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Wellness

5 natural medicines for dengue

Mumbai is currently grappling with dengue. Here are 5 natural ways to lessen the impact of fever and body pain.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Dengue is currently claiming many victims in Mumbai. While the causes and effects of dengue are well known, what is not known to a lot of people is that the fever and body pain associated with dengue can be minimised with natural remedies.

Look for answers in your kitchen. Certain herbs and fruits can lessen the impacts of dengue. They may bring down fever, increase immunity and even step up platelet production in the blood. Here are 5 natural remedies in case you or a loved one are suffering from dengue:

Papaya for dengue1. Papaya for platelets. Research shows that papaya and its leaves have curative properties. The fruit is especially beneficial in the treatment of dengue. Raw papaya is said to be an excellent remedy for increasing the platelet count in the blood. It also enables the removal of toxins through urine, so that fever may reduce.

2.Purify with neem. Neem has the potential to purify the skin and system. It is potent in any form – when chewed in leaf form or added as an extract to oil. Neem has blood purifying properties, so it helps in bringing down fever, clearing out toxins that cause disease and even rashes on the skin. To use, add unscented neem oil to a damp cloth and place it on the forehead of the person suffering from dengue fever. Alternately, you can put neem leaves in hot water and inhale the steam. The patient can even take a wash of neem-soaked warm water every day.

3.Warm tulsi tea. Basil has unique cleansing properties that remove toxins, fever and infection from the body. Ayurvedic doctors recommend adding a sprig of tulsi leaves to warm water, letting them steep in the water for 3 minutes and then drinking the tea at least twice a day to fortify the body from within. You canOrange juice for dengue also boil tulsi leaves in water, strain the water and add a teaspoon of honey before drinking the tea.

4. Coriander for fever. Though unpleasant to taste, coriander leaves may be used to bring down dengue fever. Chop finely and blend to a juice, with half an inch of fresh ginger and some turmeric. Drink this juice twice a day to reduce the severity of fever.

5. Orange juice for immunity. Dengue strikes more severely when the patient’s immunity is compromised. Increase immunity with the intake of Vitamins A and C. Chew on raw carrot pieces, or have a glass of orange juice (with the pulp intact) to get your vitamin fix.

(Pictures courtesy www.wikihow.com, www.urdumania.net, english.alarabiya.net. Images are file pictures used for representational purpose only)

 

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Wellness

5 natural remedies for cough and cold

Try these 5 easy, effective and natural fixes from your kitchen to stop seasonal cough and cold problems in their tracks.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

With fluctuating weather and low immunity, you may fall prey to cough and cold. These conditions are not serious, but they may require bed rest.

There is no need to suffer in silence with a cough and cold – try these 5 natural remedies to get back to life in a jiffy.

  1. Garlic tea.

Garlic teaGarlic amps up the immune system. Prepare garlic tea by lightly crushing 2 or 3 cloves of garlic and adding them to 2 cups of water. Next, bring this water to a boil. Change the flame to low and let the tea simmer for about 10 more minutes, keeping it covered. Now strain the tea and add 1 teaspoon of honey. Drink it hot at least twice a day. You will notice that your nose starts clearing and your cough is brought under control.

  1. Fruit-veggie salad.

Your throat might be raw from cough and you may have lost your appetite as well. Go easy on your meal portions. Instead of a heavy meal, opt for raw vegetable and fruit salads. Carrots and apples are amazing immune boosters, so prepare this easy and tasty salad thus: chop a large carrot and apple in a bowl. Lightly heat juice of one lemon in 2 teaspoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and drizzle this oil over the carrot and apple. To this, add chopped seasonal fruits and have twice a day.

  1. Onion and honey cough syrup.

You can prepare this effective cough syrup at home. Take a large red onion, and slice it horizontally in disks. Place it in a bowl. Layer each onion slice thickly onOnion cough syrup both sides with honey. Cover and set aside overnight for at least 12 hours. The next day, you will find that the onion has ‘bled’ into the bowl. This syrup contains all the nutrients and vitamins from the onion, and the immunity boosting powers of honey. Store this syrup in a glass bottle and have it at least twice a day till the cough disappears.

  1. Turmeric in warm milk.

This is a remedy followed in most Indian homes. Turmeric not only builds immunity, it promotes the growth of infection-fighting cells. To a teaspoon of ghee, add half a teaspoon of turmeric and warm it slightly over a flame. Add this ghee to a cup of warm milk and mix well. Have it warm.

  1. Jaggery for cough.

If you dislike chemical-rich cough syrups, make your own at home. Take about 5 peppercorns, half a teaspoon of cumin and a small piece of jaggery. To this, add some water and boil over low flame till it becomes thicker and concentrated. Cool it and drink every two hours to loosen the phlegm and eject it from the system faster.

