Many women get unwanted facial hair, which is medically called Hirsutism. This condition is common among teenage girls after puberty or in women of reproductive age.

There are several causes of women’s facial hair. Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome is a common cause for hirsutism. Hormonal imbalance is another common cause of this condition. Some medications can cause hirsutism such as danazol, which is used to treat women with endometriosis. Another medicine, systemic corticosteroids and fluoxetine (Prozac) that treats depression give rise to facial hair in women.

Ayurvedic ways to get rid of facial hair

Women try various ways to get rid of facial hair, which are usually temporary. On the other hand, Ayurvedic remedies are said to be painless, natural and provide permanent results. Here are a few effective Ayurvedic remedies to get rid of facial hair at home.

Turmeric and herbal leaves: Grind dry turmeric, Acalypha indica leaves and neem leaves, and make a smooth paste. Apply the paste on your face at night and leave it overnight. In the morning, peel off the dried face mask and wash your face. For desired results, repeat this at least thrice a week.

Raw papaya and turmeric: Peel a raw papaya and grind it. Add turmeric powder to it and mix well. Apply this on your face and massage for about 15 minutes. Wash your face with cool water. Repeat this at least once or twice a week. The bio-active enzyme found in papaya called papain enlarges the hair follicle. Papaya also helps naturally exfoliating the skin by removing the dead cells.

Turmeric and milk: You can make a paste with turmeric and milk. Apply this like a facemask. Wait till it is dries, mildly scrub and remove. Wash your face with water.

Lemon scrub: Make a scrub by mixing 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of organic honey, and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Heat the mixture until it becomes a smooth paste. You can add some water to make the paste a little thinner. Cool the mixture and apply it on the affected areas. Leave it for 30 minutes and rinse with water. Try to do it at least thrice a week. This also improves the skin as honey has moisturising properties.

Barley peel: Add barley powder to milk and mix to make a thick paste. Add lemon juice to it and mix well. Apply the paste on your face and leave it for 30 minutes. Repeat this twice or thrice a week.

Egg white mask: Take the egg white of an egg and mix it with a tablespoon of cornstarch and sugar. Beat the mixture to a smooth paste, and apply it on your face. Let it dry for 15 to 20 minutes. Now peel it off and rinse your face with cold water. Follow the regime at least twice a week. Excessive facial hair growth can be controlled by this egg mask. The mask also nourishes your skin as eggs are full of protein, which infuses collagen booster to your skin.

Potato and lentil:  Soak some yellow lentil overnight. Grate a potato and take out its juice. You also need a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of lime juice. Now grind the lentil and add the potato juice, honey and lime juice. Apply the mixture on the affected areas and let it sit for 15-20 minutes until it dries. Rub the dried paste and remove it. Now wash your face with cold water. Repeat twice or thrice a week. 

Oil remedy: Add Kusuma oil with thanaka powder (Burmese Thanaka Tree). Massage it on the affected areas until it gets absorbed into the skin. Leave it overnight. Wash off the paste in the morning. Use this treatment regularly till you see effective results.

Onion remedy: Grind one onion along with basil leaves. Apply the paste on your face and leave it for 30 minutes. After it dries out, remove it and wash with water. Regular usage will show effective results.

Flour face mask: Take half a cup of chickpea flour, add one teaspoon turmeric powder and one tablespoon fresh yogurt to it and mix well. Massage the mixture on your face and leave for 20-30 minutes. After it dries, rub it off in the opposite direction of the hair growth.

There’s a famous quote,” The hair is the richest ornament of women”. Truly, having a thick, quality, healthy hair is like a cherry on the cake, not just for women, but for men too! Good volume and texture of the hair add on to the beauty of a person. However, it’s difficult to maintain due to the pollution in the outside world. Proper caring by applying hair oil on a regular basis is required for healthy and shinier hair. Among several kinds of oil available in the market, ayurvedic hair oil is considered to be the best due to its natural ingredients and also chemical-free nature.

