something for the tan and dry skin...

I am so sorry to be away from this blog of mine for about two and a half years. No less.

My apologies to my subscribers and followers who expect posts on how we apply a knowledge of Ayurveda to keep a few common ailments at bay, or to improve our health through simple home remedies.

The lost time has been quite eventful, life changes a lot in a couple of years and it has certainly been so for me. I hope you all are in good health and high spirits. We shall keep meeting frequently now.

This post is intended to do some exfoliation that was quite essential for a tanned-aged blog :-)
Jokes apart, re-energising this blog would be an achievement of the weekend for me.

Here is a recipe to re-energise your skin and body as well. 

Have you heard about 'Ubtans' or freshly made scrubs used not so long ago by grandmothers to keep their skin glowing? Those were the days when no fancy skin care products were flooded on the shelves and people used to depend on the good old wisdom of eating healthy and using natural remedies for skin and hair.

You must have seen many grandmothers with glowing skin. Botox be doomed.

We earn our wrinkles, the skin can be kept perfectly supple using some readily available goodness in the herbs and seeds.

For exfoliation, tan removal and to improve circulation in the skin, this Ubtan I am suggesting, works like a charm. Massaging the ubtan on the whole body just before bath improves the circulation of the whole body as you rub and scrub the skin on your limbs, back, face and all over the body.

Here are the ingredients...

a large flower of marigold (can be sustituted with Calendula or even Rose if you like)
1/4 cup of yellow mustard
1/4 cup of chironji (also called Chirauli nut)
1/4 inch piece of fresh turmeric root or 2 pinches or powdered turmeric
6-7 almonds
yogurt, milk, fresh cream or lemon juice (see notes*)

Mustrad seeds are natural circulation boosters and both the nuts are great for skin.


Boil the yellow mustard seeds first with just enough water to soak them completely. I cooked them in Microwave for 2 minutes, covered. let them cool.


In the meanwhile pluck the bunch of florets from the marigold, separating the green stalk from all the yellow petals. Then chop off the black colored needle shaped bases of the petals, retaining only the yellow parts.


Now liquidise everything together to make a paste.

* Notes :
For very oily skin you can use lemon juice (1 tbsp) and a little water to make the paste in mixie.
For combination skin yogurt is very good.
If you have a dry skin, milk or even fresh cream will be great.

The paste looks like this and refrigerates well for 2 weeks.

To apply this Ubtan , take spoonfuls into your fingers and rub all over your body, on the face, arms and legs  one by one. Massage well into the skin, it dries when rubbed into the skin and then comes off like husky flakes along with the dead skin. Leaving your skin refreshed and exfoliated gently.


Wash or bathe yourself with warm water after this.

If not during a bath, all the open parts or arms and legs and face can be exfoliated using this Ubtan as these parts are exposed more to sun and pollution.

I am sure it would work well for you.... let me know if you like it.

Hope to see you soon with a new post.

Stay tuned.

wonderful coconut......extracting extra virgin coconut oil at home

Coconut is a favorite fruit and food ingredient of millions across the world and it is used in a billion ways i am sure....this fruit has many nutritive and medicinal values and is processed to make coconut milk , coconut cream, coconut milk powder , coconut oil and many types of flavored and unflavored coconut flakes and powders......i have personally made many types of skin care products with coconut which i shall post very soon here , but today i am posting how to extract extra virgin coconut oil at home. I got inspired to try this after reading a homemade coconut oil made by Sharmila here......I had made caster oil in the past and my method is a different version of the process where the oil is extracted at around 60-70 degree Celcius....it does not take much effort once you powder the dried coconut and i think everybody should be able to make it this way......this is virgin coconut oil and can be used for cooking purpose , but when you make it in small quantity, like i did , you know that it is going to be used for cosmetic purpose only.......

Before moving on to the process of extracting coconut oil , i would discuss how the oil is good for some common ailments and how it is a good cooking medium for generations....if you are interested only in the oil making , you can scroll down directly to the process and skip the information ...........

