Ayushakti Ayurved

Headaches are arguably the worst epidemic in the world that affects everyone, young and old.  At one time or another, most people suffer from headaches. When suffering from a headache, most people reach for Aspirin, Tylenol or Ibuprofen. While pain killers offer temporary relief, they do not address the root cause of the headache and often headaches return.

Ayurveda, the traditional medicine from our rich land, is a holistic, natural approach to health and well being. Ayurveda utilizes herbs to offer natural relief while striving to correct internal imbalances. More importantly, Ayurveda looks toward a person’s lifestyle as the primary cause of headaches.

Headaches fall into three major categories: Migraine headaches, cluster headaches and tension headaches. These are caused due to aggravation of three different doshas. Headaches are also caused by:

• Sinusitis
• Hypertension
• Constipation
• Over work
• Mental stress
• Indigestion
• Acidity
• Sleeplessness
• Fever
• It may also be present as a symptom of some disease
• Excessive consumption of tea, coffee, aspirin or nicotine is also known to contribute to headache
• Nervous weakness
• Anaemia
• Deficiency of oxygen in the blood
• Sitting too close to the television
• Reading with insufficient light
• Reading in a moving train or car

The goal of Ayurveda is to restore balance and optimum function within the patient. This is accomplished through proper diet, herbs, exercise and stress reduction. Stress reduction includes meditation, yoga and the creation of a harmonious lifestyle.

It is the creation of a harmonious lifestyle that is the most challenging for patients. Caught in a cycle of crisis management and struggling to survive, many patients are just keeping their head above water. The busier we become, the more our lifestyle suffers and the more difficult it is to take proper care of ourselves. It is no wonder we get sick. If a plants needs are ignored, it wilts. If a cars needs are ignored, it breaks down. If a humans needs are ignored, we suffer and become ill.

A harmonious life is one that supports the body to function optimally. It is a lifestyle that is relaxed and at ease. This does not mean laziness or a lack of productivity. Just the opposite, a person living a harmonious life can be more productive as they are sick less and their mind and body are clear and able to focus.

Try these simple practices to bring harmony and balance into your life and see if your headaches are improved.

• Simple cooked vegetables without oil, vegetable juices and soup, fruits like apple, mango, grapes and fruit juices should be taken in sample quantities. Rice, salad and buttermilk are also good.
• Some sweets and milk products can be taken moderately with small quantities of nuts.
• Hot cow milk is very good to drink.
• Avoid fried foods, meat, sour and spicy food.
• Yogurt should be avoided, especially at night.
• Adequate rest should be taken and exposure to cold, heat and rain should be avoided.
• The natural urges (sneezing, passing stool and urine, hunger, thirst, sleep, breathing and yawning etc.) should not be suppressed.
• The patient should also try to keep the mind free from anxiety, anger, mental tension and worry.

Equipped with a deep understanding of the root causes of headaches and lifestyle changes that help in avoiding headaches, we will lead much happier headache-free lives.

Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old system of holistic healing from India, is becoming increasingly popular among spas, beauty salons and skin and hair care manufacturers worldwide because of the efficacy of its skin and hair care solutions. Ayurvedic recommendations for your hair are not only effective at maintaining hair strength, colour and lustre, they also steer you away from chemicals-based hair care that can create health problems in the long term.

Summer hair should literally be like a day at the beach: Relaxed, pretty, a little bit messy, and fun. But foolproof hair can be hard to come by, especially when humidity-induced frizz, sun-parched locks, and overly oily tresses get thrown into the mix. To help put the brakes on bad summer hair days, we decided to go in hot pursuit of the best and easiest-summer hair care tips to keep our tresses in top form.

Summertime is anything but good for your head. UV rays can harm your hair, fades its colour, dries it out, and burns your scalp, degrades the protective protein in hair; which oxidizes the colour to a brassy hue. Covering up is your best line of defence in protecting your hair: get a good hat (wide-brimmed) if possible, or scarf that hides your hair from the sun. If your hair is short cover it with a bandana.

