Phytoestrogens in Ayurveda- Natural estrogen from plants for Women

                                      Phytoestrogens are hormone like chemicals found in plants which help to rejuvenate the female reproductive system.They mimic the action of estrogen,a hormone most important for women.Towards menopause,women suffer from weight gain,osteoporosis,hot flushes,emotional disturbances and lack of sexual vigour.Phytoestrogens give a natural alternative to Hormone Replacement Therapy.They prevent heart disease,osteoporosis and post menopausal problems.These natural estrogens help to prevent metabolic syndrome by increasing insulin sensitivity.Phytoestrogens have antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties.

Ayurvedic herbs which contain phytoestrogen
Shatavari(Asparagus racemosus)
Shatavari is one of the best herbs for women.It nourishes seven body tissues and vitalises reproductive system.Shatavari root is cooked in milk and consumed.Ayurveda lehya named Shathavari gulam contains Shatavari.   Dosage is 1 tablespoon daily.
Vidarikand(Pueraria tuberosa)
Vidarikand is a large tuber which has rejuvenatory effects on both men and women.It helps to increase the good cholesterol or HDL.It nourishes all tissues and increases fertility.It pacifies vata and pitha factors.Tuber of Vidari is cooked in milk,dried and powdered.Vidaryadi lehyam in Ayurveda contains Vidari.
Dosage is 1 tablespoon daily.
Methika(Trigonella foenum graceum)
Fenugreek seeds or  Methika is used in Indian cooking.In women it is used as uterine tonic.Fenugreek has antidiabetic properties as it slows down absorption of glucose from food.It balances vata and kapha factors and enhances pitta or metabolism.Methika is good remedy to cure hot flushes.
Soak 1 tablespoon of fenugreek seeds for 3 hours and cook in a cup of coconut milk.Jaggery or palmsugar may be added .Another option is to take 1 tsp freshly powdered fenugreek seeds with warm water in empty stomach.
Yashtimadhu(Glycerrhiza Glabra)
Yashtimadhu gives emotional stability and reduces hot flushes.It relieves constipation and painful urination.
Dosage:1 tsp of Yashtimadhu powder may be consumed with warm water or milk before breakfast.
Tila(Sesamum indicum)
Sesame seeds may be roasted and made into balls in palm sugar or jaggery syrup.
To make herbal tea 1 tsp of sesame seeds is boiled in 1 glass of water and taken in empty stomach.
Food containing Phytoestrogens
Miso paste,Flax seed,soy products,Mungbean sprouts,garlic,dried apricots,pistachios,dates,yam and green beans contain phytoestrogen.

Diet and treatment in Arthritis

                                 
                                                   Painful joints limit the mobility of an individual to a great extent.The key factors contibuting to this are uric acid and calcium oxalate crystals deposited in the joints and tissues due to wrong diet.Sometimes these deposits also form kidney stones.Arthritis may also result from lack of exercise and wrong lifestyle.
Management of Uric Acid crystal deposits
Gout is a type of arthritis where uric acid crystals are formed in Joint tissues.This condition is precipitated by a diet high in purines and animal protein .Other factors are alcohol intake,certain medications,obesity and abnormal kidney function.
Diet to reduce Uric acid level in body
Uric acid is produced when body digests food containing purines.Seafood like lobster,shrimp,tuna,herring,mussel etc increase uric acid levels in body.The quantity of seafood should be only 170gm/day.Limiting red meat like beef,pork and lamb is also necessary.Drinking 16 glasses of water daily will help to cleanse the body.Fruit juices used should be fresh and natural.
Include low fat dairy products and complex carbohydrates in your diet.
Ayurveda Medication in Gout
Rasnerandadi Kashayam (kwath) is an excellent formula for Arthritis.Along with this the tablet Yogarajaguggulu is also used to get quick results.
Method of usage:Mix 15 ml of Rasnerandadi kashayam with 60 ml hot water,add 1 Yogarajaguggulu tab to it and have in morning and evening one hour before food.
This medicine is also available in tablet form.One tablet in morning and evening will give same results.Meat should be avoided while having the medicine.
Management of Calcium oxalate deposits 
Arthritis due to Calcium oxalate deposits is not very common.Peanut products,chocolates,tofu,strawberries,blueberries,cola,grapes,spinach,cauliflower etc are some of the high oxalate foods.Staying away from processed and canned foods will help as these contain high sodium levels.Alcohol intake increases Calcium oxalate levels.Drinking plenty of water always helps.
Calcium intake should not be restricted too much as you need Calcium to bind oxalate in intestines.
Oxalate absorption into body is prevented by presence of calcium upto a certain extent.
Ayurveda Medication to reduce Calcium Oxalate in body
Ayurveda medicine namely Veeratharadi Kashayam  and Chandraprabha gulika are very effective in both joint pain due to Calcium oxalate deposits and also kidney stones of Calcium oxalate origin.
Other Ayurveda therapies in Arthritis
Ayurveda therapies like Abhyangam,podikkizhi,elakkizhi,njavarakkizhi,pizhichil are the external therapies used to improve mobility and flexibility in arthritis.The pattern of treatment is chosen based on the person's medical history and body constitution(Prakruthi)

