Beauty and Personal Grooming

A few weeks ago, I suddenly had a throbbing pain on the left side of my neck which radiated towards my shoulder joint and upper arm. And this didn’t happen after waking up, as it usually happens with most people - as a matter of fact, it happened in the evening when I was surfing my tablet.

I've been taking this Kadha / herbal tea to boost my immunity since last 3 months. And I am happy to say that I haven't had a cold , cough , fever or any respiratory ailment all these days. [By the way Kadha is  called as Kashayam / Kashaya in the South.]

Neem herbal tea , that boosts immunity and wards off viral & bacterial infections is the perfect beverage to be had during rainy season or for that matter during the flu season. It's a homemade herbal tea (also called as kashayam / kashaya)  made with neem leaves and some incredible spices. But before we go to the procedure of making this potent neem herbal tea or kadha , let's take a look at how the weather changes during rainy season can give rise to many ailments and diseases.

One ingredient homemade face masks - really? Yes, you can have a delightful, home spa experience with minimal ingredients - in fact with the usage of only 1 ingredient, a single ingredient from your kitchen pantry or your kitchen garden!

You relish eating hot, spicy food. But this time, your mouth is literally on fire from too much spice especially as the spicy dish that you are savoring is full of chili peppers & also flavored with garam masala . Your immediate reaction would be to gulp half a dozen of glasses of water to relieve that fire in your mouth.

The health benefits of lemons are immense and most of us know about it already. It's widely used in home-remedies to deal with minor ailments too. But most of the time we only make use of the juice and discard the rind or peel.  Now that's a shame because the lemon peel contains more nutrients than the juice. In order to get the most out of a lemon,  it's better to consume it as a whole. Now I do admit that it's not possible to use a whole lemon every time, but you must at least try using it in at some of the dishes.

Instead of reaching out for that cough syrup when your child is suffering from an incessant, nagging cough that worsens at night, you might try good old honey as a home-remedy .

Malabar Spinach or Basella alba is one of the most common vegetables that is grown in kitchen gardens, especially in the coastal and Malanad regions of Karnataka. Called as " Basale Soppu " in Kannada, this is one of my favourite vegetables and makes me nostalgic as the very mention of this vine reminds me of my native place where it grew abundantly.

An ear infection occurs when a bacterial or viral infection affects the middle ear—the sections of your ear just behind the eardrum. Ear infections can be painful because of inflammation and fluid build up in the middle ear. Ear infections can be chronic or acute. Acute ear infections are painful but short in duration. Chronic ear infections do not clear up, or they recur many times. Chronic ear infections can cause permanent damage to the middle and inner ear.

Introduction Not all of us have enough of free time to visit beauty salons that often as we would like. May be it’s because we have to spend our free time taking care of kids, having to work overtime, or just want to spend that free time with our beloved ones.  It’s only natural then that we will not be able to take regular care of our skin during those times, especially not having the skin tone we want. Some of the problems you want to get rid of may include: Dull skin complexion Dark circles under the eyes Uneven skin tone If you can connect yourself with these problems, then you should try some of these homemade skin lightening treatments which will surely help you. Not only will you save precious time, but you will also save plenty of money you would usually spend on products.

There are a number of skin conditions that people suffer from and among them one is Sebaceous Cyst. This is one of the common skin conditions that requires medical attention if it outgrows and gets painful. Generally, a sebaceous cyst referred as keratin cyst or epidermoid cyst is a bump that develops under the skin. At most of the cases, these sebaceous cysts develop and go away by themselves.

Paridhi asks: I often suffer from nausea while travelling, especially in a car. Please help and preferably suggest tips and home remedies for the same.

Good oral hygiene ensures good health. And the best way to achieve this is to brush your teeth twice a day. Flossing is also as important as brushing to dislodge the impurities stuck in between the teeth. Along with brushing and flossing, cleaning your tongue is also highly necessary; it helps get rid of the white deposit that is a breeding ground for bacteria and other microbes. Rinsing your mouth really well after you eat is also crucial and you should never forget this habit. Following all these habits will also keep bad breath away. Now bad breath / halitosis is not just due to bad oral hygiene, it could also be a symptom of some other disease. Do read up on the various posts on bad breath ( Bad breath? Take these tests , Home remedies for bad breath ) and how to tackle it.  

