How often in your life have you been inflicted with some ailment, only to see your ever helpful grandma come to your rescue? Making a paste of some herbs and applying it over your wound, mixing something in water and making you drink the concoction so as to relieve your stomach ache, or using hing to relieve Colic in your new born baby. The list goes on and on. These traditional Indian secrets, passed on for generations, are gaining in popularity and are well on their way to becoming a fad. Why? Because they not only help overcome common, or even chronic, ailments, they also provide tips to Look Beautiful The Natural Way. What follows is a compilation of such tips. And the list will continue to grow. Also, since people in different parts of the country have their own ways of treating such ailments, we would be glad to for the section so that the society can benefit at large.

• A cup of carrot juice regularly on an empty stomach for 10 to 15 days, is an antidote to worms.

• For Indigestion take a ripe banana along with a cup of milk at night.

• To cure constipation due to diabetes, take 2 or 3 figs after each meal.

• For Indigestion, mix 1-3 drops of mint oil with 5 tea cups water and drink whenever needed.

• To cure constipation , boil 2 tbsp fenugreek leaves along with ½ cup moong dal and 10 small onions and eat regularly.

• If a few drops of Lime juice mixed in water and honey, is consumed every morning, on an empty stomach, it controls obesity.

• Intake of fresh sliced tomatoes with onion and lemon juice in it, could eliminate obesity

• A few of neem leaves juice, consumed a few times a day, cures itching on the skin.

• Application of a fine paste of turmeric, mustard seeds and lime juice on the affected parts is beneficial in Skin Diseases

• Equal quantities of neem leaves and turmeric , if applied on the affected area is medicinal in skin infections.

• A frequent application of a combination of a tablespoon of lime juice and a pinch of cinnamon powder, on the affected spot removes pimples.

• To improve complexion, add a pinch of cinnamon powder to ½ tsp honey and apply on the face every night.

• To cure pimples, grind equal quantities of nutmeg, blackpepper and sandalwood and apply frequently.

• To remove facial wrinkles, soak shredded ginger in honey and eat a spoonful every morning.

• Rinsing hair with a decoction of neem leaves boiled in four cups of water eliminates dandruff.

• To prevent Hair loss massage with coconut oil everyday.

• To cure premature greying of hair, take juice or chutney made of curry leaves everyday.

• To stop hiccups, mix 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder with 1 tbsp freshly extracted amla juice. Take three times a day.

• To cure depression, mix 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder with 1 tbsp freshly extracted amla juice. Take three times a day.

• To cure dehydration, add ¼ tsp salt, 3 tsp brown sugar and 2 tsp lime juice to 1 teacup of water, mix well and drink.

• A concoction of ginger, onion, basil (tulsi) juice and honey, if taken regularly,is therapeutic in Asthma

• Carrot juice accompanied by spinach juice in the ratio of 2:1, taken thrice a day relieves Asthma.

• To cure asthma, pour 1 ½ cups of hot water over 1 tsp ground ginger. Take 1 tsp lukewarm at bedtime.

• Lemon (neebu) juice taken with a pinch of black salt and powdered black pepper, in a glass of water relieves nausea.

• To cure giddiness, take 2 tsp fresh juice of fenugreek leaves along with 1 tsp honey daily.

• To cure nausea and vomiting, take a mixture of juice of ginger and raw onions (1-3tsp) with honey.

• To cure sinus, inhale the steam from a tea of ginger or eucalyptus leaves.

• To cure aching eyes, powder equal quantities of liquorice and cumin. Take ¼ tsp everyday along with 1tsp honey for a month.

• Putting a few drops of beshops weed seeds (Ajawayan) oil in the ear imparts instant relief in ear aches.

• To cure boils, apply fine paste of turmeric on the affected parts.

• A combination of equal parts of almond oil and garlic oil, if massaged on the affected area, relieves sprain.

• Chewing fresh guava leaves or doing gurgles with guava leaves water eliminates swelling of gums.

• For bleeding gums drink lime juice in water.

• To cure bad odour, powder the dried plants of mint (Pudina) and use as toothpowder.

• For relief from toothache, apply finely powdered pepper powder and clove oil.

• For quick relief in fire burns, apply paste of ground radish pulp.

• To cure burns, apply curry leaves as poultices over affected areas

• Application of diluted lime juice, on the body prevents mosquito bite.

• A teacup of milk, with a table spoon of garlic boiled in it, if consumed twice a day is beneficial in high blood pressure.

• If suffering from low blood pressure, a little roasted and powdered heeng (asafoetida), consumed with water can boost blood pressure.

• Drink the juice of 10-15 Tulsi (Holy Basil) leaves with 1 tsp honey.

• To cure cracked heels melt half an inch of candle wax in 50gms of oil and apply to heels before going to bed.

• To cure cracked heels, mix 1 tsp mango tree gum with 1 tbsp water and apply on the sole.

• A few tablespoons of crushed sauf and red rose petals, mixed in one and a half teacup water, if strained and taken regularly, cure Anaemia.

• A potion made from a pinch of cinnamon and two table spoon of honey, dissolved in one cup of pomegranate juice treats Anaemia

• Two cups of pomegranate juice with a table spoon of grounded cinnamon and a little honey in it works as an antidote to Anaemia .

• A dose of powdered Sonth, Meetha soda and salt, if consumed with hot milk or water, redresses backache.

• A decoction of half a teaspoon mustard seeds powder and three teaspoons water, if instilled in the nostrils, redresses migraine

• Extracted juice of neem leaves if used as nasal drops cures Headache.

• Take 1 teacup bangal kins (bel) fruit pulp twice a day and if mixed with jaggery, it can be taken three times a day, to cure dysentery.

• To cure dysentery, eat 5 to 10 raw, tender curry leaves.

• To cure mouth ulcers, take 1 tsp finely powdered amla root bark and mix with honey. Apply on affected areas frequently.

• Two garlic cloves crushed and boiled in water along with half-a-teaspoon turmeric powder, works as an antidote in cold.

• Gargling with lukewarm water, boiled with some crushed garlic, is therapeutic for swelling in the throat.

• A concoction of ginger juice and honey, a few times a day gives instant relief from cough and cold.

• To cure Malaria extract 1 tsp each juice from basil (tulsi) leaves and bangal kins (bel) flowers. Add 1 tsp honey. Take twice a day.
  

  Contributed by Sharad Sarin.

• A decoction of one table spoon garlic, 20 leaves of basil (tulsi) and one cup of water, if consumed twice daily, gives relief from fever.

• Boil mustard oil in a big vessel & put neem leaves into the boiling oil & keep boiling it for ten minutes. When the oil cools down strain the leaves out of the mixture & store the oil in a bottle.Apply this oil regularly on the affected area.

  
  Contributed by: Neetu Ahuja

• Intake of muli (radish) juice mixed with sugar, is therapeutic in arthritis.

• If coconut kernel (nariyal) is taken on an empty stomach , it cures nose-bleeding.