Sunday, 22 March 2015

Sherlock Holmes Short Stories


The Speckled Band - Part 1



At the time of this story, I was still living at my friend Sherlock Holmes's flat in Baker Street in London. Very early one morning, a young woman, dressed in black, came to see us. She looked tired and unhappy, and her face was very white.
                                                                       
 'I'm afraid!
Afraid of death, Mr Holmes!' she cried. 'Please help me! I'm not thirty yet and look at my grey hair! I'm so afraid!'
   
'Just sit down and tell us your story,' said Holmes kindly.
 'My name is Helen Stoner,' she began, 'and I live with my stepfather, Dr Grimesby Roylott, near a village in the country. His family was once very rich, but they had no money when my stepfather was born. So he studied to be a doctor, and went out to India.

He met and married my mother there, when my sister Julia and I were very young. Our father was dead, you see.' 'Your mother had some money, perhaps?' asked Sherlock Holmes.

 'Oh yes, mother had a lot of money, so my stepfather wasn't poor any more.'

 'Tell me more about him, Miss Stoner,' said Holmes. 'Well, he's a violent man. In India he once got angry with his Indian servant and killed him! He had to go to prison because of that, and then we all came back to England. Mother died in an accident eight years ago.

 So my stepfather got all her money, but if Julia or I marry, he must pay us £250 every year

.' 'And now you live with him in the country,' said Holmes. 'Yes, but he stays at home and never sees anybody,

Mr Holmes!'
 answered Helen Stoner. 'He's more and more violent now, and sometimes has fights with the people from the village. Everybody's afraid of him now, and they run away when they see him. And they're also afraid of his Indian wild animals which run freely around the garden.
A friend sends them to him from India. And the animals are not the only wild things in the garden; there are also gipsies. My stepfather likes these wild people, and they can come and go where they like. Poor Julia and I had very unhappy lives.

 We had no servants.
 They always left because they were afraid of my stepfather, and we had to do all the work in the house. Julia was only thirty when she died, and her hair was already grey, like my hair now.' 'When did she die?' asked Sherlock Holmes. 'She died two years ago, and that's why I'm here. We never met anybody in the country, but sometimes we visited some of my family who live near London. There Julia met a young man who asked to marry her.

My stepfather agreed, but soon after this she died.' Miss Stoner put her hand over her eyes and cried for a minute. Sherlock Holmes was listening with his eyes closed, but now he opened them and looked at Helen Stoner. 'Tell me everything about her death,'

 he said. 'I can remember it all very well. It was a terrible time!' she answered. 'Our three bedrooms are all downstairs. First there is my stepfather's room. Julia's room is next to his, and my room is next to Julia's. The rooms all have windows on the garden side of the house, and doors which open into the corridor. One evening our stepfather was smoking his strong Indian cigarettes in his room. Julia couldn't sleep because she could smell them in her room, so she came into my room to talk to me. Before she went back to bed, she said to me,

"Helen, have you ever heard a whistle in the middle of the night?"

 I was surprised. "No," I said. "It's strange," she said. "Sometimes I hear a whistle, but I don't know where it comes from. Why don't you hear it?" I laughed and said,

 "I sleep better than you do." So Julia went to her room, and locked the door after her.' 'Why did you lock your doors?' asked Sherlock Holmes. 'We were afraid of the wild animals, and the gipsies,' she answered. 'Please go on,' said Holmes. 'I couldn't sleep that night. It was a very stormy night, with a lot of wind and rain.

 Suddenly I heard a woman's scream. It was my sister's voice. I ran into the corridor, and just then I heard a whistle, and a minute later the sound of falling metal. I didn't know what it was. I ran to my sister's door. She opened it and fell to the ground. Her face was white and afraid, and she was crying, "Help me, help me, Helen, I'm ill, I'm dying!" I put my arms around her, and she cried out in a terrible voice: "Helen! Oh my God, Helen! It was the band! The speckled band!" She wanted to say more, but she couldn't.

I called my stepfather, who tried to 'My sister's face was white and afraid, and she was crying.' help her, but we could do nothing. And so my dear, dear sister died.' 'Are you sure about the whistle and the sound of falling metal?' asked Holmes. 'I think so,' answered Helen. 'But it was a very wild, stormy night. Perhaps I made a mistake. The police couldn't understand why my sister died. Her door was locked and nobody could get into her room. They didn't find any poison in her body. And what was "the speckled band"? Gipsies wear something like that round their necks. I think she died because she was so afraid, but I don't know what she was afraid of. Perhaps it was the gipsies. What do you think,
                                                                         
Holmes thought for a minute. 'Hmm,' he said. 'That is a difficult question. But please go on.' 'That was two years ago,

' Helen Stoner said. 'I have been very lonely without my sister, but a month ago a dear friend asked me to marry him. My stepfather has agreed, and so we're going to marry soon. But two days ago I had to move to my sister's old bedroom, because some men are mending my bedroom wall, and last night I heard that whistle again! I ran out of the house immediately and came to London to ask for your help. Please help me, Mr Holmes! I don't want to die like Julia!' 'We must move fast,' said Holmes. 'If we go to your house today,

can we look at these rooms? But your stepfather must not know.'