M. Asks: My problem is the darkening of the inside areas of the thighs near the private parts. I have tried to scrub this hard but in vain. Can you please suggest some remedy?

Herbal and vegetable drinks have always been a part of every Indian household. Grannies of yesteryears, were very much into preparing such herbal concoctions to cure ailments like common cold , fever, acidity , skin allergies and sometimes to the extent of treating serious ones like jaundice and malaria ! Although it's not advisable to use herbal home-remedies to cure major illnesses, minor ones do respond well to vegetable health drinks.

Traditional dishes with banana stems have become rare these days. And it's good that many bloggers are keeping a record of these recipes by putting it up on their blogs. People living in cities and staying in multi-storeyed flats can hardly grow a banana plant in their vicinity. But people staying in  small towns and villages do grow them in their backyards. But even in these places, the preparation of such traditional dishes is fast disappearing as people these days are preferring to eat unhealthy packed and processed stuff.

Aloe Vera's benefits had been known since times immemorial. While the aloe gel was touted as a health promoter by the Greek physician Dioscorides, it's beauty uses was well-known to the Egyptians. Cleopatra was a great admirer of aloe plant and used it extensively in her beauty rituals. It's indeed a miracle plant with its amazing healing properties. It's seen that aloevera can be used to heal cuts, wounds and even eczema , dermatitis and psoriasis most effectively. Aloe vera can penetrate into the skin layers resulting in prompt healing and rejuvenation of the skin. Not only that it is also used to relieve conditions like arthritis, asthma, heartburn, hemorrhoids, and manage diabetes aside from its topical use.  There is no end to singing the glories of this wonder plant.

Dates are an ancient natural product which every culture has been using from time immemorial.The actual place of origin of date is not known but its home has always been the Persian Gulf and the Baluchistan area. Dates are the one-seeded fruits of Phoneix dactylifera , a tree of the palm family. Though usually oblong, they vary much in shape, size, colour, quality and consistency of flesh according to the conditions of their culture. The date is extensively grown in Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Libya, Oman, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Yemen. Geographically, India, Pakistan and West Asia also figure in the date map, but they are not important from the production point of view.

Way back in 2009-10, the swine flu pandemic had produced a real scare. The fear of contracting this respiratory illness had prompted many people to wear face masks and at that time it was quite common to bump into such masked people on the streets. (Do read Fashionable Flu masks ) All sorts of preventive remedies were doing the rounds. For instance putting a few drops of eucalyptus (Nilgiri) oil on handkerchiefs and inhaling while in crowded places or taking Guduchi ( Tinospora Cordifolia ) / Amrutaballi herb tablets or preparing a decoction of one foot long branch of Guduchi / Giloy herb with  6-7 leaves of Holy Basil or Tulsi.   The epidemic wasn't as serious as  originally predicted and in most cases reported it was really mild. Only a a small number of cases resulted in serious illness and death. Mostly this happened in people with weakened immune systems, in the elderly, very young below 5 years of age, pregnant women and in those with pre-existing health con...

I don't have any first hand experience with alcoholics or alcoholism. Luckily for me, all of my family members and near relatives are teetotalers but I've seen many families ruined due to alcohol abuse of either of the spouses /parents/ siblings. Most alcoholics believe that they are moderate drinkers and that they  have the control over their habit but this is far from truth. Alcohol can take over you so slyly that you will not be aware that you have already become addicted to it. The good news is that you can help and kick the habit but it needs tremendous will-power and patience from your side. Places such as Alcoholics Anonymous can also help you in your endeavour. You can also try some of the natural remedies which will help you in your rehabilitation.

