Aloe Vera and its Benefits

Today when I was enjoying my tea on my balcony, I saw the wonderful morning scenery. It was a beautiful scene of Nature. Birds were flying in the sky, sea waves were coming and going back with their constant speed, and the sun was smiling at me. This scenery filled my heart with happiness that I rarely ever felt. 

                    

Then, suddenly I realize that nature has the power of healing. It can heal all our pains and wounds. Nature has gifted us a lot of things. Everything present in nature is composed of some chemicals, minerals, vitamins, etc. For example, Sun has Vitamin D, Orange has Vitamin C, Banana has Calcium and water has hydrogen and oxygen.

Nature has a cure for every disease. There are various types of herbs present in nature which are helpful to cure so many diseases. Some of them can be found very easily. For example Tulsi, Neem, Lemon, Aloe Vera, etc. All these herbs have a specific quality.  And they help to cure many infections and diseases. So today,  I decided to discuss the benefits of some herbs in my blog. First, I will discuss about the benefits of Aloe Vera in this article.

Aloe Vera and Its Benefits

If I want everything in only one bowl, the first example that comes to mind is Aloe Vera. Yes. It's true. Aloe vera is a very popular herb. The scientific name of aloe vera is Aloe barbadensis. This plant looks like the green-cactus. It contains a lot of minerals and vitamins in it. It is the medicine that can help to cure so many diseases. And it can be used in different ways. It is mainly used to cure skin problems. Today, many cosmetic companies launch their cosmetic and beauty products containing aloe vera formulas in it. These days it has become a very compulsory item for the skin. Nowadays, it is also consumed as healthy juices.

Aloe vera has antiviral and antibacterial properties. It has also the ability to treat the problems related to constipation or diabetes.  The gel present in it is used as a natural laxative. It helps to move bulk along the digestive tract.

The latex (the part of the plant in between the skin and gel) contains anthraquinones. It is responsible for the laxative effect. Make sure to take a small amount (8 oz or around 200ml juice) of aloe vera gel for constipation.

We all need antioxidants in our bodies to live healthily. Polyphenols are the antioxidant which is present in aloe vera. It is a powerful antioxidant.

Aloe vera is also consumed to keep our body hydrated. Consuming sugary juices and fruit juice can affect our health because of their sugary properties. But on the other hand, aloe vera juice contains low calories and sugar. It can be consumed directly or you can also take it by mixing in some other drinks.

Aloe vera is also very useful to prevent our mouth from plaque and the dental cavities. Aloe vera contains the antibacterial compounds which help it to cure or prevent dental problems. Aloe vera juice can be used as a mouthwash. 

Aloe vera is also very popular for its antibacterial, antiviral, and antiseptic properties because it helps to heal the wounds and treat skin problems. Today so many cosmetic companies make their products with aloe vera formula. These Aloe creams help to calm the skin and reduce the itchiness and inflammation.

These days people are also very much affected by sunburn. Aloe vera is a very effective and cheap medicine to remove sunburn. If you apply the aloe vera gel on your face you will have the cooling effect. Aloe vera can also be used as a moisturizer. The use of aloe vera gel moisturizes the skin. It can be applied to both kinds of skins i.e. oily or dry skin.                                               

Aloe vera can be found very easily in the market in the form of a gel, cream, face wash, mouthwash, sunscreen, etc. You can also plant it in your garden. It doesn't take up too much space and it also doesn't need a lot of water and care. Try to consume aloe vera in your diet in any form. It will help to protect your body from the infections.

Stay healthy! Stay safe! Stay happy!😊😊😊😊

Insomnia

 Ayurveda for Insomnia- Reset Your Sleep Clock

Are you staying asleep the whole night? Or, you get up at midnight or very early in the morning? Or, you feel tired when you wake up?

If your answer is ‘YES’ for all the above questions, it means you are suffering from insomnia. 

Insomnia is a common sleeping disorder that does not let you sleep properly. It makes you feel tired. It also affects your work performance. This disorder mostly occurs in adults.

What Doesn’t Let You Sleep?

Stress, changing of sleeping schedule on a regular basis, physical illness, neurological problems, or mental health disorders(like depression and anxiety) are some major causes of insomnia.

Stress: Researchers found that sleeping quality can be harmed by having stress in our life. Most people experience sleeplessness when they are facing some kind of difficulty in their life. Because these kinds of situations make it hard to sleep.

Changing Sleeping Schedule: Sleeping schedule varies from person to person because of many reasons, for example, traveling, changing the shift of work, etc.

It makes a person get off his sleeping track and he/she may feel insomnia. 

Physical Illness: Physical illness is also one of the main causes of insomnia. Physical illness such as fever, headache, pain in the body, fractured body part, etc. don’t let the individual sleep properly.

Neurological Problems: People suffering from diseases of the Central Nervous System(CNS) experience insomnia. Due to the damaged part of the brain, sleep disorder occurs.

Mental Health Disorder: Sleep problems or sleep disturbances can also be seen in bad mental conditions including anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder.

Risks of Insomnia

• Negativity in emotions.

• Increasing the risk of accidents.

• Increasing the feeling of depression.

• Aging the skin.

• Increasing the weight. 

• Increasing mental health problems.

Types of Insomnia

Different people suffer from different types of insomnia. Mainly, there are two types of insomnia.

Short-term Insomnia: Usually the short term insomnia occurs due to a lot of traveling or stress. Once you will stop traveling and get out of your stress, the new schedule will be started and the short-term insomnia will be removed from life.

Chronic Insomnia: The complex condition of sleeping occurs in chronic insomnia. It not only disturbs the patient but also his/her family members, friends, and colleagues. If an individual has sleep disorder from the last three months, it means he/she is suffering from Chronic Insomnia.