How and when to use ayurvedic hair oil?

Herbal hair oil isn’t just used for hair strengthening and other hair improving qualities such as eradication of dandruff, prevention of hair fall, split hairs, early grey (white) hairs, etc. Rather, it’s also used for health benefits like sleep improvement, peaceful mind, to get over the headache, stimulation of sensory receptors (sense organs), reduction of wrinkles on face, etc. According to Ayurveda, different ways of applying hair oil to the scalp and hair is termed “Murdha Taila.” Since ayurvedic hair oil is used for various purposes, the application method differs based on the required result.

For quality hair:

One’s hair is said to be of good quality when there’s good hair growth, minimal split ends, no premature grey (white) hairs, also having smoother and shinier hair. To obtain this, the oil needs to be gently applied to the scalp and hair during the night (before sleep time), should be washed on the next morning with hot water. This needs to be done once a week. However, if the hair is too dry or said to have more dandruff, oiling hair twice in a week is suggestible.

The best method to apply hair oil is by making a center partition on the head, later using the fingertips to apply oil to the scalp starting from forehead to the backside of the neck. Apply oil to the entire scalp by making adjacent partitions. It’s recommended not to massage more oil along the hair length as the hair might get accumulated with dirt or dust. At last, gently massage the scalp with tiny circular motions so that blood circulation gets stimulated and also favors the oil absorption. Mildly heated hair oil in double boiling method is known to be more beneficial as it accommodates easy absorption and is pleasant on scalp. One can apply a teaspoon of oil on the same day after a shower provided person is staying at home. However, not advisable while going out, since oil attracts the dust over hairs when being exposed to the external environment.

For dandruff removal:

The presence of dandruff makes the hair to lose its beauty. Not only that it’s a kind of annoying feeling to experience an itchy and dry scalp! Dry skin, sensitive scalp, skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis, stress, alkaline shampoo, air pollution, and not shampooing hair enough are few of the reasons which cause dandruff (white skin flakes). Applying the oil containing Neem, a one-hour prior head bath, later washing with hot water helps in dandruff removal. The oil could be directly applied to the entire scalp and the hair roots.

For headache and good sleep:

According to ayurvedic texts, humans said to possess three doshas namely Vata, Kapha, and Pitta. For proper functioning of the human body, all 3 doshas (energies) must be in balance and harmony. In case, if any of the doshas is imbalanced, then its effects are mainly noticed on the hair. It’s believed that headache is usually associated with Vata Dosha which gets dominant during the evening time. Thus, ayurvedic doctors suggest applying the oil around 5-6 PM. For a night of good sleep, it’s advisable to gently massage the oil overhead, after food before going to sleep.

Advantages of ayurvedic hair oil:

Hair problems like premature greying, coarse hair, dandruff, and hair fall get automatically resolved on nullifying the effects of excess doshas.

Neem is one of the most common herbs used in almost all ayurvedic hair oils. Its immunity-boosting, anti-microbial, and regenerative properties help in preventing baldness, enhancing hair growth, and boosting scalp health. It also helps fight lice!!

Sesame oil aids in dandruff removal, smoothens, and revitalizes hair. It also protects hair from harmful UV rays.

Pure coconut oil acts as an effective conditioner. Promotes healthier, shinier, thicker, and longer hair.

Have you heard about Ayurvedic teas? They are traditional teas made with different herbs that have immense health benefits. If you sip these herbal teas, they will help you attain health, wellness, and vitality. The right kind of Ayurvedic tea can help balance the doshas in your body. These teas are supposed to detoxify and purify the body.

HERBS TO USE IN YOUR TEA

If you are predominant Vata person, you should use herbs such as fennel, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, liquorice, and stevia in your tea.

A Pitta predominant person should add ginger, cardamom, fennel, roses, liquorice, and stevia to make tea.

A Kapha predominant person should add ingredients like cloves, cinnamon, liquorice, ginger, cardamom, and black pepper.

