Homeopathy Myths busted-Dr.Batras Article

Homeopathy Myths busted - Dr. Batra's Article

The science of Homeopathy has been the subject of many debates and discussions - people bombarding the propagators and followers of this science with allegations and accusations of various kinds. But even after all this, Homeopathy has emerged victorious and put a stop to all of these with the help of research-based evidences and successfully treated cases. Here are some of the common myths (about Homeopathy) that have clearly fallen apart:

Myth 1: Homeopathic medicines are placeboes
Answer from Dr. Batra's Team: The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized Homeopathy as an accepted system of medicine and the world's second largest system of medicine. There have been many double blind trials conducted where the efficacy of Homeopathic medicines have been proved. Studies have shown the ability of Homeopathic medicines to induce physiological changes in the body temperature. Homeopathy even works on animals in diseases like distemper and fifty percent of veterinary doctors in UK use Homeopathy. It shows effective results in infants even in acute diseases such as abdominal colic. This would not have been possible if homeopathic remedies were placeboes.

Myth 2: Homeopathic medicines are slow to act and cannot be used in acute cases
Answer from Dr. Batra's Team: Most people take recourse in Homeopathy for chronic problems such as arthritis, allergic asthma or skin conditions, etc., which take a longer time to be treated with any other system of medicine too. However, in acute ailments like fever, diarrhoea, acute cold, cough, etc., homeopathic remedies act as fast as conventional medicines, sometimes even faster.

Myth 3: All homeopathic medicines are the same
Answer from Dr. Batra's Team: Although all homeopathic medicines look alike, essentially they are not the same. The basic ingredients of homeopathic medicines come from 3000 different sources that are mainly derived from plants and minerals. Their active principles are extracted into various solvents. For better palatability, the liquid homeopathic medicine is poured into small globules, which are highly porous and therefore absorptive. Although they may look alike, every homeopathic remedy is different from another.

Myth 4: Homeopathy cannot help surgical cases at all
Answer from Dr. Batra's Team: A number of surgical conditions can be treated effectively with Homeopathy, for e.g. recurrent tonsillitis, piles, fissures, fistula, chronic ear discharge, vocal cord nodules, kidney and gall bladder stones, small-sized uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, warts and corns. However, every medical science has its set of advantages and limitations. Thus, in certain cases where the disease has reached an advanced stage or in emergency cases, surgery is essential and cannot be avoided. In fact, many surgeons and dentists use Homeopathy pre and post operatively. A homeopathic remedy Calendula is recommended as an external application by many surgeons to facilitate better surgical wound healing without leaving behind ugly scars.

Myth 5: There are too many dietary restrictions to be followed during homeopathic treatment
Answer from Dr. Batra's Team: The only medical restrictions that a homeopath may impose depend upon the disease that the patient suffers from; for example, diabetics should avoid sweets and a high carbohydrate diet. Since homeopathic medicines act through nerve endings, traditional homeopaths do not prefer the use or consumption of any substance with strong odors like toothpaste, garlic, onions, etc., as this could affect the action of homeopathic medicines. Modern homeopaths recommend having the medicines after rinsing the mouth half an hour before and after meals and also advocate placing the medicine below the tongue for best results.

Myth 6: Homeopathy and Allopathy cannot be taken together
Answer from Dr. Batra's Team: In patients suffering from drug-dependant diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, allopathic drugs cannot be suddenly withdrawn; hence, homeopathic medicines may be taken with allopathic medicines. However, allopathic medicine is often palliative or suppressive. For example, if a patient with headache takes a painkiller, his symptoms would get masked and therefore a good prescription by a homeopath could become difficult. Similarly, some medicines in Allopathy tend to suppress rather than cure while homeopathic medicines may expel toxins. In such cases, it is better to take Homeopathy alone.

