Suffering from White Heads?

I used to suffer a lot from White Heads. This was not just due to hormonal changes in the body, but as I later realized, one of the major factors that made them worse was my diet.

Being very fond of chocolates, I used to eat one almost every day. This caused a lot of ‘chemical imbalance’ in the body, leading to not just white heads but also to allergies.

Many of you who must be suffering from the same might know that white heads don’t look good, can increase in size to resemble a boil and can even be painful. One challenge I faced in tackling my problem was that I cannot use scented creams. Unfortunately it is difficult to get unscented creams around here. So the only other choice (I thank my stars for it) is to find home remedies for the same.

Through my research I found that there are a few possible causes for white heads:

1. Hormonal changes in the body
2. Accumulation of hardened sebum (oil) in pores of the skin
3. Exposure to sun and dirt
4. Lack of hygiene
5. Unhealthy lifestyle, disturbed sleep, unhealthy food.
6. Impurities in the blood.

These are a few tips for Diet changes:

Always stick to seasonal, nutritious food with lots of fibre, including fruits and green leafy vegetables. They will never fail you in any condition under the sun.

Drink adequate water.

Include food with Zinc, Vitamin B2 and Vitamin A like spinach, pumpkin seeds, beans, tofu, carrots, apricots, sprouts, alfa-alfa seeds, brown rice, potato, yoghurt mushrooms, green beans, sunflower seeds, whole grain foods, legumes, turnip greens, beets, lotus stems, radish leaves, papaya, raisins etc.

Avoid non-vegetarian, fried, fatty and junk food.

Avoid alcohol, caffeine, pastries, chocolates and soft drinks.

Home Applications for White Heads

·       Rub your face with lemon skin and wash off. It helps open the pores.

·       Take facial steam once a week to prevent whiteheads.

·       Make a paste of sandalwood and rose water. Apply on affected area and wash off after 20-30 minutes with lukewarm water.

·       Apply paste of Fenugreek leaves in water over face every night and wash with warm water.

·       Take 50 ml raw milk, add a mix of a pinch of salt and 2 tsp lime juice in it. Use it as a cleansing lotion. It helps clean the deep pores of the skin.

Beware of:

·       Left-over make-up on skin at night.

·       Excessive use of chemical cosmetics.

·       Squeezing the white head (If you do so, it will spread on the face and even leave scars)

·       Stress

Must Do’s

·       De-stress through relaxation techniques and massage or reflexology once a week.

·       Exercise on a regular basis.

This may sound like a lot, but is actually very simple to follow. All you need to do is start with any one of the above tips and make a regular and healthy habit out of it.

Slowly you will notice the improvement… as I have.

Stay Well!

Ankita Shah.

(Director & Trainer at Pristine Senses Academy, Yoga Teacher, Writer, Reflexologist, Massage Trainer and Reiki Master)

(As published in Pristine Senses Academy blog

http://pristinesensesacademy.blogspot.com/2011/11/suffering-from-white-heads.html)

How to tackle Acid Reflux

When teaching in the 7 Day Health Camp in The Yoga Institute, Santacruz this month, a camper approached me to know about how to tackle his problem of acid-reflux. Acid Reflux is a very common problem many of us face. It in fact becomes very worrisome due to the amount of discomfort it creates if not tackled on time.

Coincidentally, I am very familiar with this condition myself as I suffered from it during a stressful time in my life. It started as a burning sensation coming up towards the throat, an uncomfortable feeling after meals and later it affected my throat very badly. I would get sudden bouts of dry choking cough. It went on to such an extent that I visited an ENT specialist. He told me that the acid reflux was irritating my throat and that my throat and voice box.

How does acid reflux occur?

At the entrance of the stomach, there is a valve that prevents food from coming up from the stomach back into the food pipe. Sometimes, due to  reasons like stress, this valve fails to do its job. The acid moves up the food pipe, leading to burning sensation and especially over time, leads to choking, heartburn, muscle spasms etc.

I later visited The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, Mumbai and ended up doing the teacher’s training course there. Upon living the lifestyle there I found a great amount of change in my health.

Firstly, I became completely aware of what food caused immediate reflux. These are:

·       Tea/ Coffee

·       Biscuits

·       Packaged/ Processed food- especially potato chips

·       Chocolates

·       Cheese

·       Raw Onions

·       Garlic

·       Spicy food like Sambhar

·       Fried food like Samosa

·       Ice-cream

The above list might look depressing but actually I felt really great after avoiding them. I found some healthy alternatives to some of them. Instead of tea, I now drink green tea which is made in warm water, has anti-oxidant properties and is also refreshing. Instead of biscuits with my tea, I have some of the healthier options like our very own Gujarati Khakhras or Theplas or Chana and dry-fruits in limited quantities. I find that well cooked or sautéed onions don’t affect me and believe it or not, I almost vomit now at the thought of ice-cream or processed food like some well known brands of chips and balls etc.