(Pictures courtesy homesteadinghomemaker.blogspot.com, www.archanaskitchen.com, naturalpureessentials.wordpress.com. Images are used for representational purpose only)

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Wellness

5 super foods for health and vitality

These 5 super foods pack a potent punch to protect you from a host of diseases and strengthen your immunity.
by Beverley Lewis

You don’t have to be a vegan or vegetarian to reap the benefits of these particular foods. These vegetarian/vegan foods are not only packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre, but promise to fight free radicals in the body, thereby preventing disease and slowing down the ageing process. Listed below are our top 5 favourite vegetarian/vegan super foods.

Sweet potatoesSweet potatoes: These humble tubers are loaded with vitamin C, D and B6 and potassium and also contain iron. They are also high in magnesium, which is important to maintain a healthy heart, blood, bone, muscle and nerve function. And since sweet potatoes are high in beta carotene, they may help improve one’s eyesight and boost one’s immunity.

Amaranth or Rajgira: This gluten-free grain is not only high in protein, but is also gluten-free. It is also high in folate, B6, fibre and vitamin C. Rajgira also contains more than three times the average amount of calcium and is also high in iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. This tiny grain contains the amino acid lysine, which is needed to metabolise fatty acids, absorb calcium and is essential for thick, strong hair. Rajgira also has twice the amount of calcium as milk, thereby reducing one’s risk of getting osteoporosis.

Pomegranates: Are high in phytochemicals, vitamins C and B5 and are full of antioxidants. They also contain large amounts of vitamin K, which helps to support bone health. They are also packed with manganese, which is required to form bone structures and potassium and helps maintain cellular functions and balance fluid levels. If you regularly consume pomegranates, you will be able to protect the skin against free radicals caused by sun damage and sunburn. The oil of a pomegranate contains the antioxidant ellagic acid, which may help to inhibit skin tumours and protect the body against skin cancer.

Turmeric: This golden-yellow spice is both an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory and may help fight cancer and Alzheimer’s. Studies show that Curcumin, a Turmericcompound found in turmeric, may reduce swelling and help ease symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Kiwi: This fuzzy looking fruit contains large amounts of vitamin C and is a good source of potassium, fibre and vitamins A and E. They also contain the antioxidant lutein, which is needed by the body to maintain good vision and a strong heart. Kiwis also increase collagen production and brighten the skin.

(Pictures courtesy www.morningagclips.com, turmericworld.com, www.drfuhrman.com)

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Wellness

5 exercises for excellent calf muscles

Ditch your power walks and zumba classes that exhaust you – do these five exercises for the most shapely calves ever.
by Beverley Lewis

You don’t need to spend hours at the gym trying to work on your calf muscles. You simply need to spend about 15 minutes exercising this muscle, three times a week to get shapely calves.

So without further ado, here are our top 5 calf workouts.

Double leg calf raiseThe double-leg calf raise. This particular exercise uses one’s body weight to strengthen and tone the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles or calf muscles.

Begin by standing next to a wall. This is to help you with balance.

Now place your feet hip-width apart. Next, press down onto the balls of both feet and raise your body upward, making sure that your abdominal muscles are pulled in tightly. Hold this position for a few seconds and then go back to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 12 repetitions each.

When you get fitter you can add different variations such as using a stepper and holding a dumbbell between your hands while performing this exercise.

Single-leg calf raises. Stand on one leg near a wall for balance with the other leg bent behind. Now, position your toes and the balls of your feet on an elevation like a stepper or a stair, making sure that your heels and arches are off the stepper or stair.

In order to balance yourself, place your hands on the wall. Lift one leg and place it against the leg which is on the stepper or stair.

Now begin raising your leg up and down. This particular exercise works the calf muscles. Do 15 repetitions and then switch legs.

Seated calf-raise. The seated calf raise exercise places emphasis on the soleus muscle, which consists of slow twitch muscle fibres. Begin by sitting on a boxSeated calf raise or a bench, making sure your feet are flat on the floor.

Now, flex your calves as high as possible before returning back to the starting position. Make sure to squeeze your calves at the peak extension of the movement, making sure that you perform this movement slowly, before returning to the starting position.

Walking and hiking. These are excellent calf-strengthening exercises, especially if you go uphill. Remember, the steeper the climb, the more strain on your calf muscles.

Swimming. This is another great exercise to get toned and shapely calves. This is because swimming works the calf muscles along with the rest of the legs muscles. Also, because it is low-impact, it’s a safe way to strengthen calf muscles, especially if you are overweight or are recovering from an injury.

Need more help? Watch this: 

(Pictures courtesy blitarweb.biz.id, www.fitstudio.com, terrafirmaadventures.com. Images are representational in nature)

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Wellness

Getting into the spirit of Ramadan

A Muslim explains the essence of Ramadan, why fasting purifies the body and soul – and how fasting helps us.
Abbas Gadhiaby Abbas Gadhia

The month of Ramadan is here again. Muslims all over the world celebrate its arrival by fasting from dawn to dusk in anticipation of purifying their bodies, minds and souls of filth and dirt. It is a sacred month dedicated to prayer, supplication, repentance, sacrifice, self-purification and spiritual wayfaring.