Coconut oil has been a controversial topic amongst nutritionists the world over , about the cholesterol increasing effects....a blogger friend, Lori has posted a very informative article in the past which may be of interest for many of you, see the post here......also,i would like to believe the claims made by the coconut board of India about the oil being beneficial in this regard.........i am not adding any information of the oil having medium chain fatty acid n hence being different from the saturated fatty acids...as you will get all i want to convey on Lori's post.

Now about some interesting home remedies you can practice using this oil ........

Coconut oil is a skin and hair tonic , relieves eczema symptoms and helps in fumgal infections between the toes and athelete's foot...Lauric acid is a good antifungal and antibacterial agent

It is a good way to protect your skin n hair form UV radiation ( sun exposure) as it works like a sunscreen , incidentally almond oil and sesame oils are good as a sunscreen base too...also, in a case of sunburn, coconut oil mixed with fresh aloe vera juice is a good ointment for quick relief.

Mixed with lemon juice, coconut oil makes a good lotion for winters for use all over the body....it is best to apply this lotion just after a warm bath , on a wet body and then tap dry with soft towel , there is no need to use any body lotion or moisturizer after this , though a hand cream or lotion may be needed afterwords as hands are washed many times during the day..

Coconut oil mixed with paraffin wax in a 50/50 ratio makes a good ointment for cracked heals ....for this heat the oil and the wax into a metal bowl till blended together and pour in a container with lid to store....a suitable essential oil like lemon or sandalwood can be added but is not essential.....wash your feet well with soap before retiring to bed , apply this ointment liberally over the heels and soles of feet , cover the feet with a cling wrap ( yes cling wrap from your kitchen drawer) wear socks and go to sleep........you can remove the socks after 4-5 hours but overnight is best....within two days a visible difference can be seen.....
(if the heels are covered with a thick layer of dead skin it becomes very difficult to treat them .... i noticed this in one of the ladies i advised....her heels were covered with a thick layer of dead skin...in that case no ointment will work because it will not penetrate the dead skin layer to reach the inner live skin.....application of salicylic acid ointment just after bath, with feet covered after the application allows the dead skin to shed ....a few applications of salicylic acid cream will make the heels more receptive to any treatment given to them....i tried it on that lady and the results were so very encouraging.....though the example i quoted is of a maid who worked for me, it is very rare condition n may not be needed normally)

Pure coconut oil or coconut cream are very good as a lip balm , you can add rose oil or pure vanilla to it for a lip smacking experience..

Coconut oil mixed with lemon zest and sea salt is a superb body scrub ....use it all over your body followed with a warm bath and see yourself rejuvenated for the day....the scrub is very good for dark elbows and knees , it has to be scrubbed over these areas in circular movements....I shall post the recipe of this scrub very shortly...

As a prewash hair conditioner , warm coconut oil can be massaged into hair followed by a hot towel treatment (sauna for the scalp) for 10 minutes.....this is a tried and tested remedy for falling hair..

Coconut oil is a good makeup remover , a damp cotton wool ball dipped into this oil is far better than the solvent type makeup removers , it is safe for removing the eye make up too....try it and you will be hooked to it forever.

When you know how good the oil is for you , you want to make it yourself . Especially in our country where we use a lot of coconut oil for many purposes but still virgin coconut oil is not available in the market, so make your own and use it as a food supplement ( a tbsp a day mixed with oatmeal is what some people use ) or for cosmetic purpose......

extracting the oil 

I chose to make it with just one dry coconut berry ( kopra , as it is known locally) , sliced it , chopped it into smaller pieces one day while making masala chai in the kitchen.....

 then i powdered it into the grinder........the beauty of the process is that you can proceed with it the next day.....

poured 300 ml hot water, ( hot to touch but not boiling 60-70 degree C ) over it.........waited for 10 minutes so that the oil comes into the water and poured it through a metal sieve lined with muslin .

reserved the filtrate in a beaker and poured 300 ml hot water again to the residue waited for 10 minutes and filtered it again to collect the filtrate in the same beaker....

repeated the process of pouring hot water n filtering once again so that maximum oil can be extracted from the liquid....

this way 900 ml of water was collected as filtrate which had a thick layer of coconut oil visible on the surface..........

 now i kept the beaker inside the fridge for 2 hrs ( again you can keep this in the fridge and proceed whenever is convenient , i proceeded with it the next day ) you will see the layer of oil solidified into a thick white disc floating over the water..........

