Causes and symptoms

Some of the factors causing common cold include exposure to the virus; exposure to cold; low vitality; dust and other irritating inhalations; sudden changes in temperature; lack of sleep; depression and fatigue. Whatever the cause, common cold causes extreme discomfort, sometimes making it impossible to carry on the task at hand. It begins in the nose and throat and later affects all parts of the body.

The common signs are: soreness of throat; congestion of nasal passages; running nose; sneezing; headache; chill; fever; body ache; loss of appetite; and soreness of skin around the nostrils.

Kitchen cures

The good news is that there are several natural common cold remedies available right in our kitchens. Try some the next time you are down with cold.

• Lemon

  Lemons effectively help reduce the severity of all types of cold and fever. They increase the body’s resistance and reduce the toxicity. The vitamin C-rich lemon juice aids speedy recovery.

  Prescription: Dilute the juice of one lemon with a glass of warm water. Add a teaspoon of honey to it. Take it once or twice daily to soothe sore throat.

• Garlic

  Garlic in any form—oil, soup or raw—is a good cure for common cold. Have garlic soup daily to reduce the severity of cold. The oil content of garlic helps open up the respiratory passage. Garlic soup flushes out the toxins from the system and helps bring down fever. Boil three or four cloves of chopped garlic in a cup of water to make the soup.

  Prescription: Drink five drops of garlic oil with a teaspoon of onion juice and a cup of water, two to three times a day. Peel and chop five large garlic cloves and mix them with half a cup of honey. Allow to settle for half an hour and keep having a teaspoon of the syrup as required. You can also add freshly grated ginger, or a dash or two of cayenne pepper to it.

• Pepper

  Adding Cayenne pepper to food helps relieve congestion. It generates heat from within, which helps in combating the chill.

• Ginger

  Ginger is another good remedy for colds. Ginger tea, prepared by adding a few pieces of ginger into boiled water before adding tea leaves, is also an effective remedy for colds and for fevers resulting from cold. It can be taken twice daily.

  Prescription: Boil about 10g of finely cut ginger in a cup of water. Strain and add half a teaspoon sugar to it. Drink hot.

• Lady finger

  Lady finger is rich in mucilage which relieves dry cough, irritation and pain—symptoms of common cold.

  Prescription: Boil 100g chopped Lady finger in half litre water. Once or twice a day, you can also inhale the steam when the decoction is boiling to relieve throat irritation and dry cough.

• Cinnamon

  Cinnamon helps strengthen the immune system. Add cinnamon powder to food or cinnamon stick to herbal tea for relief.

• Taramind

  Tamarind and pepper rasam is also effective in treating common cold. It should be taken steaming hot thrice a day. As you consume it, you’ll feel your nose and eyes water and the nasal blockage clear.

  Prescription: 50mg of tamarind is diluted in 250 ml of water and then boiled for a few minutes with a teaspoon of hot clarified butter and half a teaspoon of black pepper powder.

• Turmeric

  Turmeric cures cold and throat irritations. Try and inhale smoke from burning turmeric if you have a running nose. It helps provide quick relief.

  Prescription: Add half a teaspoon fresh turmeric powder to 30ml warm milk. Have it once or twice daily.

• Chicken soup

  Chicken soup lessens cold and flu symptoms. It contains a substance, which inhibits the movements of cells in the immune system. It can regulate the body’s inflammatory response. Chicken soup also helps clear the nasal passage.

• Salt water

  Gargling with salt water can temporarily relieve an itchy throat.

  Prescription: Take a glass of warm water and add half a teaspoon of salt to it.

• Lozenges

  They help soothe a sore and itchy throat, giving temporary relief.

  There are several more natural cures for common cold, but these are some of the most effective ones. Apart from these remedies, take plenty of rest, increase your fluid and vitamin C intake, and abstain from cold beverages.

The post Common Cold: Sniff relief appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Causes

Given below are common causes of indigestion:

• Eating fast without properly chewing the food.
• Over eating.
• Heavy foods.
• Consumption of alcohol in excess.
• Excessive smoking.
• Stress and anxiety.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Drinking too much water during meals.
• Certain emotional factors like fear, anger and jealousy.
• Insomnia.
• Eating large amounts of fatty, spicy or rich food.
• Pregnancy.
• Due to other diseases like gall stone, hiatus hernia or peptic ulcer.
• Food allergies.
• Sedentary lifestyle.
• Imbalances in stomach acid or digestive enzymes.

