Ayurvedic home remedies to boost immunity and health

Majority of the ingredients in our kitchen that are used for cooking, are actually immunity boosters, capable of curing several lifestyle diseases, when used in the right manner. For minor illness, these can come in handy as first line of treatment, but, it is important to know how to use these items for treatment. Here are some suggestions by Ayurvedic experts which can be tried safely at home for minor ailments.

Dry ginger to beat indigestion

In all ayurvedic medicines, dry ginger (also known as chukku in southern India) is a common ingredient, given, its carminative and digestive properties. Ayurveda believes that indigestion, in all levels of metabolism, is the root cause of all diseases. Hence, daily intake of dry ginger is recommended to keep illness at bay, says Dr. Neelakandhan Mooss, Vaidyaratnam Oushadashala, Kerala, India. Wash and crush dry ginger, add it to boiling water, and drink when cool. This can be stored in container and used instead of plain drinking water. This helps flush out toxins from the body, improves digestion, and even removes minor blocks from blood vessels. When dry ginger powder is mixed in a glass of water and consumed regularly, it could serve as best home remedy for gastritis. In fact, the very popular chukka kaapi (Ginger coffee) is a south Indian specialty coffee full of amazing health benefits. Apart from ginger, the coffee also includes tulsi(Basil), black pepper, cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, coffee and jaggery. This drink works wonders in treating common cold, cough and mild temperature. In fact, latest researches have even proven that dry ginger, when taken regularly, can help develop immunity against cancer. During peak summer, buttermilk served with crushed dry ginger pieces and leaves of citrus lime plant, is excellent thirst-quencher, improves digestion, and helps keep away various illnesses that summer brings with it.

Cumin seeds to boost immunity

Cumin seeds (jeera) are commonly used for culinary purposes. But, it is also an excellent immunity booster. Dry roast cumin seeds, and add it to boiling water, and use the drink as decoction for relief from gastritis, indigestion, and tiredness. For children suffering from mild asthma, powdered cumin seeds can be blended with a drop of honey, and can be given

for temporary relief. Drinking jeera water helps improve digestion, while also quenching thirst.

Shallots can treat acidity

Not many of us are aware of the various medicinal properties of shallots. Shallots can help remove excess phlegm from the body, and also helps prevent gastritis. Including one or two shallots as part of your daily diet can help prevent diarrhoea/dysentery. Shallots are the primary mode of treatment for acidity. Add three to four crushed shallots to boiled milk and drink after breakfast to cure acidity.

Turmeric to purify blood

Turmeric is commonly used in Indian cooking to add colour and flavour to dishes. But, by now, we all know the immense medicinal properties of turmeric. People with allergies can include turmeric in their daily diet. It is an excellent blood purifier. When turmeric powder is mixed with honey and consumed, it also provides relief from throat pain and helps treat mouth ulcers. Turmeric is used to treat several ailments from common cold to diabetes.

Asafoetida (hingu) for stomach problems

Asafoetida improves digestion by boosting flow of digestive juices in the body, while also treating gastritis and acting as a de-worming medicine. Just add a teaspoon of asafoetida to lukewarm water and drink to remain free of gastritis. In children palkayam (a variety of asafoetida), mixed with a drop of honey, can be used as medicine to treat stomach pain.

Black pepper to treat common cold

The black pepper is a common spice used for culinary purposes across the world, to add flavour and spice up dishes. However, it is an excellent medicine for all cold-related problems, including excess phlegm. Try to include more pepper into your daily diet, particularly during monsoon months, as this can keep cold and related symptoms at bay. For mild phlegm and throat pain, make a decoction by boiling tulsi leaves and black pepper in water, as it can provide instant relief.

Corriander to treat mouth ulcers

Corriander is an excellent medicine for indigestion, stomach upsets, nausea, and mouth ulcers. Crush coriander seeds and add to boiled water, and gargle after cooling it. It helps in relieving mouth ulcers and bad breath. Chewing coriander leaves can provide relief from gum problems, and tooth decays.

