Water as a wake-up aid

Do you ever have trouble waking up in the morning? Do you have to depend on those first cups of tea or coffee to get you going? If you are in good health, you could try this simple cold mitten friction instead. This could probably help you to come out of your drowsiness and rejuvenate you to kick-start your day with zest and vigor.

Here’s what you need: a bathroom, a wash cloth and cold water. Immerse the washcloth in cold water and wring it out quickly. It should be quite wet, but not dripping. Rub yourself vigorously with the cloth for 5-10 seconds, and then repeat the process. Rub until your skin tingles. Get that circulation surging.

Do only your arms at first then gradually proceed to other parts of your body. If you are feeling brave, you could even add ice to your water. Better still; take a zippy cold water shower immediately after you get up. You may not like it at first, but soon you will start feeling good; this cold water will do something to you. It will spark your spirits and bring back your pep.

Try this! You may never need a wake-up cup of coffee/tea again!

See also: Water therapy for insomnia and headache / Health benefits of drinking water / Drive back pain away by drinking enough water

Honey and egg mask

This easy mask is suitable for all skin types. Honey, being an excellent cleanser and moisturizer, leaves the skin cleansed and silken. Egg yolks contain anti oxidants which are beneficial to our skin.

Ingredients:

1 egg yolk
1 tsp honey
1 tsp vitamin E oil
1 tsp almond oil

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together, stirring until smooth. To use, apply to face and rinse with warm water after 15 minutes.

See also: A simple home-remedy for sunburn/ Two masks for a radiant face/ Two simple home made beauty aids for your face/ Multani Mitti (Fuller’s earth) cleansing mask

Does contact lens prevent your myopia from getting worse?

Near sighted (myopic) youngsters often go in for contact lenses mostly for aesthetic reasons. ‘Glasses aren’t cool. They make you look old.’ is the catchphrase which they believe in. So far so good… But don’t get carried away by this myth which is currently doing the rounds.

Yogic diet

Are you what you eat…. or is it the other way round? Whatever it be, there is no denying that food habit plays the most important part in the constitution of our body. Ancient Yogic texts as well as modern research have time and again confirmed the fact that food governs mind and thoughts. A healthy food habit keeps one physically fit and mentally alert.

How to prevent ingrown toe-nails

An ingrown toenail digs into the surrounding skin, cuts into the flesh causing pain, swelling and inflammation. The big toe is nearly always affected, and trouble may arise when the soft tissue becomes infected. The most common cause is a toe nail cut too short and curved at the corner, tight shoes pressing on the growing nail, and hot, sweaty feet.

To prevent one from occurring

* Cut nails straight across using sharp nail-scissors or clippers.

* Avoid cutting them too short.

* Do not trim the nail deeper than the tip of the toe.

* Never pick at nails – cut them.

* Regularly clean under the nail with an orange stick.

* Wear properly fitting shoes and immediately change socks when they become hot and sweaty.

* If you tend to have ingrown toe-nails, relieve the pressure and bathe the toe with salted water when the area becomes red or painful. To lessen the pain and prevent possible infection, dip a cotton bud in antibiotic ointment and push it under the nail edge. Wear open or loose fitting shoes for some time.

* If your toe looks red and swollen, and is discharging pus, seek medical help preferably from a podiatrist.

See also: Toenail care / Pamper your feet / Fungal infections and your feet / Pedicure at home

Medicinal value of Gooseberry (Amla)

Amla (Indian gooseberry) has the highest quantity of vitamin C in natural form, much more than orange. Vitamin C is one of the anti-oxidants. It has been linked by a number of studies to lowered risks of mouth, throat, stomach and cervical cancers.

Vitamin C fortifies the immune system and a number of studies show that it reduces the duration and severity of cold. Amla is a valuable ingredient in Ayurveda and Unani medicines. It is also used as an external application due to its cool and astringent property.

The best way to take it, with the least loss of vitamin C is to eat it raw. It can be preserved for a long period when it is dried and turned into powder. It is also found to be effective in treating TB of the lungs, asthma and bronchitis.

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Make-up Removal

Women mostly tend to sleep with their make-up on out of sheer tiredness or plain laziness without sparing a thought for their poor skin. Going to bed with make-up on can clog the skin pores, aggravate acne and damage your skin. Removing make-up is as important as wearing make-up. No matter how tired you feel, it always does good to sleep without any muck on your face so that your skin can breathe freely. That fresh feeling that you experience after cleaning yourself might even give you a sound sleep.

After returning home, rest a while before removing make-up. It can be little tacky and so do not get irritated and ruin your skin by rubbing too hard in the process.