The water is poured out and the disc of solid coconut oil reserved in the beaker , it still has some moisture into it but it can well be used for cosmetic purpose or even for cooking just like butter , but if you want to keep it for longer , the water should be evaporated ...

I microwaved it covered for a minute ..... covered , as it spluttered a lot and a clear oil was separated .... leaving a creamy residue of cream like solids , which is sweet in taste n i used a pinch of it for cleansing my face just like we do it with malai , rest is kept in the fridge to be used in some gravy or may be coconut rice along with the water which was filtered along with the oil....good use of the byproducts .......

The oil is pure unfiltered , unrefined , unspoiled and superbly aromatic......

about 90 ml of oil was extracted from one medium large dry coconut ...the cost of the coconut was Rs.12 ( it is Rs.100 a Kg and this one was 120 gm.) ....... extra virgin coconut oil for this cost is a big deal ....

The fibrous residue is still a bit sweet in taste and is kept in the fridge to be used in a cookie or in a chutny or something else.......suggestions are welcome ....watch this space for the recipes and more on coconut products as i have been making all those products for a long time..........ironically i tried making oil for the first time ( never thought of as it is so easily available and never thought of getting this extra virgin one) ........ i am happy i tried this as when i told a few of my friends , they were ecstatic ...i could not delay posting it here...

Tell me if you have any suggestions or questions about making coconut oil or about the uses ...... i'll be delighted to get a feedback here..........

Amrita or Giloy the wonder herb

Amrita or giloy is one of the many herbs i grow in my garden and it is such an easy to grow herb that anybody can grow it in a large pot......a foot long piece of it's stem ( having at least 2 inter nodes) has to be planted in a pot and watered occaisionally.......it grows very fast after an initial slow growth and you can get your daily dose of health from this home grown plant........

As it's name is amrita , it is useful in curing many many diseases....ranging from diabetes, arthritis, gout, high blood pressure, urinary infections , asthma, infection caused fevers and is also beneficial for detoxification, for skin infections and to promote general immunity......

There are very few herbs of such immense use, Ashwagandha,Tulsi and Aloe vera are the herbs you should always grow in your garden or balcony as these are easy to grow and maintain........

In recent times the use of giloy and tulsi in prevention from swine flu is being talked about too much , as some of our Ayurveda experts have claimed that this is the effective prevention of swine flu........no wonder...........as these herbs are immunity boosting , it will certainly work ...so i believe.........in addition with Tulsi , which is a good antibacterial as well as anti viral agent , giloy can make you immune to swine flu........and most importantly if it does so many good things to your system , then why not giving it a chance........

you can see the pictures of giloy stem cut in about 10 inch pieces here...

orning.....these can be stored at room temperature for a week and in the fridge for a month...

according to baba ramdev , the extract of giloy with tulsi is capable to prevent you from swine flu......you need to boil a foot long stem piece of giloy with around 10 leaves of Tulsi in 250 ml of water and reduce till 3/4 quantity ...cool and drink first thing in the morning.

and here is the giloy and tulsi decoction ready as a drink...has a mild tulsi taste and can be consumed without seasoning....you can season if needed..

if we talk about swine flu , there are some more practices suggested .......doing pranayama in the morning and eucalyptus oil , a few drops applied on the handkerchief or on the masks is supposed to be beneficial...as it is anti microbial and immunity booster......

there are many more yoga practices like neti and snehan etc. which should be done under supervision and this blog is not an appropriate place to suggest it.

apart from the recent swine flu generated curiosity, giloy or amrita is one herb which is useful in counteracting infection and promoting resistance to infectious diseases.....it is a constituent of several compound preparations in Ayurveda ...

amrita or giloy is anti periodic , antipyretic, alterative, diuretic and anti inflamatory in nature and is used for the treatment of fever, urinary disorders, dyspepsia, general debility, and urinary infections. it is very useful in the treatment of rheumatism and jaundice.