Sesame seeds for menstrual problems

Dry roast sesame seeds and powder it and store in an airtight container. Including small quantities of this into regular diet, can help in building strong teeth, bones and hair. Women with irregular menstruation are advised to consume a decoction of sesame seeds by adding a pinch of jaggery, on regular basis.

Natural herbs for weight loss

Traditional Ayurveda recommends usage of certain herbs in treating obesity . The most common herbs and their benefits are described below: Guggul (Commiphora mukul) : Ayurvedic experts recommend this popular herb for weight control as well as for lowering high cholesterol levels in blood. Apart from being an agent that helps in burning fat, it also controls obesity. Being a natural herb, it is found to be a much superior and safer product.

Garcinia Cambogia: Garcinia helps in controlling obesity by slowing down the mechanism of fat production within body cells. Hydroxy-citric-acid which is an active ingredient in Garcinia, converts blood sugar to glycogen instead of fat, and also reduces appetite by keeping the blood sugar levels under control. Triphala (Emblica Officinalis): It is very effective in increasing hemoglobin level, reduces fat content in the body and helps in weight reduction. It reduces the water content in the body, which is one of the main causes of obesity and is also found to be a good antioxidant. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra): Licorice root, being sweet in taste, balances blood sugar levels and help reduce craving for sweets. In addition to the said herbs, the juice of aloevera helps in promoting digestion and helps in cleansing the digestive tract. Vrikshamala is another herb which breaks down fatty acids and is also rich in Vitamin C while Vayu Vidanga, a diuretic helps in reducing weight. Apart from these herbs, Ayurvedic experts suggest consumption of honey (for nondiabetics) by adding it in herbal tea (A decoction of one cup of water plus a teaspoon of the herbal tea powder is prepared by boiling and reducing the contents to about cup and then filtered. To this warm decoction one tsp. of honey is added and consumed twice daily in empty stomach) which dissolves body fat, thereby helping in weight reduction to a great extent. In addition to all this, regular exercise and an active lifestyle can help prevent obesity to a great extent.

Ayurvedic cures for Herpes

Herpes is the short for herpes simplex, a common viral infection, that often leads to blemishes or sores on the skin, particularly on the face or in the genital area. The most common is the Herpes Simplex infection, the symptoms of which are known as fever blisters, or cold sores that appear on mouth or lips. This is known as HSV -1 (facial herpes). The other common form of herpes appears in the genitals, known as HSV-2 (genital herpes). A person infected with HSV will have recurrent episodes of active herpes for the rest of his life.

The common cause of Herpes is through skin-to-skin contact, which transmits HSV-1 and HSV-2. In case the first episode of herpes occurs during pregnancy, there are possibilities of passing on the virus to unborn baby. From an Ayurvedic perspective, when our immune systems are weak, that is when the body does not receive enough food, exercise or sleep, and are exposed to environmental toxins or chronic stress, the body experiences imbalance of doshas. Impurity of Pitta, along with blood, is considered the main causative factor for the condition. This impurity of blood, which can also be caused due to poor digestion, wrong eating habits, leads to appearance of leasions in the skin. Hence as for Ayurvedic treatment, the first step is to balance the doshas. This is achieved through dietary modifications, and adding herbs and dietary supplements to balance the doshas that lead to this disease. The herbal preparations detoxify blood and lymph, expel the toxins and vitiated doshas from lymph and blood, and hence the underlying tissues get rejuvenated. This reduces the burning, inflammation and tingling sesation. Second step involves rejuvenation of body, as ayurveda believes that a disease affects not only a particular organ, but the entire body. Hence after balancing the doshas, the body needs to be rejuvenated using Rasayanas, so that the body develops immunity to fight recurrent attacks of the disease. One such ayurvedic preparation for body rejuvenation is Chyavanprash. Apart from balancing doshas, and rejuvenation of body, the treatment to particular organ that mainly affects the disease is the final stage of treatment. This is calledSthanika Chikitsa (local treatment). In the case of genital herpes, this is achieved through local application of herbal paste prepared from rose, amalakki, neem and sandalwood. These preparations restores and rejuvenates the structure and color of the skin, while also reducing inflammation and tenderness of the skin. Finally necessary diet and lifestyle modification needs to be taken into consideration. An anti-Pitta diet is recommended. Fresh vegetables, fruits, beans, fish, chicken and eggs are considered beneficial for people with herpes. A good nights sleep of more than 8 hours is vital. Half an hour of regular

exercises are suggested to reduce stress, as stress is a possible factor for trigger of herpes. Yoga and meditation also has proved to support immune system immensely by reducing stress and offering tranquility and well-being.

