Home Remedies

Many of us experience hair fall problems at some point in time. Onion juice helps reduce hair fall to a great extent. You may want to try this as there’s is no harm and continue if it works.

Method:

Grind one big onion in the mixer. Squeeze juice from it and apply it slowly and gently on your scalp. Leave it for about an hour and use a mild shampoo after that. Do this a couple of times a week.

Onion hair oil also helps. Massage the oil gently on the scalp, leave it overnight, and wash your hair the next day. Do it once or twice a week. This also helps in hair fall prevention, making the hair roots strong and the hair healthy. There are a variety of brands available in the market that you can try.

A sore throat may sound like a minor problem but it can actually cause discomfort. The person feels dull and feverish too, sometimes. Here are some home remedies that will help to soothe the sore throat and may eliminate it totally. It is best to use these home remedies at the very start of the symptom, otherwise, it gets difficult to cure and may need a doctor visit. Use all of these remedies for best results, but it’s better to consult a doctor if the pain persists for more than 3 days.

• Gargle with the following combinations of ingredients mixed in a glass of hot water at least 2-3 times a day. The more the better.

  • rock salt powder and 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder (optional)

  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar 

  • 1/2 tsp alum powder 

• Tulsi ginger tea

• Cold & cough/sore throat decoction

• Lozenges to lubricate the throat and temporarily relieve the pain

• Apply boro glycerine with a clean earbud on the affected area in the throat by opening the mouth wide open. Do not reuse the same bud if you need to apply again

• Warm or hot water only. Consume hot drinks only for throat pain

Diarrhea can occur due to certain foods that cause indigestion or food poisoning, side effects of some medication, allergies, or some kind of infection. We need to see the doctor in severe cases like several occurrences of diarrhea otherwise a lot of liquids may be lost and there can be chances of dehydration which in some cases may even need hospitalization.

If diarrhea is mild and occurs due to indigestion, here are some home remedies that may help in controlling it:

• Black tea with lemon a couple of times a day

• A mixture of 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar in a glass of water every couple of hours to prevent dehydration. Or a good ORS as per the instructions on the pack.

• Foods to eat: rice, banana, curd, probiotics. This combination gives instant relief, restores the lost nutrients in the body and fiber helps to bind the stomach and harden the stool. 

• Foods to avoid: milk, fried, spicy, non-veg food, cruciferous veggies, leafy vegetables, lentils, dairy, fizzy drinks, processed foods

Constipation could be due to various reasons like not having enough fluids and/or fiber, not being physically active, a side effect of some medications, staying up late at night, or due to stress.

There are some home remedies that help with constipation and increase bowel movement. But if the constipation is severe and home remedies do not work, one should consult a doctor. 

Below are a few home remedies that may be tried for constipation:

• Increase the intake of fluids and have warm fluids preferably. Warm water should be taken in the morning after waking up and then multiple times a day

• Increase fiber intake; eat foods rich in fiber like whole grains, fruits, veggies, beans, and lentils

• 1-2 tsp of psyllium husk powder mixed with a glass of warm water at night

• 3-4 prunes or 1/2 cup of prune juice in the morning

• Avoid eating meat, processed foods, and cold food or cold drinks

• There are certain yoga poses like pavana muktasana (wind relieving pose), supta matsyendrasana (spinal twist pose), bhujangasana (cobra pose), navasana (boat pose), malasana (garland pose) help relieve constipation

Many times, people experience gas and bloating due to overeating or eating certain foods that cause gas. Sometimes it may cause discomfort and embarrassing moments. Here are some home remedies that may help in reducing gas and bloating.

• A mixture of black salt, lemon juice, and cumin powder in water.