Health benefits of drinking Ayurvedic tea

Digestion: If you suffer from indigestion, bloating, constipation or diarrhoea, Ayurveda teas are very helpful for you. If you make a drink with ghee, salt, and hot water, it can solve your constipation problems by lubricating the insides of your stomach and by removing bacteria. Fennel seeds or ginger added to warm water helps during bloating. Ginger stimulates overall digestion. If black pepper is mixed with the tea it boosts healthy bacteria in the gut.

Weight loss: Ayurvedic teas can help in weight loss. Ginger tea with clove and liquorice is good for weight loss. Lemongrass, basil, and star anise also help in weight loss.

Skin care: Turmeric tea is good for a glowing skin. It acts as an antioxidant and has purifying properties. Cumin, fenugreek, black pepper also purify the blood and dissolve excess fat from the tissue.

Immunity: If you are prone to illness, it means you have a weak immune system. Ayurvedic immune-boosting drink called kadha is quite effective. It includes a number of herbs and spices boiled in water. Kadha can also fight allergies.

Body detox: Ayurvedic tea made with herbs like cumin, fennel, star anise, lemongrass, and coriander have powerful detoxifying properties and good for the liver. This tea also helps in digestion.

Mental health: If you do a lot of mental work, Ayurvedic tea made with fennel, coriander, and licorice will be effective for you. This tea acts as a memory-booster and stress-buster.

HERE ARE THE RECIPES FOR MAKING FIVE TYPES OF AYURVEDIC TEAS.

Detox tea

• Water
• ¼ teaspoon whole cumin
• ½ teaspoon whole coriander
• ½ teaspoon whole fennel

Boil two quarts of water and add these spices. Let it boil for 10 minutes. Strain it and sip throughout the day.

Kadha

• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups of water
• Honey–optional to taste

Boil cardamom, cinnamon, dried ginger and black pepper in water. Boil till it reduces to 1 cup of solution. If you add honey, add before consuming it.

Weight loss tea

• Ginger
• Liquorice
• Clove
• 250 ml water

Boil the water. To it add a small piece of ginger, a small stick of liquorice and all 3-4 cloves. Let it brew for 10 minutes. Strain it and sip.

Turmeric tea

• 4 cups of water
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of ground or powdered turmeric
• Honey—optional for taste
• Almond milk—optional for taste
• Black pepper—optional
• Lemon, ginger—optional

Boil the water. Add the turmeric. Boil for 10 minutes and strain. If you choose to add honey to sweeten the tea you can add it when you consume. At this stage, you can also add the optional ingredients.

Tulsi tea

• 1 quart of water
• 4 teaspoon tulsi leaf or 1 ½ tablespoon powder
• 2 teaspoon lemon grass
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon anise seeds
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla powder or vanilla stevia
• ½ teaspoon dried ginger root pieces or 1 tablespoon fresh
• 1 teaspoon honey

Ayurveda promotes a balanced and healthy lifestyle that results in a healthy and disease-free body. The best lifestyle we can choose is to live in harmony with nature, which means balancing the inner nature and adapting to the changing environment.

Ayurvedic lifestyle is a holistic one. It talks about developing healthy eating habits and some daily good habits. Following a daily regimen is essential for maintaining good health and creating a balance between the mind, body and consciousness.

According to Ayurveda, we should perform daily rituals at the same time every day. This not only creates a balance in the constitution but also regulates the biological clock, leads to efficient digestion process, thereby increasing self-confidence, peacefulness, and happiness.

Wake up early

Ayurveda suggests waking up before sunrise. At sunrise, the atmosphere is laden with sattvic (pure) qualities in nature that bring peace of mind and freshness to our senses. While Vata people should wake at 6 am, Pitta people should rise at 5:30 am, and Kapha by 4:30 am. After waking up, look at your palms for a few seconds then gently move them over your face and chest, till your waist. This cleans the aura.