Original Article Source: http://www.drbatras.com/en/homeopathy/myths-busted.aspx

Winter Care Tips | Winter Beauty Tips

	Changing temperatures mean a change of routine in all parts of the world, even ina country like India that is almost in the tropics. Understanding what your skin goes through in winter can help you tweak a few habits to get a glowing complexion and healthy skin in winter. Here are a few tips to help you get it right!
	Get the blood flowing Exercise is crucial to staying healthy through the winter months. A daily routineof aerobics and cardio exercises can loosen up your muscles and joints and keepyou limber throughout the day—and the winter. Start your day with a hotshower. This will compensate for getting out of bed early. Before you get out of the shower, switch to cold water for about 15 sec and backto hot for 15 sec. Repeat this for 2–3 cycles or for about 2 min. This simple hydrotherapytechnique revitalizes the skin by stimulating blood flow throughout the body.
	Skin care in winter It is time to get out the heavy-duty moisturizers. A highly protective day-carecream with appropriate SPF is an essential barrier to protect your skin againstthe elements Creamy, water-in-oil emulsions are best as they hydrate your skinwhile also protecting them from loss of moisture in the cold winds. Chappedlips are most noticeable in winter. Use a moisturizing lip balm with vitamin E init if you want to avoid looking like you have some dreadful, peeling skin disorder.Keep reapplying the balm with a chapstick throughout the day. Exfoliate! Dead Cells tend to pile up in winter and prevent the moisturizer fromgetting to the healthy skin. The oils in the skin are being produced at a lesserrate than in summer and due to this, skin tends to lose water that would otherwisehave been retained in the lower dermis of the skin. Dry skin can cause premature aging and fine lines can begin to appear in improperlycared for skin. Detoxify your system with plenty of water. If you feel it difficult to gulp downroom temperature water, heat your water and take it with a twist of lemon—a sortof watered-down version of lemon tea. Everyone loves to cuddle up and sleep, burrowing under a pile of warm and toastyblankets while the temperature outside keeps dropping. Ensure you get your beautysleep—7 h is decent if you cannot manage the full 8 or the luxurious 9 h in winternights. Sun protection is essential now as the outdoor weather conditions are such thatmoisture is invariably lost from the skin. Natural sunscreens featuring moisturizingingredients such as aloe vera, cocoa butter and herbal oils can further protectyour skin. Moisturize as frequently as possible. Indoor and outdoor conditionsare drier in winter and alternating a heavier emollient with a lighter emollientcan have your skin feeling cared for while not having to deal with the greasy feeling. Creams and lotions with Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), such as glycolic or lactic acid,can be effective in reversing dry skin and lines at deeper levels. Alternate different products every few days, for example, once a week, so that yourbody is exposed to differing levels of support and does not settle into a fixedroutine that may not be very beneficial in the longer term. Dual-purpose moisturizersact by moisturizing and providing sun protection. Most of them also contain antioxidantingredients which counter the free-radical damage caused by the winter sun. It would be best to avoid clay-based masks in winter as they tend to dry skin furtherin winter. Opting for masks that are specially designed for winter or for dry skinare ideal for winter. Natural soaps or herbal soaps with high fat content are good for the skin in winteras they care for dry skin. Tub baths should be avoided as they can cause drying of the skin and showers shouldbe taken with tepid, not hot, water. Avoid vigorous and too frequent scrubbingwith washcloths in winter as this can further damage and irritate dry skin. Apply moisturizer onto towel-dried skin immediately after emerging from a showeras this locks more water into your skin. While shaving in winter, use a moisturizinggel rather than soap and remember to moisturize your legs well immediately afterward. Rubber gloves will need to be worn while washing dishes or using harsh cleaningagents to avoid further chemical damage. Keep a bottle of hand lotion handyand apply after washing your hands. Winter time also sees the exacerbation oroutbreaks of itchy skin or Eczema. Avoid the use of soap if this happens and tryto use natural emollients such as olive oil or moisturizers with herbal oils suchas tea-tree oil. IFeet tend to be neglected in winter and need extra attention.Ensure that socks and shoes fit properly and dust your feet with non-irritatingtalc before enclosing them in socks and footwear for the day.
	Dressing for winter Though it is natural to want to resort to wool or other warmer fabrics in winter,these may not be great on winter skin. Non-irritating fabrics, such as cotton, allow circulation of air over the skin andavoid trapping of moisture. Dressing in layers will give you the advantage of takingoff or adding clothes if you feel too warm or cold. Synthetic materials are ideal for winter as they provide warmth and yet do not trapmoisture. They even dry faster if they become wet. Since more skin is covered in winter, there is increased potential for developingallergic reactions to irritants in detergents or fabric toners and softeners. Switchingto a gentler brand of detergent or avoiding fabric toners is a good choice in winter. Wearing gloves over your hands can protect the nails and skin from unseemly damagewhile also keeping them supple.
	Diet in winter  The changing weather also seeks it due in terms of dietary changesin winter. Protein needs tend to be higher and diet must reflect this change bythe addition of nuts, peas, beans and lean meat. Dairyproducts are also a goodsource of protein at this time and provide therequired amounts of protein and calciumif incorporated into diet. Extravitamins are necessary to fight the onslaughtson theImmune System inwinter as body resistance to infection tends to fall inwinter. Dark-green,leafy vegetables are excellent at preventing skin drynessand crackingand also provide essential micronutrients to help fight infection. Source : Indian Womens Health

Health is a state of complete physical, emotional, social and spiritual well being

Body
Fitness – "I believe in qualitative physical and mental fitness. Hence my one hour long work out session in the morning is a mix of cardio and lightweights training, wherein I also focus on my breathing. Breathing for me holds the key to the harmonious flow of prana(life’s breath).

