Beauty and Personal Grooming

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.

2 months ago, I happened to notice Gandhaali Foot Scrub Soap at a departmental store and after reading from its cover that it's a soap meant exclusively for the feet, I immediately purchased it. I especially needed a foot scrub soap to keep my feet clean in the rainy season. In the monsoons, as you all know it is a herculean task wading through muddy waters and puddles, especially in India. Also there's a high risk of contracting a fungal infection as well as other skin infections if you neglect foot hygiene. So it's highly necessary to wash, clean and scrub your feet thoroughly after you come home from outdoors. (Read Pamper your feet & Pedicure at home - easy steps )

Mosquitoes are very dangerous insects. They cause some of the killer diseases in the world. The most affected part of the world is Africa. When living in a mosquito-infested area, it is advisable that you look for ways of preventing the mosquito bites. Regardless of their size, most people have succumbed to their diseases. Know more about the mosquito-transmitted disease below.

Common cold is the world’s most common ailment. Probably, there is no one in this wide world who has not suffered from this illness at least once in his / her   lifetime. It’s so common that the name “common cold” is so very apt.

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...

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

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.

While it's true that common colds are most common in winters and monsoons , you can catch it any time, especially if you are not particular about hand hygiene or have been in the company of people who have been suffering from this. Though colds last for around 5-7 days, the accompanying nasal stuffiness / congestion can be very irksome as you cannot breathe properly. Just nose blowing won't help, especially if you aren't doing it right . Several remedies do help to ease your symptoms and pamper yourself.  But one of the easiest way to beat this nasal congestion is to to eat lots of spicy food . 

In this fairly long post on dry cough and home-remedies to effectively tackle it, let me first tell you how I happened to get this dry cough and how I panicked when it wouldn't go and then what steps I took to deal with it.

Nail fungus is definitely an embarrassing problem to deal with. The medical name for this fungal infection is onychomycosis and it affects both the fingernails and toenails. Onychomycosis makes up around a half of every nail abnormalty today. It affects at least 6% of the human population, making it the most common nail disease.

The other day I was at a railway station waiting for the train to arrive. It was late in the evening and it was getting dark. Sadly enough, the platform where my train was supposed to arrive hadn’t enough lighting. Sitting on the bench and waiting in semi-darkness was sheer torture for me. My misery was further enhanced by a swarm of mosquitoes that started biting me. Now I hadn’t expected this and so I wasn’t carrying any mosquito repellant cream with me but I got caught in a whirlwind of negative thoughts! Are these deadly mosquitoes carriers of dengue, malaria or chickungunya viruses? What if, I contract one of these dreaded diseases? What are my chances of recovery? Will it prove fatal? My thoughts were racing…

With the monsoon in full swing, it isn't quite surprising to find those once dry lemon grass ( Cymbopogon) plants burgeoning with full vigour in your garden. Now is the time to take some of those leaves and prepare a DIY cleanser and toner . @Hakcipta Yosri - Dibebaskan di bawah

Monsoons wreak havoc on your skin. high humidity levels make your skin look oily and patchy. Despite this, your skin can be at its radiant best with good skin care and the right products.

Your hair care routine and style too needs a makeover this monsoon. Some tips: Hair care: Avoid colouring your hair this season. Blow drying and ironing are not good options, as the repeated flow of hot air can cause breakages and split ends . Say no to hair brushes this season. Combs work best to de-tangle knotty strands after leave-in conditioner is applied on the hair. Tress style: Select hairstyles which are easy to make, simple and uncommon. Go in for shorter hairstyles this season. Bangs and fringes are to be avoided. Instead, opt for the short Chelsea bob. Natural and wavy hair also looks beautiful. A monsoon tip: Some hair wax applied to the hair, makes it look natural and keeps it manageable. Clips and more: Fancy gem studded glittery clips on a short bob look classy for a night out. Broad hairbands in nude or funky colors also look good, as they make both curly and straight hair look chic and stylish. (Guest Post by Smitha)

In the rains, it makes sense to note the following things while doing your eyes . Mascara: It's best to go for neutral coloured eyes this season, with an application of waterproof mascara on curled lashes. However, if you do want to add colour to your eyes, mix powder and cream eyeshadows . Besides  aqua and neon green, purple and lavender are in, this season. Avoid Kajal: Opt for coloured waterproof liners instead. Apply it on the top lashes of the eyes and make sure the lines are not too bold; this gives a very young and fresh look. Apply a coat of mascara to your lashes. (Guest Post by Smitha)

Dr Snehal Sriram (MD) , Kaya Skin Clinic shares a few tips on taking care of your skin this monsoon : Summer is the season for growth - our skin cell turnover increases; this leads to piling up of dead layers of skin by the time monsoon begins. Also, the UV rays that harm the skin are invisible but do penetrate the clouds and harm the skin. Without right skin care, our skin starts looking dull and lifeless in the monsoon. Acidic water adds to our woes and hair tends to get rough and frizzy. Skincare: - Cleanse your skin daily using a soap free cleanser. Also make use of a gentle scrub (with uniform mild beads) once a day to get rid of dead cells. - Cleansing should be followed by toning using an alcohol free toner, since increased humidity could open up your pores - Use a sunscreen even on a cloudy day since the harmful UV radiations are capable of penetrating the clouds - Use a light lotion based moisturizer or serum with a lightening agent as...

Follow these simple pointers during the rains to keep your feet looking great. * Get regular pedicures and keep your toenails trimmed. Also cut your toe-nails straight across and not the corners to prevent ingrown nails . Once in a week, you should also clean the insides of your nails with an orange stick dipped in hydrogen-peroxide to ward off nail infections. * Paint your toenails bright, happy colours. * Steer clear of leather footwear. They become soggy when wet, and are not suitable for monsoons. But perchance if you were wearing leather footwear during an unexpected shower, here's what you should do with your leather sandals . * Say goodbye to closed footwear and start wearing open footwear, it'll allow your feet to dry quickly and let your toes breathe. Flip flops let your feet breathe and help that moisture evaporate in no time. * Before wearing your shoes or sandals, clean them thoroughly with a dry cloth. This helps remove any fungal growth or moulds in your we...

Vicks VapoRub might give you relief during a spell of common cold . But did you know that it could also help fight nail fungus that makes the nails to turn yellow? Application: Y ou have to file the nail and rub in the balm. It gives a slight stinging feeling. Slowly the nail will turn from yellow to brown and begin to grow off. You have to do this twice a day. Always file the nail as far as you can each time before the application of this ointment. Someone I know had tried this and the results were pretty fast. ZetaClear Nail Fungus Relief , a natural product designed to treat nails disfigured by nail fungus might also help. Related Reading : Fungal infections around your toes

Monsoons, for some, are all about cloudy skies with little sunlight, fast spreading water-borne diseases, and almost a depressive state of mind. And how can you forget about the increased mosquito menace? But there are ways to beat the blues and enjoy the beauty and wonderment of this season with a sunny smile. Refer to some of the tips and suggestions by clicking here . Here are some more tips: * Make sure that the water you drink is pure and free from impurities. Use a suitable water purification method to purify your drinking water. A small piece of alum can also be added in your drinking water for a couple of seconds before drinking to prevent water-borne diseases like diarrhea and dysentery. * Consume less milk, fruit juices and leafy vegetables as harmful bacteria found in these foods multiply faster during the rains. But drink butter-milk, kokum water and the like as much as you can since the body loses a lot of water by way of water-borne ailments. * During this season ...