Vedic Maths-Magic form India

ORIGIN OF VEDIC MATHS
Vedas are ancient encyclopedias written in Sanskrit language around 1500-900BCE.The four Vedas are Rig Veda,Yajur Veda,Atharva Veda and Sama Veda.These texts cover all the topics connected to human race like medicine,astronomy,architecture,religion and Mathematics.Vedic Maths was reconstructed from Parishista of Atharva Veda by Swami Bharati Krishna Tirthaji during the period 1911-1918.
IMPORTANCE OF VEDIC MATHS
Any complex problem can be solved mentally using Vedic Maths.This system is based on 16 Sutras or principles.Each sutra is like a programmed chip of computer age.These formulae are the foundation of algebra,square root,concept of zero,algorithm and various calculations.

EXAMPLES OF  VEDIC SUTRAS AND ITS APPLICATIONS

SUTRA
Ekadhikena purvena sutra
(by one more than the one before)
Q:Find square of 45
How to solve: The first digit is 4 and second digit is 5
according to the rule,add (4+1),then multiply with 4.
That is 4x(4+1) which is= 20
Next multiply 5x5 which is = 25
Answer is  2025
You can employ this method to multiply all numbers ending with 5.
SUTRA
Nikhilam Navatascharamam Dashatah
(All from nine and last from ten)
Q:Substract :1000-564
Each figure in 564 is substracted from 9 and last figure is substracted from 10
Answer is 436.
Interesting ,isn't it?These are simple problems,but these formulae can be used to solve very complex problems.

Brass vessels for medicinal water

                    Brass is an alloy of Copper and Zinc.Ancient civilizations used Brass and Copper vessels to store water.People of India and Egypt believed in the medicinal properties of these metals.Scientific data from recent researches reveal that  ancient wisdom is always true.
                 Water Miracle
In Britain,a group of researchers filled brass vessels with a diluted culture of E.Coli bacteria.The  surviving bacteria was counted after 6hr,24hr and 48 hr intervals.They were astonished to to discover that the amount of live E.Coli in brass vessels dropped dramatically over time,finally coming to a nill after 48 hours.

                    Water stored in Brass or Copper vessels are purified by Copper ions.The antimicrobial action of Copper is on the cell membranes of microbes.Copper has antimicrobial action on a wide range of microbes like Staphylococcus,Clostridium difficile,MRSA etc.The medicinal properties of Copper is explained in the ancient Ayurveda text Rasaratna Samuchaya.
            Advantages of Copper

• synthesis of proteins
• helps formation of R.B.C
• useful to reduce cardiac ailments
• gives lustre to skin
• antimicrobial action
• Increases fertility in men 

           Advantages of Zinc

• Improves immunity
• Increases fertility in men
• cures skin diseases
• provides healthy hair 

The desired intake of Copper is 1.3mg/day as advised by WHO.Water stored in brass or Copper vessels will never harm a person as the copper content is always less than daily recommended dosage.However,never store curd,sour fruits or anything which contains acid in Copper and Brass vessels as the metals react with acid.
 

Natural Beauty Secrets

 Emerge as a natural beauty by following these head to toe beauty tips.
Nature's beauty secrets are always there to help you out.

Mask to remove Pigmentation
Make a fine paste of lotus petals,almond oil and milk and use as a face pack.
Mask to remove Blemishes
Make a paste of corn starch,orange juice,egg white and 2 pinches of turmeric powder.
Apply on face.Remove with warm water before it becomes very dry.