Removing make-up

Take a small piece of cotton or a cotton ball and put a small quantity of a suitable cleanser, baby oil or make-up remover (coconut oil or olive oil will also do) onto the ball. Very gently rub over the face to remove the makeup. Use another ball for lipstick.

As for eyes, we need a small narrow piece of cotton that does not bend much. Moisten a cotton ball with eye makeup remover and remove all traces of makeup by gently wiping each eye until the makeup dissolves. Avoid using cleanser on the eyes as it can be very drying. You can use a face moisturizer to remove the eyeliner. Remove it in exactly the same way you applied it – in sweeping motions, from in to out. Never rub the eyelids. It can enhance the advent of wrinkles as well as crows-feet.

This done, dab (dab, not rub) a clean dry tissue all over the face to remove oil. Then wash with a mild soap or face wash or whatever one is used to. Use lukewarm water for this purpose. Wash twice if necessary and rinse several times until you are free of all the make-up residues from your face. Dab dry with soft towel and then moisturize to prevent dryness.

See also: Know your skin type/ Skin care – Follow these golden rules / Skin care at night

Pic credits:fotosearch.com

Home remedies for piles

Some of the factors which could cause piles- persistent constipation due to poor dietary habits, sitting on hard seats for a prolonged periods and lack of exercise. Here are some home remedies which could possibly help:

Quit the nail biting habit

Do you bite nails? Many do. So don’t feel too guilty; but try to do something positive about it. Nibbled nails not only look bad, they are not good for your health too. It might even lead to skin infections.Visualizing the scene of putting the very hands, which touch everything in the mouth, - say, after shuffling the folders in the rack, or after affectionately stroking one’s pet dog or after picking up the car keys is in itself so appalling – besides, it is an easy way to catch colds and flu. You could try some of these strategies to get rid of this loathsome habit.

Applying bitter tasting solution
You could try applying a bitter tasting solution on to your nails, and this might help some biters. There are some special anti-nibbling polishes available at the chemists too, which have a bitter taste. But this strategy might not help chronic and serious nail biters as they get used to the flavor.

Clean them:
A professional weekly manicure or a simple manicure at home is another option. When your nails look good, you’re less tempted to bite them. You could even paint the nails with a bright color; which makes it obvious how awful those gnawed stubs look.

Keep them occupied:

Cultivate a hobby which keeps your fingers busy and your mind so preoccupied that your hands won’t even involuntarily venture to reach your mouth. Another suggestion is to try to kick the habit is feeding yourself with something or the other. They’ll keep your mouth busy when the urge strikes.

Willpower:
This is the most appropriate and really the only way to cure nail-biting – Willpower, Be strong. Make a big effort to stop.

See also: Hand and nail care / Nails reveal your health / Strengthening weak nails / Fix torn nails at home / Cleaning your hands / Nourishing routine for your hands

Pic credits:fotosearch.com

Effects Of Water On Your Hair

By Stephen Thomson

Everybody wants healthier & better-looking hair. But, sometimes we get a bad hair day with dull & lifeless hair. This could be because of water we use to wash our hair.
So, what is the relation between water & hair?
Presence of minerals like calcium, magnesium makes water hard or soft. When we wash our hair, these minerals are absorbed into the hair and change the look & feel of hair. Amount of minerals absorbed by the hair depends on acidity & hardness of the water.
What is hard water?
Rainwater is naturally soft & mineral free. When it falls on the ground, it seeps through the soil and rocks & picks up the minerals & become hard water. The degree of hardness increases as mineral content increases.
Higher the hardness or ph level of water, the greater is the absorption of minerals in the hair. These characteristics of water can determine the amount of dye that is absorbed into the hair, how your shampoo and conditioning will work on your hair, look & feel of hair after drying.
A study published in ‘Sci Total Environ. 1999 Oct 1;239(1-3):189-93’ has mentioned that uptake of minerals by the hair varies depending on the initial total hardness and pH of the water. The study was conducted to see the uptake of minerals like calcium & magnesium by human hair from waters of 24 different locations throughout the world. The findings have shown that water of high initial total hardness or high initial pH resulted in more absorption of minerals.
Acidity or mineral content varies in local water supply from day to day. Chlorinated, mineralized or fluorinated house water can also affect your hair. Because of these variable factors, your hair looks great one day & shabby & limp on the other day.
Effect of pool & seawater:
Salt water & chlorine can dry & discolor your hair. The chemicals that are used in pool water can damage your hair. These chemicals can attach with hair and give it a grayish or green cast. To protect your hair from these effects, wet your hair thoroughly with tap water and apply conditioner before going to pool. It will help your hair to soak up the normal water instead of the chemicals & chlorinated water of the swimming pool. Rinse your hair immediately after coming out of the pool.
So, condition of your hair & scalp also depend on type of water used for hair wash.

