How to get instant relief from cough

Most of us know how disrupting, irritating and painful a cough can be. Especially if it prevents you sleeping at night or if your job involves a lot of speaking and the cough prevents you from doing it. While the reason for the onset of the cough and the process of a cough can be sometimes quite difficult to zero in on, but getting rid of it is usually number one on our list of things to do. In some cases, it may be necessary to take some cough suppressing medicines but often, simple substances in your kitchen along with OTC medication can help you find an almost instant relief from cough.

1. Gargles

As soon as you feel soreness in your throat, make it a point to gargle with salt dissolved in warm water. The salt in the water can help drain excess fluid from inflamed areas in the throat reducing the symptoms. According to the Mayo clinic book of home remedies, the gargling also removes irritants in the throat and thins the mucus.

2. Drink Warm Liquids

A cough is best not neglected (find out why). It can not only be extremly annoying but can also lead to several complications. Drinking warm water is a good way of soothing the inflammation in the throat*; but this does not have any taste and may be unappetizing for most people. A warm soup is a much better solution as is a glass of hot herbal tea.

3. Throat Lozenges

A study conducted at Wayne State University, in Detroit, showed that patients who took zinc lozenges every two to three waking hours cut the duration of a cold by almost half. The irritation caused by constant coughing can also be overcome by using throat lozenges. They are also known to prevent the progression of a sore throat to a cough. While some lozenges are medicated and contain ingredients such as dextromethorphan (a cough suppressant) or benzocaine (an anesthetic), others contain natural soothing ingredients such as honey, menthol, peppermint oil or eucalyptus oil. In many homes, it is also quite common to make small children suck on the red-colored variety of rock candy (Mishri in Hindi) to stop cough.

4. Use Vaporubs

According to a study at the Penn State College of Medicine, children above 2 years of age had symptomatic relief and could sleep better after applying vaporubs. While the exact reason how vaporubs work remains a mystery, the ingredients such as menthol, camphor and eucalyptus may have a role in relieving congestion. Read more about productive cough.

5. Sleep With the Head Elevated

In some persons, a productive cough results when mucus drips from the back of the nose into the throat. This tends to grow worse at night when the body posture is conducive for such dripping. Sleeping with the head at a higher position helps to reduce such drainage and many people find this position helps reduce coughing at night and improves sleep.

6. Turmeric Remedies

A traditional remedy that most people swear by is the use of hot milk with turmeric. According to a study**, it is shown to even have antibacterial properties. Read about the amazing health benefits of turmeric.

Heat a glass of milk, mix in half a teaspoon of turmeric powder and drink warm to find relief from cough. A turmeric gargle also gives good results. To one cup of hot water, add in half a teaspoon of turmeric powder and half a teaspoon table salt. Use this liquid as a throat gargle and you are sure to experience relief from cough.

For a dry cough, turmeric powder mixed with a teaspoon of honey taken three to four times a day is effective.  You could also try preparing turmeric tea by adding one tablespoon of turmeric powder into 4 cups of boiling water. Keep for a few minutes, strain and mix in some lemon and honey to the liquid and drink. Read more about why you have a dry cough and how you can recognise its symptoms.

According to Dr. Soumya Bhat, Ayurvedic doctor, inhaling the smoke of burning turmeric (dhooma paan) is also considered to be an effective remedy for cough and cold. Take a dried turmeric root, burn it and inhale the smoke. Another way out is to place a few pieces of red hot charcoal in a small mud pot that has been placed on a cup of water. Add a few dried leaves of turmeric over the charcoal and a spoonful of turmeric powder over the leaves. Gently blow to ignite the turmeric powder and inhale the smoke emitted.

7. Honey Remedies

Since ages, honey has been known to soothe the irritated throat linings and reduce cough. A study conducted at the Penn State School of Medicine on children above the age of 2 years showed that honey helped them cough less and sleep better.

There are different ways of using honey besides the one mentioned in combination with turmeric. A dry cough responds to a mixture of honey with juice from grapes. A glass of hot milk with some honey added just before going to bed is effective at relieving night time cough. Mix in honey and lemon juice to a glass of warm water and drink this three times per day for relief from cough. People suffering from diabetes can have honey too. Here is why. 

If you have a particularly nasty cough, try this remedy. Take about 3 tablespoons of flaxseeds in 1 cup of water and boil. When the water starts thickening, strain the liquid and mix in 3 tablespoons each of lemon juice and honey. Swallow about 1 tablespoon of this mixture when you experience a severe coughing fit. Honey also works well in combination with betel leaf (paan). Grind a few washed betel leaves and extract the juice; add 1 teaspoon of honey to 2 teaspoons of this juice, mix and consume about half an hour after meals. Repeat for about 5 days to find relief from cough.*** 

8. Ginger Remedies

Ginger has a number of amazing benefits, it is also great to treat a cough. For a dry cough, one of the easiest ways of finding relief is to cut a piece of fresh ginger, sprinkle some salt on it and chew on it for a few minutes. However, not everyone likes the strongly aromatic taste of ginger and in such cases, a tea made with ginger is equally good. Chop ginger into fine pieces, add into a vessel containing one cup of water. Keep boiling the liquid till the volume reduces to half the original quantity. Strain the liquid, add one teaspoon of honey and drink when warm to give a soothing effect against cough. How does it work? Dr Eccles, Director of Common Cold Centre at the Cardiff University, told netdoctor.co.uk that ginger seems to work by ‘promoting salivation and mucus secretion and will help relieve cough symptoms’.

Ginger in combination with tulsi is also an effective remedy for cough. Crush about 10 leaves of tulsi, mix with juice extracted from a small ginger piece. Add in an equal quantity of honey and mix; swallow about a single teaspoon of this about thrice a day to get relief from cough.

People who don’t mind the strong spicy flavour of pepper can also add in some black pepper powder and turmeric into a mixture of ginger juice with honey. When this paste is slowly licked for 10 to 15 minutes thrice a day, it helps reduce congestion in the throat and reduces cough. A simple ginger tea is easy to prepare by boiling ginger with water; then add tea leaves or tea powder, drop in some tulsi leaves and pepper powder, strain and drink for relief from cough.

9. Garlic Remedies

Garlic is an effective antimicrobial and expectorant and this makes it a valuable agent to fight cough. The University of Maryland Medical Center cites one study that suggested that garlic might help prevent colds and lessen their symptoms. People who took a garlic supplement for 12 weeks caught 63 percent fewer colds than people who took a placebo.

Lightly crush about 5 cloves of peeled garlic and sauté in a teaspoon of ghee; consume when still warm for relief from cough and cold. Include crushed garlic sautéed in ghee in other dishes where possible. Do this with rasam, and you have a medicinal soup that soothes your throat and also helps liquefy the thick mucus, making it easier to cough out the phlegm.

10. Jaggery Remedies to Get Rid of Sputum

Sputum buildup can lead to a feeling of congestion in the chest and the entire respiratory tract; expelling this sputum therefore provides relief from cough and congestion. Dr. Soumya Bhat, Ayurvedic doctor, recommends the following remedies for such relief. Make a decoction by boiling a few corns of pepper with water for about 20 minutes; mix in a little cumin and jaggery and drink. Cut a quarter part of an onion, keep a small bit of jaggery in the middle of it and chew on this for expelling sputum.

11. Over the Counter Medications

Relief from cough is even faster if you use over the counter (OTC) cough medications along with home remedies. Besides medicated lozenges, you could also try cough suppressants that contain ingredients like dextromethorphan. These are particularly useful if you have a hacking or dry cough. If you have productive cough, an OTC product with ingredients that have expectorant properties can help to clear out the mucus in the airways. Often, OTC products of both types – suppressants as well as expectorants – contain an antihistamine and this can help you sleep better at night.

Coughs are of different types, so are their solutions. Using home remedies or OTC products can help provide relief from cough. However, it is equally important to remember that if you find the cough persisting for an extended period of time, it is best to see a doctor to identify if there is any underlying serious problem that is causing the cough. 

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5 Natural tips to prevent hair loss

 

It's better to use natural products to stop hairfall than to go in for expensive parlour treatments, that may not help the problem.

Try the following easy tips at home and see how effective they are in reducing hair loss!

1. Hot oil treatments: Take any natural oil - olive, coconut, canola - and heat it up so that it is warm, but not too hot. Massage it gently into your scalp. Put on a shower cap and leave it on for an hour, then shampoo your hair.

2. Natural juices: You can rub your scalp with either garlic juice, onion juice or ginger juice. Leave it on overnight and wash it thoroughly in the morning.

3. Get a head massage: Massaging your scalp for a few minutes daily will help stimulate circulation. Good circulation in the scalp keeps hair follicles active. Circulation may be improved through massage by using a few drops of lavender or bay essential oil in an almond or sesame oil base.

4. Antioxidants: Apply warm green tea (two bags brewed in one cup of water) on your scalp and leave this mixture on for an hour and then rinse. Green tea contains antioxidants which prevent hair loss and boost hair growth.