It is considered to be a blood purifier and detoxification agent , it is considered to detoxify the micro circulatory system ( lymphatic system and blood circulatory system) and it has the unique ability to remove toxins from both exogenous and endogenous sources . The bitter principles of the herb help in such effective detoxification ( the herb is a bitter group of herbs called 'kashaya' in ayurveda...

the herb has some credible research backup too....you can go through the research papers here...

there is no dearth of research in Ayurveda and more is going on but the practice of Ayurveda is so ancient that it has impregnated into the belief system of a common Indian man , but still for common illness we rely upon the herbs but whenever there is an acute problem , we tend to go with the modern medicine.....which is not bad at all.... but i believe that the modern medicine is better advertised and has a better presence everywhere....and these are the reasons why the common man goes with the modern medicine......if my migraine cannot be treated completely by the modern medicine but it can be managed with Ayurveda as good as with modern medicine, then i would always go with Ayurveda , reason being, it is holistic way of healing and not just a symptomatic treatment ....tell me if you believe in it..


And now some practical uses of Amrita........

it's principal constituents are tinosporine , tinosporide , tinosporaside , cordifolide , cordifol , heptacosanol and tinosporidine ...all of these are effective in removing body toxins and improving immune system.

giloy satva is considered to be a good remedy of headaches ( along with triphala churna) caused due to dosha imbalance.... giloy satva is a solid powdery substance which is a water soluble extract of the stems of giloy....giloy juice is considered to be clearing some nervous toxins which in turn helps in brain function , that might be helping in management of headaches too..

giloy juice taken with neem , haldi and amla is effective in treatment of skin affections.....the most annoying types of eczema , lichens planus and other infections can be treated with this ( point to be noted is that long standing affections take more time to be cured).....the juice is considered a good blood purifier and hence useful in skin affections.

giloy juice with buttermilk is beneficial in treatment of piles and fissures....other dietary restrictions should be followed alongside.

the root and bark juice taken with whey helps in curing asthma and other respiratory ailments.

stem decoction is considered good for improving the quality of breast milk in lactating mothers.

the fresh juice of stem ( a foot long stem crushed and juiced) taken daily first thing in the morning is useful in controling blood sugar...( dietary restrictions not to be forgotten).

excessive menstrual bleeding can be controlled by fresh juice too......to be taken twice a day ..till condition improves.

warm decoction of stem with pippali ( piper longum) and honey is good for fevers cause by infections in the body.

for indigestion , the juice of stem with honey or leaf paste mixed with buttermilk and seasoned with black salt and roasted cumin powder are very effective..

since the stem decoction is considered anti inflammatory and diuretic , it helps in urinary tract infections....addition of fennel seeds and palm candy to the decoction is useful.

for gout and high uric acid conditions , the fresh stem juice first thing in the morning helps.......low protein diet will be helpful in a fast relief...

since it is a good immunomodulator , it helps in the management of several auto immune diseases........

also as is claimed in Ayurveda , the juice of wheat grass , giloy and aloe vera is considered very beneficial in treatment of blood cancer......a foot long stem piece of giloy , 3-4 inch piece of aloe leaf and a cup full of wheat grass has to be juiced together......the green juice is considered to lessen chemotherapy sessions ....i have personally seen that this juice can improve hemoglobin levels within a fortnight ...upto 3 units....it works ...

aloe vera....the healing cactus.

Aloe Vera, or Ghrit Kumari in Sanskrit, is a member of the lily family and is very cactus-like in its characteristics. It is one to two feet tall; and its leaves are succulent, broad at the base and pointed at the tips, with spines along the edges. These fat leaves contain the clear healing gel that is 96% water. The other four percent contains 75 known substances including Vitamins A, B, C, E, calcium, amino acids for protein building, and enzymes used in the digestive system.

External Applications

The healing effect of aloe results from its ability to prevent injury to epithelial tissues, and promote healing of injured tissues. An epithelium is a layer of cells that covers the body. Our largest epithelium is the skin and one of the main applications of aloe vera is to soothe a variety of skin ailments such as mild cuts, insect stings, bruises, poison ivy and eczema. It also has antibacterial and antifungal qualities, and increases blood flow to wounded areas. In addition, aloe vera stimulates fibroblasts, the skin cells responsible for wound healing and the manufacture of collagen, the protein that controls the aging process of the skin and wrinkling. The skin absorbs aloe vera up to four times faster than water; it appears to help the pores of the skin open and receive the moisture and nutrients of the plant.