Symptoms

Some common symptoms are listed below:

• Abdominal pain.
• Excess gas formation.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Acidity.
• Loss of appetite.
• Mild burning in stomach.
• Constipation.
• Diarrhoea.

Treatment

In most cases, indigestion can be cured by changing your eating habits – avoiding specific foods and situations that trigger indigestion. There are also several natural cures or home remedies that help in the treatment.

Thus, the total treatment can be achieved by the following steps:

Lifestyle changes

A healthy lifestyle can help in combating indigestion. Follow the tips given below:

• Take meals on time
• Avoid fats and condiments
• Light food should be taken.
• Chew food properly, so that it mixes well with the saliva.
• Eat food slowly and not rapidly.
• Never eat to a full stomach.
• Eat a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grain breads, cereals, and other grain products.
• Avoid eating and drinking simultaneously.
• Drink adequate quantities of water
• Avoid tea, coffee, or any drinks that contains caffeine.
• Limit the intake of chocolates
• Alcohol and tobacco should be taken in the minimum possible quantities.
• If meat is consumed then it should be well scraped to remove the fat.
• Rice is to be avoided if possible or else it can be consumed with vegetables.
• Avoid eating too many varieties at the same meal
• Raw vegetables and raw fruits should never be consumed together.
• Regular physical exercises should be done to stimulate digestive tract activities.
• Plenty of rest is to be taken to prevent stress.
• Doing any activity or physically challenging sports immediately after taking meals should be avoided.
• Walking, swimming, golf, yoga and other light exercises should be practiced regularly.

Dietary supplements

There are several dietary supplements that are both beneficial and efficient for the natural cure of indigestion. Following are some home remedies for indigestion:

Lemon

Lemon inhibits the formation of acids in the stomach, removes harmful substances and promotes a healthy appetite.

• For instant relief in case of indigestion, add the juice of half a lemon to a glass of water, along with little soda bicarbonate. Stir well and drink it.
• Mix one teaspoon each of mint juice, lemon juice and honey. Consume it.

Ginger [Adrak]

Ginger stimulates the secretion of digestive juices so as to break down the heavy food.

• The juice of ginger is diluted in warm water and a drop of honey. This should be consumed regularly as a remedy for indigestion. This is particularly useful for patients suffering from nausea and vomiting due to indigestion.
• Before a heavy meal, eat two or three pieces of ginger, coated with a little bit of salt.
• Make a decoction of coriander [dhania] seeds and dry ginger [adrak] and consume thrice a day to stimulate digestion and relieve pain.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera helps in solving digestive problems.

A tablespoon of fresh aloe vera juice is recommended early morning on an empty stomach, and at bed time. This, apart from reducing indigestion, helps in treating acidity, heartburn, flatulence, and constipation.

Peppermint

Peppermint oils are widely used to reduce and prevent indigestion.

• Herbal tea made out of peppermint leaves help in combating acidity.
• Peppermint oil can be combined with coconut oil and locally applied on the stomach.

Coriander

• Add one teaspoon of fresh coriander leaf juice and a pinch of salt and take it twice a day.
• One or two teaspoonful of coriander juice with fresh buttermilk is highly effective in treating indigestion.

Asafoetida [Hing]

• A pinch of hing powder and ghee or butter should be added to some boiled rice and mixed well. This should be eaten before the regular meal, Doing this ensures proper digestion and evacuation of bowels.
• Dissolve a couple of small pieces of asafoetida in half a cup of buttermilk and drink to aid digestion and relieve from gas.

Honey

• Mix equal parts of honey and lemon juice to make one glass of this mixture. Drink it.
• Mix two spoons of honey, one spoon of lemon juice and one spoon of ginger juice in a glass of lukewarm water. Drinking this aids digestion.

Orange

Orange juice is effective for chronic indigestion. It stimulates flow of digestive juices, improves digestion and increases appetite

Pineapple

Fresh pineapple juice has a high level of enzymes to help stop indigestion. Half a glass of pineapple juice after a meal relieves digestive disorders.

Papaya

This delicious tropical fruit naturally contains a digestive enzyme which aids in digestion.

Cinnamon [Dalchini]

Cinnamon has the ability to settle acidic stomachs. Cinnamon can be added to several foods and eaten with a meal. A tablespoon of cinnamon water is to be taken an hour after meals.

Fennel [Saunf]

Chewing a few fennel seeds after a meal clears the food passages apart from aiding digestion.

Carom Seeds [Ajwain]

Mix two pinches of rock salt and half a teaspoon of carom seeds. Chew it and wash it down with water to get relief.

