Few Best Benefits of Shikakai

Shikakai is a natural conditioner. It doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals. It promotes hair growth and keeps your skin smooth and glowing. Usually, it doesn’t leave the hair dry but the effect may vary from person to person depending upon the hair quality. Here are more benefits of Shikakai:

1. Benefits of Shikakai for Hair

  1. Shikakai helps retain natural oil in the hair in the scalp and prevent hair loss.
  2. It helps strengthen hair roots. You won’t need a hair conditioner if you are using this Shikakai powder to wash your hair.
  3. It acts as a detangler. Most conditioners eventually leave for hair loss as it contains several natural herbs that exhibit antimicrobial properties.
  4. It helps to get rid of lice.
  5. It is used to remove dandruff an infusion of Shikakai leaves has been used in and he dint of preparations for centuries it not only eliminates dandruff but prevents it too.
  6. It is packed with vitamins A, C, D, and K that are essential for hair health.
  7. It contains antioxidants – all these nutrients help prevent diseases and promote the rapid growth of hair psychic.
  8. Its bark is packed with saponin which acts as foaming and cleansing agents although it acts as a soap or
    the shampoo is mild and natural and so does not cause serious side effects.
  9. Regular use of Shikakai can help delay the appearance of gray hair.
  10. It protects the scalp from fungal infections.
  11. If you start using Shikakai you will notice increased silkiness and bounciness of hair within a couple of months.
  12. Those who color their hair will find that cleaner and healthier hair can give better color results as it prevents hair loss and strengthens hair roots.
  13. It provides volume to your hair within a few months.

2. Benefits of Shikakai for Skin

  1. You may use the Shikakai as a body soap or face cleanser.
  2. It acts as a natural scrubber and deeply cleanses the skin. Its antimicrobial properties help protect the skin from fungal infections.
  3. It doesn’t remove natural oils from your skin. It doesn’t leave it dry rather it keeps the skin moisturized.
  4. It also helps maintain the optimum pH level of your scalp.

3. Heals Wounds

When Shikakai paste mixed with turmeric paste is applied to cuts and bruises, it gets cured.

4. It is cheaper and better

Shikakai is a much cheaper and more natural alternative to chemical-laden shampoos.

Top 7 Benefits of Amla (Indian Gooseberry)

Indian gooseberry, commonly known as Amla. It is a kind of herbal fruit; it can treat your taste buds amazingly. It is an uncommon balance of sweet, sour, pungent, and bitter flavors. Amla (gooseberry) is a very rich source of Vitamin C, iron, and calcium is a health treasure that can treat several health issues. The best way to have amla is in powdered form. Many people use amla pickle and dried amla pieces for digestion. Here, you will get some best benefits of amla for any purpose.

A study found that Amla (Indian Gooseberries) had the highest content of antioxidants compared to other fruits and vegetables. Amla powder has the most powerful Antioxidants.

1. It Prevents from Cold

The vitamin C in amla is absorbed more easily by the body compared to store-bought supplements.

  • Mix two teaspoons of amla powder and two teaspoons of honey.
  • Have it two times a day for instant relief when you have a cold or a cough.
  • Consume once a day for permanent protection.

2. It Helps to Remove Dandruff

Amla is proven beneficial for hair. It stops dandruff, makes strong hair follicles. It slows down greying hair and increases blood circulation to the scalp which improves hair growth. Amla also gives you shiny and smooth hair because it works as a natural conditioner. You can mix amla powder in Henna and could apply amla oil.

3. Beneficial in Low Cholesterol

Amla can reduce high cholesterol levels in middle age person. Just two weeks after, you can find the cholesterol levels low. The vitamin C in amla helps in lowering blood pressure. A study reveals the various benefits of amla which are very useful for the human body.

4. Beneficial for Eye Health

Regular use of Indian gooseberry helps improve vision health. As we know amla contains vitamin C, prevents bacteria, and guards the eye against conjunctivitis and other eye infections. It provides relief to the eyes when they are stressed and makes the eye muscles stronger.

5. Beneficial for Anti-aging

Amla is a prestigious herb that contains Vitamin C in the plant kingdom containing as much as 20 times that of an orange. It slows down aging, as well as offer removal from various diseases, and promotes longevity. It improves body resistance and protects the body against infection.

6. Beneficial for Weight Loss

Amla is very good for the liver which helps to reduce the cause of obesity. By including amla in your diet you can receive amazing benefits as it improves the Immune system, metabolism and helps in faster digestion.

  • Daily consumption of amla juice can help to reduce weight.
  • More useful to have an empty stomach.

