Archive for December, 2009
Sleep and a good night rest are vital to the quality of work that the body is able to execute. Our work and domestic arenas today, not forgetting our responsibilities, demand much of our time and full-fledged concentration at all times. This calls for supplementing good meals with ample of rest. A regular sleep period of six hours is what the medical fraternity the world over recommends, at the least.
More than this is always welcome and refreshing, but less and you are beaten. This is the inability to sleep or the inability to sleep for the required number of hours needed to refresh the body and mind. It could be due to stress, or an undisciplined lifestyle. Establishing a bedtime ritual, having a hot bath just before going to bed, meditating, drinking a cup of hot milk, having a pinch of ground nutmeg, getting adequate exercise during the day are some remedies.
A cough could be the result of a number of issues, like an allergic reaction to a drug, the result of a cold and fever, the intake of very cold foods or even too much of consumption of sour meal accompaniments. Allergies, asthma, and inflammation of the larynx or the pharynx are what cause a cough. Some tried and tested remedies are – A pinch of pepper powder in a teaspoon of honey, a mixture of 2 teaspoons of onion juice and 2 teaspoons of honey, and chewing a few peppercorns and cloves.
A home-made cough syrup is to heat ½ tablespoon on ginger paste, ½ tablespoon pepper powder and 1 tablespoon of honey in 1 cup of water. Sip this through the day. A cough, like a cold calls for the consumption of a meal that comprises hot liquids at regular intervals. Hot soups and beverages work wonders, splash those with ginger juice and honey and you have a magic potion!
The common cold is a real challenger. The running of the nose slows you down more than any other health problem. Many a times the trigger is something as pleasurable as a scoop or dollop of ice cream, while it could also be the reaction to some medication.
Whatever the reason, the cold needs to be treated immediately for the result not to be the dull headache it is known to bring on! Changes in temperature, lack of sleep, stress, depression and extreme fatigue are the common causes.
A glass of warm water with the juice of 1 lime and a teaspoon of honey helps as also garlic soup and infusion of ginger in hot water. Boil 25 gm of tamarind paste in 2 cups of water, with ½ teaspoon of pepper, and ½ teaspoon of clarified butter. Drink this to clear a blocked nose. Inhalation with a few drops of Eucalyptus oil helps too.
Nothing compares to the fatigue and weakness that a muscle ache can bring on! Your mobility is challenged and so is the quality of the work at hand. It is very important to address muscle pain as soon as you feel it coming on. Thought the causes and trigger factors of the muscle ache could be varied, there are certain remedies that could put you at ease before you see the doctor.
If the pain is the result of physical strain or exertion, then in particular you should look at the various herbal remedies available to deal with the aches and pains. Lobelia or cayenne extract applied to the painful area, relieve the pain. Make sure your diet contains enough Calcium. Also, eat at least 1 banana a day. Drink lots of water.
Massage helps as does acupuncture. If the muscle ache persists for more than 24 hours, fill a bathtub with hot water, add 2 cups of Epsom salts to it, and soak in it.
Today, people all over the world are exposed to a number of pollutants, both within closed confines as well as outdoors. These react and degrade the quality of our food components, the water we consume and even the air we breathe without giving them a second thought. The result – fever! So many times it becomes very difficult to pin point the cause of a fever that lasts for a few hours or suddenly comes on.
Replace solid foods with juices. Do not take any iron or zinc supplement. Take an equal mixture of water and vinegar in a bowl. Dip a cloth in this, wring it and apply on the forehead. Boil a few leaves of Basil with a few drops of honey, and drink the infusion. Ginger tea and mint tea also help bring the temperature down. It is imperative to get the fever under control as soon as possible.