5. Practice meditation: Believe it or not, most of the times, the root cause for hair loss is stress and tension. Meditation can help in reducing that and restore hormonal balance.

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Home Remedies To Regrow Eyebrow Hair

Eyebrows if perfectly shaped can enhance the look of your face. You may often notice that when you thread your eyebrows, it looks neater and face looks brighter. This is because this line of delicate hair above the eyes gives an elaborate shape to your features. Have you ever imagined your face without eyebrows? It looks funny and alien.

Which shape of eyebrows suits which type of fe is also an interesting topic to research about. The most common shapes of faces are round, oval and long. Round faces look beautiful with high arched eyebrows. Women with oval shaped faces can choose very soft arched eyebrows, do not have sharp arch as it may make your face too long and broad. Long faces are advised to keep flat very negligible arch eyebrows. High arched on long face tends to add more length to the face which makes it look ugly. However, for some reason people lose their eyebrows or have very less growth. There can several internal and external factors that lead to loss of hair in eyebrows.

Causes of loss of eyebrow hair

Alopecia Areata

This is an autoimmune disease found very rare in people, which leads to unexplainable loss of hair in the eyebrow region. Scientists have still not be able to explain as to why this particular type of illness is found in very few people where the body reacts to the hair follicles as bacteria and tries to kill them in order to protect itself. It is an automatic reaction from the internal system to fight the hair follicles causing hair loss. The re-growing is very slow and sometimes impossible. One positive side of Alopecia Areata is that the new cells re-grow with new hair.

Lack of Iodine

Sometimes, shortage of iodine in the body leads to hair loss of the eyebrows. Iodine helps the growth of hair therefore lack of it can lead to losing of hair.

Accident

This is the most common reason why people have very thin or no hair in the eyebrows. Meeting with an accident for example in a car accident can lead to several injuries, internal and external. The external injuries could be like bruises, cuts in the eyebrows that lead to loss of hair. The mark that left behind sees no growth of hair. Fire accidents also cause wounds and burn marks sometimes in the eyebrows that cause hair loss.

Dietary imbalance

It is essential for everyone to have a healthy and nutritious diet aiding in the body’s development and re-growth. Many vital vitamins, minerals and proteins help in maintaining healthy visible parts of body such as radiant skin and long healthy hair. Failing to follow a nutritious diet can lead to hair loss.

Hormone imbalance

Women especially going through menopause, goes through various hormonal changes can lead to hair loss in the eyebrows. Over stress also releases chemicals that are harmful for the body and never know which can trigger dangerous effects like hair loss.

Thyroid or cancer

Life threatening disease can cause loss of hair especially in cancer patients who undergo strong chemotherapies causing hair loss in the head, eyelashes and eyebrows. Thyroid patients can also have adverse effects.

Over plucking of eyebrows

A simple reason for thinning of eyebrow hair is getting your eyebrows done way too much. Plucking the hair follicles too often can stop the growth of hair.

Hereditary

Sometimes people lose eyebrow hair due to hereditary. In this case, it becomes impossible to get back hair lost hair; however one can try cosmetic remedies like permanent tattooing on the eyebrows, or use an eye pencil to draw eyebrows.

Home remedies to re-grow eyebrow hair

Eyebrows are a vital part of the face and losing hair there might become embarrassing for the person. However there are various home remedies that one can follow on a daily basis for growing the eyebrow hair. Please not that the process can be slow therefore one need to patient for the remedy to work. Home remedies for eyebrow growth are:

Castor oil

Castor oil, an ayurvedic remedy, is the most trusted formula in growing hair. Rub oil on both the eyebrows gently for two minutes and leave it for thirty minutes. Wash it with warm water. This remedy if followed once in a day for about two months will show positive signs. You can also use olive oil instead of castor oil which equally effective in re-growth of eyebrow hair. Simply massage the eyebrows with oil and leave it sometime. Wash it with warm water.

Milk

Milk is very effective for growing eyebrow hair. Take milk in a small bowl. Immerse small ball of cotton in the milk for considerable time so that it soaks properly. Now dab gently on your right eyebrow for a minute. Repeat the same process for your left eyebrow. Leave the milk to dry or for 10 minutes. Wash your face with warm water. This, if done everyday shows great result.

Coconut oil with lemon peel

Infuse lemon peel with 1/4th coconut oil and leave it for ten to fourteen days. Infusing it just helps both ingredients to mix well and become a magic mixture to grow the hair of the eyebrows. To use it, dab small amount of the mixture on the eyebrows, preferably just before going to bed leaving it all night and wash it next morning. Do it everyday for best results.

Rogaine

Rogaine, also called the wonder drug because of its ability to re-grow hair, can be rubbed gently stimulating the hair follicles that helps in growing eyebrow hair. Use a toothbrush to stimulate hair follicles. It is easy and the most simple everyday home remedy.

Eyebrow Stimulators

Many reputed medical companies boast eyebrow stimulator products that guarantee in hair growth. You may try one of those and see if it really works for you or not. Good if it does and discontinue if it has any side effects on you such as irritation or burning.

Hope the above home remedies for eyebrow re-growth works well for you. Good luck!

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Homemade Treatments For Blackheads

Blackheads are one of the common skin problems that most of us face nowadays. These black dots on the skin kill the beauty and attractiveness of a person. The dots can also be yellow in color and is like a bump on the skin.

Blackheads are actually accumulation of oil and dead skin cells in the open pores that tend to make the skin dull and ugly. The black head is due to the oxidation of the oil with the air. The common body areas where we can find the formation of blackheads include nose, chest, back, forehead and neck.

However, the good news here is that there are certain natural remedies and homemade treatments that can help you get rid of blackheads temporarily as well as permanently in many cases.

Some of the common causes for the occurrence of blackheads include-

Causes for blackheads

Oily or combination skin tone

As we all know, blackheads are a result of the clogging of pores with excessive oil and dead skin cells. Therefore, it is quite natural that people with oily or combination skin tone are more prone to formation of blackheads and whiteheads.

Stimulation of oil glands

Another reason for the birth of blackheads is excessive secretion of oil from the oil glands. This can be possible due to a lot of factors like heredity, menstruation, puberty, forms of allergies, stress and tension as well as certain kinds of medication and steroids.

Unacceptable hygiene

It is very essential to keep the skin clean and toned. However, improper maintenance of the skin and below average hygiene can lead to blackheads and whiteheads as well as other skin problems.

Malfunctioning of the immune system or the digestive system

It is very significant to keep the body clean and detoxified not only from outside but also from inside. Malfunctioning of the immune system or the digestive system can very well lead to occurrence of blackheads on the skin.

Here are some of the simple ways by which you can make your life easier. These home remedies will help you in getting rid of the blackheads and also avoid its occurrence in the future-

Lemon juice and cinnamon solution

Mix few drops of fresh lemon juice to a pinch of cinnamon powder. Now apply this solution on the affected areas for a few minutes. Rinse the solution with warm water to see removal of the blackheads as well as dead skin cells. Follow the procedure at least once every week for satisfying outcomes.

Radish paste

Make a paste of radish adding some water. Use this paste for blackhead removal.

Orange peel paste

Make a smooth paste of dry orange peel with some water. This solution is great for blackhead and white head removal.

Mint and turmeric combo

Take out fresh mint juice and mix in some turmeric powder to it. Application of this combo to the blackheads for 30 minutes can work really wonders for the skin.

Toothpaste as a remedy

To remove the blackheads and whiteheads easily apply toothpaste on the areas before going off to sleep at night. It’ll come out effortlessly the next day.

Banana mask

Make a smooth batter of banana, honey, lemon juice and salt. Apply this homemade mask on face for almost 30 minutes and wash off. This will work really well on the blackheads.

Fenugreek paste
Freshly made fenugreek paste if applied on the blackheads for 15-20 minutes can work effectively.

Tea tree oil or face wash

Tea tree oil on tea tree face cleansers work awesomely well when it comes to blackheads. Use it regularly to get the best results.

Neem leaves and turmeric blend

Make a paste of neem leaves and turmeric and massage the blackhead areas at least once or twice every week.

Pure lemon juice

Wipe the skin with pure lemon juice approximately 2-3 times a day to leave it glowing, soft and free from skin troubles like blackheads.

Basil leaves tea

Make tea adding dried basil leaves and wipe off blackheads with this liquid to get rid of blackheads.

Grated potatoes

Potatoes can work miracles where blackhead troubles are concerned! Grate it or slice it, out it on the blackheads until they are completely dry and change color to deep brown. Remove and clean face with water.

Delicious orange yoghurt pack

Mix well orange peel powder with a cup of yoghurt and apply a thick coat on the blackhead areas. Keep for as long as possible, after which you can clean your face with a mild face wash.

Raw garlic

The remedy of using garlic can make you smell bad but then the results will definitely be worth it. Use garlic to rub blackheads to get some relief from the trouble.