I savour every moment of my fitness session in order to connect my mind to each body part I exercise. Every part of our system is linked to our mind and body, and vice versa. Through this practise I feel like one whole and not just a compartment of body parts. This relates to the age-old dictum — a sound mind in a sound body.

Diet – I strongly believe in the phrase you are what you eat. I turned into a pure vegetarian five years ago and I relish every morsel of my sattvic diet. I love fruits and vegetables and more so because of the nutritious fibre they provide which is good for the gut health.

It has been rightly said that everything we do is related to the gut — right from our ‘gut feelings’ to flushing waste materials out of our system. Along with a good fitness session a balanced diet is extremely important. This is because when your tummy is in good shape, it adds harmony to your overall health and well-being.

Mind
My hobbies act as a great stress buster. I love listening to old Hindi melodies and ghazals. Music is such a great relaxant, due to which I have started learning light classical music and devote my evenings towards it.

My other passion in photography as it feels like soulful imagery. Whenever I am on the go, my camera is present with me. There is a sense of history and continuity in pictures then be it of nature, people or places.

Getting out of the crowded city and travelling to places where I can savour nature’s bounty of hills and beautiful landscapes brings a lot of peace to my mind. During such excursions its not only photography but also writing poetry which helps me relax.

Besides this reading too brings about great joy, then be it reading stories to my grandson or my own books. Reading makes you the person you are, or want to be. It opens the door of knowledge and understanding. A book is one of the best companions you can have when you are alone.

Spirit
Spiritualism acts as a path to good health. I am spiritual, but not just symbolically but by leading a life filled with humility and dedicated to my family and work. My spirituality is greatly reflected by the quality time I spend with my family – my son Akshay, daughter-in-law Ushma and grandson Hriman. What is especially exciting for me is spending time with my grandson because, in more ways than one, I am reliving my childhood.

The weekends spent at my home in Amby Valley also helps me connect to my inner self as I am not only able to relax in the midst of nature but also absorb the positive vibes of the natural surroundings."

Source : Times Wellness

Article by : Dr. Mukesh Batra (CMD - Dr. Batra's Positive Health Clinic Pvt. Ltd.)

Home Remdies - Dark Circles

Eyes are known to be the mirror of a person's heart. Anything that you think and wish happens to surface up in the sparkle of our eyes. Eyes are thus called the most beautiful part of a person. But, the beauty of these eyes simply gets shadowed by the dark circles.

What are dark circles under eyes?

The skin below our eyes is very thin and is sparsely dotted with oil glands unlike the skin on rest of the body. Due to various reasons the skin under the eyes becomes thin and dry. This makes veins below eyes appear prominently and lends the area a dark appearance.

What causes dark circles under eyes?

There are various reasons which cause dark circles. Few of them have been listed below:

• Heredity: If others in your family have dark circles then there are fair chances of you getting dark circles under eyes. The thinness of under eye skin is a hereditary character. The thin skin under the eyes reveals dark veins underneath and appears as dark circles under eyes.
• Lack of Sleep and Fatigue: Partying all night, lack of sleep, fatigue, sinus infections, pregnancy all these may cause paleness of skin. Pale skin makes blood vessels to appear prominently and give an appearance of dark circles.
• Structure of Bone: Eyes set deep in skull bones may develop ark shadow under them.
• Exposure to Sunlight: Exposure to sun light increases the level of pigmentation and cause tanning. Same thing applies well for the skin under the eyes. When skin under the eyes gets exposed to sun it tans and appears dark.
• Medications: Medications which cause dilation of blood vessels cause dark circles under eyes. Dilated blood vessels allow more blood to flow through them and these blood vessels look prominent through the skin under the eyes which is very thin.
• Nutrition: Poor nutrition leads to paleness of skin under the eyes. Lack of essential nutrients in diet or poor diet causes discoloration of under eye skin.
• Hormonal Imbalance: Hormonal Imbalance during pregnancy, menstruation, menopause etc cause paleness of skin and this leads to appearance of dark circles under the eyes.
• Age: As we grow old the skin under the eyes become more dry and wrinkled. The wrinkled skin below eyes appears as dark circles around eyes.

What can I do about it?

One problem with dark circles is that they are difficult to mask. They require lots of concealer and great efforts in keeping them unnoticed. Few simple care routines and remedies at home can help you cure dark circles easily.