Home remedies for vomiting and nausea

When you feel nauseous or when a little overindulgence over the previous night’s meal has resulted in expelling the contents of your stomach in the form of vomiting, instead of rushing to the doctor, try out some of these ‘quick fixes’ from grandma’s scrapbook.

International Women's Day

A simple home-remedy for sunburn

This simple home-remedy for sunburn happens to be a bit messy, but it is extremely effective. Not only does it lighten your sun burnt skin, but also sweeps off dirty, dead skin cells, thus exfoliating your skin.

Ingredients:

2 tsp. Vegetable oil
5 tsp. Besan (gram-flour)
a few drops of rose water
a few drops of glycerin

Method:

Before getting ready for your bath, add 2 spoonfuls of any ordinary cooking oil to 5 tsp of besan. Add a few drops of rose-water (gulab-jal) and glycerin and whisk all the ingredients well to form a smooth paste. Apply this paste, on your face, hands, and wherever your skin is sun burnt. Leave it for about 3 minutes, and then gently wetting your hands, begin to scrub off the paste. The effect of this paste begins to show almost immediately.

You could also try applying vinegar for sunburn. Another effective remedy is the use of tomato juice and butter-milk. Check it out here. Applying a slice of papaya or fresh aloe-vera gel all over your skin without rubbing too hard could also help.

Poppy seeds (Khuskhus) for beauty and health

Khuskhus (poppy seeds) is one of the spices used in Indian cuisine. Here’s how you could use it as a beauty aid and as a home-remedy for common ailments.

Oil massage for your hair

Oil massages, before washing the hair and regular brushing are indispensable if hair is to be kept healthy. Most women postpone or overlook this part of hair-care, with the excuse of being too busy for such schedules. Oil-massage should be followed meticulously, however busy one may be.

Take a few minutes off for a thorough oil massage, the night before you intend washing the hair, or at least two hours before it. Don’t harbor prejudices like – “It is wasteful to apply oil just to wash it off!” Oil application actually helps dry, damaged hair and controls dandruff flakes.

Warm oil is the best for this purpose as it is easily absorbed into the scalp. Part the hair in several places, apply oil with your finger tips in a circular motion, taking care to cover every inch of the scalp area.

The choice of oil is a personal matter. Some of the oils commonly used are coconut, amla (gooseberry) oil, gingelly (til) and mustard (rai) oils. Castor oil, being heavy-base oil, is excellent for use in summer.

Steaming is vital to rejuvenate the scalp and stimulate circulation. Take a towel (big enough for the head), dip it in hot water, wring it and wind it around the head like a turban. Repeat the process for half an hour, removing the towel, whenever it is cool, and replacing it after dipping it in hot water. This helps to open the pores and allows the oil to penetrate inside the scalp thereby promoting hair-growth.

Pounded hibiscus (jaswand) leaves, mixed with water, is very good for washing hair. Similarly, fenugreek (methi) seeds soaked in water overnight, ground to a paste and applied to the scalp before washing ensures thick hair.

See also: Drying hair after your bath – some tips

Pic credits:fotosearch.com

Happy Holi

Aromatic oils in the bath

Aromatherapy is one of the oldest forms of natural therapies and is used for curing many chronic diseases. Whatever the mode of use, these aromatic oils enter the body, circulate and are excreted in a stipulated time without causing any side-effects. Using these essential oils in the bath is a wonderful way to take care of your skin.

In the bath:

When a few drops of aromatic oil is added to the bathtub along with a vegetable oil, it forms a film on the body and penetrates it slowly. A gentle scrub with a natural scrubber facilitates this penetration. The skin is rejuvenated and glows. Regular use of aromatic oils fights the formation of wrinkles, loss of elasticity, pigmentation and suppresses infection of the skin in the long run.

After bath:

A few drops of any essential oil blended in almond oil, when massaged on a clean skin gets completely absorbed and penetrates the tissue deeply. As one grows older, the skin loses its moisture retaining capability. Result? Dry and dull looking skin. This oil massage will prove to be effective.

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Turmeric as a beauty aid

Turmeric is an inexpensive and indigenous beauty aid. It is also used in the formulation of some sun screens. Smearing with turmeric paste cleans skin and beautifies it. Its antiseptic and healing properties prevent and cure pimples. For turmeric based home-remedies visit here.

Turmeric as a beauty aid