Detoxify your liver the natural way!!

One of the primary ways in which your body expels toxins is through the liver. The liver constantly detoxifies and cleanses your body, by filtering the blood of impurities that enter through the digestive tract, skin or the respiratory system. However, when the liver gets overworked due to stress, and exposure to toxins, your entire system can get upset, and your health may get compromised. As liver is the organ responsible for bile production, another form of detoxification that is metabolically necessary for breakdown and assimilation of proteins and fats, it is important that your liver be well-maintained. Without a well-functioning liver, your body will be unable to cleanse itself and absorb nutrients, a recipe for health disaster. Liver is the construction house of thousands of enzyme systems responsible for performing every activity in the body. A healthy liver is vital for proper functioning of eyes, brain, heart, gonads, joints and kidneys. Here are some important foods that you could consider including into your diet to maintain a healthy liver:

Vegetables

Garlic: The presence of certain compounds, including allicin and selenium, help in protecting liver from toxicity, thereby supporting detoxification process. These compounds also activate the liver enzymes responsible for flushing out toxins from the body. Green leafy vegetables: Vegetables such as arugula, dandelion greens, bitter gourd, mustard greens, and chicory, contain numerous cleansing compounds that can neutralize heavy metals, which can bear heavily on the liver. Leafy greens also eliminate herbicides and pesticides from the body, thereby improving the flow of bile. Being highly rich in plant chlorophylls, the leafy greens suck up environmental toxins from the blood stream, protecting the liver.

Beets and Carrots: Being extremely high in flavonoids and beta-carotene, both beets and carrots help stimulate and improve overall functioning of the liver. This is done by thinning the bile, which enables an easy flow through the liver and small intestine. Increased bile flow can also prevent gallstones. Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage and such other cruciferous vegetables can increase the amount of glucosinolate in your system, helping in enzyme production in the liver. They also flush out carcinogens and other toxins, thereby considerably cutting down risk of cancer.

Fruits

Grapefruit: Being rich in natural vitamin C and antioxidants, the two powerful liver cleansers, grapefruit also contain compounds that boost the production of liver detoxification enzymes. It also contains flavonoid, a compound known as naringenin, which causes liver to burn fat, rather than store it. Hence a small glass of freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice can help boost the production of liver detoxification enzymes that help in flushing out carcinogens and other toxins. Avocados: Eating just one or two avocados a week even for a month without break, can repair a damaged liver, says research. Being rich in glutathione-producing compounds, avocados actively promote a healthy liver against toxic overload. Apples: Apples are high in pectin, and they hold the chemical constituents required for the body to cleanse and release toxins from digestive tract. This makes it easier for the liver to handle the toxic load during the cleansing process. Lemons: The citrus fruits contain high amounts of Vitamin C, which aids the body in synthesizing toxic materials into substance that can be absorbed by water. In fact, drinking freshly squeezed lime juice on an empty stomach in the morning helps stimulate the liver. Walnuts: Walnuts, with their high amino acid, glutathione and omega-3 fatty acid content, help in detoxifying liver of disease causing ammonia. In fact, extracts from the hulls of walnuts are often used in liver-cleansing formulas. However, ensure that you chew the nuts well, until they are liquefied before swallowing. Green Tea: Green Tea is loaded with catechins, a plant antioxidant which eliminates liver fat accumulation and promotes liver function. Green Tea also protects against toxin accumulation, which could cause serious damage to the liver and body. Turmeric: Turmeric is one of the powerful foods for maintaining a healthy liver. They help regenerate damaged liver cells, boost natural production of bile, improve overall functioning of gallbladder, shrinks engorged hepatitis ducts and improves overall functioning of gall bladder. Eating these foods may be a good way to maintain healthy functioning of the liver. Doing liver cleanse at least twice a year, can eliminate toxins that may be trapped in your liver. The best dietary instructions to be followed are: 1. Eat organic fruits such as apples, cherries, figs, grapefruits, avocado, plums, papaya, kiwi, pears and plums in the morning for breakfast. 2. For lunch and dinner, include fresh vegetables, and home-made soups or salads, containing the mentioned detoxifying vegetables. Few other liver supporting veggies, not mentioned above are, artichoke, asparagus, kale, brussel sprouts, lettuce, and the like. 3. Remember to avoid coffee, alcohol, milk, and bottled juices, as these can lower the effectiveness of the liver cleanse, adding more toxins to the body.