Letting your hair down might just be one of the things you shouldn’t do in the summers. Knotting your hair, braiding it or wearing it up or in a bun will help contain frizzes.

It is believed that the condition of the hair reflects the condition of the whole body as well. It simply means that if your hair is not healthy then your body is unhealthy too. That is why the ayurvedic hair care has become important, because it has its own beneficial use to keep hair healthy and the whole body as well.

Diet and lifestyle are two major factors that influence the health of the hair. Like your skin, your hair needs nutrition from the inside out. If your diet is deficient in hair-friendly foods, or your digestion is not efficient, all the expensive shampoos and hair treatments in the world won’t be effective at maintaining the colour and longevity of your hair. So if you want a healthy, shining crown of hair, start by taking a hard look at what you eat, when you eat and how you eat.

Instead of focusing on specific nutrients or rigid quantities, ayurveda recommends a medley of wholesome, natural foods as the best and most palatable way of delivering a variety of nutrients to your hair. The key is to eat foods that are whole, natural, organic and fresh.

A balanced nutritious diet is definitely your first step towards hair health and longevity. But step two—eating correctly—is equally vital in order to give your body the ability to convert the foods you eat into a form your hair can assimilate and use to stay lustrous, vibrant and young.

Beautiful glowing smooth skin is desirable by every woman and appreciated by every man. Genetically, we are wired to be attracted to people with clear skin and a glowing complexion because it’s a sign of good health. If the skin is not cared properly and neglected it suffers from premature aging and becomes dull and blemished.

Summer is not the time to relax your skin care routine when those killer ultra-violet rays can wreak havoc on exposed skin. The simple but effective Ayurvedic home remedies help you to attain a clear, healthy and glowing complexion. Ayurveda mentions many simple natural ways to maintain a healthy and glowing skin.

According to Ayurveda, healthy skin is the result of overall health condition of individuals. Medically skin is a sensory organ that responds to reflexes and is a protective system that shields the entire living body. Apart from perceiving sensations such as cold, warmth, heavy, light, rough, smooth, etc. skin is also an excretory agent for sweat. Here are a few tips for keeping your skin looking great in summer.

• Minimize or avoid hot chilli peppers, spicy salsas, pickles, fermented foods, coffee and alcohol particularly if you are pitta predominant.
• Fresh coconut water contains essential electrolytes and has a cooling effect on the body. So go nuts for coconuts.
• Eat right! A healthy diet can work wonders for your skin.Stimulate your complexion’s collagen growth with foods rich in antioxidants, including leafy green vegetables, blueberries, cantaloupe and other melons. Salmon and egg whites are excellent sources of protein which helps nourish skin and repair damage.
• Sweet juicy fruits such as pears, grapes, watermelon and mangoes both nourish our skin which faces a constant barrage of chemicals everyday from pollution to harsh chemically formulated products that strip the skin of its natural balance.
• Milk is a cooling beverage that also supplies nutrients to your skin and helps to keep it from drying out. Drink a cup of milk every day, and also combine milk with ingredients like almond meal and rose water to make a Pitta-balancing skin cleanser.
• Get plenty of quality rest each night. Keep your bedroom cool, dark and comfortable and sleep on cotton or linen sheets. Get to bed early and awaken early for clear healthy skin and sparkling eyes!
• Take Skin Moisturizer to a New Level. Staying hydrated on the inside is important but you shouldn’t forget about taking care of your skin from the outside, as well. Cleansing and moisturizing are the most crucial to keeping your skin healthy and young. An oil massage is the best remedy for dry skin.
• Do not go out during the hottest parts of the day, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you exercise outdoors, do it early in the morning. Wear sunscreen, lip protection, sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat when you go out-exposure to the sun can age skin very rapidly.
• No need to cover up head to toe, but do consider a long-sleeved shirt, wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses at the beach, at least for part of the day. Remember, tightly woven, darker fabrics are better sun blockers than lightweight, light-hued fabrics, or try clothing especially made for sun protection.