• Tea bags are extremely effective in curing dark circles. Do not throw away used tea bags, but refrigerate them for a few hours. Use cold tea bags over the eyes for at least fifteen minutes everyday to find them vanish.
• Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can tell on the eyes quickly as toxins tend to remain and show up in spots faster. A minimum of two to three liters of water is a must.
• Apply a slice of either cucumber (kheera) or raw potato around the eyes every night. Try using them slightly refrigerated or a little cold. This will not only refresh the eyes and improve tear secretion, but also cure dark circles. These wedges can also help relieve stress and tired eyes, main contributors to dark circles.
• Grate a cucumber (kheera), squeeze to take out its juice and refrigerate. Make a mixture of lemon juice, lanolin cream and cucumber juice and apply around the eye for 10-15 minutes.
• Make a mixture of almond (badam) oil and honey and apply to the affected areas once a day and rest the eyes. This should help remove dark circles in a few weeks. You can also just use almond oil, massaging it under the eyes for 15 minutes.
  
• Castor oil is another good remedy, which calms tired eyes, removes dark circles, and also fosters the growth of lashes.
• Alternate hot and cold compresses under your eyes for 10 minutes. Then apply a teaspoon of almond oil mixed with half teaspoon of lime juice on the dark surface every night before going to bed.
• Mix two tablespoon of tomato juice and two tablespoon of lemon juice and then apply this mixture under the eye area. It is a natural cure for removing dark circles.
• Mint (pudina) leaves are also proven to be very useful for curing dark circles. Crush a few mint leaves and place them under your eyes.
• Paste made up of turmeric (haldi) powder with some pineapple juice is also very helpful for removing dark circles.
• Apply rose water using cotton under the eye area daily for removing the dark circles.
• Everyone needs a different amount of time for sleep, there are average times for men, women and children. However you will need to gage your own time. Once you start getting good sleep, you won't have dark circles.

So, try out these simple and easy home based remedies to get rid of those horrifying dark circles from under your eyes and enjoy a beautiful look

Read More about Home Remedies For Dark Circles Under The Eyes on

Back pain | Home Remedies for Back Pain | Back Ache

Back Pain Remedies for avoiding back pain.

Back pain can cause due to various reasons. It could be:

• Back pain due to continuous cycling
• Back pain due to continuous driving
• Back pain due to imporper seating posture
• Back pain during pregnancy period
• Back Pain because of a cramp

There are some quick remedies to get relieved from back pain.

They are as follows:

• Don't lie down and try to cure back pain
• Ice the portion of back pain
• Take a hot bath and soak yourselves in hot water for some timeto relieve back pain, not advisable for pregnant women.
• Change the mattress that might be causing back pain
• Get a good maasage at the protion where you are suffering from back pain
• Get good sleep, if you tend to lie on back place a pillow where you are troubled because of back pain
• Take a pain killer that suits you, you can get some fast & temporary relief from back pain
• When you sit for long hours use a cushion, this would help to avoid back pain
• Exercise, especially swim this is one of the best ways to avoid back pain
• Control your weight, being overweight / obese can cause sever back pain
• Fill a clean, thick sock with 1 cup uncooked rice and place in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds on medium-low. Check the temperature and apply to the back where you are suffering from back pain
• Ice cubes should be applied immediately during a back pain
• Include a calcium in your diet this would help in preventing back pain

Back pain is really stressfull and makes you partially handicapped. Even a slightest symptom of back pain should be consulted with a specialist as back pain if it gets chronic can be very stessful.

Winter Care Tips | Winter Care for Hair & Skin

Winter is here and the human body (especially skin) starts giving severe problems in this season. Some love & adore this season but for some this is a season of pain & irritation. Taking care of your body seems to be a challenge and people start finding solutions to overcome this.

Below is an article by Priya Devi R., she has in considerable efforts to explain the winter care and winter healing tips. The information carries winter care tips for some of your most sensitive body parts.

Winter is just not about warm clothes, fireside reading, snuggling close to the pillows
wrapped from head to toe with a comfy quilt. It is time to battle the cold winds that hampers your body and hair. A little care will keep the wintry troubles at bay.

Before the winter winds can work havoc with your hair, expose your hair to deep conditioning. Since the cold weather causes to dry your hair, massage your hair in aloe Vera juice for a few minutes. This will restore its softness.

You can also treat your hair with oil massage once or twice a week Olive oil can work wonders in reinforcing moisture to your hair. Heat the oil before using and allow it to soak for a time lesser than the time you allot for the summer season. Too long a period of soaking hair in oil can get you ill. If you are used to treating your hair with herbal extracts or herbal oil do not soak it for a long time. Herbal ingredients are mostly cooling agents that are more suitable for the summer. Keep away from washing your hair too frequently.

Woolen clothing like hats, scarves and turtlenecks can cause damage to your hairline. Since they can cause breakage, first cover your hair with a silk scarf before exposing it to winter wraps.It is the appropriate time for split ends to work their way up to the hair shafts. Hence trim your split ends.

