Green Tea
Drinking Green tea is very healthy. Green tea is chock-full of cathechin polyphenols, mainly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is its main fighting ingredient. It’s believed that EGCG prevents cancer by targeting cancerous cells. It also lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, prevents the formation of abnormal blood clots that cause heart attacks or strokes, prevents inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, builds up the immune system and provides resistance to various infections. So a cup of green tea is really powerful enough to ward of a number of diseases. It also prevents tooth decay as green tea is a good source of fluoride. 1 cup of the brew contain.

Here’s a simple iced green tea preparation to get you started in your fight to stay healthy.

Green Gingerina (for 6 persons)
Ingredients
2 cups of water
low-calorie sweetener to taste
1 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
6 green tea bags
4 tsp fresh lemon juice club soda
12 ice cubes

a handful of mint leaves for garnish
1. Put the water, sweetener, ground ginger and lemon peel in a medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat for about seven to eight minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add the green tea bags. Leave the bags undisturbed for 10 minutes.
3. Stir and add the lemon juice. Refrigerate for one to two hours.
4. To make a cup of iced tea, pour the concentrate into a glass till it is one-fourth full. Then top it up with club soda. Add ice cubes and garnish with mint leaves.

Anxiety

Chamomile

-To relieve anxiety, you can smell and eat fresh apples pieces with their skin on, every morning. It has been proved that apples help to relax the mind and heart and keep anxiety at bay.

Asthma

In 18th century, Father Kunzle, a German master herbalist, recommended an “arm bath” using a hot cider “wash” as a cure for asthma. Boil several cups of very old fermented cider or, apple cider vinegar. Take it off the heat and soak several dish towels in the liquid. When you can touch the towels, wring them out and apply, as hot as possible, to the arms.

Drink lemon juice diluted with cold water every morning as soon as you wake up. Between meals, drink one teaspoon of undiluted lime juice.

Ancient Egyptians used raw garlic and garlic juice to heal asthma like coughs. Add several cloves of garlic to the juice of processed carrots and beets and drink. Alternately add the clove to 180g approximately tomato juice and drink.

Burns

Use aloe vera plant leaf to treat burns. Break off a leaf, slit it open and let the gel like aloe juice dribble on the burnt part. Aloe juice heals the skin and also prevents the scarring.

Raw potatoes were used to treat burns by the people of Ireland. Peel, shred, or mince an uncooked white potato and place the pieces of potato on the burn. In approximately thirty minutes or so, the redness of the burn disappears and even blisters are not formed.

Insomnia

-Ancient Chinese people believed that the body’s sleep centre is just under the nail of the big toe, on the corner of the side that is closest to the other toes. Just before sleep, press this point. The Japanese also suggest massaging the soles of the feet just before going to bed.

-In China, sleepless people were told to repeatedly yawn deeply just before going to bed. When in bed, one should place the tip of the tongue behind the lower teeth and concentrate on holding the tongue there until they fell asleep. The idea was to prevent thinking about their problems so they can relax and go to sleep.

-Just before going to bed, mash one or two cloves of garlic, then add a few drops of olive oil. Put it on some bread and eat. To get rid of raw garlic odour, chew fennel seeds or parsley.

-The re clover flower is a useful herb which is known to calm the body and induces sleep. To make red clover tea, add boiling water to two tablespoons of fresh or dried flowers, steep, and strain out the flowers. Add a drop of honey.

Menopausal problems

Menopause signifies the end of the female reproductive period of life and occurs in the mid or late forties.

Nosebleeds

-To prevent nosebleeds, avoid drinking alcohol or eating foods containing salicylate which is an anticoagulant component of aspirin.

-Avoid foods like coffee, tea, almonds, cucumbers, pickles, green peppers, and tomatoes.

-Taking Vitamin C helps to strengthen the walls of the nasal passages.

-Ancient Japanese believed in pressing the various pressure points to stop nosebleeds. Directions-Gently blow the nose. With index finger and thumb squeeze the fleshy part of the nose for a few minutes. Keep the head back to hinder the downward flow of blood. A second point is just beneath the skull on either side of the spine, just where the spine meets the skull.

