Serious homemakers learn how to not only keep their family members healthy, but also how to nurse them back to health during those times of sickness. Here's a collection of remedies from various sources. Serious cases should see a doctor. A doctor is also useful to get an exact diagnosis when in doubt. Furthermore, it's better to test new remedies on one's self rather than one's children. Children also do not need the same dose of anything an adult may take. Most importantly:
"Always remember Lord Vishnu -If one remembers Vishnu always, even though one is disturbed by many bad elements, one can be protected without a doubt. The Ayurveda-sasra recommends, ausadhi cintayet visnum: even while taking medicine, one should remember Vishnu, because the medicine is not all and all and Lord Vishnu is the real protector. SB 10.6.27-29 purport
ALLERGIES
- Junk foods containing many preservatives, chemicals and so on are best avoided.
- Factory produced foods contain bug parts and other contaminants you won't get with home cooked food from scratch. Thus these are best avoided, too, as far as possible.
- Wheat sometime provokes allergic reactions.This is particularly the case with flour that is rancid from oxidation. Wheat flour should ideally be used right after grinding. This is one reason why some people purchase grain grinders to grind their own. It tastes much better, too.
- Stuffed toys, worn out pillows, musty rugs, old magazines, old books, etc. may give trouble and therefore should be kept in good condition or discarded.
- Clothes and bedding that have been in storage a long time first need to be washed to remove dust mites, etc.
- Bedding should be be hung on a line in full sunshine and washed regularly.
- Before resting, changing to bed clothes helps prevent bringing pollen into bed with you.
- Regular sweeping, mopping and dusting is important. And the less carpeting, the better! Use area rugs that are easy to handle.
- Use dish wands for washing dishes and any other chore involving the use of soaps and cleaners containing chemicals. There is a known link between chemicals and allergies, and housewives use cleansers pretty often. Natural cleanser recipes abound on Google search.
- One of the best natural antibiotics is neem. 1-2 tablets may be taken morning and evening according to body size. These cured a sinus infection for me amongst other things. Better is to take neem in a little hot water like a tea, but not everyone can stomach the bitter taste at first.
- Following allergy prevention advice above, especially regular dusting can keep asthma at bay.
- Breathing through the abdomen (by placing one's hand there) can be learned along with pushing the air out with several short pushes upon exhaling. Learning to breathe through the abdomen, aka belly breathing, is essential, along with good posture.
- For those who like them, hot chili peppers in food can also open up airways.
- Turmeric in hot water like a tea is another recommendation.
- There are different kinds of asthma according to dosa, so symptoms should be noted to decide which is the best remedy. Turmeric and neem is good for inflammation of the lungs.
- Eating heavily before bedtime should be strictly avoided.
- One should be aware of food allergies and anything else that triggers asthma.
- Slowing down- Stress or anxiety is often the underlying cause. Women should be allowed to rest during menses for this reason.
- Lifting and putting things down properly by bending the knees and keeping the back straight.
- Carry stuff on your left side as much as your right. Or carry things in front or on your back
- Belly breathing, good posture and conscious relaxation are a must; all help alleviate pain and even cure such a problem.
- Exercising regularly to keep limber and life airs circulating.
- Despite the pain, to keep moving is often better than avoiding it.
- Doing yoga asanas helps work out blockages that create back pain.
- Drinking enough water every day is also very important.
- Drinking plenty of water.
- Mouth rinsing after every meal.
- Checking for cavities.
- Tooth flossing daily.
- Tongue scraping and gargling.
- Doing an Ekadasi fast regularly to rid body of toxins.
- Cover a mosquito bite with an absorbent cloth (optional) and make an x with one's finger nail into the bite to purge toxins. This should be repeated gently until there is some relief from the itching
- Washing extremities or a full bath as soon as possible after walking through areas that harbor chiggers.
- A wash of neem powder with a water or a soak in a tub with neem leaves.
- Rubbing on tea tree oil.
- A wash with baking soda solution helps with many kinds of bites.
