Suffering from White Heads?

I used to suffer a lot from White Heads. This was not just due to hormonal changes in the body, but as I later realized, one of the major factors that made them worse was my diet.

Being very fond of chocolates, I used to eat one almost every day. This caused a lot of ‘chemical imbalance’ in the body, leading to not just white heads but also to allergies.

Many of you who must be suffering from the same might know that white heads don’t look good, can increase in size to resemble a boil and can even be painful. One challenge I faced in tackling my problem was that I cannot use scented creams. Unfortunately it is difficult to get unscented creams around here. So the only other choice (I thank my stars for it) is to find home remedies for the same.

Through my research I found that there are a few possible causes for white heads:

1. Hormonal changes in the body
2. Accumulation of hardened sebum (oil) in pores of the skin
3. Exposure to sun and dirt
4. Lack of hygiene
5. Unhealthy lifestyle, disturbed sleep, unhealthy food.
6. Impurities in the blood.

These are a few tips for Diet changes:

Always stick to seasonal, nutritious food with lots of fibre, including fruits and green leafy vegetables. They will never fail you in any condition under the sun.

Drink adequate water.

Include food with Zinc, Vitamin B2 and Vitamin A like spinach, pumpkin seeds, beans, tofu, carrots, apricots, sprouts, alfa-alfa seeds, brown rice, potato, yoghurt mushrooms, green beans, sunflower seeds, whole grain foods, legumes, turnip greens, beets, lotus stems, radish leaves, papaya, raisins etc.

Avoid non-vegetarian, fried, fatty and junk food.

Avoid alcohol, caffeine, pastries, chocolates and soft drinks.

Home Applications for White Heads

·       Rub your face with lemon skin and wash off. It helps open the pores.

·       Take facial steam once a week to prevent whiteheads.

·       Make a paste of sandalwood and rose water. Apply on affected area and wash off after 20-30 minutes with lukewarm water.

·       Apply paste of Fenugreek leaves in water over face every night and wash with warm water.

·       Take 50 ml raw milk, add a mix of a pinch of salt and 2 tsp lime juice in it. Use it as a cleansing lotion. It helps clean the deep pores of the skin.

Beware of:

·       Left-over make-up on skin at night.

·       Excessive use of chemical cosmetics.

·       Squeezing the white head (If you do so, it will spread on the face and even leave scars)

·       Stress

Must Do’s

·       De-stress through relaxation techniques and massage or reflexology once a week.

·       Exercise on a regular basis.

This may sound like a lot, but is actually very simple to follow. All you need to do is start with any one of the above tips and make a regular and healthy habit out of it.

Slowly you will notice the improvement… as I have.

Stay Well!

Ankita Shah.

(Director & Trainer at Pristine Senses Academy, Yoga Teacher, Writer, Reflexologist, Massage Trainer and Reiki Master)

Dry Hair in Winter?

The air is slowly turning cooler and with it come a host of skin problems. 
One most worrying problem is that of dry hair. 


Here is a tip for keeping hair healthy, thick and dandruff-free in the winter.
Take 1tsp Almond oil.
Add 1 tsp Amla juice to it.
Massage the mixture onto the scalp.


This mixture helps thicken and grow hair and prevent dandruff and graying.


Stay Well !!

Nip in the air causing despair? Fight that dryness using secret weapons from your kitchen!

Chapped lips, flaky skin and dry itchy hair and dandruff mark the onset of winter. 

A wonderful natural way to keep the skin hydrated and healthy is to eat fruits with high water content like strawberries, apricots, orange, carrots and green leafy vegetables. 

Drink enough water during the day and avoid eating processed and fried food. 

Avoid using chemicals on the skin like harsh soaps, cold creams, cleansing creams and make-up. 

Protect yourself from harsh sun.

Use the following recipe for keeping the skin moist and hydrated naturally:

• 2 tbsp yoghurt
• 1 tsp honey
• You can add some oatmeal to this mixture.

 - Apply the mixture on the face, wash off after 10-15 minutes. 

- You can use the same recipe for the whole body too.

- Yogurt and honey moisturize the skin. 

- Honey is an antimicrobial agent and also helps heal minor abrasions and burns.

- Oatmeal heals and soothes dry skin and helps remove dead skin cells.