7. Beneficial in Constipation

As we know amla is very good for the liver so it helps to digest the food easily. Amla powder is high in fiber and helps in regulating bowel movement.

  • Every day one tsp of amla powder mix with lukewarm water.
  • It gives more benefit in morning empty stomach.
  • It can resolve constipation problems.

Different Intake for different age groups

  • Infants (age below 1 year): 30 to 35 mg (as per doctor prescription)
  • Children (age 1 to 14 years): 40 to 50 mg
  • Adolescent (age 15 to 18 years): 65 to 75 mg
  • Men (age over 18 years): 90 mg
  • Women (age over 18 years): 75 mg

Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Joint Pain

Joint pain is more than a hassle for anyone, especially for senior citizens. You can get rid of this through various natural home remedies, here are few:

  • Massage the joints with a mixture of camphor, eucalyptus oil, and menthol before going to bed.
  • Have a glass of carrot juice early in the morning. Continue this till you find a reduction in the pains, which should happen within a week.
  • Do not exercise wildly, but at the same time do not keep your joints lethargic. Perform some activity with them so as to keep them mobile.
  • Have a bath with warm water every morning. This facilitates proper blood circulation.

Ayurveda – 7 Steps to Eliminate Chronic Pain

Removing the Buildup of Toxins and Impurities

Ayurvedic herbalized oil massages help in loosening impurities that are embedded in tissues and helps liquefy them for easy absorption into the circulation and eventual elimination of pain.

Proper Nutrition

Ayurveda advises an easy to digest and a satisfying and nourishing dietary approach that improves the digestion along with ayurvedic herbal formulas which help in restoring balance to the specific functioning modes whose malfunctioning causes chronic pain.

Creating Strong Digestion

Incompletely digested foods create toxins and impurities that are eventually absorbed, travel throughout the physiology, localize in tissues and disrupt their functioning leading to a chronic pain which is treated by proper use of spices and cooking oils, by favoring digestion-enhancing foods, by reducing digestion-depressing foods.

Balancing Nervous System Activity

Vata imbalance is an underlying cause of the painful condition and is reversed by specific diets, herbs, cleansing programs, meditation, yoga asanas, and yoga breathing exercises.

Stress Management

Excessive mental, emotional and physical stress can worsen the symptoms of much chronic pain. Ayurveda treats it by herbal warm oil massage and yoga postures.

Lifestyle and Daily Routine

One of the most important factors for maintaining healthy functioning is to have a lifestyle that does not disturb natural bodily rhythms. Ayurveda reviews and creates a daily schedule that will increase
balance in your physiology and aid in healing your body.

Exercise and Flexibility Education

Ayurveda advises proper stretching and flexibility exercises as it has a very positive effect on circulation, nervous system function, the body’s healing response thereby treats many chronic pains.

Ayurvedic Remedies for Regulating Cholesterol Level

Maintaining cholesterol levels is a very difficult task for anyone. Explore these ayurvedic tips to lower cholesterol naturally.

  1. Onions contain high levels of quercetin, an important flavonoid that reduces cholesterol. High concentrations of the compound quercetin hinder the oxidation process of LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol, which help prevent the negative effects of this type of cholesterol.
  2. Grind an ounce of Methi (Fenugreek) and coriander seeds. Mix a tablespoon of it with a glass of water and have it at bedtime.
  3. Cinnamon is a powerful anti-oxidant. Studies have shown that the addition of cinnamon to your diet can help lower “bad” cholesterol levels. Simmer a stick of cinnamon in water for about 10 minutes. Drink this once or twice a day. Cinnamon is believed to lower blood sugar (Type-2) and cholesterol.

Say Goodbye to Acidity – Ayurvedic Remedies

Acidity and gas are very common problems in every home. Use these ayurvedic remedies to reduce acid indigestion and reflux for better digestive comfort:

  • Mixing two teaspoonfuls of ghee in a glassful of milk and taking this once a day acts as a liner inside the gut and will heal all the destruction caused by the high flow of Pitta.
  • Chewing a few Tulsi (Basil) leaves after a meal. This not just works as an antacid as it helps the body absorb food but also prevents reflux and the formation of ulcers.
  • Take a glass of warm water, add a pinch of asafoetida(hing) and have it every morning to prevent acidity.
  • Almonds are good source for relieving the heartburn and acidity. Eat several almonds when heartburn symptoms persist. Works wonders.
  • Sucking a piece of Clove after meal helps in reducing acidity problem.