Fasting is not merely a Muslim ritual. Hinduism emphasises on fasting or Upavaas, which means to ‘stay near’ to God. Similarly, the greatest leaders of many religions fasted before they attained spiritual highs. In Jainism, it is learnt that Mahavira fasted before attaining Nirvana. In Buddhism, it is said that Buddha fasted before attaining enlightment. In Judaism, Moses or Prophet Musa fasted before he attained prophethood. In Christianity, the fasting of Jesus or Prophet Isa for 40 days established the practice of Lent. Finally, it was during the month of Ramadan that the Prophet Muhammad received his revelation while meditating during the ‘Night of Power’.

So, what has fasting or abstinence from food got to do with ideas such as purification, spiritual enlightment? Why is it that the phenomenon of fasting is so pervasive amongst so many cultures and religions?

What does fasting achieve?

Fasting is a form of liberation and freedom. The freedom from the slavery of sensory impulses such as food, drink and physical desires. The term for Muslim fasting or ‘Sawm’ also means making one’s self free. Although we might be pre-occupied with the idea of freedom, our daily lives are a reflection of self-indulgence and bondage to our selfish needs.

So what is the month of Ramadan? It represents a kind of self-discipline one needs to undertake to drive a positive change in his or herself. It represents the awareness of God and a hightened focus towards Him that one would attain when one is not preoccupied with mundane routines of food and drink and other sensory pleasures. By practicing self-discipline, one can control one’s desires, be strict with one’s self and and witness the spirit of sacrifice. Hunger and thirst, simply in obedience to a Divine order, does wonders in measuring the faith man has in God and helps him strenghthen it by putting it to a difficult test.

What Ramadan is about

One of the goals of the month of Ramadan is to develop an active awareness of God and a feeling of humility and thankfulness to Him. A simple example of this kind of active awareness would be one’s awareness of traffic on the road while driving a car while being constantly on the alert. However, a passive awareness would be like one’s awareness of the air around him, which is only realised occasionally and not thought of often. Training oneself for achieving this active awareness of God is perhaps one of the most important keys in attaining spirituality and the absence of distractions of food and drink help in such an exercise.

In the Quran, verse 2:182 says,

“O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed upon you as it has been prescribed upon those before you, so that you may attain God-Consciousness.”

Finally, here’s what the Prophet Muhammad himself says about some of the benefits of fasting in the month of Ramadan

“This is a month in which He (God) has invited you. You have been, in this month, selected as the recipients of the honors of Allah, the Merciful.”

In another narration, he is said to have said:

“Whosoever observes fasting during Holy month of Ramadhan while maintaining silence and preventing his ears, eyes, tongue, sexual organs, and other body parts from lying, backbiting, and other forbidden acts, with the intention of achieving God’s Nearness, God-Almighty will bestow upon him His nearness, so that he will become a companion of Prophet Abraham (a.s.), God’s chosen friend.”

And in another narration, he is said to have said,

 “Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan, obeying all of its limitations and guarding himself against what is forbidden, has in fact atoned for any sins he committed before it.”

So, indeed a true joyful Eid, which is a celebration of the Muslims’ successful fasting season, is felt by those who have attained the mercy and the forgiveness of God. A successful Eid is not the new found freedom to eat and drink again, but it is a celebration of gaining a heightened proximity with God.

Abbas Gadhia is a software developer who lives in Pune. His interests lie in spirituality, alternative medicine and software.

(Picture courtesy www.news1130.com. Image used for representational purpose only)

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Wellness

Your nostrils can help prevent migraines, exhaustion

Did you know that breathing through a particular nostril can cure a headache and relieve exhaustion? Read on for more.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

If you’re struck by a migraine in the middle of your working day, don’t pop a painkiller. What your doctor has probably never told you is that painkillers don’t help migraines – just a 5-minute breathing exercise will help.

Hold your thumb firmly against your right nostril and breathe slowly through your left nostril for five minutes. Keep the rest of your fingers straight but relaxed. Focus on your breathing, counting as you inhale and exhale. In a couple of minutes, the intensity of the headache reduces. Five minutes later, it is completely gone!

Another good technique to try on the days you’re feeling really exhausted is to hold your left nostril with your thumb and breathe slowly and deeply through the other. Five minutes later, you will feel more energetic and your tired limbs will feel better, too.

How are the nostrils connected to pain relief?

Yoga believes that our breathing is connected to our emotional and physical health. Ancient Chinese and Indian healing systems are firm believers in the power of deep breathing to heal many internal disturbances. Yoga stresses that breathing and the body’s ‘vital force’ are in tandem with each other. Thus, the deeper you breathe, the deeper is the flow of your body’s vital force. This helps in self-healing.

Also, the emphasis on deep breathing is accompanied by breathing through one of the two nostrils for specific healing. It is said that air coming in from the left nostril promotes a ‘cooling’ of the body’s nerve centres, thus lessening pain. On the other hand, air coming in through the right nostril causes warming up of the body, which relieves exhaustion and energises one to perform tasks better.

So don’t grab your medication for a headache – just breathe right!

(Picture courtesy www.lexiyoga.com. Image is used for representational purpose only)

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