Drumstick and lime mask

Ground well some drumstick pods and add lime juice to it. One of the most famous and effective home remedy for blackheads, this pack will give you what you truly desire.

Glycerin soap and salt

Use some salt while applying glycerin soap when taking a bath. This will help in removal of blackheads as well as white heads.

Honey and cinnamon

Mix in 3 portions of honey with one portion of cinnamon. Massage this on the face just before going off to sleep every night. Repeat the procedure for 3-4 weeks for permanent blackhead removal.

Egg white

Application of egg white to the troublesome skin for 40 minutes can also give you a reason to be happy when it comes to blackheads.

Advantage of groundnut oil

To groundnut oil add a teaspoon of lime juice. This will help in prevention of blackheads on the skin.

Process of steaming

The process of steaming with hot water will help in opening up the blocked pores and make it easy to remove the blackheads from the skin.

Almond and rose water pack

An effortless way of making a homemade pack for blackheads is by combining almond powder with rose water.

Along with all these effectual treatments make sure you maintain a healthy eating habit and consume at least 8-10 glasses of water daily to keep the skin in good condition.

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Home Remedies To Treat Insomnia

Insomnia is a disorder of sleeplessness. Many people go through sleepless nights for varied reasons like depression, financial crisis, metal trauma and depression. Getting a peaceful sleep at night is the most basic luxury (luxury for insomniacs) one can get. A sound sleep leads to have fresh morning followed by the grind at home and work stress. When this cycle of sleeping, working and sleep again is broken with sleeplessness, work and sleepless nights it leads to a mental and physical bad health.

Imagine how we feel when we cannot sleep because of cough and cold? Isn’t it bad? You curse that cold glass of water you drank after you came home from the hot sun outside. For insomniacs, it is a daily curse to problems that keep them away from getting sound sleep. They have tough time coping up with life, work and daily activities. Imagine someone waking you up from sleep? Don’t you feel like killing that person? Insomniacs cannot even do that, because more than a person troubling them, it is the mental or an internal condition in the body that leads them to such a sorry state. However, there are home remedies that could help in treating insomnia such as:

Check your mattress

Many a times, you cannot sleep comfortably because of the mattress. Some people prefer soft and some hard mattress. When you don’t feel cozy in your bed, you can never get a sound sleep. In that case, change your mattress for a while. Figure out if that’s the reason why could not sleep. A peaceful sleep comes when the room is dark, quiet and cozy. It is preferable not to use your room for any other activities like eating or playing but to sleep and physical intimacy with your spouse. Too much happening in the room fills the air with vibrations for example if you argue or fight always, it disturbs the harmony and hence negative vibrations do not let you sleep.

Cut down on coffee, tea and alcohol

Any form of caffeine intake hampers sleep. Didn’t you drink coffee at night to stay awake and study? Why do you think you were able to stay up late and finish your syllabus? It is because caffeine in coffee stimulates your brain making you feel fresh that’s why people start their mornings with a cup of tea or coffee. Therefore cut down or stop having coffee and tea till you get your sleep back. Similarly alcohol makes you feel tipsy often putting you to sleep. What about a bad headache in the morning? Feeling nausea and stomach ache after a bad hangover leading to a sleepless night following it ha always been experienced by many of us. Avoid drinking alcohol to gauge if that’s the reason you don’t get sleep.

Stick to your schedule

To avoid sleepless night, it is very important to follow your sleeping schedule every day. Wake up at your normal time to get sleep by the time its night. Getting up late in the morning fulfils the need of your body to sleep; hence you don’t feel sleepy at night. Avoid sleeping during the day. It is one of the most common factors why people do not sleep at night. Short naps trouble a peaceful long sleep at night. You come back late from a party, try to get up on the usual time. This allows the body to demand for sleep on the usual sleeping time.

Bed time Habit

How fascinating was to hear stories by your mother while you try to sleep or when a child falling asleep after a quick bath? Many people fall asleep while reading a book. Develop such habits to make you sleep in peace. A nice relaxing shower before bed time can help you to have a relaxing sleep as well. How about reading your favorite novel before bedtime? Some people sleep while listening to soothing instrumental music. You can also dip your feet in hot water mixed with salt to give feet a relaxed warm water massage making you comfortable and easy when asleep.

Sugar rush

Many researches have proven sugar to be an effective sedative that enables you to sleep. Perfect for people who have a sweet tooth, eat sugar or in the form of cookies or sweets half an hour before your bedtime and you are ready for a nice sweet dreams. Honey also has a similar affect like sugar. However sugar may not be a good idea for calorie conscious people, you may try artificial sweetener in a de caffeinated herbal tea or mix honey in Luke warm milk. It works wonders.

Bedtime snack

If a snack before bedtime does the trick then why not munch on rich in carbohydrate food items like toast or a cookie that secretes chemicals easing the brain and ordering it to sleep. A glass of warm milk mentioned above works well with many people. Some people choose to drink green tea or flavored tea like rose or jasmine that soothes the nerves making the body and mind relaxed and sleepy.

Deficiency of serotonin

Our brain works 24/7 secreting thousands of chemicals every second. One such chemical is serotonin which is responsible of causing sleep. When secreted in the required quantity, it makes a person happy. When a person is free from worries, he/she tends to sleep well at night. Low levels of serotonin can cause insomnia. One may take 5HTP supplements to enhance its secretion, thus treating insomnia.

Melatonin deficiency

Ever noticed why older people get up early in the morning or have less sleeping hours? It is because of Melatonin. Its a hormone that keeps a tab on the biological changes that take place in the body with age and time. As one grow older, you make little melatonin hence very few hours of sleep. On the other hand taking melatonin supplements can increase the level of the hormone that can help you sleep.

Valerin, an herb

It is believed that Valerin, a plant found all over Europe, has a calming effect in the body. Every part of Valerin consists of chemicals that act as a stimulant for the body to put to sleep. It is a common practice to use the roots of the plant to treat insomnia, anxiety and hypertension.

Make a Diary

Every Human body reacts to different treatments differently. Some people might be cured using the home remedies above whereas others may have to try other methods like consulting a doctor or taking sleeping pills. Home remedies do not work instantly. Therefore following for good amount of days will help you conclude whether the remedy is working for you or no. make a diary, list down things that helps you sleep as well as things that don’t. It will give a better understanding of the nature of sleep. Try out home remedies before you switch to a doctor. Sleep Well!

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7 Easy Tips To Treat Bed Sores

Bed sores are also called pressure sores, decubitus and skin ulcers. They are characterized by cuts, inflammation and sores as a result of extended pressure on a specific part of the body but is more common in areas with protruding bones. 

Bed sores are commonly seen in bed ridden patients or in people who are handicapped and disabled. Such people are unable to frequently change their position on bed and applied pressure of their weight on some parts of the body results in formation of bed sores. Hence it is important that they be turned in bed frequently to reduce the chances of occurrence of bed sores.

Bed sores are a serious medical condition because severe case of bed sores can cut of blood circulation to body parts and this can be life threatening. Early detection of bed sores is important because it is easier to treat them at the initial stage when they are still small. As the sores begin to grow larger and deeper only plastic surgery can help.

Body parts that are more likely to be affected with bed sores are skin on the buttocks, heels and the hips (especially the bony part of the hips). In people who are bed ridden the sores usually occur in shoulders, knees, head, spine and ankles.

Symptoms of Bed Sores

Medically, bed sores have been categorized into four stages and there are different symptoms for each stage.

Stage 1: During this stage the skin doesn’t break down though it begins to grow dark in color especially in people who are light skinned. In case of people with dark skin color the area where pressure is applied turns dark blue or purple in color. The skin also becomes tender and sensitive to touch and the darkened area tends to be painful.

Stage 2: The skin now breaks down into ulcers that look like open wounds. The wounds are pink in color though not very deep. The underlying skin layer, dermis and epidermis become damaged as a result liquid-filled blisters form on the surface of the skin.

Stage 3: The ulcerated skin now develops deep wound like sores. The skin becomes damaged and in severe cases the layer of adipose tissue is also exposed. There is formation of large, crater-like sores on the skin. The sores begin to spread to other healthy parts of the skin as well.

Stage 4: The body loses major part of the skin tissue where the bed sores first appeared. The underlying dead skin tissues turn scaly, crusty and dark especially at the place of the wound. Bones, muscles and tendons are clearly visible through the wounds.

Remedies for Bed Sores

Prevention is better than cure holds specifically true in case of bed sores. They are easier to prevent than be treated. But this does not mean that bed sores aren’t easy to treat or that they cannot be treated at all. It also doesn’t mean that bed sores can be avoided completely.

Bed sores can be treated in a lot of different ways and it is up to the patient to decide which method suits him best. There are plenty of home remedies as well to treat bed sores along with medical procedures. We have prepared a list of some easy and effective home remedies to prevent and treat bed sores.

1. Clean the Ulcer: An ulcer which gathers dust and grime without being cleaned is more at risk of developing infection and inflammation. The best method of cleaning a wound or an ulcer is using a medicated soap and clean water. If the wound has opened then use saline solution or salt water to clean the wound gently. Washing the wound at least three times in a day will reduce the chances of occurrence of infection.