It is essential to maintain everything around you in a perfectly clean condition. Otherwise, you risk to seriously harm your health. And it is of the uttermost importance that you pay special attention to the hygiene of your body. And your face, being constantly exposed to the severities of the weather as well as dust and other unpleasant things, requires more thorough care. It should be regularly exfoliated, cleansed, and moisturised, in order to maintain its fresh look. And I am sure that when speaking of facial care, the first thing that pops into every girl's mind is the problem of coping with the obnoxious blackheads. Dear readers, it is my pleasure to tell you that after you read this article, you will no longer need to use the expensive products that promise excellent and long-lasting results, but usually turn out to be extremely ineffective. You will be able to make your own and they all contain ingredients that you certainly have in your home.

A cold sore at the inner lip may be more than enough to take the peace of your mind. It continues to pain you throughout the day either when you gulp down something or talk to someone or give a smile or just brush your teeth. This cluster of blisters caused by Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 is generally caused by infected saliva. Cold sores are not considered any severe threat but can be enough painful in your daily activities. Besides consulting doctor and taking prescribed medications you can treat cold sores with an array of natural remedies.

Though this year, the monsoon was slow initially, later on it picked up and overall the rainfall in India has been good!  Well, what with most of our towns and cities with inadequate drainage facilities and little planned facilities in villages, water is bound to stagnate at most places. And stagnant water being the ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes, there is a surge in mosquito borne diseases like malaria, dengue and chikungunya . With its tropical climate, high temperatures, high humidity, and stagnant waters, India provides the ideal environment for mosquito larvae to mature and breed. India is also a home to anopheles mosquito which transmits malaria. About 2 million confirmed malarial cases and 1000 deaths are reported annually. India contributes 77% of the total malaria in South East Asia, as per this source . Female Anopheles Mosquito Biting a Human

Carrot is a bright orange, crunchy vegetable that is extremely popular and abundant. Whether you like it or not, you cannot ignore this superfood that is full of healthy nutrients. It is said that it's best for health when eaten raw. However if you want to cook carrots, the the healthiest way is by steaming. Carrots can be taken either whole, sliced or grated in a salad. If the carrots are organic, the skin should not be scraped off but should be thoroughly cleaned, as its mineral contents are very close to the skin. Also do not discard the leaves of this vegetable - they are highly nutritious and health-building.

Each one of us has experienced dry mouth sometime or the other, especially when we were stressed out or left high-strung for any reason whatsoever or during the times when we suffered from fever or common cold. Saliva, definitely plays a very important role - it limits the bacterial and fungi growth in the mouth, aids digestion and keeps the mouth moist. When there is decreased production of saliva, there can be dryness and discomfort in the mouth.  It manifests itself as a a sticky, dry feeling in the mouth in addition to difficulty in chewing or swallowing, cracked lips, sores or split skin at the corners of the mouth, excessive thirst , and sometimes accompanied by a dry, burning sensation in the throat or a rough, dry tongue.

Chickungunya is a rare form of viral fever caused by an alphavirus. This is spread from one person to another by the aedes aegypti mosquito. It has flu-like symptoms such as severe headache, chills, fevers, joint pains, nausea and vomiting. Some people may have bleeding from nose or gums.

Eyelashes add to the beauty of your eyes. Thick, long and dark eyelashes encircling the eyes have long been recognized as an important facet of physical beauty. Beautiful eyes are also associated with social advantages. In many cultures, long, thick eyelashes have been considered as the symbol of beauty and femininity; on the other hand loss of lashes has been related with the loss of attractiveness and psychological grief.

Quick Relief Checklist Before we dive in, here's your daily action plan: ☐ 25-30g fiber from whole foods ☐ 8-10 glasses of water/healthy fluids ☐ 30 minutes of gentle exercise ☐ Probiotic foods (yogurt, buttermilk) ☐ Respond to bathroom urges immediately ☐ Try a home remedy (ghee water, ripe bananas, soaked figs, warm lemon water) It's quite common to experience constipation during pregnancy—in fact, recent studies show that about 32% of pregnant women deal with this uncomfortable issue. It may occur as early as in the first trimester and may persist up to the last trimester, with around 21% of women affected in the first trimester, 34% in the second, and 30% in the third trimester. It can cause a lot of discomfort like abdominal bloating, flatulence and intestinal pain. Straining to pass the stools may also lead to piles and haemorrhoids. So if you are experiencing constipation during pregnancy, do not ignore this problem as an inevitable pregnancy issue but try to allevi...