- For bee stings, quickly make a paste of baking soda and water and dab on to neutralize the venom.
- A splash of vinegar works better in the case of wasp stings.
- Look out for trouble breathing, an allergic reaction. Keeping calm and the deep breathing mentioned under "asthma" can help until one gets further assistance.
Gently rubbing the injured area increases circulation, helping to prevent or quickly clearing up any bruises.
BURNING EYES
- Eyes are heat sensitive. A splash of cool water upon rising and as needed is helpful.
- Or a cool washcloth while lying down.
- Freshly sliced cucumbers placed over eyes also give cooling relief.
- Cut down on reading, Internet, looking at screens in general.
- First of all, a burn should be placed under cold (not freezing) water a.s.a.p. to cool down the burn.
- Dab on fresh aloe vera gel as needed
- Soaking it in milk for 15 min or so or applying a milk soaked washcloth to the area. Milk is an excellent remedy for any kind of burn.
- Elevating the burn.
- Not covering a burn. This increases the heat.
Often the cause is dehydration. Therefore, increasing one's fluid intake is suggested.
COLDS AND CONGESTION Some suggestions include:
- Taking soups, spicy foods and hot herbal teas with honey. Pay attention to herbs that balance vata, pitta or kapha according to symptoms. Or simply drink hot water rather than cold.
- Chewing on pieces of fresh ginger root is good for all three doshas.
- Adding turmeric to hot milk cools pitta and reduces kapha.
- Hot puris with salt.
- Neem tea is a very effective antihistamine. Pour a couple tablespoons hot water over 1/4 t neem powder. Cool to touch and swallow it down, followed by a little water.
- Keeping warm, dressing warmly calms vata and kapha.
- Short sun bathing, but only when there is no fever present, decreases kapha and calms vata.
- Greasy foods such as hash browned potatoes or eggplant pakora, fried in ghee only, taken before bedtime. Vitamin A in the ghee is restorative.
- Hot water bottle during bedtime can also clear airways. A plastic liter bottle with a tight fitting cap is a good alternative.
- Propping one's head up with pillows to breathe better.
- Opening up nasal passages with hot showers
- Rubbing Vick's vapor rub or mustard oil on the chest, back and soles.
- Exercise is also a natural decongestant.
- Stress and irregularity is a big factor. Rest and relaxation is a must.
- Laxative foods can be increased in one's diet while constipating ones such as rice and cheese should be temporarily eliminated. Also taking licorice tea or prune juice or several glasses of hot milk throughout the day. One's diet as a whole should be examined for daily doses of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, etc. with less rich, dry or processed foods.
COUGH
Licorice tea with honey or
A Simple Cough Syrup: 1 T lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
a little water if the honey is very thick
These should be mixed together and taken 1-2 T as needed .
a little water if the honey is very thick
These should be mixed together and taken 1-2 T as needed .
Another Cough Remedy is made by bringing to a boil and then simmering (at least 10 min) fresh grated ginger root, cloves, cinnamon stick and date palm sugar until the sugar dissolves. If no date sugar available, use honey after removing from heat. (Never boil honey.) Strain. Take 1-2 teaspoonful as needed.
CAR SICKNESS
A few sprigs of fresh mint can be taken along for a car ride, crushing and smelling the mint as necessary for instant nausea relief.
CRACKED FEET AND CALLOUSES
Nightly massage with oil (neem, mustard, olive or sesame). Avoid hot showers, dry foods and cold wind. Drink more water and take more kapha foods. Wear socks. Even better, wear wet socks in open sandals during the summer File with a pumice stone.
CRAMPS
- A hot water bottle or a hot towel from the dryer can be used for a heating pad.
- Relaxing in a squatting position or lying down with knees rested against the abdomen
- To stop bleeding and speed up healing of minor cuts, sprinkle with a good amount of neem, cayenne pepper or turmeric before bandaging.
- A cotton ball soaked with a solution of the above or hydrogen peroxide can be left on overnight.
