Home remedies for digestive problems

Heartburn is felt right from the chest to the throat area. One of the main reasons for heartburn is acid reflux, a condition cause by stomach acids irritating the oesophagus.

Tips to prevent heartburn
Try to eat small portions of food through the day. Regardless of the type of the food, overeating tends to lead to heartburn. Also, chew your food well. Wolfing each bite down only hampers digestion.

Adopt healthier methods of cooking. Baking, grilling and stir frying are healthier cooking methods. Deep frying and shallow frying your food tends to cause discomfort.

If heartburn is a common problem for you, avoid extremely spicy, citrusy and vinegary foods. If you must eat them, accompany them with a decent amount of acidic foods such as meat and vegetables.

Binge drinking is a common reason behind bloating and heartburn-related problems. Limit your intake of alcohol and re-hydrate often when you do drink.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a disorder in which one might suffer from extreme abdominal pain and cramps. In severe cases, one may also suffer from constipation or diarrhoea.

Ways to get rid of terrible sore throat

Warm saline gargle- Gargling with a pinch of salt in a glass of luke warm water 3-4 times daily helps increase the blood flow to the pharyngeal region, thereby washing away the infection and also reducing the edema associated with the infection. It also loosens the mucus, which can be expelled easily.

Drink plenty of warm liquids - Tea, lemon tea, ginger-lemon tea, soups, cinnamon tea, warm orange juice with lemon drops, honey + lemon juice + crushed ginger in warm water etc. These are common home remedies that are very helpful in relieving a sore throat.

Soft diet - Steamed /microwaved apple, mashed with honey acts as a throat soothener and it is easy to swallow without hurting the throat.

Steam inhalation - With a steamer / hot shower.

Throat sootheners - Cough lozenges, menthol / eucalyptus oil lozenges, honey + lemon. These help by soothing the throat and menthol also causes temporary numbness to the ailing throat. They also increase saliva secretion, thereby preventing dryness of the throat.

Local heat - Apply a heating pad to the throat region or wrap your neck with hot air dried warm cloth / towel. This will provide relief to the ailing throat.

genius home remedies you must know!

Menstrual pain: Mix the juice of 2-3 lemons in cold water and have it every day for relief.

Chronic headache: Peel and chop apple. Dash some salt and have it the first thing in the morning.

Flatulence: Mix about 1/4th spoon of baking soda in water and drink for relief.

Sore throat: Boil 2-3 basil leaves in water and let it boil on low flame till the juice of the leaf is extracted. You can use the liquid for gargle.

Mouth ulcers: Ripe banana with honey offer instant relief. This can be turned into a paste and applied on affected areas.

Sinus congestion: Mix organic apple cider vinegar with a pinch of cayenne pepper powder in less than half a cup of hot water. Have it while it is warm atleast twice a day.

things no one tells women about weight loss!

1) The path to a slimmer you is not a straight line
Even if you do everything right and stay on track, weight loss is not linear, which means you will lose weight, gain some weight back, and this may happen several times until you reach your goal. Your weight will fluctuate within the same month because during their cycle, women retain water. Research says that serotonin levels are lower before menstruation, which means women are more prone to overeating and food cravings. Your weight will also fluctuate over time because via hormones and other mechanisms, our body protects us against weight loss more than it protects us against weight gain. This is why you will usually hit weight loss plateaus and feel as if you are no longer making progress.

2) You may face defeating setbacks during your weight loss journey
Weight loss is not as simple as eating less and exercising more. You may experience some emotionally and psychologically defeating blows. Every time this happens, know that you are not broken and don't have to feel bad about yourself. Don't feel guilty about gaining a few pounds back or reaching out to food when life gets rough.

3) You will need to have compassion for yourself, instead of criticism and guilt
Women who want to lose weight often put themselves through a lot of psychological abuse. They can be hard on themselves, with a lot of criticism and negative self-talk. This can lead to over-restrictive dieting, then self-punishment when they realise their unrealistic diet is not sustainable over the long term. Many women also feel guilty about almost everything they eat, about not having more willpower, not making progress, reaching for sweet foods when life is hard, or 'being fat.' It is helpful to have more compassion towards yourself. You need to come from a place of self-love and self-acceptance if you really want to be successful. And research has shown that self-compassion increases one's motivation to improve and avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Fed up of being told that it's impossible to get rid of thunder thighs or a wobbly belly?

Pot belly
Why it happens?
Stored fat around the belly suggests a problem with the adrenal glands, which produce the stress hormone cortisol. This is usually down to long-term pressure and the resulting high levels of cortisol, which trigger the over production of insulin and encourage the body to deposit fat in the area around the stomach.

Tackle it
The key is to relax — anything that makes you unwind will help reduce your stress levels.

Diet
The main culprit is too much sugar — especially in alcohol and white carbs (bread, pasta). To balance your glucose levels, eat foods with a low glycaemic index — vegetables, beans, fish and meat. Cut out white carbs, sugar, alcohol and coffee.

Exercise
Working out eases stress, but try to supplement your regime with something calming like yoga, too.

Bra fat bulge
Why it happens?
Those fat pockets at the back that can make your bra feel tight are often linked to a sluggish thyroid. This gland produces the hormone thyroxine, which controls the rate you burn calories at. If it's underactive, it can cause back fat, weight gain, lack of energy and a low mood.