-Another effective home remedy is to use aloe vera plant. Break off one small leaf of aloe vera plant. Slit it open to expose its gel. Apply a thin dot of gel-or pure aloe vera ointment in the nose to prevent dryness.

-/another way of stopping the nosebleed is to pinch the nose closed for a moment, tilt the head back, then apply an ice pack to the bridge of the nose, neck, and cheek area. Also apply ice to the back of the neck.

Sore Throats

Sore throat gets better after a couple of days but they are very uncomfortable and irritating. Some tried and tested home remedies are:

-Steep a teaspoon of powdered ginger in half a cup of just boiled water. Cool it to warm and add a quarter tea spoon of honey and the juice of half a lemon. Gargle with this concoction. Again gargle with cool to cold pineapple juice.

-The use of Sauerkaut juice( the fermented juice of the cabbage) is also known to be effective in treating sore throat. To make homemade sauerkraut, wash and dry scores of cabbage leaves, chop them up, and layer them in a crock. Sprinkle salt over each layer, until the top layer is reached. Cover it with a clean cloth and keep a stone, or heavy plates over it. Let it ferment like this for at least six weeks. Separate the juice and gargle with this juice.

- According to the famous book published in 1657, Adam in Eden, one of the most widely used remedy to treat sore throat was the use of marshmallow flowers boiled in water. Steep one teaspoon of marshmallow flowers in approx. 200 ml of boiling water. Strain and add a dollop of honey. Sip as needed to get rid of the pain.

- Another most common remedy is the use of common salt. Add a teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water and gargle with it as often as possible. This treatment also prevents the beginning of the sore throat. For further improvement, add a pinch of salt and a pinch of turmeric to a glass of warm water and gargle.

-Salt is one of the most effective healing agents to treat sore throat. Take a teaspoon of salt and add it in a warm glass of water and gargle with it as often as possible. Another most common remedy used by Indians is: Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of turmeric to a glass of lukewarm water and gargle.

-Another time-tested remedy is: Add a teaspoon of either raspberry jam or blackberry jam to a glass of water and gargle. One can also get relief by drinking a hot tea made by adding two tablespoons of the jam added to a cup of boiling water.

Vision Problem/Eye sight

Ancient Chinese and Indian healers and yoga practitioners have recommended eye muscle exercises to ensure good eyesight. The Ayurvedic practitioners in India have devised a series of easy eye exercises and eye movements called mudras which if done regularly help the individuals to see more clearly and read from great distances and avoid any eye problem. These exercises also improve one’s mental powers of memory and concentration.

Directions:

1. Stare at the tip of your nose.
2. Using a finger or a pencil, focus your eyes on something near.
3. Focus your eyes on the far point or horizon.
4. Place an open book or a printed notice several feet from you. Gradually, increase the distance so that you can read it from far away.
5. With both eyes, look up to the far right. Look diagonally down to the far left.
6. With both eyes, look up to the far left. Look diagonally down to far right.

-Indian yogis practice a several year old series of body and eye exercises called hatha yoga. Directions: Roll both your eyes in an upward half circle from left to right. Next, roll both your eyes in an upward half-circle from right to left. After several weeks, combine all the half- circles into the smooth, full circle motion. Repeat at least once a day.

-A surprising remedy is the use of saliva. According to Dr. Deepak Chopra, the famous healer and, Vedic doctor, saliva contains an enzyme that digests the protein of which the cataract is made up of. In fact this use of saliva helped the older generations of Indians to avoid cataract. The method given is: Thoroughly scrub and clean your mouth by rinsing mouth, teeth, and gums. Prepare a clean 240 ml glass of water, then a spit a tablespoon’s worth of saliva into the glass of water. Mix the saliva and water, then wash your eyes with the mixture.

Vaginal Infection

Vaginal infection is often accompanied with itching, unusual discharge, vaginal discharge or sometimes pain when urinating. Untreated vaginitis can lead to many complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease. Some of the common herbal remedies are:

-In Europe, apple cider vinegar and water have been a dependable old remedy for the painful, itching discharge caused by Trichonomas vaginalis.