'He's in London today, so he won't see you. Ohthank you, Mr Holmes, I feel better already.' 

. The Last Class—The Story of a Little Alsatian


I WAS very late for school that morning, and I was terribly afraid of being scolded, especially as Monsieur Hamel had told us that he should examine us on participles, and I did not know the first thing about them. For a moment I thought of staying away from school and wandering about the fields. It was such a warm, lovely day. I could hear the blackbirds whistling on the edge of the wood, and in the Rippert field, behind the sawmill, the Prussians going through their drill. All that was much more tempting to me than the rules concerning participles; but I had the strength to resist, and I ran as fast as I could to school.

 As I passed the mayor’s office, I saw that there were people gathered about the little board on which notices were posted. For two years all our bad news had come from that board—battles lost, conscriptions, orders from headquarters; and I thought without stopping:

“What can it be now?”

 Then, as I ran across the square, Wachter the blacksmith, who stood there with his apprentice, reading the placard, called out to me:

 “Don’t hurry so, my boy; you’ll get to your school soon enough!”

 I thought that he was making fun of me, and I ran into Monsieur Hamel’s little yard all out of breath.

Usually, at the beginning of school, there was a great uproar which could be heard in the street, desks opening and closing, lessons repeated aloud in unison, with our ears stuffed in order to learn quicker, and the teacher’s stout ruler beating on the desk:

 “A little more quiet!” I counted on all this noise to reach my bench unnoticed; but as it happened, that day everything was quiet, like a Sunday morning. Through the open window I saw my comrades already in their places, and Monsieur Hamel walking back and forth with the terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had no open the door and enter, in the midst of that perfect silence.

You can imagine whether I blushed and whether I was afraid! But no! Monsieur Hamel looked at me with no sign of anger and said very gently:

 “Go at once to your seat, my little Frantz; we were going to begin without you.

” I stepped over the bench and sat down at once at my desk. Not until then, when I had partly recovered from my fright, did I notice that our teacher had on his handsome blue coat, his plaited ruff, and the black silk embroidered breeches, which he wore only on days of inspection or of distribution of prizes. Moreover, there was something extraordinary, something solemn about the whole class. But what surprised me most was to see at the back of the room, on the benches which were usually empty, some people from the village sitting, as silent as we were: old Hauser with his three-cornered hat, the ex-mayor, the ex-postman, and others besides. They all seemed depressed; and Hauser had brought an old spelling-book with gnawed edges, which he held wide-open on his knee, with his great spectacles askew.

 While I was wondering at all this, Monsieur Hamel had mounted his platform, and in the same gentle and serious voice with which he had welcomed me, he said to us:

 “My children, this is the last time that I shall teach you. Orders have come from Berlin to teach nothing but German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new teacher arrives to-morrow. This is the last class in French, so I beg you to be very attentive.”

 Those few words overwhelmed me. Ah! the villains! that was what they had posted at the mayor’s office.

 My last class in French! And I barely knew how to write! So I should never learn!

I must stop short where I was! How angry I was with myself because of the time I had wasted, the lessons I had missed, running about after nests, or sliding on the Saar!

My books, which only a moment before I thought so tiresome, so heavy to carry—my grammar, my sacred history—seemed to me now like old friends, from whom I should be terribly grieved to part.

 And it was the same about Monsieur Hamel. The thought that he was going away, that I should never see him again, made me forget the punishments, the blows with the ruler.

 Poor man! It was in honour of that last lesson that he had put on his fine Sunday clothes; and I understood now why those old fellows from the village were sitting at the end of the room. It seemed to mean that they regretted not having come oftener to the school.

It was also a way of thanking our teacher for his forty years of faithful service, and of paying their respects to the fatherland which was vanishing. I was at that point in my reflections, when I heard my name called. It was my turn to recite.

What would I not have given to be able to say from beginning to end that famous rule about participles, in a loud, distinct voice, without a slip! But I got mixed up at the first words, and I stood there swaying against my bench, with a full heart, afraid to raise my head. I heard Monsieur Hamel speaking to me:

 “I will not scold you, my little Frantz; you must be punished enough; that is the way it goes; every day we say to ourselves: ‘Pshaw! I have time enough. I will learn to-morrow.’ And then you see what happens. Ah! it has been the great misfortune of our Alsace always to postpone its lessons until to-morrow. Now those people are entitled to say to us:

 ‘What! you claim to be French, and you can neither speak nor write your language!’