DEPRESSION
Get some sleep! 8 hours a night. Also check out Natural Antidepressants. Also cool baths because the liver is connected to the skin and emotions. Cool bath best eliminates toxins.
Get some sleep! 8 hours a night. Also check out Natural Antidepressants. Also cool baths because the liver is connected to the skin and emotions. Cool bath best eliminates toxins.
- Very hot water and detergents, and overheating the home should be avoided.
- Hanging up laundry to dry in the house can help increase humidity.
- Chronically dry skin can much improve from a change in climate.
- Fasting the first day of diarrhea is recommended while taking water and electrolytes and a little honey if necessary to ward off weakness.
- Here's a homemade electrolyte formula:
1 T salt
1 1/2 T sugar
1 T lemon juice (makes it extra tasty but is optional, since it may cause a burning sensation while passing. When that happens, omit the lemon)
Or use a pre-prepared electrolyte formula .
- On the second day, when diarrhea usually starts to subside, one may begin to take easily digestible, constipating or astringent foods. For example:
Mash and chaunce in a little ghee 1/4 t cumin seeds, 1 t grated ginger, 1/4 t coriander powder and 1/4 t ground nutmeg plus a little salt
2. Scramble grated paneer into a little ghee with a little black pepper and salt.
3. Take grated apple that is left to brown a few minutes before eating.
4. Rice, yogurt and banana is also good with a little honey and cardamom.
- Things to avoid:
fried and very spicy foods.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Daily sunshine and morning exercise to recharge batteries.
- Eating right and regulated living are essential
- Bathing in lukewarm water also helps to stay invigorated.
- Low energy periods should be expected, such as monthly periods when the body needs more time for eating and sleeping.
- Adults and older children can “sweat it out”. That means putting on plenty of blankets until the fever drops.
- Very important is to give plenty of fluids. Drinking with a straw and or clear, sweetened drinks helps stubborn children drink more.
- Fasting is OK if there's no appetite.Otherwise take pitta reducing foods and herbs.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Be alert for anything serious, such as worsening symptoms, extreme fatigue...
Oil massages. Wash hair in cool water and mild shampoo. Never tie tightly.
HEADACHE
Massage and rub on Tiger Balm
NAUSEA AND MORNING SICKNESS
Remember RICE: Rest, Ice, Compress (wrap), Elevate
SUNBURN
There are useful rules from Ayurveda. One is "like makes like". That means to increase a dosha one should take foods and incorporate lifestyle changes that have the same qualities as that dosha.
The other most helpful rule is "opposites balance". If there is too much mucous, for example, caused by kapha which is characteristically cold and wet, then heat and dryness via food, spices and cooking techniques and lifestyle can balance the problem.
- There are different kinds of headache, so first of all we can think about what imbalance in the body is triggering the headache. Ayurveda helps regarding symptoms of imbalance and how to balance the three doshas. Once I had a headache with burning sensations in my eyes, so I ate a bag of walnut burfi. The sweet and astringent tastes soothed pitta.
- For a sharp migraine in which I could barely move I ate heavy, sweet, sour and salty foods and went for extra rest and warmth to pacify vata. My favorite remedy being a large hash brown fried in ghee with a good dose of lemon and salt right before bead. Or a shot of water with salty lemon juice during the day. Take as needed and a natural thirst is developed. Lots of water is good.
- Another throbbing headache was cured when I was sure to do my daily work and exercise rather than sit on a computer. This develops a natural thirst and again proper dehydration cured the headache. Also irregular habits, sudden changes, tip off vata and create headache in the first place.
- Salty and sour also got rid of a headache on a road trip. All that was available were some salty , greasy potato chips and kapha heavy sour cream. Followed by a nap... and Voila! Of course, salty chips gave a desire to drink more water, once again.
- Again, in the case of a throbbing vata headache it's been said, "Sleep may be the best cure for migraines." This is what kapha is like, slow moving or inert, which balances vata. Take a few tablespoons of honey and try the "dead man" pose. Just lie very still and consciously relax every part of your body from your feet upward until you reach the head pain. Keep relaxing (and stop thinking!) for great relief.