-Modern research shows that the calendula plant is an effective antifungal agent. Calendula oil has been used for centuries throughout Europe for vaginitis caused by a yeast infection. Another method to use Calendula is as follows: Steep a handful of fresh or dried calendula flowers in about half a litre of olive, sesame or safflower oil in a jar in the sun for seven days. Then drain out the flowers and use the calendula infused oil. Wash the vaginal area with this oil and add a tablespoon or two to douche water.

-Another effective remedy is the use of Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia). It is a potent antiseptic that is said not to irritate the vaginal membranes. The method to use is as follows: Buy products such as Desert Essence tea tree oil, which has 20% concentration of the oil. To prepare the douche: Dilute the oil by adding one teaspoon of tea tree oil to half a litre of warm water. Gently wash the outer vaginal area with soap and water, Dry thoroughly. Wash the area now with the diluted tea tree oil and also use a douche.

- Natives of Caucasus mountain area are known to have a long life. One of their ancient healing secrets is the use of yoghurt. Eat small amounts of natural lactobacillus yoghurt several times a day. Every three days, douche with one cup of warm water mixed with half tea spoon of Lactobacillus acidophilus.

Period pains and cramps

-To ease period pains and cramping, eat a diet high in zinc. You can eat food like seafood, lean meat, lentils, whole grain cereals, liver and kidney which are rich in zinc.

Muscle soreness/spasms/cramps

-To treat muscle soreness, eat foods that contain anti-inflammatory properties such as ginger, whole grains, mackerel, salmon, strawberries, oranges, tomatoes, mangoes, cauliflower, and broccoli.

-To prevent the muscle cramps, take off your shoes, lie down on the floor, and put your feet on the wall or against the back of any other support such as chair. This immediately helps as it creates new patterns of circulation.

-Another exercise to prevent muscle cramps is to stand barefoot with arms stretched sideways at shoulder level with your face towards the wall and about a foot away. Slowly and with out any jerks lean forward until you feel a pull in your calf muscles. Hold for a while and then gently return to your normal position.

-Cramps are also caused due to fluid loss especially due to sweating while doing exercise. Drink lot of water before any vigorous physical activity to prevent cramps caused due to this problem.

Headaches

-If the headache is caused due to inflammation around the eyes, jaw, and temples then eat food rich in anti-inflammatory properties as they can alleviate the headache and bring relief. Examples of such foods are mackerel, broccoli, ginger etc.

-Eat plenty of fish as it helps prevent headaches.

-Ginger helps to reduce inflammation and pain.

-Most of the Auyrvedic practitioners from Sri Lanka recommend that one should avoid taking head bath in the post afternoon part of the day to prevent headaches.

-According to a Greek belief, drinking peppermint tea every morning and evening prevents headache.

-If the headache is due to nausea and vomiting, using basil leaves helps to relieve the pain. Crush a few basil leaves and put them in one cup of boiling water. Strain it and drink it.

-A Siberian remedy for instant relief from headache is to use one large onion and pound it. Mix it with two pinches of coarse salt and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Put this paste on a cloth and drape it over the area that hurts.

-Another time tested recipe used by the Danes to get rid of headache is to use Sage leaves. Boil a handful of sage leaves in water till they become sticky in texture. Mix them with one beaten egg and apply directly to forehead and temples.

To treat sensitive tooth

-One of the old Egyptian remedy to treat toothache is to boil some anise seeds in water for ten minutes and after straining it drink it like tea.

-To heal the gums, use calendula tea. Take one table spoon of calendula flowers and boil it in one cup of water. Let them steep in water for ten minutes and after discarding the flowers swish through the mouth.

-According to an Italian remedy, use toasted figs to heal gum boils. One can also use cut figs and place them against the sore tooth to get rid of toothache.

-The French believe in the power of Chamomile to get relief from toothache. Release all the volatile oils of Chamomile by dipping Chamomile tea bags into boiling water. Let it cool down and then apply the teabag to the tooth, the gum or the cheek to get relief from toothache.