Start the day with a prayer

Before leaving the bed, say a little prayer or meditate for a little while. This will help you to meet the challenges of the day without any stress or tension.

Clean your face, mouth, and eyes

Wash your face and eyes with cold water and rinse your mouth. Do a little eye exercise—it will take a couple of minutes. Massage the eyelids gently and blink your eyes a few times. Rotate your eyeballs in clockwise and anti-clockwise. You can use eyewash too.

Clean your tongue

Cleaning your tongue is an important part of your daily hygiene. A clean tongue helps you to be healthy. To clean the tongue you need a special device, but you can also do it with a spoon. You can also clean your teeth and mouth with warm sesame oil twice a day.

Drink water

Now is the time to drink a glass of room temperature water. If you keep water at night in a pure copper cup and drink this water in the morning, it has immense health benefits. It washes the gastrointestinal tract, flushes the kidneys, and stimulates peristalsis. Avoid having tea or coffee in the morning. It drains the energy out from your kidney and stresses the adrenals, causing constipation.

Nasal drops (nasya)

If you put 3 to 5 drops of warm ghee or oil into each nostril in the morning, it helps to lubricate the nose, clean the sinuses, and clear the throat and vision. Since our nose is the door to the brain, nose drops nourish prana and bring clarity to our mind.

Oil your head and body (abhyanga)

Massage a little warm oil on your head and body before taking shower. Daily oil massage of the scalp makes you stress free. It prevents headache, baldness, greying, and receding hairline. Oiling your body before bedtime will help induce sound sleep. Vata people can use warm sesame oil. Pitta can use warm coconut oil, and Kapha can use warm mustard or sesame oil.

Take a morning shower

Taking shower in the morning not only cleanse your body but refreshes you. It removes fatigue and induces energy to the body, mind, and soul.

Yoga and meditation

Regular habit of yoga improves blood circulation and gives energy. It will make you relaxed and induce sound sleep. Besides many health benefits, yoga improves digestion and elimination. Every day do Pranayama as well. Meditation brings balance and peace in your life.

Breakfast

Your breakfast should be light, which should be nutritious and warm.

Lunch

Take out more time for lunch and eat slowly. Your lunch should be the biggest meal. Choose your food as per your dosha and don‘t drink water during meals.

Dinner

Your last meal should be before sunset. Don‘t watch TV, read book, or talk on phone while eating. You will not be able to draw nourishment from the food.

Bedtime

Shilajit is a sticky substance, which is the result of a long and slow process of decomposition of plants. Also known as a mineral pitch, it is a black, tar-like substance that comes from the rocks of mountains. Due to its medicinal properties, Shilajit is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicines. This safe supplement can have an effective impact on your health and wellbeing.

BENEFITS OF SHILAJIT

Ayurveda considers Shilajit as a rasayan dravya (rejuvenative remedy) and an aphrodisiac agent. It contains fulvic acid and more than 84 minerals. As a result, it offers several health benefits. While it functions as an antioxidant to improve the body’s immunity and memory, it acts as an anti-inflammatory, an energy booster, and a diuretic to remove excess fluid from our bodies.

The chemical composition of Shilajit is quite complex. It contains humic substances like fulvic acid, humins and humic acids. It also contains selenium and other minerals. Shilajit also contains a small amount of dibenzo-α-pyrones (metabolites found in plants, fungi, animal feces or mycobionts). Mainly, its fulvic acid content is responsible for its medicinal values.

Shilajit is an effective health tonic, beneficial in treating a variety of diseases. It is used in Ayurvedic medicines for its therapeutic values.

Stress disorders and anxiety: Shilajit contains anxiolytic and anti-stress properties, hence it is effective in curing all types of stress disorders and anxiety. Its fulvic acid has anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects.