In all this, my poor Frantz, you are not the guiltiest one. We all have our fair share of reproaches to address to ourselves. “Your parents have not been careful enough to see that you were educated.

They preferred to send you to work in the fields or in the factories, in order to have a few more sous. And have I nothing to reproach myself for?

Have I not often made you water my garden instead of studying? And when I wanted to go fishing for trout, have I ever hesitated to dismiss you?”

 Then, passing from one thing to another, Monsieur Hamel began to talk to us about the French language, saying that it was the most beautiful language in the world, the most clear, the most substantial; that we must always retain it among ourselves, and never forget it, because when a people falls into servitude, “so long as it clings to its language, it is as if it held the key to its prison.”

1 Then he took the grammer and read us our lesson. I was amazed to see how readily I understood. Everything that he said seemed so easy to me, so easy.

I believed, too, that I had never listened so closely, and that he, for his part, had never been so patient with his explanations. One would have said that, before going away, the poor man desired to give us all his knowledge, to force it all into our heads at a single blow. When the lesson was at an end, we passed to writing.

For that day Monsieur Hamel had prepared some entirely new examples, on which was written in a fine, round hand:

“France, Alsace, France, Alsace.”

They were like little flags, waving all about the class, hanging from the rods of our desks. You should have seen how hard we all worked and how silent it was!

Nothing could be heard save the grinding of the pens over the paper. At one time some cock-chafers flew in; but no one paid any attention to them, not even the little fellows who were struggling with their straight lines, with a will and conscientious application, as if even the lines were French.

On the roof of the schoolhouse, pigeons cooed in low tones, and I said to myself as I listened to them: “I wonder if they are going to compel them to sing in German too!” From time to time, when I raised my eyes from my paper.

 I saw Monsieur Hamel sitting motionless in his chair and staring at the objects about him as if he wished to carry away in his glance the whole of his little schoolhouse.

 Think of it! For forty years he had been there in the same place, with his yard in front of him and his class just as it was! But the benches and desks were polished and rubbed by use; the walnuts in the yard had grown, and the hop-vine which he himself had planted now festooned the windows even to the roof.

What a heart-rending thing it must have been for that poor man to leave all those things, and to hear his sister walking back and forth in the room overhead, packing their trunks!

 For they were to go away the next day—to leave the province forever. However, he had the courage to keep the class to the end.

 After the writing, we had the lesson in history; then the little ones sang all together the ba, be, bi, bo, bu. Yonder, at the back of the room, old Hauser had put on his spectacles, and, holding his spelling-book in both hands, he spelled out the letters with them.

I could see that he too was applying himself. His voice shook with emotion, and it was so funny to hear him, that we all longed to laugh and to cry.

Ah! I shall remember that last class. Suddenly the church clock struck twelve, then the Angelus rang. At the same moment, the bugles of the Prussians returning from drill blared under our windows. Monsieur Hamel rose, pale as death, from his chair. Never had he seemed to me so tall.

 “My friends,” he said, “my friends, I—I—” But something suffocated him.

He could not finish the sentence.

 Thereupon he turned to the blackboard, took a piece of chalk, and, bearing on with all his might, he wrote in the largest letters he could:

 “VIVE LA FRANCE!” Then he stood there, with his head resting against the wall, and without speaking, he motioned to us with his hand:


 “That is all; go.”


                                                             THE END

Wednesday, 18 March 2015

10 Valuable tips for Skin Care in Monsoon 


Monsoon implies new life, greenery and rejuvenation, as well as skin problems for some. Let your skin experience the positive effects of monsoon. Just follow some Ayurvedic tips from the following article and make sure that you have a lovely skin all through the monsoon.

Monsoon. The mere mention of this season conjures up images of greenery, raindrops drumming, gurgling streams, kids splashing on puddles and everything wonderful. But not everything is good about the monsoon season - it is bad news for the skin. The monsoon season is notoriously known for aggravating skin problems such as dermatitis, urticaria, ringworm, herpes and eczema.

Why skin problems aggravate during monsoon?

The rainy season is responsible for aggravation of pitta, the functional energy of our body dominant in fire element, and is primarily responsible for metabolism and digestion of food. The imbalance or the aggravation of pitta during this season triggers a variety of skin disorders. The rainy season is responsible for aggravation of pitta, the functional energy of our body dominant in fire element, and is primarily responsible for metabolism and digestion of food. In Ayurveda, though skin diseases are caused due to imbalances in all the three doshas, the prime dosha involved is pitta. Pitta symbolizes heat or fire. Therefore all those foods or activities that increase the fire element in the body should be eliminated. This includes hot, spicy, fried, oily and greasy foods. Acidic foods like tomatoes, citrus fruits, yogurt and vinegar should be avoided. Exposure to heat and sun, drinking too much tea, coffee, and alcohol, and smoking also aggravate pitta.