Style your hair with a braid, twist or a knot. Try Keeping away from letting your hair open and wild, as the cold winds can play rough on your hair.Avoid exposing your hair to frequent coloring, streaking, or ironing as they can rob your hair off its moisture and it is advisable to avoid heating appliances on your hair.Expose your hair to natural drying. Keep away from blow dryers. If you have to use, use one with a hood.Always cover your hair with a silk fabric to guard it from the chill winds.

Skin

Your skin texture depends not only on external treatments, but also on the intake. A proper nutritious intake helps in rejuvenating the skin from within. Water plays an important role in keeping your skin alive. A good amount of water helps in retaining the moisture of your skin as well keeping skin disorders at bay. Fruits and vegetables in your daily diet release a lot of water to your system. Primrose syrup and olive oil in your diet also aids in softening your skin.Use the paste of ground green gram powder instead of soap to work your way to a soft and supple skin.Pamper you skin with a little coconut oil before bath to heal dryness and chaps.

Use a creamy soap that renders that extra suppleness to your skin. Moisturizers and cold creams are a must in the winters. Apply some good cold cream on your face before going to bed. Moisten your skin with a good moisturizer or a creamy hand and body lotion. My best buy is ' Jergens' hand and body lotion.Add a few drops of oil to the water that you are using to bath. This will help retain the moisture lost when bathing. Avoid using very hot water during winter as it can decrease the natural oils of your skin. Instead shorten your bath time.

Hands, legs and nails

When treating your legs add a few drops of oil in the water that you use to soak them. With regards to hands, try using rubber gloves while immersing them in water. Use a base coat over your nails against the cold weather.

Lips

A good petroleum jelly will be an effective cover over your lips against the cold weather. Butter is effective in curing chapped lips and renders an extra softness.

So get ready to shield your body against the winter threats.

Please find the published article at http://living.oneindia.in/beauty/winter-care.html

Stretch Marks | Home remedies for stretch marks

Below is an article from Wong Darren that helps you get freedom from stretch marks through some basic home remedies.

Get rid of stretch marks by using some home remedies
By Wong Darren

There is a myriad of stretch mark creams and other products out in the market today, but not a lot of research has been done with the aim of proving if they actually work in preventing and/or treating stretch marks. Aside from the fact that they don't guarantee results, stretch mark treatments can also be very expensive. This is why a lot of people have opted to use home remedies for stretch marks since they are not only economical, but also safe for use. Since they use natural ingredients, they don't pose the risk of harmful side effects.

Be Healthy to Keep Stretch Marks at Bay

It is popular knowledge that having a well-balanced diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals will keep your skin healthy. It thus follows that the proper nutrition will help prevent stretch marks. This is because healthy foods contain antioxidants that do wonders for the overall health of your skin. You should also engage in regular exercise since this will help tone your muscles and maintain the firmness of your skin. Both of these tips will help you avoid excessive changes in weight in a short period of time and hence will lower your chances of having stretch marks.

Daily massages are also a good stretch mark treatment. A massage will increase circulation and promote skin renewal. Include massages in your daily routine. Rub natural oils on your problem areas right after you take a shower and before going to bed.

Some Home Remedies for Stretch Marks

1. Natural shea butter is a good source of vitamins A and E, which are both good for skin health. Rub shea butter on the areas with stretch marks several times a day to expedite the healing process.

2. Aloe Vera is known for its healing and soothing properties for burns. Some people claim that it does the same thing for stretch marks since these marks are also a form of skin injury. The following recipe utilize aloe vera and other natural ingredients in order to make a massage oil for the prevention and/or treatment of stretch marks:
- ¼ cup aloe vera gel
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 capsules of vitamin A (use only the liquid inside)
- 4 capsules of vitamin E (use only the liquid inside)
- Using a blender, mix all the ingredients. Store the mixture in an airtight container overnight in the fridge. Apply the massage oil onto affected areas as needed.

3. Cocoa butter is a popular stretch mark treatment. However, it is most probably not that effective in penetrating deeply into the dermis (the middle layer of our skin.) But like other moisturizing ingredients, it is good for keeping the skin well-hydrated and soft at all times. The following recipe uses cocoa butter in order to make a stretch mark cream:
- ½ cup cocoa butter
- 1 teaspoon apricot kernel oil
- 2 teaspoons grated beeswax
- 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
- 1 tablespoon wheat germ oil

Combine all ingredients and heat them until the beeswax and cocoa butter melt. Allow it to cool then store in an airtight container. Massage the cream onto affected areas as needed.