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Alzheimer’s disease: Due to the molecular composition of Shilajit, researchers believe it may prevent or slow down progression of Alzheimer’s. Combined with other herbs, Shilajit can help patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Along with other herbs, Shilajit can also prevent further changes in behaviour and treat all symptoms including anxiety, depression, mood swings, aggressiveness and irritability. The fulvic acid in Shilajit prevents the accumulation of tau proteins. Tau proteins are important parts of our nervous system, a buildup of which can trigger brain cell damage. Researchers believe that the fulvic acid in Shilajit can prevent abnormal buildup of tau proteins, which can combat from Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Heart health: Shilajit may improve heart health. Studies found Shilajit helps in lowering cardiac symptoms as it has cardioprotective effects and provides the strength to the heart and regulates the heartbeat. It also improves the myocardial strength and prevents heart diseases. If you have active heart disease, it is advised that you should not take Shilajit.

Diabetes mellitus: Shilajit is full of minerals, which can help patients with diabetes. It is seen as a source to reduce diabetic symptoms, treating diabetic complications and boosting the pancreas function and insulin sensitivity in the cells.

Iron deficiency, anemia: This condition can lead to fatigue, weakness, headache, and irregular heartbeat. Shilajit supplements can gradually increase iron levels. A study found Shilajit can increase levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cells.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) causes extreme tiredness or fatigue. This chronic condition occurs when your cells don’t produce enough energy, leading to difficulties in doing even daily activities like going to work, or do simple tasks. Researchers think that Shilajit can reduce symptoms of CFS and restore energy. Naturally boosting your body’s mitochondrial function with Shilajit can help improve energy levels.

Low testosterone level: Testosterone is a male sex hormone. Some men have a lower level, which manifests in low sex drive, hair loss, fatigue, loss of muscle mass, and increased body fat. Studies have found that Shilajit can cure low testosterone level.

Infertility: Shilajit is effective in male infertility. A study found men who took Shilajit showed an increase in total sperm count and some had an increase in sperm motility.

High altitude sickness: This can trigger a range of symptoms like insomnia, lethargy, sluggishness, body pain, dementia, etc. Altitude sickness is usually triggered by low atmospheric pressure, cold temperatures, or high wind velocity. Researchers believe that Shilajit can help in overcoming high altitude problems. As it can function as an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory, Shilajit can help counteract symptoms associated with higher altitudes.

One of the healthiest oils loaded with essential nutrients, sesame oil is an important ingredient in Ayurvedic medicines. Over 90 per cent of Ayurvedic treatments use sesame oil as the base product. The oil has nourishing, calming and warming nature, which makes it ideal for massage.

Ayurveda values sesame oil for its medicinal properties. It is good for the skin and penetrates deep into the skin to provide nourishment and helps relieve stress. It is also good for the hair.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, sesame seed is sweet, pungent, astringent, and bitter. Sesame oil is also used as an ingredient in many herbal jams like Kalyanagulam, Ayurvedic medicine for skin, liver and digestive conditions. The oil aggravates Pitta and balances Vata. The heating nature of sesame is also good for Kapha, but in cases of excess Kapha, it proves heavy.

Ayurveda suggests using sesame seeds in multiple ways to reap its health benefits. You can either eat the seeds or can use its oil to massage. Both ways it is beneficial.

Sesame oil can penetrate all seven layers of the skin and can show amazing results. Ayurveda recommends massage with sesame oil for the following reasons:

Bolsters your ability to handle stress

Promotes physical strength

Nourishes muscles and bones

Supports comfortable joint movement

Promotes sound sleep patterns

Supports the intellect and nervous system

Nourishes skin and hair 

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Benefits of sesame oil

Sesame oil supports numerous healthy systems in the body such as the nervous system, bones and muscles, skin and hair, the digestive tract including the colon, and the male and female reproductive system.

Sesame oil is good for head massage. Regular use will keep the headache at bay. It also helps in baldness, greying of hair, and hair fall. The oil leads to sound sleep. Massaging the scalp and soles of the feet with sesame oil before bedtime promotes healthy sleep patterns.