Ayurveda- For Getting Rid of Insomnia

According to Ayurveda, Vata, Pitta and Kapha dosha are the main three types of sleep disorders.

Vata dosha: occurs when learning, retention, and recalling abilities become weak.

Pitta dosha: occurs when you will wake up very early in the morning and cannot fall asleep again. People having emotional trauma experience this dosha.

Kapha dosha: occurs when people sleep properly but after waking up they still feel fatigued, tired, and sleepy.

With the help of Ayurveda, insomnia can be treated in the following ways:

Purification of the body by Panchakarma or Sodhana procedures: To detox the whole body system, purification is the best way. The purification of the body is done by Snehana. It is a purification procedure that uses medicated ghee or oil.

Virechana (medicated purgation), Vamana (medicated vomiting), Vasthi (medicated enema), and Nasya (medicated nasal administration of medicine) are the different purification methods.

Sirodhara is done after doing all the above purification methods. It is done by pouring some medicated oils or buttermilk over the scalp. These procedures regulate sleep rhythm by regulating brain metabolism.

Taking Healthy Food: If we don't eat digestive food, it becomes toxins in our body. Therefore, we should always eat digestive food. Digestive food helps to maintain the metabolism of the body. One should reduce the salty and spicy food.

Yoga and Meditation: Yoga is beneficial for the treatment of any kind of disorder in the body system. Regular yoga practices help to reduce stress and increase sleeping efficiency.

Meditation is also very important to get rid of insomnia.

• Meditation helps in the following ways:

• Reduces the stress hormones from the body.

• Stops overtime and overthinking of the brain.

• Provides natural relaxation.

Prevention from Insomnia

We all are well known by the phrase “prevention is better than cure”. It suited well also for the case of insomnia.

Having good sleep habits or sleep hygiene helps to keep us away from insomnia. Here are some tips:

• Try to sleep at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning. Avoid taking naps during the day, because they may make it hard to sleep at night.

• Avoid using phones or e-books before going to bed. The light rays affect the eyes and also make it harder to fall asleep.

• Don't consume caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol late in the day. Infact, we should never consume all these.

• Do exercise regularly but not at bedtime. According to experts, we should do exercise  at least 3 to 4 hours before bed.

• Take a light snack before bedtime. It may help fall asleep.

• A bedroom should be comfortable: dark, quiet, and not too warm or too cold. 

• Don't overthink anything. Make yourself comfortable and happy.

Fibromyalgia

 What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia describes a chronic condition which means “muscles and connective tissue pain”. It is a neurosensory disorder. People having this chronic (long-term) illness always feel very tired and low. They also suffer from sleep disorders.

Fibromyalgia is also referred to as Fibromyalgia Syndrome(FMS). 

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

The following are the symptoms of Fibromyalgia:

• Irritability, nervousness, depression, apathy, anxiety, insomnia, suicidal thoughts, and fatigue

• Severe pain in the body for a long time

• Problems occur in memory and understanding

Fibromyalgia doesn't let the people sleep. They always feel body pain and stiffness. In some cases, people get relief from pain in the day time but the pain gets worse at night. Some of them have pain all day long.

Look at the pain scale of the people suffering from Fibromyalgia.

Causes of Fibromyalgia

The researchers still couldn't find the main reasons for getting Fibromyalgia.

But, there are some theories stated about the causes of Fibromyalgia.

• One is that it occurs in people having problems in their Central Nervous System(CNS).

• Some studies also stated that if you are suffering from this disorder, the parts of the brain that register pain reacts differently.

• It also causes due to lack of proper sleep.

Treatment for Fibromyalgia

There is no permanent cure for this disorder but the treatment can make life easier.

For the treatment of Fibromyalgia, you can visit some professionals like-

• Rheumatologist: If you are feeling pain in the muscles or joints.

• Neurologists: If you are feeling some problems in CNS.

• Psychologist: If you feel that you need to improve your mental health.

Different people need different kinds of treatments because the same treatment doesn't work for different people.

Medication and change in lifestyle can improve your health.

Ayurvedic Treatment for Fibromyalgia

According to Ayurveda, Fibromyalgia is named as Vata.

There are some treatments available in Ayurveda for Fibromyalgia. These are mentioned below:

Abhyangam: It is massage therapy. It is one of the oldest methods which is still in practice. It has different techniques that help to reduce the heart rate, improve the joints’ motion, production of natural body painkillers increases, and also provide relaxation to the muscles.

Panchakarma: Snehan and Swedana are the two pre-purification measures. These are very useful to balance Vata and to loosen the toxins.

In Snehan, herbalism oil massage is given to the affected person. The therapist applies this oil to the whole body with a particular type of massage.

Swedana means sweating and it is given just after the Snehan.

Regular herbal massage helps to soothe and balance the entire nervous system.

Ayurvedic Diet and Nutrition: People suffering from Fibromyalgia should change their diet and include Pathyam.

People should consume the following things:

• Coconut milk and coconut water

• Cooked veggies such as pumpkin, squashes, and tomatoes

• Khichadi(should be cooked with the basmati rice and moong dal in 1:1 or 2:1 proportion.)

• Green salads with lemon, olive oil, and salt

• Should also consume ample amount of cumin, coriander, black pepper, ginger, asafetida, garlic, and fennel

• Juice of carrot, water, ginger root, garlic, beetroot, spinach, and red pepper

• Vegetable juices and soups

• Warm milk containing spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and clove

Yogasana: Practicing different yogasana helps to reduce the impact of Vata dosha. Yoga provides flexibility in the entire body. It also relaxes the mind and controls blood circulation. People having Fibromyalgia must practice Savasana. It relaxes the mind and prepares the person for meditation.

A little change in lifestyle and diet helps a; lot to overcome this disorder. So, keep practicing all the above methods and stay happy and confident.