Herbal teas

Blackberry, raspberry, mint or chamomile flavoured herbal teas are effective remedies.

Clove [Laung]

Clove boosts digestive functions to a great extent.

Cumin Seeds [Jeera]

Mix one teaspoon of jeera in a glass of water. Drink it.

Pepper

Pepper powder mixed in buttermilk is a good digestive.

Ground cardamom [Chhoti elaichi]

Consume ground cardamom seeds with ginger, cloves and coriander.

Nutmeg [Jaiphal]

The volatile oils present in nutmeg are digestive and carminative and thereby a decoction of nutmeg [jaiphal] is highly beneficial in indigestion.

Mint

Mint extracts have excellent carminative and digestive properties. In one glass of water, add 2-3 drops of mint essence and drink it every four hours to remove indigestion.

Basil [Tulsi]

Mix 5-6 chopped basil leaves, a quarter teaspoon of sea salt and some black pepper in three tablespoon of curd, and eat it. Repeat this four times a day for one week, for complete reconditioning of stomach.

Baking soda

Drink a glass of water with a tablespoon of baking soda for immediate relief. This is a simple but very effective remedy.

Although, all the above mentioned remedies are natural and highly effective, it is advisable to consult your doctor before implementing any of them.

The post Better digestion, naturally appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Staying healthy during summer requires more than just eating the right foods. It is important to take care of your health to protect yourself against the heat. Also, make time to rest, relax and take a nap whenever possible. So enjoy a fun-filled and healthy summer with these natural health tips.

Drink plenty of water [at least 10-12 glasses a day] as it is the key ingredient in keeping the body cool. When heat and humidity are high, we become dehydrated. Our body’s thirst mechanism isn’t very accurate and gets unreliable with age. By the time most of us feel thirsty, we’re already slightly dehydrated. Special care should be taken to make sure infants and toddlers drink enough water as they can become dehydrated more easily than adults.

Take a cool bath or shower once or twice a day.

Protect skin by applying sunscreen with at least a sun protection factor [SPF] of 15. Sunscreen should be applied liberally, uniformly and thickly to all exposed skin surfaces. Don’t forget to protect lips, ears and toes.

Wear light coloured, loose-fitting and preferably cotton clothes.

Sunburn is painful and unhealthy and can lead to skin cancer. [Also, read Ail to Hearty in this issue]. So wear protective clothing and always use an umbrella. For relief from sunburn aloe vera gel is very useful.

Protect eyes from the sun’s dangerous UV rays by wearing sunglasses. Sunglasses with UV protection can help enhance the eyes to filter out the sun’s damaging rays. Choose sunglasses that block 99-100 per cent of UV radiation [UV-A and UV-B].

As the temperatures rises; our body works overtime to stay cool. Avoid outdoor activities during mid-day, when the sun’s rays are strongest. Schedule sports and other outdoor events during the cooler times of the day to reduce the risk of getting a heat related illness such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Stay in air-conditioned areas during hot weather as much as possible. Spending more time in properly ventilated or air-conditioned places decrease the risk of heat-related illnesses.

Do not suddenly go out into the sun from an air-conditioned room or vice-versa. Learn to acclimatise slowly.

Another fact of heat is sweat. Sweating causes loss of many essential minerals and electrolytes in the body. Drink lots of lemon juice, coconut water and thin buttermilk, to replenish the fluids that are thus lost in sweat.

Balance activity with rest. Don’t overexert or squash your energy by pushing yourself beyond physical limits.

Swimming is a good option to beat the heat. However, use ear plugs to prevent the water from entering the ear canal causing it to get inflamed or infected. Follow the safety rules in all swimming areas and of tidal currents when swimming in the ocean. Always supervise young children anywhere near or in water. Do not depend on floaters to keep them safe. You can apply these tips to any beach you go to, whether it be at a star studded beach in California or at one of the many beautiful beach front resorts in myrtle beach SC.

Humidity and pollution, particularly in areas where ozone is a problem, can be difficult, especially for those with asthma and other respiratory problems. Keep a watch over the air quality and plan on limiting physical activity during times of high humidity and heat. Limit time outdoors and try to stay indoors on days that have moderate to poor air quality outlooks.

Eat smart and healthy. Diet should include vitamin B, zinc and anti-oxidants like C, E and carotenoids which will boost our immune system and help fight stress, airborne allergens and toxins.