2. Dress the Wound: The healing of the wound can be fastened by preventing it from becoming dry and covering it properly. A dressing done appropriately will save the wound from various infections and will prevent the wound from spreading further. Your doctor will be best able to advise you on the kind of dressing that your wound will require. There are a variety of options available; medical gauzes, gel foams, medicated bandages and films. Sometimes the doctor might ask you to use two or more types of dressings to treat the bed sores.

3. Exercising the body: Check with your doctor or nurse for the best exercises that will help prevent the formation of ulcers. Exercising might be a difficult task for people who are bed ridden or for those with physical disabilities but some form of exercising is important to keep bed sores away. There are plenty of exercise programs that are prepared keeping in mind the physical capabilities of a person.

4. Protecting the Skin: This is especially important of you wish to prevent the formation of bed sores. In order to fasten the healing process of the ulcers simply use a foam padding or gel padding especially on the bony parts of the body. The padding should be placed underneath the bony parts when lying on a bed or sitting on a chair.

5. Use herbs for treating the sores: Crushed herbs like witch hazel, turmeric root, myrrh, goldenseal and comfrey are very beneficial and effective in treating open wounds. They can be applied directly on the wounds or ulcers to expedite the process of healing.

6. Practice Healthy Habits: Quit smoking of you already haven’t given up on this unhealthy habit. When nicotine enters the blood it prevents proper circulation of blood, oxygen and essential nutrients to the skin. As a result, the skin becomes prone to developing bed sores.

7. Eat a healthy diet: A healthy diet which comprises of green vegetables, fresh seasonal fruits, milk, whole grains, eggs, fish, liver, fiber and carbohydrates is very important to keep the body and skin healthy. If you are a bed ridden patient then it becomes all the more important that you eat well-balanced meals. Include plenty of Vitamin C rich foods in your diet of you develop bed sores. Vitamin C is known to heal the wounds faster.

Photo Credit: Geninv.net

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Home Remedy For Hyperhidrosis

So let’s face it! Many of us have had situations where we had to wring our nose so tightly and pucker our faces to make a colleague or a roommate understand about that offensive odour that emanates from their body… Try as you might they go on and on with their body odours making lives around them difficult. Have you realised that probably you too could have it and all without your knowledge? Yes, unfortunately many who have body odour do not understand it unless someone mentions it point blank.

Have you had circumstances where body odour kills you and have had times when others’ body odour kills you? Here are some ways to bust hyperhydrosis and help others remove it too.

Take a shower or bathe twice a day

Ensure that you take bath twice daily to keep away from bacteria getting accumulated in your body. While taking bath you can use a few drops of lemon in the water to keep you smelling fresh all day. Adding rose water or tea tree oil will have the same effect. All these are natural deodorisers and help you stay fresh throughout the day. While you take bath, ensure that you scrub clean your armpits, neck, genital areas and face thoroughly as these are the areas that sweat more. During the colder months when you sweat less or at all, taking bath once is sufficient.  Sweat is the main cause of body odour and hence washing off sweat from your body every day will ensure that bacteria do not get a medium for multiplication.

Watch your diet

What you eat has a direct influence to your body odour. Spicy food, junk food, canned food, fried food, all have a direct influence on how you smell. Bad and unhealthy food will affect your digestion and you will start emanating the smell of the bad digestion process within the body. Avoid junk, spicy and processed food to keep away from hyperhidrosis.

Change clothes/ undergarments everyday

At least some of you might have the repulsive habit of using your clothes and undergarments several days before you send them for washing. It’s little wonder that you smell like a fish. Changing clothes every day, at least undergarments every day will ensure that bacteria do not get accumulated, creating unpleasant odour.

Use cotton clothes

If you are susceptible to excessive sweating, stick to cotton clothes that can absorb sweat and keep your skin dry. Clothes and under garments made of nylon and other synthetic materials will not only increase heat and sweat, but also prevent air circulation making way for moisture retention and bacterial action causing more body odour.  Stick to good absorbent materials at least during the summer months when you sweat more. You should also be careful while choosing the colours for your clothes. Avoid dark colours that can absorb heat to prevent more sweating. Stick to the lighter shades.

Wash your clothes thoroughly

Many people who have hyperhydrosis fail to wash their clothes properly, leaving half of the sweat and smell behind. When you wear these clothes and sweat again, you will have more body odour to deal with. Make sure that the clothes are washed properly with detergents that can remove the smell and sweat completely. One must especially take care to wash the areas of the clothes like the underarms, collars, and the crotch of your pants properly to remove the smell of sweat.

Flush your system, drink water

Drinking water helps to flush out the toxins in your body that could be causing body odour. Make sure that you drink at least eight litres of water every day and more during the summer months in order to combat the loss of water through sweat. Drinking water will make sure that you remove the toxins out through urine and not through your sweat. Wheat grass which is rich is chlorophyll can also be consumed with water. Lemon, tomatoes and vinegar too can reduce body odour and should be taken in large quantities to reduce body odour.

Avoid deodorants, soaps and perfumes

This may seem a strange suggestion. But if you are the kind to sweat excessively and you have body odour that you are trying to mask through the use of deodorants, you could be killing others with even more pungent smells. Deodorants react with your sweat and make way for more strong smelling odours that could be more offensive than you think. If you sweat excessively, use antiperspirants which will reduce sweat and prevent body odour. Make sure that you do a patch test before using them. They could cause allergies. Soaps too can cause more smell if you have body odour. Avoid using strong smelling soaps in areas where it sweat more and see the difference…

Smoking and Alcohol

People who smoke and drink have a distinctive odour around them, be it in their mouth or in their sweat and even clothes. As alcohol is acidic, it can increase body odour. Avoid smoking and drinking to keep fresh smelling and also to make sure that you stay healthy and hearty.

Wearing others’ clothes

When you wear other’ clothes, you will have the body odour of those people stuck on your body too when you sweat. We never know whether a person is washing his/her clothes properly. Wearing others’ clothes must be avoided due to hygienic reasons and also due to the fact that many skin diseases can be transferred through the clothes and sweat.

Treat disorders

Excessive sweating may not be due to the heat and summer season. It can be due to problems in your body that requires treatment and medication. For example people who have thyroid disorders can sweat excessively due faulty metabolism. Hormone changes in the body too can increase sweating. Diabetes, preponderance, inflammations etc. are a few causes due to which you can sweat excessively and fall prey to body odour. It is important to treat these problems rather than trying to stop sweating through the use of antiperspirants and deodorants. Consult your doctor if you cannot stop sweating even after employing the many techniques mentioned above.

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Home Treatments For Stretch Marks

Striae gravidarum a.k.a. Stretch marks are one of the most common problems people face. Especially found in women, these are fine lines or cracks generally found in the body areas of stomach, arms, hips and thighs. Also researches show that in some part of their lives, women tend to suffer from the issue of stretch marks. These reddish lines that turns white after a period of time looks ugly and unattractive. The saddest part here is that once stretch marks are formed on the body it stays perpetually.

Some of the common causes of stretch marks include

Fluctuation in body weight

Sudden weight loss or weight gain, both can be the reasons for body stretch marks.

Pregnancy

One of the most prevalent causes of stretch marks in women is pregnancy. The stretch of skin during this period will definitely lead to this problem.

Puberty period in adolescents

Puberty in teens is a period of change and can lead to stretch marks in lots of cases. It is generally a result of hormonal changes.

Improper diet

Lack of nutrients and unhealthy diet can lead to the origin of stretch marks. Also detrimental eating habits and junk food can be one of the roots of this problem.

Medications

There are some forms of medicines that tend to leave back stretch marks as a side effect. Steroids are one of them. Contraception intake can also be one of the reasons for stretch marks in women.

Body building

Those who are fanatic about developing good muscles and body building should know that it can cause stretch marks in specific areas.

A problem with stretch marks is that it covers a large area of the skin making it highly visible. However, it is not possible to hide the stretch marks with any form of makeup not even through concealers. Don’t be depressed. Here is the solution to lighten stretch marks in the most effective way. Consistent use of the following home remedies will definitely help you a long way in fading them away.

Home Remedies

Lavender oil massage

Photo Credit: Everything-lavender.com

Use lavender oil to massage the affected areas to lighten the stretch marks considerably. Follow this routine at least thrice a day for best results.

Cocoa butter therapy

Applying cocoa butter to the stretch marks will work wonders. Do this for at least a month everyday for maximum benefit. The butter should be applied every night before going off to sleep. It can be used even during pregnancy.

Melted beeswax

Heat beeswax to a melted form and store this mixture in an air tight container. Use this mixture daily on the stretch mark areas. This cream can really prove beneficial.

Cod liver oil as a good medication

Massage the areas of hips, thighs and arms daily with cod liver oil to weaken the stretch marks on your body.