10 monsoon skin care tips

Avoid spicy and oily food

The rainy season is responsible for aggravation of pitta, the functional energy of our body dominant in fire element, and is primarily responsible for metabolism and digestion of food. The imbalance or the aggravation of pitta during this season triggers a variety of skin disorders. The rainy season is responsible for aggravation of pitta, the functional energy of our body dominant in fire element, and is primarily responsible for metabolism and digestion of food. In Ayurveda, though skin diseases are caused due to imbalances in all the three doshas, the prime dosha involved is pitta. Pitta symbolizes heat or fire. Therefore all those foods or activities that increase the fire element in the body should be eliminated. This includes hot, spicy, fried, oily and greasy foods. Acidic foods like tomatoes, citrus fruits, yogurt and vinegar should be avoided. Exposure to heat and sun, drinking too much tea, coffee, and alcohol, and smoking also aggravate pitta.

Say no to pitta aggravating beverages

We understand that you can't begin your day without a cuppa but try to reduce your daily intake. Coffee and alcohol is a strict no because it is notoriously known for aggravating pitta and acidity. Replace them with pitta pacifying herbal teas.

Keep Dry!

Getting a little wet or sometimes getting drenched is not uncommon when you are outdoors during the rainy season. However, don't let your skin remain wet for a long time while enjoying the monsoon showers. It is important to keep your skin folds and feet dry and clean at all times. Damp skin is a breeding ground for fungal infections.

Wheat grass, a tonic for your skin

Wheatgrass is a tonic for your skin. It is helpful in boosting the immune system and helping you in warding off or controlling skin disorders in monsoon. A healthy immune system is reflected in a healthy and glowing skin. Wheatgrass is rich in antioxidants and is instrumental in detoxifying the blood.

Drink a lot!

No, we are not talking about the one that gets you tipsy! Clean and pure water is what we recommend. Drink at least 8-10 glasses daily. Though you need to keep dry outside in this season to prevent skin problems it is important to consume adequate quantities of water to keep your skin hydrated.

Eat Fresh!

Eat fresh and unprocessed food to keep your body and your skin functioning at an optimum level. Don't rely on packed, refrigerated and processed food. Instead of ordering pizzas, burgers or feasting on chips, relish some fresh homemade food. Eat a lot of fruits and green vegetables.

Avoid alcohol-based skin cleansers

You should avoid alcohol-based skin cleansers because it irritates and dries your skin. Instead use a herbal soap or cleanser regularly to get rid of excess oil, grime and dust, and of course to keep you skin free of bacterial infections. We recommend Jiva Citrus Lotion, which is a cleanser that contains herbal extracts of lemon and orange.

Use cooling herbs

It is beneficial to use the herbs that have cooling effects on the body (pitta pacifying) such as fennel, coriander seeds and Indian gooseberry (amla) for a glowing skin in monsoon. Amla helps to detoxify the liver and aids digestion - and is also a good source of Vitamin C and other minerals. One of the benefits of taking it regularly is a flawless complexion.

Drink Aloe Vera gel!

Aloe Vera gel is very beneficial for the skin because it purifies the blood. Fresh Aloe Vera gel can be taken in the dose of two or three tablespoons on an empty stomach every day. You can also use fresh Aloe Vera plant gel on your skin - it has anti-aging, anti-tanning, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Take mild laxatives

A clean bowel movement is imperative for a healthy skin. Taking mild laxatives such as Triphala powder or other natural laxatives such as prunes, figs and raisins is beneficial if you don't have clean bowel movements. A teaspoonful of Triphala powder can be taken at bed time every night, with warm water or milk.
If you follow these simple tips it will ensure that you are free from skin problems during this monsoon season. However, if your skin problem is chronic and persistent you can contact the nearest Jiva Ayurveda Clinic near you. Thousands of patients suffering from chronic and irritating skin disorders have received relief through Ayurvedic remedies. Jiva Ayurvedic Research Institute has also formulated a combination of Ayurvedic tablets, tea and powder to treat skin disorders. For more details contact : pampravisolutions@gmail.com

Steps of Panchakarma

First Step: Pradhankarma (Preparation)
Panchakarma always begins with a preparatory oleation  process. Ghee and or oils are consumed internally and applied externally to loosen accumulated toxins otherwise known as "ama".  Both steam and warm oil therapies are also administered to rid the body of ama and to facilitate flow towards the GI tract for easy elimination.  This step is performed under close guidance and supervision by the Ayurvedic practitioner.  Prescribed Ayurvedic massage treatments and nutrition plans are also part of this step.
Second Step: Panchakarma (Elimination and Release)
Now that the toxins have loosened and have moved towards the GI tract, it is time to employ methods to get rid of the wastes completely. Herbal bastis are used because they have greater therapeutic value than enemas. The herb oils used in bastis eliminate fat-soluble wastes that regular enemas cannot get to.  Another 'karma" used at this time is the nasya treatment. Gentle herb oils are introduced into the nasal passages to improve the flow of Prana to clear any obstructions in the respiratory passages, sinuses and also in the mind. 
Third Step: Paschatkarma (Rejuvenation)
Now that the wastes and toxins have been dislodged and eliminated from the body it is time to rebuild the tissues and strength.  Rasayana or nourishment treatments are employed through careful introduction of fresh and easy to digest foods and herbs.  Rejuvenating massagesbody treatments, meditation and yoga assist in this step to help strengthen the mind, body and spirit. 