Note: I have found that certain fruits like grapes and pineapple also cause reflux, so be aware of what you eat and watch your reaction to different foods. 

Some more lifestyle tips that have worked for me:

·       Never stay hungry over long periods of time. Eat fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables.

·       Don’t over-eat, even healthy food can cause reflux if you do.

·       Avoid lying down immediately after meals.

·       Slow walking and then sitting in Vajrasana immediately after meals is advised.

·       When you sleep, keep more pillows under your head and upper torso to keep it inclined.

·       First thing after getting up in the morning, drink 2 glasses of lukewarm water. This helps in digestion and elimination.

·       Have fresh breakfast soon after waking up in the morning. Avoid fried and packaged food for breakfast.

Asanas

Asanas that help are those which improve digestion and elimination:

Vajrasana, Pavanmuktasana, Supta-Vakrasana, Hastapadangustasana, Konasana, Yoga Mudra, and such Asanas which involve abdominal compression. Practice of Yoni Mudra helps keep control over our senses.

Relaxation Asanas like Savasana, Makarasana, Dradasana, Nispandabhava are very important as they help reduce stress, one of the main causes of reflux.

However, make sure you practice Asanas at an empty stomach- early in the morning or at least two hours after a meal.

Pranayamas

The Pranayama that helps the most is Yogendra Pranayama IV which is abdominal breathing. It stimulates digestion and elimination. All other Pranayamas also help in keeping the body energies balanced.

If we start applying these few changes in our lifestyle, a step at a time, we will start feeling a world of difference in our health. And good health leads to a positive and happy attitude.

Stay Well!!

Joint Pain

In the monsoons, I find many people complaining about joint pain and body ache. As mentioned in my earlier blog on body ache, it is possible for one of the causes to be vitamin deficiency. However, this would be a long term pain, generally accompanied with spasms in muscles. Another reason could be cold and wet.

Cold


Sleeping in strong A/C can make the joints stiff and body cramped. Sleeping directly under the fan can be very harmful for the body. Both these factors can even create blockages in the sinuses.

In any case it is quite cold in the rainy season, so if you keep your windows open for ventilation, it should suffice when you sleep at night. But, if that's still not enough, you can switch on the A/C for a while, let the room cool and then switch it off before you sleep. Fan is a complete No No, especially when you are directly under it.

Also, avoid walking bare footed on cold marble. The cold will radiate through the feet to the body and cause the joints and muscles to pain.

Wet


No matter what the cause of joint pain, never leave them wet. Wet means cold and that will make the body cramp in an effort to keep you warm. Dry your feet, knees, hands etc if they get wet in the rain.

Even when sleeping, make sure that the joints are kept nice and warm. Applying a bit of Vicks on the soles of the feet can be helpful, but avoid being dependent on it.

Avoid getting into a swimming pool or bath tub when already wet. Especially before entering a swimming pool, we take a shower. By all means do not miss this shower as it ensures hygiene, but dry yourself first and then enter the swimming pool. This will prevent knee problems. (This I was told by a successful Homeopathic doctor).

So these are a few tips for Joint Pain...hope they are useful.

Let me know if there is any particular topic you'd like info on. (Write in the comments box)

Stay Well !

Prevent Flu

Almost everyone I know is coming down with the flu. If one person in the family catches it, the others soon follow. We have so many natural ways to prevent and combat this flu. If we are aware of them, we can forget our fears and be confident that we will be able to handle whatever comes our way.

Awareness
The first and foremost thing to do is to be aware. Make sure that people around you are not infected. If they are, and you have no choice but to be close to them, make sure that you do not touch anything that could be infected by them. eg. do not use the same napkin to wipe your face, do not use the same glass/bottle to drink water from, do not share the food from the same plate.

Watch your own body. Does anything seem out of the ordinary? Does your throat pain or irritate even a little? Do you feel heavy in the head as though the sinuses are clogging up? BE AWARE so that if you find anything amiss, you can take immediate action.

Observe Hygiene
Wash your hands before every meal, use a handkerchief if you cough or sneeze. If anyone around you is not using a handkerchief for the same, feel free to tell them. Better safe than sorry.

Sore Throat
If you find that the throat is slowly being affected, take action immediately. Drink warm water, do Kapalarandhradhouti. Make the following mixture:

Neem powder- 25 gms
Tusli powder - 25 gms
Adusol powder - 25 gms
Amla powder - 25 gms

Buy these powders separately (do not buy a ready mixture). They will be available in any ayurvedic shop.
Mix these powders, take a teaspoonful, mix with required amount of honey (1tsp) and have the mixture thrice a day. This will help prevent/cure sore throat.