Miracles of Aloe Vera gel

Aloe Vera gel is a good lubricant where lightening stretch marks are concerned. Use this gel every day for successful results.

Cocoa butter and assorted oils pack

Make a smooth blend of approximately ½ cup cocoa butter, 2 tablespoon of beeswax, 1 tablespoon wheat germ oil, 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil and 1 teaspoon of apricot kernel oil. Store this in a container and use it daily to massage the stretch marks. You will definitely be satisfied with the results it gives.

Apricot scrub

To get perfect results in a short span of time, scrub the stretch mark area with apricot scrub on a daily basis.

Include nuts and seeds in your daily diet

Have good amounts of nuts and seeds with your meals everyday to get rid of those dull and dreadful stretch marks.

Aromatic oils

To reduce the risks of stretch marks, especially during pregnancy make sure you get a body massage from aroma oils almost daily.

Avocado and essential oil recipe

Mix avocado oil with one of your favorites essential oils and rub this to the affected body parts. This will help you overcome the issue of stretch marks. Avocado oil can be replaced by sweet almond oil or jojoba oil as per convenience.

Margosa treatment

Application of freshly grinded margosa paste to stretch marks can do wonders where stretch marks are concerned.

Basil leaves as a remedy

Basil leaves is another natural product that will weaken the color and visibility of stretch marks. Use a paste of basil leaves daily for satisfying effects.

Sandalwood paste

Sandalwood (chandan) is supposed to have cooling properties. To avoid getting stretch marks, specifically during the pregnancy phase, apply it on the hip, thigh and arm regions.

Indian madder

One of the best products to lighten the stretch marks is Indian madder (manjishtha).

Along with these home packs and blends follow some routine exercises mentioned below to avoid stretch marks to a great extent. These sessions will help you tighten the skin and prevent stretch marks. For the best outcome pursue these 3 times a week and approximately 20 lifts per session.

Simple Exercises for different body parts

For the thigh region

Sit straight on a chair with both the hands on the sides and holding the chair with a firm grip. Swing the leg up and down at least 20 times to extract maximum benefit.

For the hip area

Photo Credit: Healthspablog.org

Lie straight on your back. Relax the body and slowly lift one of the legs in a way that it creates a 90 degree. To see whether it is going right, you can feel the pull in the buttock region. The exercise should strain the hip area. The same process should be repeated with the other leg at least 20 times each. Add on to the speed in every push up.

For the stomach

Abdominal crunches work great when it comes to preventing stretch marks in the stomach. Lie on your back and relax your muscles. Keeping the feet flat on the ground, bend the knees. Slowly lift the upper body part from the floor. There should be a good amount of strain on the abs and stomach for a perfect exercise session.

You will be pleasantly shocked to see how effectively these home remedies and exercises help you to get freedom from the problem of stretch marks.

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Home Remedies For Sore Tooth

Just like our overall health, dental health too is very important for us. But most people usually neglect their dental health and avoid taking proper care of their teeth and gums until they are affected adversely by dental problems. A sore tooth is a common dental problem that afflicts people, who have been neglecting their dental health in the past. A sore tooth can cause severe pain, especially while you are eating your meal.

Causes of Sore Tooth

Sore tooth can be the result of inadequate chewing of foods, or not cleaning teeth and gums properly. If you consume junk foods, soft drinks and foods that are high in sugar then also you can get a sore tooth. Once you develop sore teeth, you can have a lot of trouble and sufferings. You need to find some remedies to get rid of this problem as soon as possible.Given below are some home remedies for a sore tooth.

Home remedies for a sore tooth

Asafoetida

If you are suffering from sore tooth pain then asafoetida can give you quick relief. This is a good home remedy that can be used easily. You just have to add a pinch of asafetida into lime juice and apply this mixture on your sore tooth with the help of a cotton swab. It will provide you quick relief from pain.

Clove

Clove can be used as another home remedy for a sore tooth. It has exceptional healing power and hence if you suffer from tooth pain then placing a clove in your mouth, near the sore tooth can give you immediate relief from tooth pain. Clove is used as an important ingredient in most of the toothpastes, particularly the herbal ones due to its healing properties. You can also apply clove oil on your sore tooth to get instant relief from sore tooth.

Gargling

You may be surprised to note that you can also get relief from a sore tooth by gargling with salt water. Yes, salt water contains osmosis properties and thus kills the harmful bacteria in your mouth by dehydrating them. Your sore tooth and gums get the soothing feeling when the harmful bacteria get eliminated. Gargling with salt water is believed to be one of the most common and simplest home remedies for a sore tooth. And if you have developed infection then you can gargle with the extracts obtained from grinded wheatgrass and get relief from a sore tooth. It will destroy the harmful bacteria and give your quick relief from the toothache.

Onions

We all know that onions have immense health benefits and have the power to provide us protection against various ailments. But do you know that onions also have the ability to cure a sore tooth! If you have not tried this home remedy for dealing with your sore tooth problem then you should not delay any more.

Onions are easily available in almost every kitchen and hence this remedy can be followed immediately. You just need to chop off an onion and place a slice of onion in your mouth on the tooth that has been affected by soreness. Soon you will find that your toothache is reducing. You can chew a small piece of raw onion each day in order to fight off tooth infections and keep away the teeth problems.

Garlic

Garlic is an excellent home remedy for curing a sore tooth. Since garlic contains a powerful compound known as allicin, it acts as a potent and wonderful antibiotic. When you crush or mash garlic clove, it releases the allicin compound, which hinders the bacterial activities in the mouth and thus reduces toothache and soothes a sore tooth. Garlic has been used for curing the toothache problems since ages and is one of the traditional cures for sore tooth problem.

Garlic can be used to cure sore tooth in a number of ways. If you are suffering from a sore tooth then you can crush a clove of garlic, add a bit of rock salt and then put this paste on the sore tooth and leave it there for some time to get relief from tooth pain. If you use this remedy frequently, you can even get rid of sore tooth problem and cure it.

Another effective way to cure sore tooth is to chew properly a clove of garlic each day in the early morning to cure sore tooth and also prevent other dental problems.
Regular consumption of garlic makes your teeth strong as well as healthy thereby protecting them from any problem related to teeth. It is recommended to add garlic to almost every meal you consume daily in order to strengthen your immune system and improve your overall health so as to become efficient in fighting common ailments like sore tooth naturally.

Wheat grass

This popular herb is used for eliminating many ailments. This is due to its natural antibiotic properties, which make wheat grass an efficient ingredient for getting rid of several health problems including a sore tooth. You can obtain wheat grass from the nearby store; especially the ayurvedic stores and chew it slowly and properly. It will surely help you in minimizing the tooth pain experienced due to a sore tooth. Wheat grass juice can also be used as a mouthwash for fighting against various dental problems.

Tea Bags

Apart from refreshing your mood, tea bags can also be utilized as a superb home remedy for aching tooth. It can help you in getting relief from tooth pain if you use it in the proper way. Tea bag contains a powerful ingredient called tannin that aids in the elimination of sore tooth. Take a tea bag and pour some hot water on it. You can remove the tea bag when it gets steeped in the hot water and then place it on the affected and painful tooth. This remedy can provide you relief from tooth pain.

Dental Care Tips to Prevent Sore Tooth

Practice dental cleanliness and hygiene regularly to keep away dental problems. Brush your teeth twice per day and also floss post meals. Avoid binging on sugary foods as well as highly acidic foods because they corrode the enamel layer of your teeth and expose them to the dangers of dental problems.

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Home Therapies for Under Eye Dark Circles

Under eye dark circles is one of the most common problems that we face nowadays when it comes to skin care. No matter what we do, it just doesn’t seem to fade. Moreover, it becomes extremely difficult to maintain softness under the eye due to its vulnerability. The dark circles tend to make our face look dull and lifeless. Though there are no such remedies to totally cure the problem, simple home therapies can definitely help them faint to a great extent. Here are some of the most common reasons and cures that you can follow to get rid of your problem and also enhance your beauty.

Reasons for under eye dark circles

Researches show that one of the common reasons for dark circles is saline tears. These have acidic content that can blemish the under eye skin. Heredity and genital factor can also be responsible for this problem. In case it’s ancestral, it is always recommended to visit a dermatologist along with following simple cures at home.

Iron deficiency a.k.a. Anemia is one of the health issues that can be directly related to the cause of under eye dark circles. Allergies to certain substances like dust or food allergies are another reason that researchers have proved are responsible for this skin care issue. Ageing of the thin skin under the eye as we grow old can be considered as a cause for dark circles. This problem tends to make the emergence of blood vessels more prominent.

Some other issues include insomnia, unhealthy diet and intake of junk food, too much exposure to sunlight and sleeping late.However, it has always been beneficial to believe in the quote “Precaution is better than cure” and so here are some simple measures we should take to prevent under eye dark circles

Precautions

Healthy Diet

Make sure you eat well. Avoid junk, spicy and oily food as much as possible. Go natural! Include lots of fresh juices in your diet. Along with this you can easily add fruits and salads that are rich in fiber and are also good for the skin. Antioxidants rich foods can cure the problem in a faster way. Help yourselves with all kinds of berries, onions, parsley, green and black tea to improve the under eye condition.