Aarogya 5-Day Panchakarma Program

Panchakarma has been the most efficient way to get rid of accumulated toxins since ancient times.  In five short days the changes experienced can lead to lasting transformative health benefits.  Guests will check-in to the Spa on Sunday and will stay for five days of comprehensive treatments.
Our five-day deep cleansing and rejuvenation program, includes the following services and amenities:
  • Preprogram orientation and in depth consultation with our Ayurvedic Practitioners (Vaidyas) before you start the program
  • Daily Ayurvedic body treatments  
  • Treatments can include Abhyanga (2 therapist oil massage), Swedana (herbal sweat therapy), Shirodhara (dripping of oil on the forehead), and Udhulana (herb powder application to the whole body)
  • One color/chakra treatment
  • Customized private Yoga classes working on balancing your doshas
  • Therapeutic mono-diet of "Kitchri" a delicious, nutritious light blend of cooked rice and mung beans prepared on our on site spa cafe, Aahar
  • Balancing herb teas made fresh daily
  • Lifestyle and diet recommendations during and after the program
  • A serene Zen garden space to provide a peaceful environment for rest and contemplation
  • Peaceful meditation room for solo or group meditation sessions 
  • Herb recommendations to keep you in balance during and after panchakarma
Panchakarma can also be customized with take-home instructions and regimens if you live locally and prefer to do the treatments at home.
 

 

Tuesday, 17 March 2015



Diabetes
Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder in which the body is unable to make proper use of glucose, resulting in the condition of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Excess glucose in the blood ultimately results in high levels of glucose being present in the urine (glycosuria). This increases the urine output, which leads to dehydration and increased thirst.
Glucose comes from the food we eat and is also made in liver and muscles. The blood carries glucose to all the cells in our body. Insulin, a chemical (or hormone) produced in the pancreas, is responsible for the uptake of glucose into cells for energy. Decreased levels of insulin affects this mechanism leading to increased glucose in the blood stream.

Causes

Factors that are often responsible for causing diabetes are excessive intake of foods which are difficult to digest, such as fried foods, creams, etc. Lack of exercise, mental stress and strain, excessive sleep, overeating and consequent obesity, excessive intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates, Overloading of proteins and fats can also lead to diabetes. Hereditary factors also play role in causing diabetes.

Symptoms

  • Fatigue
  • Weight loss or weight gain
  • Frequent urinary tract infections
  • Blurred vision
  • Excessive sweating
  • Excessive thirst
  • Excessive hunger
  • Frequent urination in large quantity

Ayurvedic View

In Ayurveda, Diabetes Mellitus is known as Madhumeha (Madhu means ‘honey’ and Meha means ‘urine’). Medhumeha is categorized as Vataj Meha (a problem caused by aggravation of Vata or Air). Vata is an Ayurvedic humor symbolizing wind and dryness. Deterioration of the body is a characteristic that indicates impairment of Vata. Maximum deterioration of dhatus (body tissues) occurs in this type of disease and this is the reason why all vital organs are affected by Diabetes. The other prime cause of Diabetes Mellitus is impaired digestion. Impaired digestion leads to accumulation of specific digestive impurities which accumulate in the pancreatic cells and impair the production of insulin.
Ayurveda does not regard Diabetes as a disease that can be treated by mere medicine or by a dietary regimen. Madhumeha is classified as a Maha Rog (Major Disease) because, if not treated in time, it can lead to several complications in the body, including eye problems, joint pains, impotency, kidney failure, sexual and urologic problems, and more. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder and it cannot be merely treated by controlling sugar levels. The treatment recommended in Ayurveda – as against modern medicine – is aimed at rejuvenating the body to not only balance sugar levels, but also ensuring that no further complication is caused.
The Ayurvedic treatment for this disease is based on an entire change in the lifestyle of the person. Along with medication and diet, the patient is also advised to lead a healthy lifestyle and live an active life. Dietary and lifestyle changes rejuvenate the body’s cells and tissues, allowing them to produce insulin properly. Even mental aspects of the disease are stressed upon in Ayurveda. The medicines that are administered are therefore meant to keep the brain in its right manner of functioning.