Stretchmark-s.com is a health resource dedicated to providing factual information about Stretch Mark Treatments. This free resource including topics: What Is Stretch Mark?, Collagen and Stretch Marks and more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wong_Darren

Wellness | Health & Wellness

The below post is a compilation from Kiran Mehta of Mumbai Mirror. This is a very good resource and would be a very useful personal guide for health & wellness.
Below are the wellness experts from Mumbai Mirror:

• Neesha Maria Bukht: Registered dietician and ISSA trainer at Talwalkars, Bandra
• Dr Shashank Joshi: Endocrinologist at Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre
• Khursheed Kanga: Psychotherapist and wellness coach at Metro Nirvana
• Bipin Salvi : Chief personal trainer at Talwalkars, Mahim

Tips for health & wellness:

1. Practice Mindfulness
“Wherever you go, there you are,” is how Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D, founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University Of Massachusetts Medical Center, summed up mindfulness. Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment and not thinking about what happened in the recent past nor worrying about the future. It might be difficult and require you to screen your thoughts initially, but with time mindfulness will come naturally.

2. Invest time in you
Create a daily ritual where you take 20 to 30 minutes for any activity that you enjoy and find relaxing. Pick up a book, listen to music, have a cup of tea etc.

3. Put yourself first in order to serve others
It's only when our own needs are fully met that we can generously and whole-heartedly give of ourselves. It's not selfish to look after ourselves, it's essential!

4. Cultivate new attitudes
Change is integral to life. In fact, one of the best ways to deal with difficult situations is to change the way we think about it. Living a healthy life often means challenging our old patterns of functioning and thinking.

5. Meditate
Know that meditation means different things to different people. For some practicing mindfulness is meditation for others it involves chanting. Find what method of meditation works for you and go with it.

6. Strike a balance
Strike a balance between physical development and the spiritual aspects. There is a tendency for people who are more spiritually focused to ignore, avoid, or dismiss their bodies. Similarly, many individuals are entirely engrossed in physical growth and pay no attention to the needs of the soul. In both cases, an adjustment is in order. We are whole only to the degree that we embrace both sides of our being.

7. Pain is positive
Physical and emotional pain serves the purpose of signalling us that something is amiss. Take it as a sign that something needs to come to awareness and perhaps needs to change.

8. Cry your heart out
Crying is not a sign of weakness. In fact it is a means cleansing the heart, whether it comes from laughter so intense that it flows into tears; or from sadness that overwhelms us with sobs of grief. Karl Menninger, in his book The Vital Balance writes, "Weeping is perhaps the most universal of all relief measures." Indeed, this process of letting go may well be a natural source for healing that many have denied themselves.

9. Forgiving is liberating
Start by forgiving yourself. For instance, if something you say causes misunderstandings or may be interpreted as hurtful, don’t beat yourself up over it. Apologise or build an affirmation to get past it. Then move on to forgiving others because blaming others for your shortcomings doesn’t let you off the hook, it only makes you feel helpless and hints to self-confidence issues.

10. Eat when dieting
If you’re dieting you need to continually fuel your body. This means a minimum of four but preferably six meals each day. This way you’ll have the energy to exercise and won’t crave any large unhealthy meals.

11. Don’t avoid fat
If you think you can lose weight and keep it off by avoiding all fats, you’re sadly mistaken. Your body (and your brain) needs fat to survive! This is why the scientists call them essential fatty acids – Omegas 3, 6, and 9. So, make sure you put fat back into your dietary plan.

12. The fork is not a shovel
Even if we are not hungry, most of us have a tendency to finish our meals in 10 minutes. The problem is that the brain doesn't know the stomach is full until 20 minutes after it actually is. You could stuff yourself silly before realising you didn't need to consume as much as you did. Try eating half of what's on your plate, wait a couple of minutes, then continue to eat if you're still hungry. In short, eat slowly. If you want a real hunger-stopper, try an Omega 3 supplement twenty minutes before a meal.

13. Satisfy cravings
If you're hungry for something, eat it. Don't deny yourself the simple pleasures. If it's possible, eat only half of what you want. Is your craving satisfied or are you addicted to the flavour? Losing weight shouldn’t be torture for anybody. Give yourself a small treat or two during the week. Any diet that leaves you feeling deprived will ultimately fail. Enjoy a small piece of dark chocolate or one scoop of ice cream during the week.

14. Know your diet pitfalls
To improve your eating habits, you first have to know what's wrong with them. Write down everything you eat for three days. Then check your list. Do you add a lot of butter, creamy sauces or salad dressings? Rather than eliminating these foods, just cut back your portions.

15. Make changes gradually
Just as there are no “superfoods” to a healthy diet, don't expect to revamp your eating habits overnight. Changing too much too fast can intrude into success. Remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes that can add up to positive, lifelong eating habits. Like, if you don't like the taste of skimmed milk, try low-fat. Eventually you may find you like skimmed milk too.