- Also vata is cold and dry and light, so hot and wet balances it such as a hot cup of relaxing chamomile tea with honey is very effective. In fact, a favorite along with extra rest.
- More throbbing headache help: massage a generous dose of mustard oil onto the head. Keep on at least ten to 10 minutes. Even better is a whole body massage with mustard oil, washing everything off with a hot shower followed by a nap. May turn out to be the best rest one has ever had in a while.
- Another help is to trace back any irregularities. Check for constipation, digestive troubles, extra stress, and older women should be aware of hormonal changes caused by oncoming menopause.
- Acupressure helps, too. One example is to press the area between one's thumb and forefinger on the hand opposite where the pain is..
- Wringing out a towel dipped in very hot water or using a heating pad and applying to the neck helps relieve tension there. Neck muscles tighten because of stress and reduce blood flow to the brain.
- For a pitta headache with burning eyes, a cool compress works wonders.
- Preventives are daily exercise, eating right, regular health care, fresh air, and sensible, regulated living. Enough rest and leisure time is important, too, so not to get overworked.
- INDIGESTION
- "The natural remedy for indigestion is to drink a little water, and since Muräri Gupta was a physician, he gave the Lord some drinking water and cured Him." CC Adi10.49p
- Drinking just a couple swallows of water now and then causes burping, and the air fans the fire in the stomach.
- Skipping a meal for serious overeating is recommended for hunger to return.
- Chewing on roasted fennel seeds helps deal with any gas.
- Keep rest time very regulated.
- Try not to sleep in the daytime. Short naps only if necessary and not in the morning hours.
- Drink hot milk before bedtime with honey.
- Avoid stimulating activity, such as computer use, right before bed.
- Avoid sugary foods before bed.
- Know that getting older means one may wake up at night. A good remedy is to use the restroom if needed, followed by a glass of cool water to get back to sleep.
- Avoid sinful life. Surrender to Krishna:
“Nondevotees engage their senses in very troublesome and extensive work, and they suffer insomnia at night because their intelligence constantly breaks their sleep with various mental speculations. They are frustrated in all their various plans by supernatural power.” SB 3.9.10pLARYNGITIS
- Stay as quiet as possible.
- Drink lots of fluids
- Honey is soothing.
Massage and rub on Tiger Balm
NAUSEA AND MORNING SICKNESS
- Drink peppermint tea
- Aromatherapy - Certain scents alleviate nausea such as the smell of peppermint or menthol.
- Drink and splash cold water on face
- Tilak helps shrink, conceal and heal pimples quickly, because it has natural drawing powers. Simply dab it on, let it dry, and then rub in gently to blend.. It is respectful to never use tilak below the waistline.
- Squeezing pores or pimples is tempting but a bad idea.
- Plenty of fresh air and exercise.
- Appetizers such as a slice of ginger root before meals and chutneys.
- 1 T of a mixture of lemon and honey can be added to a cup of chamomile tea. These should be mixed together and taken 1-2 T as needed:
- "The presence of a cough almost always means it's not strep throat."
- Salt water gargle or with turmeric
- Hot jallebis
- Suck on herbal lozenges
- Change your toothbrush.
Remember RICE: Rest, Ice, Compress (wrap), Elevate
SUNBURN
- Cool baths until healed.
- Soothe with something cooling such as aloe vera gel or cooling oil such as sesame.
- Some swear vinegar is good, if available.
- Rinse mouth afterwards to protect teeth.
- Don’t do anything for an hour. Then start sipping fluids.
- When ready to eat again, do it slowly.
- If necessary, drink an electrolyte formula
- Suck on ice chips
- See Nausea above.
There are useful rules from Ayurveda. One is "like makes like". That means to increase a dosha one should take foods and incorporate lifestyle changes that have the same qualities as that dosha.
The other most helpful rule is "opposites balance". If there is too much mucous, for example, caused by kapha which is characteristically cold and wet, then heat and dryness via food, spices and cooking techniques and lifestyle can balance the problem.