Swathy and Sky

You are here: Home / Archives for Swathy

Swathy

Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil actually Virgin?

· · Leave a Comment

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is supposed to be the undisputed leader of oils with its abundant health qualities. But, are the brands being sold as Extra Virgin Olive Oil really that pure as they claim to be? Probably a time for reality check.

According to this article, a study done by University of California claims that most of the popular and leading brands producing Olive Oil do not meet the requirements of being purely virgin. They are said to be adulterated with low quality oils like hazelnut, safflower, soy bean and even low grade lamp oils. So, we are forced to think that the money spent on imported oils to India whose quality stands to question is really a value for money. Yes, EVOO is really good for us but are the adulterated oils really good?

Faster Hair Growth Recipe

· · 8 Comments

I had posted an article on hair oil which stimulates faster hair growth sometime back. Today, I would like to share yet another recipe of hair oil which also makes our hair grow fast. It is easy to make and the process is also not elaborate. The best thing about this recipe is that all ingredients are available in dry form so you can start right away without any preliminary preparations.
Ingredients:
– 1 table spoon black pepper seeds
– 1 table spoon fenugreek seeds
– 1 table spoon fennel seeds
– 1 table spoon sesame seeds (white or black)
– 1 table spoon dried ginger powder (available in general stores or you can dry a ginger root at home too)
Method:
Pour oil in a cup and place a cheese cloth in it. Place the seeds and powder in the cheese cloth and tie it on the top so that it remains in a standing position instead of dropping into the oil. Now, infuse these ingredients in the oil. 
This recipe is very powerful and shows immediate results.

Headache: Natural Remedies

· · 1 Comment

Sometime back, I had talked about the cause of headaches. If you are one of the persons who faces regular headaches, then I would suggest you to go through this article which elaborates on the ayurvedic remedies for headaches.  

From my personal experiences, I would like to suggest a few things as precautions and remedies for headaches.
What causes headaches in my case?
  • I face maximum of my headaches due to improper nutrition. If I miss out on my meals for a long duration, I get headaches. So, you might want to consider eating proper food to reduce headaches.
  • I also get headaches on days when its cold outside and I take a head bath. Mainly, I am told by elders that it is the exposure of wet scalp to cold air which causes headaches. Even a family doctor told me so. So, consider staying inside or cover your ears and head on a cold day. It prevents entering of cold air in your body through ears. I know it sounds strange but it is true.
  • Not sleeping properly is again on the list for headaches. So, take a proper deep sleep at nights.
  • Stress is again a cause. Excessive pondering and brooding does cause headaches. 
  • Excess watching of TV or working on PC. Take a 5 minute break in every half hour to relax yourself. Even continuous reading of books also contribute to headaches.
  • And, finally, sometimes, I just develop headaches without any intervention from my side. 
  • One thing of importance here is that sometimes we wake with aching heads in the morning. Well, a nice hot shower and good heavy breakfast clears your headache.
How do I deal with headaches?
  • I avoid taking medicines as much as I can.
  • Sometimes, taking a hot bath and eating a little food afterwards helps a lot in relieving headaches. 
  • When I was a little younger, I used to pounce on Disprin even on slightest inkling of headache. So, gradually, my body developed immunity to the drug and it stopped helping me after sometime of regular usage. 
  • So, I decided that instead of taking any medication, I would rely on natural remedies. Well, you might have seen herbal pain balms like Amrutanjan and Himalaya. I use Amrutanjan because it works really well for me and it is really strong. But, I apply the balm on my forehead and go to sleep in my dark bedroom. If the pain is unbearable, I consider tying a scarf or something tightly around the head for preventing throbbing. Generally, this idea works for me after a very long day. 
  • And, if the pain is so bad that I can not bear and have to take a medicine, I end up taking a paracetamol. It works in an hour for me. 
But, I would advise all of you who have regular headaches to stick to home remedies instead of taking medicines. Taking excess medicines is not good for the body and our bodies do develop immunity to them after a while. Please do not forget to share your ways of getting rid of headaches.