Diet & Lifestyle Advice

  • Include whole grains in the diet, such as wheat bread/pasta and brown rice.
  • Cheese and yogurt prepared with skimmed (nonfat) milk may be taken.
  • Use garlic, onion, bitter gourd, spinach, raw banana, and black plum.
  • Make a flour mixture of 1 part barley, 1 part black chickpeas, and 4 parts whole-wheat flour and use this to form pancakes and bread.
  • Avoid sweet, sour, and salty foods, potatoes, sweet potatoes, colocasia (taro), yams, fresh grains and pulses (legumes), whole yogurt (high in fat), and heavy, oily and spicy foods.
  • Avoid sweet fruits like pineapple, grapes, mangoes, etc.
  • Start doing some light exercise, such as brisk walking. Build up to a brisk walk of 30-40 minutes in the morning and again in the evening.
  • Avoid sleeping in the daytime as it increases Kledaka Kapha.

Home Remedies



  • Dry the leaves of mango tree and grind to a powder. Mix 1 teaspoon dry powder in a glass of water and drink it daily to reduce high blood sugar levels.
  • Take 2 teaspoons of bitter gourd (karela) juice once a day. One can also increase its use as a cooked vegetable.
  • Take 1 teaspoon of Indian gooseberry (amla) juice mixed with 1 teaspoon of bitter gourd juice twice a day.

Natural Ayurvedic Remedies for Hair Growth

  1 comments

hair growth

Ayurveda has often been looked upon as a natural remedy to treat most health related problems. A number of ayurvedic remedies have also proven useful while dealing with hair loss and hair regrowth. Here are some ayurvedicremedies, which can actually help aid hair growth.


Methi
Methi has a number of health benefits, hair growth being one such benefit. Roast and grind some methi seeds and make a paste of it using some warm water. Use this on your hair and leave it on for about 20 minutes before you wash it off. This will help enhance hair growth.

Amla
Amla or the Indian goose berry is also a great solution while dealing with hair fall. Mix some powdered amla with warm water and apply it on your scalp for thick and stronger hair.

Hot oil massage
A hot oil massage is also quite beneficial to aid hair growth. You can either use coconut oil, almond oil or even brahmi oil. This oil massage improves circulation and rejuvenates hair follicles. This leads to better circulation of blood to your roots. Over time it positively benefits hair growth.

Cinnamon honey
Cinnamon and honey can also be used to treat hair fall. Mix together some cinnamon and honey with some olive oil and make a paste. Apply this paste on your hair and scalp and rinse it off after 20 minutes. This will aid in hair growth naturally.

Bhringraj
Bhringraj is also known as the king of herbs in Ayurveda. This is one of the best ayurdevic remedies for hair growth. Use this herb to make a paste out of its leaves and apply it to your scalp.  After leaving it on for some time, wash it off with lukewarm water. You can also opt for a pack of dried bhringraj and mix it with warm water to make a similar paste, which will also enhance hair growth

Monday, 16 March 2015


All About Ayurvedic Massage :
 
Panchakarma Center | in our Ayurveda Center

Our Panchakarma Centre is situated in Amritsar the holly city of Punjab. This Panchkarma Center is on Airport Road and very near to Airport and Railway Station of Amritsar. we are serving many Panchkarma services and massages based on ayurvedic and yoga concepts in our center ayurvedayogashram. We are providing the best ayurveda services like Ayurveda therapies, ayurveda panchkarma, ayurvedic massages, kerala massages by kerala massage therapies, yoga packages, yoga and meditational packages, meditational packages, medical Yoga, Therapeutic yoga and above all all the tailor made packages as required by the tourist and clients.
 
We are providing the best Ayurvedic and Kerala Massage services . Visit our Ayurveda Centers in Amritsar
FIVE PROCEDURE OF PANCHKARMA :      
Panchkarma is a basically a cleansing process that not only treat the disease from root cause but also improves longevity and rejuvenation. It has two poorav karma like Snehan (oilification) and Swedan (fomentation).
 
  • (A) Snehan :
  • The first step of Panchkarma ,saturates the body with herbal and medicated oils .It consists of two parts: is applied to the perineal/vaginal region.
  • External Oilification :In this medicated oils are vigorously massaged into the body. Sesame oil is the primarily vegetable oil used for external application.
  • Internal Oilification : In this medicated oil are ingested. Herbalized ghee (clarified butter) is the main substance used for internal Oilification.
  • (B) Swedan :
  • In swedan body is made to undergo sudation or sweating by exposure to steam. With herbs added steam the body is made to perspire to loosen and excrete the toxins. Swedan is done locally or full body.
Breathing :
 