Herbal Steam Cleanser
Add 10 basil(tulsi) leaves to a cup of milk and 1 cup of water and let the mixture boil.Use the steam emerging to steam and cleanse your face.Do for 5 minutes and wipe face with clean towel.After that wipe face with a cotton piece soaked in rosewater.You may do this without leaves also.

 Nourish Your Hair
Apply natural yoghurt to scalp and hair like a hair mask.This is extremely nourishing and
helps you to get rid of dandruff.
Exfoliating scrub with Sugar
Take some natural brown sugar and add warm water to make a paste.Apply on face,
hands and legs and wait for 5 mts.Now wipe off with towel dipped in hot water.
Simple remedy for acne or Pimples
 Grate onion and squeeze out juice.Apply this with cotton on pimples.Wash off after
10 minutes.Wipe face with cotton soaked in rosewater.
Massage oil mix for beautiful hands and legs
Mix lemon juice,honey and olive oil to make a massage oil mix.
Rub it in leave for 15 minutes and wipe off with towel dipped in warm water.

Nutmeg from nature

The kernel and mace of nutmeg is usually used in cooking and also as a medicine.But this contains phenylpropanoids like myristicin and elemicin which can cause nausea and severe liver damage if used in large quantities.Nutmeg should be used carefully during pregnancy since it inhibits prostaglandin production and contains hallucinogens.Nutmeg is digestive and provides good sleep .

How to use Nutmeg 

1.Mix 1/4 tsp of nutmeg powder with honey and have after dinner.This helps to improve digestion and absorption and expels intestinal parasites.You can try this if you have  stomach ache and gas after a heavy meal.

2.Add 1/4 tsp of nutmeg powder to 1 cup milk and have at bedtime to get good sleep.This also helps to lower blood pressure.

3.In diarrhoea have 1/4 tsp of nutmeg with honey or apple juice thrice daily.Also to prevent dehydration drink tender coconut water.In small kids the dosage of nutmeg powder should be 1 pinch.Also it is better to roast nutmeg mildly in a frying pan before using for kids.

4.Nutmeg paste may be applied locally to get pain relief in arthritis.To prepare a massage oil for pain relief add 1tsp powdered nutmeg to 100 ml coconut oil or sesame oil and heat till it starts to boil.

5.Pulp of nutmeg is used to make jam,pickles and wine.

Garlic the healing herb

Garlic is used as food and medicine from ancient times.In Ayurveda garlic is used as a natural antibiotic.This wonder herb is a powerful antioxidant which can remove free radicals from the body.As a result the aging process slows down.Garlic has amazing antibacterial,antifungal and antiviral properties.

.For people suffering from chronic cough or cold,garlic is the magic remedy.Including raw garlic in your diet can save you from heart disease.Garlic prevents plaque from building up in the arteries.Also the high cholesterol levels can be lowered with garlic.Research shows that people who add garlic to their diet are less likely to develop colon cancer.

                   Garlic is a pungent and strong herb and therefore the dosage is important.If it is being taken raw ,it is better not to have more than 4 cloves at a time.In people with sensitive stomach ,garlic should be added to food while cooking or used in the garlic milk form.Always raw garlic in its natural form is better than garlic supplements in the market.Garlic is known as Allium Sativum scientifically.Its main ingredients are Allicin and diallyl sulphides.The bulb of garlic is usually planted.

Methods to use Garlic

1.In chronic cough and cold,pound 2 cloves of garlic,mix with honey and have thrice daily.

2.For discomfort due to gas in stomach,have 2 cloves of raw garlic.

3.Local application of garlic juice helps in pimples.Apply for 10 minutes on pimples and wash off.This helps in fungal infections of skin also.

4.Garlic milk recipe in ayurveda is suitable for all categories of people.Milk balances the pungent properties of garlic.To prepare garlic milk pound 6 cloves of garlic and add 80ml of milk and 80ml of water.Boil till the whole mixture is reduced to 80 ml.This may be consumed 2hrs before dinner.By using garlic milk we can avoid the bad breath which might be a problem when having raw garlic.Garlic milk is found very effective in lowering high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.

So never ignore this wonder herb .Get ready to enjoy the health benefits of garlic.