Home remedies.

Remember that concoction your grandma gave you for your cough? With simple ingredients from your kitchen there is remedy for every ailment.

Colds,Coughs and nasal congestion

• Make one cup of black tea instead of sugar, add one tablespoon of honey,juice of ginger roots, and half a lemon.Both ginger and honey have excellent antioxidant properties. Lemon juice is rich in vitamin C which helps in fighting with the cold and boosts the immune system.
• Honey mixed with crushed tulsi leaves is another effective remedy for coughs and common cold. Tulsi's beneficial compounds,phytochemicals have antioxidant, antiviral,antibacterial and immunity enhancing properties.
• Amla is rich in vitamin C. The juice of one amla everyday helps to build strong immunity against infections. Hence amla is also the main ingredient of chyawanprash.
• Turmeric too helps to relive symptoms of common cold. Add a teaspoon of turmeric powder to one cup of milk and boil for a few minutes. Drink this hot brew twice daily.
• To get rid of nasal congestion steam inhalation is a good way. Steam thins the mucous and helps to get the stuff out of the respiratory system. Adding a few drops of vicks vaporub to the water is also helpful.

Skin Care and Acne

• Our skin is often clogged with dust, pollution and make up, so proper care is required for a healthy skin.Wash your face with lukewarm water to open the pores and allow cleansing.After that splash some cold water to close the pores.
• For a beautiful and nourished skin,Milk and curd can be applied. Lactic acid present in milk has anti ageing properties that aids the shedding of dead skin cells and helps hydrate the skin for a rejuvenated look. A cold milk compress also helps cool the skin immediately after any sunburn.(milk products are however not useful for oily or acne prone skin)Substitute milk with freshly ground sandalwood paste or multani mitti(Fuller's earth),which is better suited for oily skin.
• Other good natural cleansing agents include besan(gram flour) and oatmeal.Make a smooth paste of either in water, gently apply on your skin and wash after 20 minutes.
• Cucumber juice is effective for dark circles around the eyes. Papaya, strawberry and grape pulp for toning your skin.
• For problems like smelly feet used teabags can be added to boiling water to prepare a decoction. Cool and soak your feet in it and repeat for seven- ten days.

Minor Sprains and aches

• If you suddenly find yourself stranded after a joint injury, muscle contusion or sprain try the R.I.C.E(Rest, Ice, Compression,Elevation) method of treatment. Ice packs and compression(by tying a tight bandage around the area) reduces swelling by decreasing blood flow to the injured area.An Ice pack is useful in first 24 to 48 hrs of an injury. Hot fomentation is also advised after this treatment. Apply hot water bag or towel dipped in warm water to the affected area.
• May it be long hours at the computer or a minor injury, back pain can make your life terrible. An effective home remedy can be made heating pure ghee with crushed garlic. Cool the mixture to room temperature and apply on the affected area. Garlic's anti-inflamatory property stimulates blood circulation and helps reduce pain.

Nausea and Acidity 

• Feeling queasy or burning sensation in your throat? Drinking a glass of lukewarm water to which a piece of jaggery is added curbs heartburn.
• A glass of cabbage/ green gourd juice is helpful in acidity due to their alkaline properties.
• In case of nausea chew ginger.

Oral Care

• In case of bleeding gums mix a pinch of common salt and baking soda and massage your gums with it.
• For bad breath, chewing some saunf(fennel seeds) after a meal is a good option. You can also chew some mint leaves instead.

Diabetes and cholesterol care

• A high fibre diet one that includes sprouts, pulp of fruits like orange, sweet lime, and raw salads are essential for lowering blood sugar level and cholesterol level.
• Fenugreek seeds also help check blood sugar level. Soak 10 gms of fenugreek seeds and have them in morning on an empty stomach.
• Chewing a clove of garlic first thing in the morning helps control cholesterol level.

A little advice

All these tips have been very useful to me and my family. However, home remedies have their own limits. They cannot tackle a major infection and cannot replace a visit to the clinic. Even if its just a runny nose and it still persists after trying a home remedy, its sure sign that you have to see the doctor.