 
  • 1) Forced vomiting (Vaman) :
  • Vomiting (Vaman) is intended to the removal of "Kapha dosha". It is not to be adopted for 'Kapha's only but necessarily in case of 'kapha's" conjunction with one or both 'Doshas's. Vaman is essential for in the case of food poisoning or other type of poisoning. Vaman employs certain emetic drugs that induce a severe spell of vomiting to clean the upper gut. Bronchial astma is prevented by periodically inducing 'Vaman'.
  • 2) Purging (Virechan)
  • Purging is a purifactory treatment as important as emisis or vomiting. 'Virachan' concentrates on the lower part of the gut and uses purgatives to clean the bowel. This procedure helps get rid of all three Doshas, though Pitta and Kapha benefit the most. To cure piles, boils, discolouration of face, jaundice, chronic fever, spleen enlargement cataract, intenstinal disorders, ailments of the womb, arthritis, haemothermia, constipation, diabetes, skin diseases, tumors, asthma cough, ailments in the head and many other diseases in the Ayurvedic way, purging is essential.
  • 3) Medical enema (Vasti) :
  • The classical Text 'Ashtanga Hridaya' says, "A purge properly carried out leads to clarity of intellect, power to the organs, elemental stability and glow to digestive fire and it delays aging". Medical enema 'Vasti' predominates in the five course of treatment (Panchakrama). This is prescribed for 'Vata' dominated patients and helps to overcome all diseases, revives vital force, and rejuvanates body. The rectal lining is very permeable and the drug reaches the circulation directly without passing through liver. Ayurveda offers 'Vasti' as a therapy for several indications. These are digestive, evacuative, rejuvanative and health promotive 'Vastis'. In general 'Vastis' tackle 'Vata dosha' the best way. The fluid for 'Vasti' is either medicinal decoction or herbal oil to suit the ailment. 'Vasthi' for the head gives extra ordinary relief for all ailments connected with 'Vata' in the head, ear ache, humming in the year, deafness, numbness of the head and all ailments based on the cranical nerves. This procedure is usually done for 7 days.
  • 4) Nasal administration of substances (Nasya) :
  • Nasya' (Nasal administration of substances) is essential for more or less all the ailments above the neck. This is effective for many diseases like facial paralysis. 'Nasya' is of three types, purgative, nourishing and palliative. For each ailment a substance that gives desirable result is selected. By this procedure shoulders, neck and face will become dense and firm, the skin soft. All organs become firm and hair will not gray.
Kati Basti :
Definition :
Kati basti is indicated in painful conditions of low back region. The procedure swedana itself is helpful in relieving the pain; additionally to the current the medicated oil that gets absorbed from the skin has distinctive therapeutic effects. This procedure is proved to be effective in diseases like, Lumber Spondylosis, Spondylolysthesis, Disc Prolopse, Autoimmune Disorder, Arthritis Rheumatoid and Lumbosacral Strain.
Framework :
A frame of black gram paste is formed round the sacral region. Heat medicated oil is poured into the frame. This heat oil heats the sacral region inducement perspiration this can be followed by massage and fomentation to the present a part of the body. This can be the procedure of kati-basti and full account of the procedure is given within the consequent lines.
Preparation of the black gram paste :
500 grams of black paste is taken an exceedingly wide mouthed vessel and is accessorial with an equal quantity of heat water. This mixture is then overwhelmed well to make a thick paste.
Preparation of the client :
Kati basti could also be performed at any time of the day. However it's ideal to hold out the procedure within the morning hours. When evacuating the intestine and bladder also as brushing the teeth the consumer is subjected to kati basti. The healer at the start chants the svastivachana prayer. The consumer is then asked to change posture on his abdomen. The low back region is exposed.
Making a Frame :
The black gram paste is rolled to mould it into an elongated rounded mass. The free ends of the elongated mass of paste are joined to make a hoop of roughly 5 inches in diameter. This is often then placed on the purchasers back on the affected half. The gap between the skin and therefore the paste is sealed by pressing the black gram paste against the skin. Protection is completed at each within and out of doors surface of the ring. During this method a frame is ready and its height should be more or less 1.5 inches.
Pouring Oil :
Oil is heated in an exceedingly water bathtub up to fifty degree Centigrade. This oil is poured into the frame. The higher level of the oil should be more or less one inch on top of the skin. Therapist should ensure that the warmth the oil is tolerable.
Gentle Massage :
The therapist standing beside the body part of the consumer facing the top finish of the table should perform mild massage. For this the healer dips one among his thumbs within the oil within the frame. Then he moves his thumb in linear fashion on the spine applying light and firm pressure. This massage is sustained for concerning ten minutes.
Changing the oil :
The oil poured within the starting gets cooled as time passes. Once it gets cooled, the oil is taken out from the frame with the help of a spoon. As an alternative one will soak a chunk of cotton within the oil to get rid of and add the oil. Fresh heat oil is then poured into the frame. The cooled oil that's taken out is currently unbroken within the water bathtub for healing, and can be reused throughout the procedure of kati basti. During this method because the oil within the frame cools down, it should get replaced by the warm one.
Removing the oil and frame :
This procedure of heating the low back with heat oil is sustained for concerning 0.5 an hour. Then the oil and also the frame are removed.
Massage :
The healer standing beside the shopper currently performs the massage on the rear. Therapist should place his reach the palms on the sacral region with the thumbs approximated at the center on the spine, and therefore the different fingers unfold covering the buttocks on either sides. Then he slides his palm upwards applying firm pressure. This can be continual for a few time.
Svedana :
After the massage the low back region is subjected to fomentation. For this the cotton towel is soaked in boiling water. The water within the towel is squeezed out. Heat is then applied to the rear by waving, touching and pressing the nice and cozy towel on the rear. This procedure is sustained for concerning five minutes. This completes the procedure of kati basti.
Observation :
The healer should closely observe the shopper for the symptoms indicative of correct impact of svedana. If the consumer develops any symptoms indicative of deficient svedana or excessive svedana it should be treated consequently.
After Procedure :
After the kati basti the client is asked to require rest for regarding quarter-hour in supine position. Then he could also be allowed to require quandary bathtub. The utilization of bathroom soap to clean the oil should be discouraged; instead Bengal gram powder could also be used for this purpose.
Shirodhara :
Shir means Head, and Dhara means to pour. That means to pour something on head especially on the third eye.
Shirodhara :        
 