You can also add 1 bowl of honey to your bathing water to make your skin rich and smooth. 

Try it and do give us the feedback!

Stay Well, Stay hydrated!

Reflexology Treatment for Snoring

In one of the seminars on health that I had attended, a doctor once said that if a person snores, his/her sleep is a disturbed sleep. I had never snored in my life. However, one day I had caught a terrible cold and had an almost completely blocked nasal passage. That night I just could not breathe without the snoring noise. It was pretty embarrassing as I was travelling with colleagues and they were disturbed by the sounds.

Later when I was introduced to Reflexology, I did some more research on snoring and its causes. So here I'm sharing with you some of the ways we can tackle the problem.

If snoring is your regular problem, it won't just be uncomfortable for you, it will disturb the sleep of your spouse or sibling whom you share the room with. This later results in disturbed state of mind, irritability and lethargy during the day. So do not take snoring lightly, treat it immediately.


So what causes snoring?

• As my experience proves, snoring occurs due to blockage of the nasal passage which can occur due to  cold/ infection.
• When sleeping, the throat muscles relax, narrowing the air passage, resulting in snoring.
• Faulty sleeping positions.
• Excessive smoking and alcohol intake.
• Accumulation of fat around the throat or obesity.
• Throat weakness or disposition of the jaw.

Treatment:

Reflexology on the respiratory areas of the foot helps cure snoring. This is because reflexology on respiratory region results in deeper, more relaxed and slower breathing, which prevents forceful intake of breath through the throat. 

Also, in case of cough or cold, reflexology helps in releasing the mucus and removal of toxins. Curing the infection can open up the nasal passage.

The areas shown in the picture are the ones to work on:

Note: The corresponding area on the upper surface of the foot should also be worked on.

Other Necessary Lifestyle Modifications:

• Avoid smoking and alcohol.
• Avoid sleeping on your back.
• Avoid breathing through the mouth.
• Reduce excess body weight.
• Practice Pranayamas regularly- Ujjayi Pranayama, Brahmari Pranayama, Yogendra Pranayama 1-9.
• Practice Asanas that involve chest expansion and also Simhasana  which is extremely good for the throat and voice.  
• Keep your nasal passage clean through Kriyas like Jalaneti and Jihvamulashodhanam.
• It has been found that Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) has also been very effective in curing snoring.

Caution: Reflexology Treatment should be done by a trained Reflexologist.

All Yogic practices must be done under the guidance of a trained yoga therapist. 

Sleep Well !!

Swedish Massage Therapy

Over centuries, massage in various forms has been practiced in different civilizations for its medicinal, therapeutic, soothing and invigorating effects on the body. Ancient book records and hyroglyphics on cave walls prove that the science of this healing therapy was known years ago in China, Japan, Egypt, India and to many other civilizations such as the Romans, Greeks and Persians.

Today, this same knowledge has been rediscovered and infused with modern knowledge and techniques, has given rise to a new era of ‘Alternate Medicine.’ Among the most popular therapies today, is the Classic/ Swedish Massage which is a soft tissue, gentle and soothing full body massage (excluding face and head).

It is not clear who actually was responsible for development of this type of massage. It was generally believed that a Swede named Henri Peter Ling developed Swedish Massage in 1812 at the University of Stockholm. However, a Dutch practitioner, Johan Georg Mezger is generally given credit for coining the French terms for the basic strokes used during the massage.

The basic strokes used in Swedish Massage are:

1. Effleurage: Long soothing, stroking movements with the palms of the hands.
2. Petrissage: A number of movements including kneading and rolling of skin.
3. Friction: Penetrating circular movements which involved deep pressure to one particular site of muscle tension, using the thumb, fingertips and knuckles.
4. Tapotement: Which include fast and stimulating movements including cupping, hacking, pounding, etc.

The strokes used in Swedish Massage form the basis of all other massages. There are many other massages that are a combination of Swedish Massage techniques and other deep tissue massage techniques and therapies.

Swedish Massage has shown amazing results in terms of physical, psychological and spiritual health. It is especially useful for:

·       Relaxation

·       Stimulation

·       Rejuvenation

·       Healing skin

·       Relief to tense muscles

·       Improved sleep patterns

·       Stress relief, etc.