The Scoop on Weight Loss

We’re all for healthy living, but we’ll go right ahead and admit that, unless you’re predisposed to that sort of thing (jealous!), it can be hard to switch gears from your regular ways into full-on healthy mode. Weight loss plans especially can be difficult—we’ve all wanted to lose five pounds from time to time, but crazy crash dieting and food restrictions almost always end in disaster (and weight gain). When it comes to weight loss plans you can actually follow, they’re few and far between, so rather than subscribe to a ridiculous standard, give these simple tips a try instead. A small lifestyle change alone can mean the difference between going up a pants size or fitting into your skinny jeans.

Eat one 6 oz. serving of meat, like chicken, turkey, or fish per day.
If you’re a vegetarian, opt for 6 oz. of your usual non-animal protein instead, preferably something that’s soy-based (it’s a healthy fat!). Protein boosts energy and helps you stay satisfied, but doesn’t turn into sugar, like carbs will.

skincare mistakes women make

Picking the wrong sunscreen, using harsh soaps and changing dermatology products frequently are some of the common mistakes women commit when it comes to caring for their skin. Avoid them to attain a healthy skin, says an expert.

* Inappropriate selection of a sunscreen: Sun exposure is one of the main reasons for visible signs of ageing. A two percent increase in skin damage can age a face by three years. Choose a sunscreen with good UVA protection and a SPF of 30.

* Ignoring sunscreen in winter or monsoon or in cars: UVA light is not filtered by the window glass of your car (except the tinted glass). Also 50 percent of the exposure to UVA occurs even in the shade. So make sunscreen your best friend and make sure to wear it all round the year, even while working indoors.

* Using harsh soaps: Use of harsh soaps on the skin can make it dry. Soap-free products are ideal for sensitive skin as they tend to be less harsh and drying.

* Inadequate sleep: Lack of sleep can cause your body to release the stress hormone leading to lusterless skin, fine lines and under eye dark circles. Take adequate sleep and follow a regular sleeping cycle for a healthy and glowing skin.

* Insufficient water intake: Your skin is made up of cells which in turn are made up of water. Inadequate water intake makes the skin dry and flaky. Dry skin has less pliability and is more prone to wrinkling.

Natural ways to make your hair grow faster

Trim your hair every month: The ideal way to ensure that your hair grows faster is by trimming your hair every four to eight weeks. Since your hair grows from the roots, by the time it grows out, the end of your gets split ends because of which your hair gets damaged and rough. Trimming your hair will ensure that your hair breathes oxygen and is healthy and grows long.

Hot oil massage: A hot oil massage if done every alternate week works wonders for your hair. Not only do they ensure that your hair grows faster, but it also makes your hair healthy and reduces hair fall. Oils like jojoba oil, olive oil, coconut oil and lavender oil brings shine and volume to your hair.

Vitamin and proteins for your hair: Just a massage of vitamin E or the application of egg yolk on your hair will bring volume and make your hair healthy. They are also known to heal damaged hair and makes your hair stronger from the roots.

Brush your hair at least 50 times before bedtime: Make sure that you are combing your hair for at least 50 times before you retire for the night. Brushing the hair makes your roots stronger and also reduces hair fall manifold.

Make lemons your beauty must-have

- Have a lot of blackheads, which refuse to disappear just by using beauty products? Lemon juice is an effective way to prevent and remove blackheads. Use a cotton soaked lightly with a few drops of lemon juice and gently apply on your face every alternate day.

- Skin feeling flaky or dry? Instead of using your normal moisturiser, head to the kitchen and make a paste out of honey and lemon juice and apply it all over your face, hands and legs. Add a few drops of water if the paste is too thick.

- Another very effective moisturising combination is lemon mixed with fresh coconut water. Use it as a face wash every morning and see how fresh your skin feels.

- Get rid of those unsightly dark patches on you knees, elbows and toes by rubbing a fresh lemon on them.

- Fix yellow and brittle nails by mixing lemon juice with a few drops of castor or almond oil. Let the slick mixture sit on your nails for about 20 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water.

- Suffering from dandruff and a dry, itchy and flaky scalp? Apply lemon juice on the scalp and see how it gets rid of flakes. Do this about thrice a week for best results.

- You could also use lemon juice to exfoliate your lips. Mix it with some sugar and rub your lips with it.

Ways to Boost Your Metabolism Without Exercise

Drink two glasses of ice water as soon as you wake up.
The water itself jump-starts your body from sleep mode into awake mode, while the coolness of the water starts shunting water from the internal organs to the peripheral muscles. “That gets your blood pumping and flowing, which boosts your metabolism one to two percent,” 

Eat spicy foods.
Hot peppers have been linked to reducing obesity and related disorders because they increase energy expenditure and fat oxidation by increasing the metabolism. Cayenne pepper, for example, improves digestion, blood circulation, and increases energy levels. “This precious pepper creates heat in the digestive tract that helps your body store food more effectively, improving digestion and aiding in feelings of satisfaction . “Cayenne pepper also contains high amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A, and essential minerals.” Add cayenne pepper to your salads, soups, and meals for a zesty kick and huge health benefits.