 
Definition :
Shir means Head, and Dhara means to pour. That means to pour something on head especially on the third eye. It may be anything liquid as described in our old Ayurvedic texts. So Shirodhara means a purifying and detoxification technique used to manage physical and mental exertion and fatigue. Shirodhara is a unique form of ancient therapy of pouring oil on the forehead from a specific height and for a specific period continuously and rythmatically allowing the oil to run through the scalp and into the hair.
Content used in Shirodhara :
The content used for Shirodhara massage may be oil, ghee, decoction, milk, buttermilk, almond oil or coconut water.
Benefits of Shirodhara :
 
  • Polio
  • Paralysis
  • Autism
  • ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)
  • Peripheral or Vascular Headache
  • Migraine
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Stress management
  • Exam phobia
  • Psychological problems
  • Neurological conditions
  • Depression
  • Anxiety Neurosis
  • Drugs De addiction
  • Hair fall
  • High blood pressure
 
A) Pizhichil :
 
Indication: Arthritis, Paralysis, Hemiplegic, Paralysis, Sexual and nervous weakness.
Procedure: Luke warm herbal oils are applied all over the body and rhythmic massage is done for 60 - 90 minutes/day for 7 to 21 days.
pizhichil
 
(B) Njavarakizhi :
 
Indication: Rheumatism, Joint pain. Hypertension, Hypercholesterolemia, Skin disorders
Procedure: A medicinal pudding in muslin cloth bags is applied all over the body for 60 - 90 minutes/ day for 14 days
Njavarakizhi
 
(C) Kizhi :
 
Indication : Osteo arthritis, arthritis, spondilosis
Procedure : Application of luke warm medicaments and medicinal leaves in boluses on selected body parts.
 
(D) Yoni Prakshalanam :
 
Indication: Gynaecological problems.
Procedure: Vaginal application of herbal oils and decoction.
 
(E) Dhara :
 
Indication: Insomnia, mental tension, some skin ailments
Procedure: Herb enriched oils, medicated milk, medicated butter milk are poured in a continuous steam on the forehead for 45 minutes every day for 7 to 21 days.
 
(F) Sirovasthi :
 
Indication: Facial paralysis, Dryness of mouth, throat, severe head ache.
Procedure: Herbal oils are retained in a cap filled on the head for 15 to 60 minutes every day for 7 days.
 
(G) Thalam :
 
Indication: ENT problems, migraine, insomnia.
Procedure: Herbal powder in oil/herbal juice is retained on the head for 30 to 45 minutes.
(H) Lepanam :
 
Indication:Inflammation of specific points.
Procedure: Application of herbal paste on the affiliated part.
(I) Karnapooranam :
 
Indication: Ear problems
Procedure:Application of herb enriched fumes to exterior ear.
(J) Tharpanam :
Indication: Eye problems and strain of the optic nerve.
Procedure: Application of herb enriched preparation on the eye.
(K) Mukhalepam :
 
Procedure: A procedure to reduce wrinkles and improve skin tone. The procedure 
involves application of herb enriched face powders and creams.
Blood letting (Raktomochana) :
 
Blood letting (Raktamochana) is a therapy advised by Ayurveda to treat heart conditions and varicose veins. Ayurveda advocates the use of leeches applied ever alternate day to reduce venomous congestion. The digestive fire is low after the 'panchakrama'. So the diet first should be liquid followed by solids.