An Introduction to Ayurveda

Ayurveda is considered one of the world’s oldest healing sciences, originating in India at least 5,000 years ago. Its name is a Sanskrit word that literally translates as “the wisdom of life” or “the knowledge of longevity” (it is a compound of ãyus, meaning life or longevity, and Veda, meaning deep knowledge or wisdom). In accordance with this definition, Ayurveda views health as much more than the absence of disease.

Health, from an Ayurvedic perspective, is defined as a gracious, tranquil, content, joyous, bright, and clear state of the body, senses, mind, and spirit, including the balanced state of one’s natural constitution, all bodily tissues, the digestive capacities, and waste excretion. What a mouthful! Simply put, health is achieved when you are aligned with your own natural and unique state of balance.

How is Your Health Unique?

The key to Ayurvedic wellness and healing is the knowledge that health is not a “one size fits all” proposition. One must understand the unique nature of each person and situation, taking into account the individual, the season, the geography, and so on.

Each person has a constitution that is specific to him or her, and movement away from that constitution creates health imbalances; if such imbalances are not addressed, the disease may develop. So, the early signs of imbalance serve as a wakeup call to make gentle and natural shifts in behavior to return to balance—such as adjusting diet, modifying daily activities, and taking herbal remedies for a time.

To understand how imbalances occur, and what to do about them, we can look to the following fundamental concepts of Ayurveda.

The Five Elements That Transform Our Understanding of Health

Ayurveda arises from a tradition that describes the entire physical world—including man—in terms of five elements: space, air, fire, water, and earth. These five elements can most accurately be thought of as energetic patterns rather than as purely physical substances, and each has particular qualities. To help make sense of this, consider how these elements manifest in the natural world:

Earth is cold, heavy, solid, stable, and dry. This element is exemplified by dirt.
Water is cold, mobile, heavy, soft, and liquid. Think of the ocean.
Fire is hot, subtle, mobile, dry, and sharp. Its clearest manifestation in nature is the sun, which provides warmth to the earth and sky.
Space, as in the sky, is vast, cold, light, and clear. It enables all other things to have a place to take form and exist.
Air is dry, cold, rough, and full of motion. To understand these qualities, think of what it’s like to be whipped by an aggressive wind.

These five elements clearly manifest individually in the natural world. But even more profoundly, they all exist at all times in all things—including in the body—and each has its particular role to play.

Ayurvedic Remedies for Dandruff

Ayurveda, being a holistic medicine, is a useful natural remedy for dandruff treatment, the grey of hair, baldness and hair fall. Lots of ayurvedic herbs are available that can be used as ayurvedic medicines for dandruff treatments and remedies.

  • Scalp massage with sesame oil helps in removing dandruff. It is a good herbal remedy for dandruff.
  • Fenugreek seeds help in improving the condition thus a natural cure agent for dandruff.
  • Use of ash gourds seeds regularly is effective for dandruff management.
  • Apply a paste of neem leaves and wash it after 30 minutes to cure of dandruff. It is an effective natural remedy for dandruff.
  • Rosemary rejuvenates the scalp thereby stop dandruff.
  • Green gram powder is also useful for dandruff.
  • Ayurvedic medicines like Dudurpatradi Tailam, Gandhaka Rasayana, Brihat Haridra, Khand, etc. may be used after consultation from the doctor to cure dandruff.
  • Massage your head with Aloe Vera and leave for 10 minutes to have a good result for Dandruff.
  • For good hair and dandruff treatment, Alfalfa shows good result.
  • Alfalfa + Carrots + Lettuce control dandruff.
  • Apply a paste of methi seeds for a good result.
  • Application of Indian hemp reduces dandruff problems.
  • A mixture of Coconut oil + Camphor helps to check dandruff.
  • A mix of lemon juice + coconut oil to check the problem.
  • Mix a spoon of Caster oil, Mustard oil, and Coconut oil and apply it on your scalp
  • Rub the scalp with the mix of lime juice + pure vinegar followed by egg wash.
  • Massage the scalp with the pest of Tulsi leaves + Amla powder + Water. Left for 30 minutes and wash it slowly to ward off dandruff.
  • Egg Shampoo of 2-3 eggs is also quite effective to put off dandruff.
  • For a good result, apply the oil of Neelibringadhi or triphaladhi or kayyunyathi after the bath.

 

Home Remedies for Acne

Acne is a skin disease caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units(the unit consists of the hair shaft, the hair follicle, the sebaceous gland which makes sebum, and the erector pili muscle which causes hair to stand up when it contracts) of a person. It usually strikes during adolescence but rarely continues till adulthood. Commonly referred to as pimples, blemishes, spots, and zits, acne lesions generally occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and upper arms. It may range from being mild and moderate to a severe form. While an increase in sex hormones, during puberty, is the leading cause of acne, there are other factors as well that add to its occurrence.