Miscarriage happens when a woman loses the fetus in her womb before the 20th week of pregnancy.  According to the latest statistics, 1 in 4 first time pregnancies results to miscarriage and in the US alone, around 15 to 20 percent of all pregnancies end with the same misfortune.  Worse, these numbers become more discouraging with women in their middle 30s.       

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 20 to 50 million people in the United States have sleep related issues. Peaceful nights of sleep could however spell improved focus at work, less overall health concerns and a happier you . Before turning to prescription medication, try the following suggestions to fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer and wake up feeling more rejuvenated.

Mrs. Mani  asks: I am a homemaker and do all the cooking at home myself. Whenever I peel onions, carrots, beetroots or certain other vegetables, my fingers get stained. Is there a way to get rid of this?

Long time back, I had blogged about the enormous health benefits and medicinal uses of drumstick or Moringa Oleifera. You can read about this in the posts Drumsticks for Health and Medicinal Uses and Home-Remedies with Drumstick leaves . Interestingly, this versatile plant has many cosmetic benefits to its credit as well. Now, I’m not at all mentioning about the use of moringa oil or moringa extracts in cosmetic products. I’m just sharing some homemade organic beauty and skin care recipes that you can prepare from the cozy comforts of your home without making a dent in your pocket. And this is all the more easy for you if you have a drumstick tree in your backyard or vicinity. You can then make use of its leaves, roots and bark to prepare DIY face packs, hair packs, skincare oils and the works. Read on to find out more…

Dandruff, certainly isn't a life-threatening problem, but it can be irritating and sometimes a source of embarrassment,  more so, when you are wearing a black dress and those white flakes falling over it become all the more noticeable. There are several ways to tackle this dandruff, but the best and safest of all are DIY home-remedies . A hot oil massage with olive oil , coconut oil , almond oil or sesame oil work wonders for a scalp affected by dandruff, as these oils supposedly have anti-fungal properties. So also a massage with pure alovera gel or soaked and ground fenugreek seeds paste or lemon juice. Then there is this  homemade oil with curry leaf stalks that's not only good for minor skin ailments but also for dandruff. There are a plethora of such home-remedies that are highly effective for dandruff. (Also read Fight dandruff yourself, Dandruff - Home remedies , Quick remedies for dandruff flakes and DIY Remedy for itchy dandruff .) Amongst the several options ...

Cellulite plagues millions of women each year, more common in those ages 20 and above. Men can also get cellulite but it is more uncommon than women, this is because men have thicker layers of skin so its much harder for cellulite to form on them. There are ways to lessen the cellulite or even hide it for a night out on the town, here I will discuss how! Pic Courtesy: Flickr

If you have dry skin it can be an annoying, embarrassing, and bothersome problem to deal with. There are a number of different things that can cause your dry skin. Normally the cause of this problem is due to some type of skin condition like eczema, hypothyroidism, or psoriasis. However, other factors like the weather, taking too many showers, high blood glucose, excessive exposure to the sun, old age or using harsh soaps can cause excessive dry skin.

Facial hair is something every woman has, for some it's very light and hardly noticeable while for others it's prominent. In some cases it's genetically inherited. If your mother or grandmother had a lot of hair on their bodies, chances are that you may have it too. But for some, it's because their hormones go out of whack, especially for PCOS or PCOD sufferers. Unwanted facial hair is something every girl/woman dreads and often searches for an easy, inexpensive way to remove it. However there are some brave women like Balpreet Kaur who are comfortable with their facial hair and don't give a hoot to what their tormentors think. Even though your facial hair was light and hardly unobtrusive when you were younger, once you are on the wrong side of thirties, hair begins to pop up in the most unlikeliest of places, your chin, nipples and abdomen. This usually happens because there is a slight imbalance in the ratio of female (estrogen) to -male (androgen) ho...