Sesame seeds are loaded with vitamins and minerals. They are rich in copper, zinc, magnesium, iron and calcium. Though sesame seeds contain more nutrient than the oil, as nutrients get lost during processing, still they retain many medicinal properties. As sesame oil is loaded with zinc and copper, it helps in the production of red blood cells, blood circulation and metabolism. Copper has anti-inflammatory properties, and helps reduce arthritis pain, swelling of joints and strengthens the bones. Ayurveda recommends sesame oil to treat weak bones. About 30 grams of sesame seeds contain 22 per cent of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) of calcium.

Ayurveda values sesame oil because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Sesame oil contains a chemical compound called lignans, which has unique chemical and physiological properties. A powerful antioxidant, sesame oil also contains the powerful antioxidant—Vitamin E. Due to these properties, it is commonly used in beauty treatments for the skin because it is an excellent moisturizer, promotes regeneration of healthy skin, and has anti-aging properties. It is also a natural SPF.

Sesame oil contains two unique chemicals called sesamol and sesamin. They are very powerful antioxidants. Sesame oil lowers blood pressure, decreases lipid peroxidation, and increases antioxidant status in hypertensive patients.

Sesame oil contains an amino acid called tyrosine, which is helpful in serotonin activity. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that impacts our mood. An imbalance of it leads to depression and stress.

The ancient Ayurvedic technique of oil pulling promotes oral health and removes plaque. Take a tablespoon of oil on an empty stomach and swished around in the mouth for 20 minutes and then spat out. It will remove toxins from the body. The oil mixes with your saliva to make a yellowish mixture in your mouth. After spitting out, rinse your mouth with warm water.

AyurvedaOne introduces immunity in a box with the government-approved Ayush Health promotion Kit. The kit contains three Ayurvedic medicines, namely, Ayush Kwath Churna, Sudarshana Ghana Vati and Samshamani Vati.

It is long known that Ayurveda offers authentic organic solutions that uplift general health, immunity and debility. In recent years, the knowledge of Ayurveda has been stamped by modern science after years of intensive research.

Be it Haldi doodh, pranayama, yoga, dietary choices or lifestyle, Ayurveda has successfully sent a wave of change across the globe. The 5000-year-old science of life has not failed to offer relevant solutions to modern-day problems.

One such solution for boosting immunity is now presented in a kit by the conglomerate of Ayurveda. Though it does not claim to cure any disease, the ingredients present in the kit are scientifically proven to benefit the body, particularly the immune system.

Prepared with the finest medicinal herbs, these Ayurvedic formulations help to enrich the body’s defence mechanism. Ayush Kwath Churna defends the body against bacteria and viruses, Sudarshana Ghana Vati fights contagious viral infections and Samshamani Vati protects the body against all forms of fevers.

Ayush Kwath is a combination of medicinal herbs commonly used in every Indian kitchen – basil leaves (tulsi), cinnamon bark (dalchini), Zingiber officinale (sunthi), and krishna marich (Piper nigrum).

Sudarshana Ghana Vati is an antipyretic medicine that consists of Haritaki, Amla, Haldi, Giloy, Yastimadhu, Neem and several other herbs. Samshamani Vati is an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory medicine that contains Guduchi.

It is important to take all the three medicines together to get the best benefits. Since they are composed of different ingredients, they offer different elements that are beneficial for the body.

Since, our regular life activities like a walk in the park, soaking the sun or eating a variety of food are somewhat compromised, a little supplement can go a long way. And what’s better than having a supplement that comes from the Ayurveda prepared with years of experience.

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How to use AYUSH KIT?

1. Ayush Kwath churna

– Method I: You can consume Ayush Kwath twice daily by dissolving scoop of powder (3g) in 150 ml boiled water.

– Method II:  Add 3 g of Ayush Kwatha powder into 150 ml of boiling water and let it boil for 3 minutes and drink when warm.