Causes:-

  • Vitamin deficiency
  • Over-activity of sebaceous glands
  • Follicle fallout
  • Bacterial infection
  • Inflammation
  • Sluggish Liver
  • Alcohol
  • Hereditary factors
  • Taking too much stress
  • Misuse of drugs
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Glucose intolerance
  • Smoking
  • Essential fatty acid deficiency
  • Foods like pizza, chocolate, and fried items
  • Cosmetics that are pore-clogging
  • Pressure from helmets, chinstraps, collars, suspenders, etc
  • Exposure to industrial products, like cutting oils
  • Environmental irritants, such as polluted air and high humidity
  • Squeezing or picking at blemishes
  • Hard scrubbing of the skin
  • Change of hormonal levels in women, mainly before, during and after menses
  • Congested colon and constipation
  • Food allergies and food sensitivities, especially to milk
  • Medications that contain bromides, iodides or steroids
  • The contraceptive pill can improve acne for some, but worse for others, depending on the balance of estrogen and progesterone in the brand of the pill.

Symptoms:-

  • Greasy skin
  • Blackheads
  • Cysts
  • Scars
  • Nodules
  • Papules
  • Whiteheads
  • Red or yellow spots (pustules)
  • Deep, inflamed lesions
  • Pimples on the face and upper torso

Foods to Avoid:-

  • Alcohol
  • Butter
  • Cheese
  • Chips
  • Coffee
  • Cookies
  • Cream
  • Deep-fried food
  • Pasta
  • Pork
  • Processed grains
  • Red meat
  • Salami
  • Sausage
  • Soya sauce
  • Sugary and carbonated
  • Ham
  • Ice cream
  • Liver
  • Tea
  • Vinegar
  • White bread

Foods to Eat:-

  • Apricots fresh or dried
  • Avocado
  • Cantaloupe melon
  • Carrots
  • Cherries
  • Chicken
  • Egg
  • Flaxseed
  • Grapefruit
  • Green tea
  • Guava
  • Lean red meat
  • Mango
  • Multi-Grain Bread
  • Oatmeal
  • Oranges
  • Plantain
  • Pomegranate
  • Salmon
  • Skim or 1% milk
  • Walnut
  • Watermelon

Remedies:-

  • Mix equal quantities of glycerin rose water and lime juice and store it in a bottle. Massage with this liquid daily on all the exposed parts of the skin to get a glow in a very short time.
  • To get a glow on the skin, mix a little curd with radish juice and massage with this mixture daily.
  • To get soft and glowing skin, squeeze the juice of a whole lime in a bucketful of warm or cold water and then bathe with it.
  • To cure any kind of old skin diseases apply bitter gourd juice on the skin, let it dry for a few minutes and then take a bath.
  • To bring a glow, apply sesame seed oil daily.
  • To get a wrinkle-free skin, apply cucumber juice, let it dry and then wash it off.
  • To get a blemishes free skin, dry a few orange peels, make a powder and make a paste by mixing little rose water, apply this on the face, let it dry, and then wash it off with cold water.
  • In cases where there are cracks in legs and hands or even prickly heat, mix 1 portion of lemon juice with 3 parts of sesame oil or coconut oil and apply it to the affected parts.
  • To get a fairer and glowing skin, mix little water and ghee with gram flour and apply during the bath, instead of soap.
  • In cases of scars left over after burns, apply coconut oil regularly over the scars.
  • To cure many skin diseases like irritation, boils and scars mix 20-22 gms honey with cold water and drink it daily in empty stomach.
  • To get beautiful and glowing skin, mix water with which rice has been washed; with turmeric powder, apply just before bathing.
  • Apply malai (fresh cream) on the face half an hour before bathing, scrub it off with hands-on drying and then wash it off to get a beautiful and glowing skin.
  • To make skin soft, scrub raw potato peel over the skin.
  • To unclog the pores and to get glowing skin, scrub used the lime peel for a few minutes on the skin.
  • To get a fair and beautiful skin mix amla (Indian gooseberry) powder with turmeric powder and milk and apply it and wash it after drying. Repeat this process daily for a few months.
  • Boil 1 liter of water till it reduces to half, and then mix equal quantities of glycerin and lime juice, mix thoroughly and store it in a bottle. Wash your face with this liquid 2-3 times in a day. It keeps your skin cool in the summer and prevents it from drying in winter.