Special Ayurvedic treatment methods for Sinusitis

Sinusitis is a common health problem today. Ayurveda believes in treating the root cause of the problem, and trying to prevent it as far as possible. Although there are plenty of reasons for onset of Sinusitis, the foremost is the high pollution levels in cities today. Smoke, dust and humidity in the environment are prime irritants for sinus glands. These can further irritate the already inflamed sinus glands, leading to infection. Not many of us are aware that food and sinusitis are interlinked. For instance, excessively oily, salty or spicy food can increase the production of fluids that block the sinus glands. Hence, try to avoid foods such as chips, pickles, food prepared by adding excess spices and artificial flavours, and sour food, including fruits. Further, prolonged use of air-conditioners can cause sinusitis onset. Ayurveda believes that even a change in bath routine can aggravate the condition. It is suggested that the best time to take bath is before 9am or after 5pm. Having a bath at noon and after meals, will do more harm than good to your body. Also, ensure not to keep changing your hair massage oil frequently when washing hair.

Treatment methods
Sinusitis can be treated in various ways.

Prevention
The best method is to avoid situations that trigger the problem in the first place. For this, you may have to sit with your physician and discuss your day to day lifestyle habits and routine including your workplace environment, transportation used to commute to your workplace, food habits and diet, your daily bath routine and time, duration of your sleep, any medications used, and all such details. With the help of your physician, work out on the possible triggering factor, and try to incorporate and follow the physicians advice in such matters.

For sudden sinusitis attack

The already inflamed sinus glands may sometimes worsen due to certain triggers, leading to headache, body pain, fever, tiredness, and respiratory problems. In such a situation, the patient should be allowed to take complete rest. Apart from treating fever, the patient needs to be administered medicines to reduce the sinus inflammation. Ayurveda generally recommends Punarnavadi kashayam, Pathyashadangam kashayam, Amrithotharam Kashayam, Amritharistam, Punarnavasam, Suryaprabha tablets, are prescribed as and when required.

Long-term treatment

Sinusitis, unlike other health problems, requires long-term treatment for complete cure. Hence, improving the natural defence mechanism of sinuses, and boosting general health and immunity are the prime requirements for long-term relief from sinusitis. Nasya, massaging with appropriate oil, medicated steam inhalation and special gargling solutions are some treatment methods adopted by ayurvedic physicians. Depending on the health condition of each individual, certain medicines such as Thriphalaadi, Raasnadi, Vachadi, Nirgundyadi, and Asanamanjishtaadi, are used for treatment.

Rasayana treatment

One of the main aims of the treatment is to reduce the frequency of onset of sinusitis. Rasayana treatment can help prevent recurrence. The appropriate medicine will be used for the treatment, for certain duration. Thippili, Chyawanprash, Agasthyarasayanam, are normally used for Rasayana treatment. It helps reduce frequency of disease onset and prevents recurrence in the long-term.

A simple home remedy

For relief from sinusitis related headache and respiratory problems, drink fresh ginger juice with honey several times a day. This can help reduce inflammation of sinus glands. Another simple home remedy is to boil water by adding tulsi leaves and turmeric, and use this for steam inhalation. Adopting the right treatment method, together with necessary lifestyle modification, can help in curing Sinusitis completely. Ayurveda guides you through the right path for complete cure of the condition.