–   You may also wish to add few drops of lemon juice and/or a teaspoon of honey to enhance the taste with 2 mint leaves to get a refreshing drink.

2. Samshamani Vati twice a day after food, 1 tablet each with warm water

3. Sudarshana Ghana Vati twice a day after food, 1 tablet each with warm water

How to Store AYUSH KIT

Store in a cool and dry place. Do not refrigerate. Keep away from the reach of children

Chewing tambul or pan or beetal leaf is an ancient Indian custom. Ayurveda mentions it as a good practice and its classics mentioned chewing betel leaves as a daily routine for the maintenance of oral hygiene, good taste, and to prevent diseases of the oral cavity and throat. Ayurvedic method of chewing betel leaves is safe and good for health. Problems surfaced when people started chewing betel leaves along with tobacco.

Betel leaves are pungent, laxative, and digestive. While it produces Pitta, it mitigates Kapha dosha. When betel leaves are taken with slaked lime, areca nut and catechu, they mitigate all the three doshas.

Benefits of pan chewing

Many of us are not aware of the fact that betel leaves offer curative and healing health benefits. Ayurveda’s masters Charaka and Sushruta mentioned adding aromatic herbs with betel leaf that cleanse the mouth and removes bad mouth odour. Studies have also proved Ayurvedic claims about the benefits of betel leaf chewing.

Betel leaf is known to be useful for the treatment of various systemic and oral diseases. It is nutritive and contains vitamins, minerals, carbohydrate, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron and iodine. Betel leaf also contains Thiamin, Niacin, Riboflavin and Carotene. Due to its nutritive value, it is said just six betel leaves with a little slaked lime is comparable to vitamin and mineral nutrition got from about 300 ml of cow’s milk.

Chewing betel leaf without tobacco acts as a post-meal digestive stimulant. It improves physical and mental stamina.

It is a natural appetizer, digestive stimulant, aphrodisiac and refreshing mastication.

Betel leaf is also good for the body’s metabolism. It increases blood circulation and eases the flow of proteins and nutrients. Regular use of betel leaf reduces stomach pain and acidity.

Chewing betel leaf prevents oral cancer as it maintains the levels of ascorbic acid in the saliva. Ascorbic acid is an antioxidant that reduces free radicals in the body. Therefore, it enhances the process of digestion. This normalises pH levels and solves stomach disorders. If you drink betel leaf juice daily on an empty stomach, it will not be constipated.

It also helps in controlling bad breath, which causes bacteria. When taken with spices like fennel, cardamom and cloves, pan makes for an excellent mouth freshener.

Betel leaf is an effective solution for those who are trying to lose weight. It helps in reducing body fat and also catalyses the metabolic rate of the body.

Pan possesses aphrodisiac properties, which makes the process of sexual intercourse more enjoyable. This is the reason why pan is offered to newlyweds.

Betel leaves are used for treating boils and blisters. They help to remove the wart permanently without leaving any scars. Placing the betel leaf on the wound before bandaging it will help heal the wound quicker.

Betel leaf’s analgesic properties help in reducing headache. It also gives relief in cough.

The ingredients used with betel leaf also have health benefits. Chuna or slaked lime mitigates Kapha and Vata doshas. It kills germs and relives pain. Jatiphala mitigates Kapha and Vata doshas, improves taste perception and enhances digestive power, and wards off bad odour. It also kills germs and cure skin diseases. Similarly, all other ingredients used in betel leaves for chewing have health benefits.

The betel leaf is a good painkiller. You can apply betel leaf paste on the paining part to get relief. Chew the betel leaf and drink the juice to get relief from pain.

In diseases like abscess on the tongue, abscess, dryness of soft palate, diseases of teeth, tumour, goitre, and enlargements of the glands of the neck, and other Kapha dosha disorder, betel leaves are quite beneficial.