Sleep on time

Not only is it important to get proper sleep, it is also essential to sleep on time and get up on time. This is one of the easiest ways to cure your problem without putting in much of an effort. Overnight under eye creams especially those with Vitamin K content can also be used to lighten the dark circles before going off to sleep.

Drink good amount of water

Water has always worked wonders for the skin. So there should be no doubt in saying that abundant amount of water intake everyday will definitely help you a long way not only for the dark circles but also for a much healthier body.

Avoid extra salt

Don’t add extra amount of salt in your diet if you are suffering from dark circles.

Exposure to sunlight

Avoid much exposure to sunlight. Even if you have to, make sure you wear high-quality sunglasses as well as use a good SPF sunscreen to protect your eyes and under eye skin from the harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Along with these precautions, the efficient use of home remedies mentioned below will definitely add an extra advantage for you.

Simple Home Therapies

Benefit of tea bags

Use plain and a little hot black or green tea bags for curing dark circles. All you have to do is apply it on closed eyes for at least 15-20 minutes for effective results. Continue this on a regular basis, once or twice a week.

Pineapple and turmeric mixture

Make a blend of pineapple juice with turmeric and apply it on the affected areas once-twice every week to see dark circles lighten.

Potatoes and cucumber

Two of the most common vegetables found in almost all homes, these work wonders for under eye dark circles. The easiest way to apply any one of the two mentioned here is to grate it and apply on closed eyes. Keep it for 20-25 minutes. The juice will work on the gloominess.

Use of almond oil

A simple way to reduce the dilemma is to massage the under eye area with almond oil just before going to bed. This therapy should be followed daily for at least 2-3 weeks to see effective results.

Paste of almond

Make a smooth paste of almond powder with milk and apply to the affected part for that flawless skin you always wanted.

Use of figs

Freshly cut figs can really help in getting over the dark circles. All you have to do is place sliced figs under the eye for a time period of 30 minutes and then wash over with warm water.

Rose water

Apply rose water on the dark circles by dipping it in cotton balls and placing it for a maximum of 10 minutes. Not only will it help in improving the condition but also relax stressed eyes.

Aromatic mint mix

To a hint of lime juice add a smooth paste of mint leaves and apply for 15 minutes to see how successfully it works! The process should be repeated everyday for a month.

Gram flour pack

Compose a pack consisting of gram flour, a bit of turmeric powder, lemon juice and fresh tomato juice. Smoothen it and apply under the eye for 20-30 minutes. Rinse off with cold water. This will surely help in reducing the darkness under the eye.

Spoon as a remedy

Freeze a steel spoon for approximately 10-15 minutes. Apply to the dark circles carefully but not for more than 3 minutes under each eye.

Pulpy Papaya

Use the pulp of the papaya to massage the under eye area and let it stay for another 10-15 minutes to get rid of those dreadful circles and get that perfect face.

However, no matter what therapy you want to stick to, make sure the eyes are washed with cold water after every session as a safety measure.

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Curative Ginger Tea to Combat Ailments

Ginger is a warm spice and has many medicinal properties. Ginger is known to have antioxidant and antibacterial properties. It also has a healthful protein digesting enzyme called zingibain. Therefore, ginger tea also has many curative benefits.

It is known to cure digestive problems, common colds, sore throat, and many other ailments. It tastes good also; it has a spicy and piquant flavor. The main benefit lies in the fact that ginger tea can boost blood circulation. This has many health benefits including cleansing of the skin, kidneys, and bowels. It is a great concoction to include in a detox diet. It strengthens the immune system also.

Health benefits of Ginger tea

It can fight congestion in the throat and lungs also. It is known to treat fevers also. It can provide relief from nausea and morning sickness also. It can also relive stomach aches. It protects the lining of stomach also. Ginger tea has anti-inflammatory properties and can kill intestinal parasites. It can also remedy flatulence.

It can also treat colic and dyspepsia; this mainly happens as secretion of bile is stimulated by compounds called gingerols. It can fight viral infections and migraines also. A cup of ginger tea is recommended during menstruation cycle also to ease the pains and cramps. It can stabilize blood pressure. It promotes the respiration and nervous system functions also.

However, take note of a few precautions before you prepare ginger tea. Some people can suffer from an allergic reaction to ginger. Thus, serving for ginger tea should be increased gradually. Be wary of ginger tea intake during pregnancy. It is best to drink it in small doses and include in your diet only after consulting with your physician. If you are on any anti-coagulant medications, then let you doctor know that you are taking ginger tea regularly.

Recipe of ginger tea

Let’s begin with the most basic recipe of ginger tea. It is prepared using fresh ginger root. To make 1 cup of this tea, you will need a 1 inch piece of ginger root. Start by peeling the ginger root. Then, cut it into thin slices. You can also grate it finely. Bring 1 cup of water to boil in a pan; you can add a little more than 1 cup of water also.  Once the water begins to bubble, throw in the sliced ginger. Cove than pan and simmer it for about 10 minutes.

Boiling for 10 minutes will give the ginger tea a mild flavor. If you want it to be sharp and tangy, try boiling for 20 minutes after adding the ginger slices. Turn off the gas, & strain the tea into a cup. To enhance the flavor of this brew you can also add some honey and lemon juice.

Although you can add any quantity of these ingredients as per your taste, it is best to add juice of half a lemon and 1 tablespoon of honey in it. There are other sweeteners that you can add in the ginger tea. White sugar, brown sugar, and maple syrup are other options. Brown sugar is best for weight watchers. Also, maple syrup gives an excellent flavor when added in ginger tea.

If you have problems with bowel movement, colon cleansing, or are suffering from irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), then ginger tea is a solution to your woes. You can use dried ginger or juice from fresh ginger to make this tea. About 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger juice or half a teaspoon of dried ginger will be required for this brew. Bring 1 cup of water to boil. In the hot water add 1 teaspoon of honey and the ginger. Stir thoroughly and consume when hot.

You can make a tea from ginger and chamomile. You will require fresh chamomile herb to make it; about 1 teaspoon should be sufficient. A half inch piece of fresh ginger root should be used. It can be grated or sliced finely. Boil 1 cup of water and to the bubbling hot water add fresh ginger root.

Then, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes on a medium flame. Strain the tea into a cup. Add the fresh chamomile herb and let it steep for 2-3 minutes.  Your cup of ginger and chamomile tea is ready to be served. You can add lemon juice and honey into the tea.

A combination of peppermint and ginger is also very popular. You will require herbal peppermint leaves for this tea. Add 1 teaspoon of grated ginger in 1 cup of water and bring it to boil. Allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn off the gas and add half a teaspoon of herbal peppermint leaves. Cover the utensil and let the leaves steep in the hot water for around 5 minutes. Strain the tea, add honey and drink the hot concoction.

Health benefits of Cranberry tea

Cranberry tea has many health benefits. You can add ginger to make an extremely wholesome brew. Slice or grate half inch piece of ginger root. Also, add a pinch of nutmeg. Bing 1 cup of water to boil, then add ginger in it. Simmer it for around 15 minutes. Strain and add a cranberry tea bad. Let it steep for about 2-3 minutes. Drink it when hot.

Another great healthful combination is ginger and lemon grass. The aroma of this tea is extremely therapeutic. You will need fresh lemongrass talks cut into 2 inch pieces. Use half an inch long ginger root; either sliced or grated. In 1 cup of boiling water, add the ginger and lemongrass. Simmer for about 7-10 minutes. Strain and serve hot.

Along with ginger, you will need cinnamon stick and cloves to make this tea. Take half an inch piece of ginger and grate it finely. Take two cloves and one-fourth inch piece of cinnamon stick. Add sugar, cinnamon stick, ginger and cloves in a mug. Bring 1 cup of water to boil. Pour the boiling water into the mug containing the spices. Let it steep for about 3 minutes. Use juice of about 1-2 orange slices. Stir it into the mug and let the concoction sit for another 5 minutes. Serve hot!

Make sure to have a cup everyday if you are suffering from digestive problems and get frequently recurring colds. It is best to avoid using ginger powder. The tea is really healthful when made from fresh ginger root. Always have a piping hot cup to get maximum benefits.

photo Credit: Viconyteas.com

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Remedies For Dry And Chapped Lips

Lips are one of the most prominent features where our looks are concerned. One of the common problems that we face nowadays is of dry, flaky lips. No matter what the season, some of us go through this the entire year. For many of us lip balms worked in vain and we keep on sulking over this from time to time. There are limitless products available in the market but nothing works miracles like home remedies does. Following some simple cures and precautions will also help in attaining good results for your lips. So here we are to discuss all that you need to do for softer, supple lips.

Cures and precautions

Drink water regularly

To get that seductive lips drink as much water as you can. One of the major reasons for dryness is dehydration caused by lack of water in the body. Have at least 8-10 glasses of water daily to keep the lips in subtle condition. 