Aloe vera works very efficiently in healing the body in many different ways...........

Light burns and wounds: Cut off an aloe leaf and apply the gel several times a day

For balancing digestion and detoxification: take 1 tbsp of aloe vera gel empty stomach every morning, it also improves the functioning of the kidneys, liver and gall bladder....the gel acts as an anti inflammatory agent because the fatty acids in it alkalize the digestive juices and soothe the stomach, intestines and colon.

good for skin : by detoxification of the system it allows the skin to be glowing and soft when taken internally.
also it acts as a good moisturizer when applied locally, cures sunburns and tightens pores as well.

when applied on the scalp it cures mild infections of the scalp and ingestion of aloe gel improves the quality of hair by detoxifying the body.




the juice of aloe makes the hair shiny and acts as a fluffing agent when your hair feels limp and flat..just apply the juice by holding the split open leaf wrapped in a muslin throughout the length of hair, let dry and comb......see how it works.

Aloe Vera helps accelerate healing of Diabetic wounds. It dramatically lessens inflammation and improve pain response.

good anti aging agent : Aloe vera is one of the most potent antioxidants found naturally , it is an only known natural source of Vit E, C and B-12 .......when taken internally aloe helps in getting rid of free radicals from the body and promotes our immune system.

good remedy for arthritis : aloe gel and juice is good for arthritis patients , it strengthens the muscles and ligaments and regenerates cartilage , the amino acids phenylalnine, proline, cystiene, valine and boron found in aloe is helpful in maintaining the skeletal system , improving bone health , cartilage healing and metabolizing calcium , phosphorus and magnesium.....not to mention, aloe is naturally rich in calcium and helps in better absorbtion of calcium as well.......it works especially well when taken along with the haldi, methi, sonth powder which i have posted earlier on this blog.

good remedy for migraine : i personally use it in migraine ...just keep the fleshy leaves in your fridge all the time, when the pain starts , split open the leaves to expose the juicy flesh and rub over the aching parts of head or over the whole forehead, scalp, eyes and even on the nape of the neck.....it works best when the pain is just starting......later on , you may need 2-3 applications of the juice to get relief.

personally i eat aloe whenever i need it, mostly in the form of fresh gel or mixed with a healthy salad or juice......it is tasteless but a bit slimy, but when the juice is mixed with some other juice like orange , carrot or tomato it becomes more palatable ........i don't have any problem in eating the raw gel or juice as it is ...

aloe vera can be added in any salad as it is almost tasteless and can be combined with anything like cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, or any kind of fruits.......it is better to eat the gel as it is first thing in the morning as it is more beneficial this way.......

aloe gel can be made into a soup or can be cooked into a roti or paratha too .....my experience says, the soup is aweful in taste but the roti or paratha tatses normal .........anyway i prefer eating it in the form of raw gel like this.......




to remove the skin from the leaf you have to be a bit careful as it is a slippery object.........cut out the margins first , make 1.5 inch peices and then slice lengthwise along the skin........




the flesh from one piece is enough for one time consumption........


the leaf can be kept in fridge for a week and the separated gel keeps well for 2 days in the fridge.

i have found relief in honey bee bites or burns and scalds with the chilled aloe vera leaves kept in my fridge......i always keep at least one leaf.......nicely wrapped in cling film for an emergency....

chillies

the red hot chillies which are so synonymous with Indian cuisine has a foreign origin, some four hundred years ago Indians were not aware of chillies , it was the portuguese who brought chillies along with them to India..........though it is hard to believe but our Indian food is not imaginable without chillies.......

as every food has its own nutritional value , chillies , the hot ingredient , is kind of a superfood........it is rich in Vit A and C and hence serves as a good vitamin supplement too

the pungency factor of the chillies stimulates salivation.....and it is quite understandable that our starchy staple food is laced with the enzyme amylase, which ensures proper breaking down of the complex carbohydrates.............see how conveniently we can stimulate our digestive process by including chillies in our food.