In case of lots of cough in chest, keep a hot water bag on chest for some time. It will loosen up the cough. Then lie the left hand side so that the cough can come out easily. (Left side so that the Pingala/right nostril is open- helps heat the body).

In case of Cold
Take regular steam
Kapalarandhradhouti
Mix ginger (sooth) powder with hot water and apply paste on the face. It burns on the face but generally does not affect the skin. It melts cough in the sinuses.
(Note: People with very sensitive skin avoid this mixture)

Do try these few tips. If you feel you need medicine/antibiotics, you can follow the above in any case. It will complement the medical treatment.

Any questions, you are welcome to ask.

Stay Well!

How to clean Dirty Water!!

This is the water I was receiving at my house yesterday.

The condition has not improved much today. When we called the BMC, they said the colour was because of a new chemical that they put in to treat the water.

Seriously?

A chemical that makes the water look like this and taste like mud?

Please be careful of the water you drink. This time, we could see the impurities. But that's not the case every time.

Boil your water before use. (If possible, boil it twice before drinking).

Getting packaged/ mineral water from shops is not much use according to me as the water plants have the same water source as ours- the BMC.

A cool option for cleaning water is to take a little bit of Potassium Alum- known as fatakadi in Gujarati. (You get quite a lot in just Rs. 10) Take it in your hand and immerse in the bucket of water and move it around.

THE WATER CLEARS IN SECONDS!! Dirt settles down and you can take the clean water from top.

This method was widely used (and perhaps still is) in the villages to clean the water drawn from wells.

Try it. And let me know if it works for you!

Stay Healthy!

Hydration & Drinking Water- Cautions

As I said earlier, warm water is very good for health.

We should drink enough water throughout the day to keep ourselves hydrated. However there some facts to consider and some cautions when it comes to drinking water:


1. Avoid drinking water immediately before and after meals: It is better to drink water around half hour before a meal & drink half a glass of warm water after meals. This aids in digestion.


2. Too much drinking water can be harmful: Many people tend to believe that bottles and bottles of water are good for health. But if you drink too much plain water, the essential electrolytes of the body get washed out and this can cause trouble with your nerves. Have a glass or two of lemon juice (with salt and sugar etc) or other hydrating drinks like herbal tea in between.


3. Have juicy fruits and veggies: Drinking water is not the only way to keep yourself hydrated. Veggies like cucumber, tomato, green leafy veggies etc and fruits have enough water content and also useful fibre. Make it a habit of having them once or twice during the day.

4. After workouts and massage treatments: It is necessary to hydrate yourself before and after physical exercise and treatments. Herbal drinks are the best for this as they have essential salts and herbs.


Remember, too much of anything can be harmful, even something as innocent as drinking water.


Stay Healthy!

Water- the miraculous cure for most digestion problems

“When does one feel happiness?” asked the Naturopath. “When we are satisfied?” I asked rather than answered. Shaking his head, he smiled and replied, “When our digestion is proper and our bowels cleared.”

This may sound absurd to you as it had to me when I met the nice doctor, but that line has stuck in my head ever since, and over the five years after that I have realized the truth of that statement.

If our bowels do not clear, toxins remain and spread in our body, increasing negativity which leads to diseases and unhappiness. And so, we must ensure that our digestion is good and elimination even better. This can be done by not overstuffing our stomachs and by eating fresh, natural and healthy food and regular intervals. This also means not to starve the body.

One very simple thing you can inculcate in your daily routine is:

Drink 2 glasses of warm (not hot) water first thing every morning.

·       Warm water helps clear the digestive tract

·       It thus helps cure constipation, acidity and other digestive problems.

·       It hydrates the body after the long fast over the night.

·       And it also detoxifies the body.

·       It also keeps your kidneys healthy.

I have been doing this since the last two and a half years and my digestion has improved tremendously. In fact, now when I eat something wrong, I can immediately and clearly make out what effect it has on my stomach. Even if I like that particular food item very much, the feeling I get after eating it is so horrible that I automatically get over it.

I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I think it is a boon. Imagine a pristine white sheet and then imagine a small speck of dust on it. Obviously that speck of dust will stand out more clearly on that sheet than an already dirty off-white sheet.

It is the same with a healthy diet and clear digestive tract. The stomach doesn’t get more sensitive, you just notice more than you could before.

So I sincerely hope that you try this simple exercise every day and see the difference for yourself.

Please note: Most of you may not be used to drinking warm water and so you may find it difficult to drink even 1 glass in the morning. But I suggest you drink how much you can and then slowly, as your body gets used to it (which it will- trust me), you can increase the quantity slowly to 2 glasses. You don’t need to drink more than 2 glasses.