Juices of grapes, watermelon, orange, mosambi, banana, and pineapple should be taken. The preparations of sugar, barley/green gram, sharbats, and buttermilk with sugar candy can be consumed to cool the body. Use sabza [tulsi seeds] in our drinks – this has a very cooling effect on the body.

Food-borne illnesses are more common in summer as the micro-organisms that cause food-borne disease multiply easily in heat. To avoid food-borne diseases, eat foods that are thoroughly cooked, stored well and refrigerated. Try and avoid junk food, as it increases the risk of stomach and intestine infections.

Maintain energy level by limiting intake of fat and sugar; focus on carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy lean proteins as they have a fairly high water content and good salt balance.

Avoid alcoholic beverages in extreme heat because alcohol can cause dehydration.

Avoid caffeinated or carbonated beverages, and those high in sugar. These drinks act as diuretics and cause loss of fluids through urine.

Cut the intake of fried foods like vadas, samosas, chips, bhajias, and farsans. Fat has a thermal effect.

Reduce intake of vegetables and fruits like spinach, radish, hot peppers, onions, garlic, beetroot, pineapple, grapefruit and ripe mangoes [if you cannot resist mangoes, soak them overnight in water and then eat].

Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable, yet many people succumb to extreme heat each year. Take steps to lower the risk for heat-related illness. To avoid heatstroke, people should stay in a cool environment on hot and humid summer days, and drink excessive fluids.

So, we see that with a little bit of planning, summer can be an enjoyable, healthy season for all ages.

The post Stay cool this summer appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Personalised treatment

Homoeopathy considers every individual as different and treats the individual patient. It does not consider the physical and mental illnesses separately, but regards them as intimately connected to each other; since they are aspects of the whole suffering individual. A remedy is therefore prescribed for the individual patient, not merely for his or her diseased part but for the person’s whole state. It helps in building the over all resistance or immunity of an individual.

Integrated approach

Homoeopathic remedy energises or stimulates the body’s self-healing powers by mobilising the defence system, and working on the mental, emotional and physical aspects of the body. Homoeopathy recognises the psychological origin of body symptoms. Homoeopathic remedies are capable of influencing the state of mind, and can cure mental, emotional disturbed states It claims and establishes the cure of diseases in minute doses. Homoeopathic treatment gives importance to the mental state of a patient.

Homoeopathy is not slow acting

Contrary to popular perception, homoeopathy is not slow acting. It does take some time for treatment as most of the people coming for homoeopathic treatment have a long history of chronic ailments. They turn to homoeopathy quite late, when everything else has failed and the disease has progressed with several complications. Therefore, the treatment naturally takes a longer time.

Long shelf-life

Homoeopathic medicines are prescribed in different strengths or potencies as they are called. Most of the medicines are prepared in an alcohol base. The white sugar globules or pills are only a medium for the transport of the medicine into the body. It is the medicine [in liquid form] that is the active ingredient. Medicines may be given in the liquid form, or in the form of powders or pills. If stored properly, homoeopathic medicines can be used for years, without any deterioration of quality.

Very safe

Homoeopathic medicines are derived from natural sources and are prepared in such a way that they are devoid of chemical toxicity. The uniqueness about homoeopathy is that every medicine is tested on healthy human beings and their effects are recorded. Thus, the effects that shall be produced on an individual after administering the medicine are known. Hence the possibility of any danger to the patient is minimal.

Precautions while taking medicines

The medicines get absorbed from the inner linings of the mouth. Any strong odour in the oral cavity may hinder the absorption of the medicine. Therefore, patients are asked to abstain from onions, garlic, coffee, tea, tobacco, alcohol etc. It is advisable to have the medication on a clean and fresh mouth, and not to drink, or eat, or smoke just before and after the medicine.

Limitations

Like every system, homoeopathy too has its own scope and limitations. People need to understand that everything on this Earth cannot be treated. Homeopathic treatment will be ideal to prepare patients for surgery and to help them recover from the operation. Similarly, cases of dislocation and fracture will be dealt with by an orthopaedic surgeon but homoeopathy will be of great assistance to diminish pain and enhance recovery. Generally, people afflicted with genetic, congenital, metabolic or very advanced degenerative diseases cannot always expect to be cured with homoeopathy, but are likely to receive effective palliative relief, free of the side effects.

Homoeopathy helps even on a preventive level by boosting the body’s immune system and improving an individual’s resistance to illness and infections. All sorts of curable diseases may be cured by homoeopathy. Hence, it is a complete and perfect mode of therapeutics. Make homoeopathy the first choice, and not the last resort.

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