• 1/2 tsp fruit salt or baking soda mixed in a cup of warm water

• Prepare a mixture of equal quantities of fennel seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, cumin, and carom seeds. 1 tsp of this mixture can be taken 2 times a day after food daily as it aids in the digestion process and has the goodness of all the seeds

• Foods to avoid: heavy, fried, non-veg food, beans, eggplant, cruciferous veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, and brussels sprouts, leafy vegetables, all kinds of lentils, dairy, fizzy drinks, tea, coffee, high fiber food, raw salad, and processed foods

• Foods to eat: light food like bottle gourd, zucchini, ginger, banana, oatmeal, coconut water, mint, white rice, and yogurt in small portions

• Heat a pinch of asafoetida, 1/2 tsp of carom seeds, and a clove of crushed garlic in 1 tsp mustard oil, sieve through a strainer, and when oil is warm, apply in and around the navel area. This helps in gas relief as well as stomach pain

• Some exercises also help:

  • Lie down, bend your knees, and bring it close to the stomach. Hold for about 20 seconds and repeat at least 10 times

  • Sit on your knees and bend down to touch your head to the floor. Hold for about 20 seconds and repeat at least 10 times stomach pain

  • Walk, and move as much as possible. Sitting in one place makes it worse

• A decoction for cold and cough twice a day

• A lot of citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, sweet times

• Inhale steam at least twice a day

• Ginger and tulsi tea twice a day

• Chicken soup or a veg soup with lots of garlic and ginger

• Gargle with hot water mixed with salt 2-3 times a day

• Mix ½ tsp fresh ginger juice and ¼ tsp black pepper powder in 1 tsp honey and have it twice a day. This is good for a cough.

Steam and decoction should be taken before going to bed preferably. Avoid going out after taking these.

Dark circles often appear under the eyes. It could be due to various reasons like lack of sleep, stress, lack of nutrition, exhaustion, etc. There are many recommended and commercial products available in the market. These may or may not be effective every time for everyone.

There are some very useful ingredients available in our very own kitchen that help to reduce dark circles to a great extent. The key is to apply regularly. Potato slices, cucumber slices, chilled tea bags, Vitamin E oil, and aloe vera are effective for dark circles. When using potato or cucumber slices, keep cold slices on the eyes daily once for 5 minutes, or massage the area around the eyes with the slice. It helps to reduce dark circles and reduce puffiness under the eyes.

At a young age, we tend to ignore skin care as our skin is healthy and glowing. But as the years pass by, our skin loses its glow and becomes dull, tanned, wrinkled, patchy, or dry with exposure to the sun and/or due to stress. It makes a lot of difference if we take care of our skin from a young age. Getting radiant, soft, and healthy skin demands a daily skincare regime.

We should consider using sunscreen of SPF 40 or 50 to protect our skin. Apply in the uncovered areas of the body, especially the face, neck, and arms. Also, wear a cap or hat, sunglasses, and an arm cover (if you are wearing a sleeveless or half-sleeve attire). Use sunscreen whenever you are going out, whether it’s sunny or not. 

Check for good brands with good ratings and feedback. You may want to try out a few till you find the one that suits your skin the best. Do take very good care of your skin.

Just like our bodies, our eyes too get strained and weak over time. And with the advancement in technologies and the invention of smart devices, we are spending quite a lot of time in front of screens hence taking care of eye health is now more important than ever. Eat a balanced diet, take proper care while working on the screen, and spend at least 10 minutes a day on some basic eye exercises.

Here are some basic tips and methods to keep the eye muscles healthy, strong, and relaxed:

• Blink your eyes often, especially when you are in front of a screen

• Do not sit for more than 30 minutes at a stretch in front of a screen. Take a break for a few minutes, or at least look away from the screen.

• Always keep the brightness of the screen reduced

• Put an anti-glare film on your screen or wear a pair of anti-glare glasses while working

• Splash cold water into the eyes as many times in a day as you can

• Rotate your eyes 10 times at least clockwise, anti-clockwise, left, right, diagonal, top, and bottom.

• Fill your mouth with water, splash your eyes with cold water with your eyes closed

• Rub your palms and apply it to your eyes. Repeat this 3-4 times

• Focus on a distant object for 1-2 minutes till your eyes start watering

• Press the points above, below, and on the side of your eyes

• Apply cold eye gel packs to relax the eye muscles

• In case of itching or dryness of the eyes, put eye drops a couple of times a day

• Wear sunglasses when going out in the sun to protect the eyes from UV rays

• Diet and nutrition also play a very important role in improving our eye health. Food that is rich in Vitamins A, B, C, and E is known for good eyesight. Green leafy vegetables, carrots, Indian gooseberry, veggies, fruits, nuts like almonds, walnuts & figs, all kinds of seeds, eggs, fish, fish oil, coconut, and avocado are some of the foods known to improve vision.