Controversy of chewing betel leaves

Chewing of betel leaves along with the ingredients mentioned in Ayurvedic classics is safe and good for health. However, excess use of betel leaves and adding tobacco and other harmful ingredients is dangerous. Tobacco and other allied products are harmful and cause dental caries, alveolaris, oral sepsis, palpitation, neurosis and even oral cancer. However, betel leaves contain Safrole, a carcinogen. It also possesses antioxidant activity besides antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties.

Intermittent fasting is a new concept, which is trending in the health and wellness segment. This type of fasting suggests eating food in a 6-8-hour window. Whenever you decide to eat, after your meal there is an 8-16 hour fast in between. Basically, it means you fast for 8-16 hours between your first and next meal of the day. 

Intermittent fasting may be a new term, but it exists in Ayurveda for thousands of years. Ayurveda mentions two timings for eating food–morning, after sunrise, and evening, before sunset. In between, there is a long gap of 8 to 10 hours fasting. 

As Ayurveda believes in the uniqueness of each individual, the benefits of intermittent fasting will vary from individual to individual. Ayurveda says you are what you digest. When our digestive fire or agni is low, we begin to accumulate toxins or ama, which is the undigested food matter inside us. This ama is the root cause of all diseases. 

When ama starts accumulating, we experience several changes including cravings, mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, bad breath, a coating on the tongue, body odour, and laziness. If we do not take precautions to detox this ama, this toxic undigested food gets into the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body, manifesting into serious conditions. Intermittent fasting can help eliminate this ama. People usually choose to fast to lose weight.

Benefits of intermittent fasting

Studies have proved that intermittent fasting helps in burning fat. It also helps those who are highly insulin sensitive. While it helps in hormone functions, it also improves sleep.

Intermittent fasting helps in weight loss. Studies have proved that time-restricted feeding helps in reducing overall caloric intake, and decreases fat mass without affecting the lean mass. As there is fasting for 16 hours, it boosts the metabolism, which helps in weight loss.

The digestive organs are the largest in the body, hence they require a lot of energy to function, so at times it needs rest. This rest can be given by fasting, which frees up energy to be used for healing. This energy is then used for improving agni, burning away the toxins, and supporting a strong immune system.

Intermittent fasting soothes our body and mind like meditation. With fasting, the body feels lighter and regains its natural glow. It increases the energy level and the mind becomes clearer and more focused.

With fasting, our bodies get detoxed and throw out the unwanted toxins. Basically, fasting cleanses the body and mind. This is why spiritual and religious traditions use fasting.

When we do 8-16 hours intermittent fasting, it improves health by fighting inflammation. Inflammation plays an important role in the progression of diseases and disorders. It suppresses inflammation and enhances the activity of anti-inflammatory substances. Hence, intermittent fasting reduces the risk of chronic diseases.

Intermittent fasting can regulate blood glucose and insulin levels. As fasting increases adiponectin levels, which is correlated with insulin sensitivity. As a result, inflammatory compounds trigger insulin resistance.

Research has shown that intermittent fasting improves cognitive functions and brain structures. Studies have found that when food is restricted for such a long time, it attenuates the brain ageing process.

Intermittent fasting does a self-cleansing natural mechanism of the body, where the old cells get broken down and recycled. It helps in memory formation and reverses age-related memory decline.

Intermittent fasting also improves overall health. With weight loss, the risk of metabolic diseases also decreases. It also improves blood glucose level and boosts brain function.

Disadvantages of intermittent fasting

Though intermittent fasting is beneficial for health, it should be done in the correct way. Otherwise, it may lead to certain problems.

Since you can eat only after 8 hours, some people tend to overeat in order to make up for the fasting hours. This may fail to give good weight loss results. This may even lead to digestive problems.

You should also note that at the beginning of intermittent fasting, some people may feel weakness, fatigue, headache and dizziness. These symptoms are common, but will subside with time. It is always advisable to consult your doctor before you indulge in intermittent fasting.

Finally, intermittent fasting is a safe and healthy when you practice with care. If you have any health problems, you should ask your doctor before starting fasting.