A healthy diet

Make sure you adhere to loads of green vegetables and fruits in your diet. Healthy eating habits like eating on time and including a good amount of vitamins and other minerals in your food will ensure fast outcomes.

Don’t lick

Most of us have a continuous habit of licking our lips. It should be stopped without any more delay. Don’t lick them even if they are totally dry and chapped. Wetting of lips can make them deficient from the natural oils it holds. Also our saliva can have bad effects on the lips.

Avoid junk and fried foods

Even if they are directly not the reason for dryness, they may definitely aggravate the condition. Try and control your taste buds until you totally recover from the condition.

Stop smoking and consuming alcohol

Two of the major reasons resulting directly in chapped lips are smoking and alcohol. Avoid these as much as possible.

Avoid dry weather

Keep yourself indoors when the weather is windy and dry and without moisture. This might help you in keeping the lips in a supple state.

Use lip balm everyday and night

A good quality lip balm with SPF will definitely help you a long way if applied daily especially when you are moving out of the house. Also make sure that a sheet of lip balm is applied before hitting the bed to keep the moisture on track.

Avoid peeling

Don’t bite lips that tend to peel the protective cover of the same and cause further dryness and flakiness.

Lipstick as an added advantage to women

Lipstick acts as a moisturizer and can really help in balancing the pH of the lips. Select lipsticks that have sunscreen ingredients as an extra credit. This will also help in avoiding tan.

Limit the intake of caffeine

Caffeine rich drinks, for example tea, coffee, energy drinks should be avoided greatly if you want to keep dryness away.

Home remedies for dry lips

Here are some of the most simple and effortless ways that will improve the shape of your lips if followed habitually-

Almond oil therapy

Almond oil works wonders for the lips. All you have to do is apply and massage for 1-2 minutes every night before going off to sleep.  This will help you attain that perfect and smooth set of lips.

Exfoliation of the lips

It is very essential to remove the dead cells from the lips from time to time. This process is called exfoliation. It will remove the dullness from the lips. You can use a cloth completely dipped in warm water to rub your lips. This will make the lips gentle, but make sure you don’t keep on wiping the lips too hard and for too long. A tooth brush can also be used for this method. Apply some petroleum jelly before stroking it with a brush. This can be done once every week for best results.

Beeswax mixture for kissable lips

A miraculous beeswax mixture can be easily prepared at home if you wish to attain those malleable lips. The procedure is as follows-

• Shred 1 tsp of beeswax and melt it with double the amount of coconut oil and half the amount of lanolin and a capsule of vitamin E.

•To this you add 2-3 drops of any essential oil that you have at home as well as a teaspoon of honey.

•The mixture should be stirred well and also brought to a normal temperature.

•Store it in an air tight container. Use whenever possible, especially at night before going to the bed.

Natural lip balms

The natural lip balms that you might find at your home and those that can work really well for your lips include ghee, butter, honey, castor oil, duck fat, aloe vera gel, cocoa butter and cucumber. Usage of any one of the mentioned ingredients here will help you greatly. The easiest way to apply them and the time when they are most effective is during night.

Milk cream mixture

One of the trouble-free ways for smooth lips is the application of a mixture of milk cream, rose water and lime juice. This mixture is a natural moisturizer and quite efficient.

Rose blend

Rose petals and milk is a great combination when it comes to the nourishment of the lips. Try it out!

Paste of Margosa

Margosa leaves can work sensationally on flaky lips.

Rose water, lime juice and glycerin mixture

Mix all the three liquids in equal amounts and store, apply when you feel arid.

Effective Juices

Applying neem juice or cucumber juice on lips acts well when it comes to this problem.

These precautions and home remedies will definitely cure the problem of chapped lips but you have to work a long way. You have to remember that it’s not a day’s work. It will take time and commitment to get those smooth and silky lips that you crave for. You can even buy products that are specifically manufactured for dry lips. In case you still suffer from the problem, make sure you make at least one visit to your dermatologist.

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Home Remedies for Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are a bane for a number of people around the world especially for the women who have just borne a child and people who have lost a large amount of weight. They are caused by the rapid stretching of the corollaries of the skin which in turn leads to the appearance of linear scars on the skin. As the collagen protein in the skin is damaged, it can lead to the appearance of purplish and white scars commonly known as stretch marks on the skin surface.

Other than pregnancy and a rapid weight gain or loss, stretch marks can also be caused by factors such as rapid growth spurts which are often observed in teenagers, genetics, hormonal changes and certain medications can also lead to the appearance of major stretch marks in both men and women. Sometimes lifting heavy weights or obesity too can cause stretch marks as well. Body parts that are prone to suffering from stretch marks include the stomach, thighs, breasts, buttocks, hips and the upper arms. While both men and women suffer from this skin problem, it is usually observed that women suffer more from stretch marks at some or the other stage in their lives whether it is during puberty or after pregnancy.

Removing stretch marks through cosmetic surgeries and laser treatments is possible. However most of these treatments are exorbitantly priced  and often do not have any guaranteed results. As opposed to this natural home remedies are completely safe and are known to be quite effective as well. Moreover the ingredients used for these home remedies are quite easily available. Here are some simple tried and tested at home remedies that you can try to remove those ugly purple and red stretch marks on your body.

How to Remove Stretch Marks Naturally

Using Body Butter

Body butters have natural moisturizing and restorative ingredients that aid in the stretch mark removal. Cocoa butter or shea butter is one of the best ways to not only remove but also avoid the appearance of ugly stretch marks. Massage these body butters on the skin three to four times a day to remove stretch marks.

These butters help in moisturizing and hydrating the skin and aid in removal of scars on the skin. You can use natural cocoa or shea butter or combine it with some olive and almond oil for the best results. You can also mix three cups of unrefined butter along with half a cup of jojoba oil and half a cup of coconut oil and massage this homemade lotion on the affected area three times a day for the best results.

Lemon Juice for Stretch Marks Removal

Lemon juice has been used for culinary and cosmetic purposes for centuries. Rich in Vitamin C and packed with antioxidants, lemon juice is an excellent exfoliate and bleaching agents that can help lighten and reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Rub some lemon juice on the stretch marks and leave it overnight. You can also mix this juice with olive oil or cocoa butter and apply on the affected area. With regular use the stretch marks are considerably lightened due to the bleaching effect and the Vitamin C which helps in repairing and restoring the skin.

Apply Vitamin E Oil

Vitamin E Oil is an excellent remedy for stretch marks. Break a few Vitamin E capsules and mix the liquid with cocoa butter or aloe vera gel. Massage this over the stretch marks and allow the mixture to dry before washing it off with lukewarm water.

Regular Massages Help Remove Stretch Marks

One of the best ways to get rid of stretch marks naturally is by regular massaging. You can use body butters and oils such as almond oil or olive oil for massaging the affected area regularly. Deep massages especially with healing oils aid in boosting the blood circulation and allowing regeneration of new cells that help in removing the stretch marks. Essential oils like chamomile oil and lavender oil are also effective massaging aids that help in getting rid of stretch marks.

Remove Stretch Marks with Wheat Germ Oil

It is believed that regular massaging with wheat germ oil help in removing the stretch marks especially when they have just made their appearance. In addition to this, the oil is also quite effective in preventing the appearance of stretch marks.

Diet for Stretch Mark Removal

Believe it or not but what you eat plays a great role in the appearance of stretch marks. Certain nutritional deficiencies are believed to trigger off this problem. It is thus vital to have a diet which contains adequate amount of vitamins such as Vitamin C which is found in citrus fruits and vitamin E which is often found in foods such as carrots, soybeans and oatmeal. Other than this you will need healthy vegetables and fruits along with protein sources such as eggs and chicken. The foods help in nourishing and rejuvenating the skin and allow faster healing of the stretch marks.

Drink Lots of Water

Water is considered to be the best home remedy for stretch marks as it helps in maintaining the elasticity and smoothness of the skin. When the skin is hydrated it produces more collagen which in turn helps in removing stretch marks.

In addition to these measures you can also exfoliate your skin daily to remove unwanted dead cells and apply tretinoin creams which are considered to be excellent stretch mark removal tools. For minor cases some people recommend tanning. However if you are using this remedy then it is essential to take the precautionary measures such as applying a sunscreen or using protective clothing. Maintaining your weight, exercising on a regular basis and eating healthy foods help in maintaining the skin’s elasticity and aid in stretch mark removal.

It is important to note that while these measures are quite effective in removal of stretch marks to an extent, they cannot remove these scars completely. It is thus important to prevent stretch marks with measures that help in maintaining the skin’s suppleness and elasticity.

Photo Credit: Gfrendz.com

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Take Control of Excessive Sweating by Using Natural Remedies

Summers is the time when heavy sweating causes dullness in your body and makes you feel less energetic. Even drinking lot of water does not help and all the time you feel dehydrated and exhausted because the only reason which is responsible for this is heavy sweating. Summer is the season when sweat glands become hyperactive, as they need to secrete sweat to keep body cool and release toxins from our body along with sweat. Excessive sweating also sometimes leads to body odour.