there are many more reasons to include these hot hot chillies in our food.......it helps in the detoxification process of the colon.....the capsaicin ( hot compound of chilly) is a blood circulation enhancer , actually it has a strong haemostatic action , so it can be used in acute cases to arrest bleeding.

not only this , chillies are found to be preventing many types of cancers.........see the link.....
http://www.whale.to/a/chilli.html

there are two major types of the hot chillies in India, the white flowered capsicum annuum , and the greenish white flowered capsicum frutescens which is more pungent........the pungency depends on its capsaicin content................there are many varieties of chillies , the hottest tezpur chillies and the almost sweet bell peppers.........but one thing is clear that they have become integral to Indian cuisine and is being used in ayurvedic remedies too.......

the chilly oil is applied topically to relieve muscular pain and capsaicin is an ingredient of pain relieving sprays and lotions.....

chillies are good for kapha type people and is not so good for pitta types.

next time take pleasure in using chillies an dtake care if you are a pitta type person.........in that case less amount of chilly will be better............should we thank the portuguese invaders........think about the goan cuisine.......:D:D.

drumstick, the healing tree...

there is a handsome drumstick tree in my garden and i have easy access to it's flowers, fruits and leaves...............all of parts are of medicinal value and it is a good idea to include them into our daily diet..............drumstick is considered anti inflammatory and anti pyretic, also a nerve stimulator and a heart tonic.......in north Indian households it is considered a good preventive herb from chicken pox during changing seasons, it's soup or curries are widely used for arthritis and as a liver tonic.

as an external application a warm poultice of pounded leaves with mustard oil is applied on gouty pains, it works really well.

we can easily include drumstick into our daily diet as it is a versatile vegetable, though most north indian families don't use it much, it can adapted to north indian cooking very well. here is one curry made in north indian gravy......the recipe is on my blog banaras ka khana



the young tender leaves can be used loke fenugreek leaves and it tastes quite similar to it.............parathas can be made using drumstick leaves.....just chop them finely and knead along with whole wheat flour and seasonings....roll out parahtas and serve as a healthy powerpacked breakfast.


the tender leaves and flowers can be cooked with lentils along with some aromatic spices and made into soups or dals.


steamed flowers can be made into a curry using the usual north indian curry masala along with tomatoes and peas...it is a very tasty curry to be served with whole wheat chapatis.


raw flowers are mixed with gram flour, some salt n pepper, chillies, some ginger garlic.......adding some water to make a thick batter............drop spoonfuls of this batter into hot oil to make delicious pakodas.


drumstick fruits are used to make sambars , cooked with dals and are made into spicy curries.




medicinal value and uses of drumstick plant parts can be seen here................................
..........http://www.drumsticksindia.com/recipe/index.htm...............................................

some more recipes of drumstick can be seen here.......
http://www.drumsticksindia.com/recipe/index.htm

amla chutny

recently i experimented with a few more recipes of amla chutny and they were superhit......appreciated by everybody.

one of the chutnys i made was using preserved amla , as i have posted earlier,amla preserved with 15% salt is ground with equal amounts of garlic pods and dry whole red chillies......no additional salt is required and the chutny can be kept on room temperature if 2% vinegar is added to it...............it is so tasty you'd want to eat it with each n everything.


the other recipe i tried was when i made rawa idlies for breakfast one day.........since i am on low cal diet i wanted to minimise coconut in the chutny and added a liberal amount of amla to it..........the result was amazing......the chutny vanished within minutes..............and everybody ate amla without even knowing it......see the recipe

ingredients

amla 5 nos.
coconut 1/8 of a whole nut
green chillies 6
garlic cloves 8
chana daal soaked for 20 minutes 1/2 cup
ginger 1 inch piece
salt to taste

procedure

deseed the amla and grind the amla and coconut first in the grinder cuz it is a bit difficult to grind them fine with other ingredients.........add all the other things and make a fine paste and serve with or without a tempering.

for tempering heat 1 tsp of oil with a pinch of hing , 1 tsp of mustard seeds and a red whole chilly and put over the chutny and serve.