16. Be careful with shopping trips
Eat a healthy breakfast, lunch or snack before you go to the mall. If you go hungry, you are much more likely to give in to the temptation of unhealthy foods at the food court.

17. Train wrecks will happen
One of these nights, you're going to go out with friends and overeat. Instead of repeating the overindulgence, just put your self back on track the next day. You're allowed to "mess up" every now and again, so long as you don't make a habit out of consuming an excessive amount of food.

18. Go back to your roots
Eat the food that your ancestors survived on. And since fast food restaurants weren't around back then, this automatically implies you stay away from processed and fatty foods.

19. Eat right on time
One of the leading causes of heart-disease, hypertension and diabetes is the fact that all too often we skip meals and it is this gap between meals that reduces immunity.

20. Juices are no substitute for water
While fruit juices are healthy and need to be part of your diet, they are no substitute for water. When you keep track of your daily consumption of water, don't include any other beverages there.

21. Don’t pop vitamin pills
Unless prescribed by a doc, don’t consume vitamin tabs. While some such as Vitamin B are water-soluble and will be automatically flushed out of your system, such is not the case with Vitamin A and D. Therefore if you self-medicate you run the risk of suffering from toxicity.

22. Don’t overlook the mind-body connection
Only if you are mentally fit will you be able to concentrate on your work-out and thereby get the most out of it.

23. Don’t skip the warm-up stage
All too often people skip their warm-ups due to lack of time. It is dangerous to exercise cold-muscles and increases the risk of muscle injury and joint pain.

24. Taking the steps is not a substitute for a workout
In fact this could lead to knee injury, particularly if you lead a sedentary lifestyle.

25. Get creative with your workout
If a closed gymnasium is not where you'd rather be, then try joining a sport or take up salsa or Bollywood dancing classes instead.

Tooth Whitening | Tooth whitening tips & remedies

Tooth Whitening:

Teeth is definitely one of the important factor in our overall personality. Many of them gets attracted with a Small and this happens only if we have clean, white & attractive teeth. People do wish to have white teeth, but either they don't have time to get it done or are apprehensive about the fact that a specialist / dentist might burn their pockets. Some of them are also afraid of the teeth pain or irritation that happens in this process (though it is a painless process).

There are some simple home remedies / simple teeth whitening tips that can be followed:

• Rinse using Listerine & Peroxide solutions
• Make a solution of baking soda, salt & vinegar. Then brush you teeth using this mixture
• Use plain salt for brushing your teeth followed by brushing using your normal toothpaste
• Rub your teeth with orange peel, brush immediately after this
• Apply mashed strawberries on your teeth, brush immediately after this
• Use mustard oil & salt and rub it on your teeth

Please note the best and safest way of tooth whitening is visiting a dentist

Toothache pain | Toothache Relief

Toothache:
Toothache can be defined as:

• an ache localized in or around a tooth (Resource: wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn )
• A toothache, also known as odontalgia or, less frequently, as odontalgy, is an aching pain in or around a tooth. (Resource: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toothache)

These definitions are taken using the "define" command in Google.

Causes of a Toothache:

Toothache can cause due to a number of factors. These could be:

• Infection in gums
• Tooth decay
• Improper brushing techniques
• Fracture in the jaw bones
• Repetitive chewing habits
• Repetitive grinding of teeth
• The tooth filling might be damaged
• Improper eating habits

Symptoms of toothache:

• Continuous toothache for more than 2 days
• Rotating tooth pain
• Pain while drinking cold water
• Irritation while chewing
• Jaw pains
• Bleeding from tooth
• Headache
• Foul-smell from mouth / Bad-breath

Remedies of Toothache:

• Apply undiluted olive oil on the infected teeth
• Apply pure lemon extract
• Place some oregano flakes on the pain area
• Use grounded clove or pure food grade clove oil on the affected tooth
• Use hurricane gel on the infected teeth
• Apply peanut butter on the infected teeth
• Rinse using lukewarm water and some scoops of baking soda
• Rinse using the combination of vinegar & some salt (Do not swallow)
• Place pure vanilla extract on the infected teeth
• Rinse using warm water & salt
• Use peppermint extract
• Get some cotton, dip it in whisky and apply it on the infected teeth
• Stuff some pepper on the infected area

Preventing Toothaches:

• Practice good brushing habits
• Brush at least twice a day
• Rinse / floss your mouth at frequent intervals
• Visit a dentist twice / thrice a year
• Use toothpaste that contains fluoride elements
• Eat foods that have less sugar contents

Please note the home remedies mentioned over here are temporary pain relief remedies. Please visit the dentist / specialist if your toothache prolongs for more than two days. Chronic toothaches might be very sensitive for treatment as well as it will definitely burn your pockets.