Thus sweating is necessary for our body but excess of sweating might take a toll on your body. It might cause body odour too if the skin is not kept clean properly, because sweat creates friendly environment for bacteria to grow and produce that bad smell in our body, making us feel reluctant to go out in public places or, even the sensation of wet sweat in your underarms or in your feet is very annoying. So let us find out some easy ways to counter this problem of excessive sweating naturally or with the help of some other remedies.

Keep your body Hydrated

This is the important mantra to avoid excessive sweating. Since the main purpose of sweat is to flush the toxins out of our body and keep it cool, so if we do it on our own externally by drinking a lot of water and keep our body temperature low the body will not need that much cooling so will produce less amount of sweat. Moreover if we will drink a lot of water the body toxins will be thrown out of our body with the help of urine passage and drinking a lot of water helps in this procedure. Thus if we drink at least 8-10 glasses of water in a day the toxins will be excreted out of our body with the help of kidneys.

Get yoga help

There are many Asanas in yoga which helps in reducing the stress related hormones, thus controlling the stress level in our body. Stress is one of the major factors which cause heavy sweating in our body, so if the stress is reduced it will definitely control the amount of sweating in our body.Yoga can be of great help for excessive sweating people as it helps in calming down the nerves and thus resulting in relieving stress. So try some nice and soothing yoga postures to feel relaxed and reduce the level of sweating in your body.

Try Baking Soda

This therapy has been used for times immemorial just apply a mixture of corn starch and baking soda in your under arms and leave them for a while and after say 20-25 minutes take a nice shower with cool water and just see the under arm sweating is reduced and you can add some essential oils to the mixture for a nice smell in your arm pits. Baking soda is a good sweat absorber so if you use this trick regularly there will be no sweat marks in your shirt and you will smell nice too.

Avoid Caffeine and alcohol intake

Both alcohol and caffeine intake in the form of tea or coffee activates our brain thus making us more anxious and increase the activity of the nerve cells which results in, more sweating in our body. Reducing the intake of both these products will help in reduction of sweating. Tea or coffee can be replaced with other cool drinks like fresh juices or iced tea or lemonade. These are all better options than drinking tea or coffee as they will lower your body temperature. Cigarettes and drugs will elevate the problem so avoid taking them at all.

Use Deodorants

Deodorants which suit your skin should be used. Some deodorants might be harmful for your skin and you might be allergic to the strong chemicals used in them; so use deodorants wisely as they sometimes create friendly environment for proliferation of bacteria in your under arms.  Growth of bacteria creates very bad smell in our arm pits which we call body odour. So before heavy sweating turns into bad body odour just check your deodorant or soap you are using.

Medicines

You can try antihistamines as over the counter medicines which will help in reducing sweating. But if you are taking these pills do not drive as they make you feel sleepy. Botox injections are also helpful in reducing profuse sweating. You can also try electrical therapy which is useful in some cases to reduce sweating.

Take a shower

During summers it is necessary to take a nice cold water shower twice in a day, this will keep your body temperature low and will thus reduce sweating in your body. Moreover if you use an anti bacterial soap along with bathing then it will kill all the germs and bacteria growing on your skin thus keeping you away from foul body smell too. Avoid taking hot baths as they will increase your body temperature but will relieve your body of all the toxins but it will increase sweating so do not take hot water baths as it will only aggravate the problem.

Balanced diet

Taking a diet rich in green leafy vegetables will help in reducing sweat and avoid eating oily and spicy food as the spices in the food produce more sweat in our body. They might be delicious to eat but they increase the sweating level in our body. Eating lot of seasonal fruits like watermelon, oranges etc. help in reducing sweat production. Include vegetables and fresh fruits in your diet and cut down the intake of fried and oily foods.

Take care of Clothes you wear

Try and wear cotton under shirts as they have good absorption capacity so they will absorb all the sweat being produced. T-shirts and clothes made of cotton or pure wool should be worn by the people who sweat a lot and they should avoid wearing nylons and polyesters as they increase the amount of sweating in your body. Cotton and hosiery cloth let your skin breathe so try and wear maximum clothes made of these material only.

All these natural ways will definitely help in preventing excessive sweating on your body and you can feel a new confident you.

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Home Remedies for Ear Infections

Ear infections are a common problem afflicting a number of people around the world. A sensory organ that aids in the process of hearing and also helps in maintaining body balance the ear consists of three parts, namely the outer ear, middle ear and the inner ear. While the other parts are just as susceptible to infections, it is the middle ear that is often invaded by viruses and bacteria which in turn causes ear inflammation. Middle ear infections also known as otitis media is often seen in babies and younger children. In fact almost all children suffer from ear infections before they are around five years of age.

Other than middle ear infections, inflammation of the external ear also known as otitis externa and inner ear also known as otitis interna is also quite common and often results in hearing problems and the loss of balance. While others may get ear infections regularly it is seen that often people with weak immune systems like newborns and toddlers are prone to suffering from recurrent ear infections owing to their weak immune system and short ear canal. Moreover a cold can cause a blockage in the ear tube and lead to ear infections signs and symptoms.

How to Recognize a Ear Infection in Children and Adults

A baby affected with ear infection is often extremely irritable and can seen pulling his or her ears constantly. In older children and adults ear infection may cause pain, difficulty in sleeping, reduced appetite, headaches, hearing loss and a loss of balance accompanied by dizziness and nausea. If the ear infection is mild then it will resolve on its own easily without the need of any external intervention.

However for persistent symptoms it is best to get medical aid as soon as possible. The doctor may recommend antibiotics like Suprax, Pediazole or Amoxicillin to clear up the infection. If you cannot get medical aid immediately, then using simple home remedies can help in temporary relief from the signs and symptoms of ear infections.

Remedies for Ear Infections

Warm Compresses to Relieve Ear Pain

Using warm compresses is a great way of dealing with the pain and inflammation caused by infections in the ear. Dip a clean cloth in a bowl of warm water and then remove and wring out the water properly. Press the cloth against the swollen and inflamed ear. Once the cloth is cold again, repeat the above mentioned steps again. Pressing a warm bag filled with salt or a hot water bag against the ear also has the desired effect of reducing ear infection pain and swelling.

Use Garlic

In addition to warm compresses you can also use garlic to clear ear infection and reduce the inflammation. A natural antibiotic and antiseptic, garlic is an excellent home remedy for ear infections. Peel three to four cloves of garlic and heat it in linseed or mustard oil. Once the garlic cloves are fried, remove from heat and allow the oil to cool. Pour two to three drops of oil into the ears to lessen the pain and clear the infection.

Oils to Reduce Ear Infection

Using natural essential oils can also help in reducing ear infections and providing relief from the symptoms. In a bowl add a tablespoon of almond oil and then add two to three drops of essential oils like chamomile oil, eucalyptus oil and lavender oil. Stir and heat the solution till it is slightly warm. Do not heat the oil too much or you might end up burning your ears. Now using a dropper pour in two to three drops of this healing oil into the affected ear. Another oil that is quite helpful in reducing ear infection is olive oil. Warm this oil and pour a few drops into your ear to relieve ear ache.

Home Treatment using Colloidal Silver

Using two to three drops of anti microbial colloidal silver is also known to relive the symptoms associated with ear infection. Lie down with your affected ear facing upwards and then add a few drops of colloidal silver to your ears. Place a cotton ball over the ears and wait for four to five minutes till the silver seeps down into your ears and relives the pain and swelling caused by ear infections.

Onion Juice for Ear Infections

The potent antibiotic properties make onion juice a great remedy for infections in the ear. Use a dropper to pour in two to three drops of onion juice into the ear that is infected.

Using Hydrogen Peroxide

Two to three drops of hydrogen peroxide can work wonders for ear infections. The acid helps in reducing ear wax and cures the symptoms of ear infection.

In addition to these cures, a healthy diet with sufficient intake of immune boosting Vitamin C foods and zinc intake can help in preventing recurrence of ear infections. Infants should be fed breast milk as this helps in building up their immune system and helps them ward off infections. Keeping the ears clean, reducing environmental pollutants like cigarette smoke and staying away from the factors that may allow them to catch a cold can also help a mother in safeguarding her child against ear infections.

In adults, keeping your ears dry especially while swimming and using antihistamines to treat ear infections that is caused by weak sinuses is recommended. People suffering from ear infections should ideally reduce the consumption of dairy products as they have been found to increase the infection. Avoid fatty hydrogenated foods and instead stick to a healthy diet to clear infections faster. Washing your hands regularly and not touching your ears and nose can help in preventing the spread of infection.

Even with all your valiant efforts of trying to reduce ear infections at home, it is possible that the symptoms might persist. In that case it is essential to contact an ENT specialist as soon as possible. Persistent symptoms of ear infections may lead to permanent hearing loss and other problems in both children as well as in adults

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