disclose the child’s problem to relatives and friends or to the child’s siblings.

Bronchial Asthma

Bronchial Asthma

In Ayurveda, Bronchial Asthma is known as tamak swas, which is a chronic, intermittent, inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by episodes of dyspnea, cough, airflow obstruction, and wheezing. Psychological stress aggravates the condition.

Home Remedies:

• Boil ½ teaspoon of freshly grated ginger in a glass of milk and add ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder to it. Have it twice a day, preferably with 1 teaspoon of chyavanprash.
• Take ginger tea mixed with 2-3 crushed garlic cloves.
• Massaging the chest with warm sesame oil mixed with salt helps to loosen the phlegm deposited in the chest, especially, when followed with steam inhalation.

Diet and Lifestyle:
Avoid smoking and exposure to dusty and cold air. Drinking herbal teas or sipping lukewarm water with honey is helpful. To avoid ama (mucus) formation, have freshly prepared warm meals at regular intervals. Eat less than the full capacity of the stomach. Heavy foods like dairy products, fried foods, pickles, cold foods, rice, beans and legumes should be avoided.

Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical Spondylosis

This is a kind of arthritis that affects cervical vertebrae and is characterized by pain at the back of the neck (radiating towards the upper limbs) and vertigo while bending downwards. There might be sensory loss and numbness in the upper limbs. In Ayurveda it is known as Grivasandhigatvata. There are some degenerative changes in the cervical vertebrae. This, when coupled with trauma or incorrect posture while sitting or sleeping leads to the manifestation of cervical spondylosis.

Home Remedies:

• Gentle oil massage with lukewarm sesame oil on the whole body followed by hot fomentation (application of moist heat) pacifies vata.
• Have 2-3 raw garlic buds on an empty stomach in the morning with water.
• Make a powdered preparation of dried ginger root, celery seeds, and cumin seeds in equal quantities. Add rock salt to taste, and have 1 teaspoon with water at bedtime.

Diet and Lifestyle:
Increase intake of oily foods that are easily digested, sweet things, purified butter, vegetable soups, milk, almonds, and sesame seeds. Avoid rice, refined flour, kidney beans, and other foods that cause flatulence. Avoid physical and mental exertion, get a good night’s sleep, and have regular, gentle body massage with lukewarm sesame oil.