Migraine Headache(s) | Migraine Relief | Migraine Medication

Migraine can hit you very severely, I can say this because even I was a victim of this. You feel completely drowned and moody and you literally hate to interact with people or do any work that instant. There are some home remedies that could be followed in case of migraines. Below mentioned are some of them that I followed, could be useful for you too.

Remedies for Migraine Relief / Migraine medication:

• Consume juice of ripe grapes. This should be practiced at least 4 times a day. This would reduce the complaint of migraine to a great extent.
• Consume vitamin rich foods like fish, yeast, green vegetables & tomatoes
• Combination of carrot & spinach juice proves good for migraine
• Similarly beet & cucumber combination also works well.
• A gentle massage is helpful during migraine
• Salt consumption in the initial stage of migraine helps. Not raw salt but fries / corn chips with sufficient amount of salt
• Have a bath using aroma-rich soap. Choose a flavour that soothes your mind
• Put on the ear plugs, lie down with ice bags under your neck.
• Drink 2 tablespoon of vinegar
• Eat ginger based cookies
• Mix a small crushed piece of ginger in any juice and consume
• Chew raw ginger. Practice this on a daily basis
• Soak a small piece of cloth in vinegar, squeeze it and place it on the forehead
• Drink tea with honey on a daily basis
• Have cold milk during migraine attacks

Please note: Migraines are also cause due to a kind of Jaw dis-function. It is medically termed as Temporomandibular Jaw (TMJ) problem. This can be cured by rearranging the jaw position if it is misaligned. Migraine could also cause due to misalignment in vertebrate. Please consult a physician in either cases to get a clear understanding of the problem.

Headache Relief | Headache Treatment

Below are few steps that could be followed as home remedies in case of a headache.

• Apply ice on the pain area. The main areas that could be concentrated are forehead, temple, sides of forehead and back of your neck.
• Taking a small walk could be useful. If this is done hearing a slight music it could work well. Make sure that the music is not with heavy beats and noisy.
• Be aloof when headaches attack you. Be away from noisy areas.
• Take a small nap
• Take a smooth head massage
• Ask anybody to rub your forehead and neck smoothly
• Relax in a quiet room with dim lights
• If you are alone using the index finger / thumb & apply periodic gentle pressure on the pain area.
• Headache also tend to effect the neck area, simple physiotherapy exercise could also be useful

Please note in case of severe headache do visit a physician / a specialist.

Home Remedies for Acne / Pimples

Acne / Pimples is a very common skin disorder that most of us encounter with. This is a disorder that happens due to the action of hormones on the skins sebaceous glands that leads to blackheads & whiteheads and produce pimples. The most vulnerable body segment that acne attacks is the face, apart from it they might also appear on neck, chest, back, shoulders and even the upper arms. Acne, though is not limited to any age group but mostly it's seen in teenagers. Acne can be dangerous (not life threatening) but it could leave permanent marks on the skin of not treated / cured appropriately.

Acne looks like the below picture:

Suggested Home Remedies for Acne / Pimples:

• Wash your face with lukewarm water. You could opt for Neem based soap, Neem is known to be a good remedy for all skin related problems.


• Apply fenugreek leaves paste over the face every night for sometime and wash with lukewarm water.


• Usage of Aloe Vera is also suggested for Acne


• Make sure that you wash off all the make-up cosmetics that have been applied before going to bed.


• Applying paste of honey & cinnamom powder before sleeping & washing it off the next morning is also a good remedy


• If your skin is not sensitive, you could apply lemon juice overnight and wash it of the next morning.


• Wash your face with unboiled milk & gram flour


• Application of a mixture of one table spoon of groundnut oil & honey each on the effected area is also a good remedy


• Applying ripe tomoatoes on the infected area and washing it off after sometime also serves the purpose


• Do not squeeze the pimple / acne as this would lead to more infection and scars on the skin


• Apply ice on the acne before going to bed


• Apply cucumber paste on the skin, rinse and wah off after 45 min


• Apply sandalwood paste for curing acne problems


• Apply lavender oil of acne affected areas.


• Apply a paste of roasted & powdered pomegranate with fresh lime juice over acne, pimples, blackhead.

Prevention of Acne / Pimples:

• Consume a lot of fruits / water rich eatables


• Wash your face regularly


• Reduce the usage of cosmetics, if it is unavaoidable then use cosmetics with less oil quantity


• Compulsorily remove make-ups before going to bed


• Reduce on the consumption of oil-rich foods, chocolates & fatty foods


• Take Sun-bath regularly


• Wear clean clothes and undergarments


• Consult dermatologist atleast once in six months


• Eat meals at proper time


• Remove black-heads frequently