It is now widely known that stress and mental strain is the main cause of around 85% diseases. By providing a much needed relief and relaxation in today’s day and age of hurry, worry and curry, Swedish Massage proves to be beneficial to your overall wellbeing.

However, there are certain contraindicatons to this massage. A therapist as well as client needs to be aware of these. Thus, the therapist must perform a detailed client consultation before commencing treatment and a client must be forthright about any medical conditions he/she may be suffering from. Pre-massage consultation is of utmost importance and it is irresponsible on any spa/ salon/ therapist’s part to commence treatment without it.

Some of the contraindications to massage are:

·       High Blood Pressure

·       Heart Disease/ Stroke

·       Pregnancy

·       Cancer

·       Fever

·       Varicose Veins

·       Oedema

·       Headache/ Migraine

·       Physical Injury

·       Osteporosis

·       Acute Infectious Conditions

·       Inflammation of any kind

·       Bruises

It is not necessary that if you have the above mentioned conditions, you cannot have a massage. The massage treatment can be modified accordingly, or the consultation of a doctor might be required by the therapist.

Finally, a detailed knowledge of anatomy and physiology, medical conditions and correct massage techniques is required to perform Swedish Massage. So therapists, make sure you choose the right school which includes this in the curriculum and clients, make sure you are going to a certified and well trained massage therapist.

Stay Well!

Essential (Aromatic) Oils

It is believed that the ancient Egyptians were the first to discover the theraputic use of plants and their oils. Romans and Greeks were also aware of this science. Pure essential oils extracted by steam distillation, etc. were used in medicine between the 17th and late 19th century. Later their uses were confined to perfumes.

The medicinal properties of essential oils was rediscovered in the 1920s, when a French chemist, Dr. Maurice Gattefosse, burned his hand and successfully treated it with the essential oil of Lavender. 

Aromatherapy Essential Oils are highly concentrated, pure, extracts of plants and plant material like leaves, twigs, berries, bark, wood, root, flowers, and the peel of citrus fruits.

They are highly volatile and readily evaporate into the air. Theraputic pols have many beneficial properties and can affect the body through inhalation and through the skin. It is found that certain scents stimulate the senses and thus the brain, triggering healing. Essential oils not only affect a person psychologically, but also physiologically. 

Essential oils have the power to calm, stimulate, help balance the hormones, improve digestion, energy levels, immunity and can even prevent and combat infection and kill bacteria. They have proven useful in healing muscle aches and pains and even flu. 

Essential oils belong to different families and have different uses based on the properties of their plants. By knowing the plant family to which the oil belongs, we can better understand its nature, properties and effects as the oil properties will follow the common properties representative of their plant family.

The families of essential oils are:

·       Burseraceae (Resin Family).

·       Compositae (Sunflower Family)

·       Pinaceae (Pine Family)

·       Gramineae or Poaceae (Grass Family)

·       Lamiaceae or Labiatae (Mint Family)

·       Lauraceae (Laurel Family)

Aromatherapy can be applied in many creative ways to heal others and yourself. You can use some of the oils in a bath, scrub, inhalation, on pillow or clothes and can even be applied on to the skin. The best way to enhance any treatment like a massage or reflexology is to add aromatherapy to it. 

In aromatherapy massage, essential oils are mixed with a carrier oil like sweet almond, apricot kernel or grapeseed oil. The combination and concentration of the oils depends on the requirement for the client and the properties of the oils. 

Some of the essential oils used regularly are Peppermint, Blood Orange, Lavender, Champaka, Rose, Chamomile, Geranium, Rosemary, Coffee, Apple, Bergamont, Frankincense, Myrrh, Eucalyptus, Jasmine, Sandalwood, etc.

Inspite of the amazing uses of essential oils, they can prove to be counter productive if used in the wrong way by an untrained therapist. It is very important to know the properties, nature and exact uses of essential oils before trying them out. So if you wish to add an essential oil or combination of oils to your treatment, make sure you know what you are doing. For your benefit, we will talk about the uses and individual properties of each oil in future posts.

Hope you will enjoy reading them. 

Happy Healing!

Article in 'Life Positive' September 2011 issue.

(Click on the pictures to enlarge and read.)