Hypertension/High Blood Pressure

-Go vegetarian. A vegetarian diet lowers the blood pressure because it is low in sodium or salt and high in calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Just by eating three servings of potatoes, oranges, or bananas per day, one can lower the sodium intake by 10% and increase the potassium levels. Recent studies have revealed an important link between dietary calcium and potassium and hypertension. Researchers have found that people who eat potassium –rich diets have a low incidence of hypertension even if they do not control their salt intake.

-Garlic is one of the plants which does wonders in controlling the blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels and making it easier for the heart to pump blood through the arteries. Garlic also helps the body to get rid of toxins by binding toxins and heavy metals such a lead and cadmium. One can use lots of garlic in the soups, salads and curries or just eat fresh garlic daily in the morning.

-The Chinese believe in eating foods that reduce blood pressure such as celery, banana, mung bean sprouts etc.

-Celery juice is also effective in reducing hypertension. Take a big bunch of celery and squeeze out the juice using a juicer /blender. Add some honey to the juice and after slightly warming it drink it.

-Indian Gooseberry (amla) is very effective food remedy for hypertension. A tablespoon of fresh amla juice mixed with a tablespoon of honey taken every morning helps to control hypertension.

-Lemon also is quite effective as it is a rich source of vitamin C and prevents capillary fragility.

-Watermelon is another fruit that helps to control high blood pressure. Recent studies have shown that a substance extracted from watermelon seeds has dilating action on the blood vessels which lowers the blood pressure.

Indigestion

Indigestion or dyspepsia is one of the most common ailments of today mostly due to faulty lifestyle and wrong food habits. The common symptoms of indigestion are: abdominal pain, a feeling of excessive fullness after taking meals, heartburn, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting and excessive gas and acidity. Some of the best ways to cure this condition are as follows:

-Go on an all-fruit diet for about 5 days. After 5 days, start taking light and easily digestible foods such as soups, fruit juices, buttermilk, lightly cooked vegetables etc for about 10 days. Thereafter one can start the normal diet but make sure you continue to take well-balanced diet.

-Lemon juice is very effective in treating indigestion. Its juice reaches the stomach and attacks the bacteria.

-Orange also helps to cure chronic indigestion. It gives rest to the digestive organs and supplies nutrition in a most easily assimilable form. It also stimulates the flow of digestive juices thereby improving digestion and increasing appetite.

-Grapes are also effective as they are light food and remove indigestion and irritation of the stomach.

-Pineapple is another fruit that acts as a tonic and relieves much of the digestive disorders. Half a glass of pineapple juice should be taken after a meal to cure indigestion.

-The people suffering from indigestion should never eat and drink together. Water and other liquids should be taken half an hour before and one hour after a meal. Milk, buttermilk, and vegetables soups are however, considered to be foods and can be taken with meals.

-Never hurry through a meal. Eat very slowly and chew your food as thoroughly as possible.

-Never boil vegetables, always steam them.

-Do not mix too many foods at the same meal. Never eat raw vegetables and raw fruits together as they require a different set of enzymes. Take protein and starchy foods separate as far as possible.

Insect bites

-The smell of Lavender repels the bug that’s why some people add sprigs of lavender to stored linens, woollen clothes, quilts and blankets. Use cotton dipped in Lavender oil and keep it at strategic places to repel bugs and insects.

-One can use Lemon balm directly on the skin to repel bees and to get relief from the pain of insect stings.

-The Arabs use the Basil leaves as insect bite remedy. Crush fresh leaves and rub it on insect bites to reduce itching and inflammation.

-Another remedy used world over is the use of onion. Slice a piece of onion and apply it directly on the affected area until the burning stops.

-Washing the affected area with cold green tea also helps a lot. Mix one teaspoon green tea leaves with four tablespoons of water. Let the mixture to sit until all the water is absorbed. Now apply the mash of damp tea leave directly on the affected area.

Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea is the condition in which there is frequent of passing of stool caused due to bacteria, viruses, stress, food allergies or simple indigestion. It is often accompanied with cramps, stomach aches, and nausea. There are several time tested remedies to treat it:

•    According to British advice, the use of barley water is very effective in the treatment of diarrhoea. In order to make the Barley water, follow the given procedure: Wash and rinse one cup of barley and boil it in half a litre of water. Throw out the water and start again with fresh water. This time, discard the barley, let the water cool down and then drink.

•    Use some activated Charcoal (available in the local medical shops) according to the directions given on the package. The charcoal or for that matter any piece of charred wood absorbs poisons that cause diarrhoea. If Charcoal is not available, than use charred or burnt bread and eat it to absorb the diarrhoea causing bacteria/viruses.

-Another well known cure for diarrhoea is eating apple. Peel and scrap the apple and eat it. Scraping releases malic acid and pectin which helps in destroying the bacteria.

-Carrot juice or Carrot soup is also very effective in curing diarrhoea . Drink two glasses of carrot juice or sip about half a litre of carrot soup.

Miscellaneous health tips

•      Chew five basil leaves everyday to protect yourself from infectious diseases.
•      To control bad breath, drink at least five glasses of water right in the morning.
•      To get instant relief from stomach ache and acidity, chew some cumin and sugar.
•      To protect yourself from the mosquitoes bite, apply baby oil, The mosquitoes simple hate baby oil and stay away from it.
•      To get relief from the itchy bite of a mosquito, apply soap on the affected area.
•      To prevent the dough sticking to your rolling pin, keep the rolling pin in the freezer for half to 1 hour and then use. The dough will not stick.
•      To get relief from toothache, take two basil leaves, a grain of salt and a pinch of pepper powder. Press this against the affected area around the tooth till the pain subsides.
•      To treat sunburn, mix the juice of one cucumber with half a teaspoon of glycerine and half a teaspoon of rose water. Apply this on the sunburn and leave it for some time.
•      To reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, eat a few flakes of garlic on an empty stomach.
•      To get a deep, restful sleep, eat foods containing tryptophan which is an essential amino acid as they calm the brain. Sources of tryptophan are dairy products, poultry rice, lentils, peanuts, and whole grains.
•      To keep that cold at bay, protect yourself by drinking green and black tea that has chemical L-threonine. Experts also recommend a glass of wine which can also protect you from the virus onslaught.
•      To get rid of nagging cough and chest congestion, boil three cups of water with two fresh tulsi leaves and four crushed peppercorns till the water is reduced to half. Strain and drink it every morning with a teaspoon of honey.
•      Take a teaspoon of powdered pomegranate skin with water early in the morning. It will purify the blood and also serve as an effective de-worming agent.
•      To cure indigestion, add three –four crushed garlic flakes to boiling milk and drink it. You will have an immediate relief.
•      The juice of carrot and tomato mixed with honey is a good health tonic.
•      To control and prevent Hay fever, eat lots of yoghurt before pollen season. Also try taking a spoon of honey everyday to prevent Hay fever.
•      Green tea helps to prevent strokes by preventing the build up of fat deposits on artery walls.
•      If suffering from stomach upset, try eating bananas to settle it.
•      To treat morning sickness and nausea, try sucking the ginger pieces.
•      Drinking Cranberry juice helps in bladder infection as cranberry juice controls harmful bacteria.
•      The manganese in pineapples prevents bone fractures and osteoporosis so start eating pine apples.
•      Eat onions to control asthma. Onions relaxes and eases the constricted bronchial tubes and help in breathing better.
•      Arthritis can be prevented by eating fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines.
•      Wheat, bran and cabbage helps to maintain oestrogen at healthy levels in women.
•      Cabbage helps to heal gastric and duodenal ulcers.
•      To treat Diarrhoea, grate an apple with its skin, let it turn brown and eat it. Bananas with yoghurt are also effective in curing this condition.
•      The monosaturated fat in avocados lowers the cholesterol and help clean the clogged arteries.
•      Eat Celery mixed with Olive oil to lower the High blood pressure.
•      The Chromium in broccoli and peanuts helps to regulate insulin and blood sugar.