Dr. Nirupam Hira

One of the most common complaints of men and women is that of a back ache with lower back aches being the most common. Apart from an improper posture, this may be caused by old age, lifting heavy weights or an injury to the back. A consistent back ache can affect your daily life and make performing regular tasks uncomfortable. Luckily, it can be managed quite well with simple ayurvedic remedies.
According to Ayurveda, backaches are triggered by an excess of Vata dosha. Thus, the Ayurvedic remedies for a back ache aim at reducing the Vata dosha. Ayurvedic remedies are natural and have negligible side effects.

For this reason, they can be prescribed to both children and adults. Some such remedies are:

1. Cut down on spices: One of the main characteristics of the Vata dosha is dryness. This can be caused by pungent spices such as wasabi and green or red chillies. The internal dryness caused by these spices can lead to constipation which in turn can be one of the causes of low back aches. Hence, if you suffer from a chronic backache that may or may not be accompanied by constipation, cut back on the spices and try eating food that is slightly blander.
2. Eat food before it gets cold: Eating cold food or cold drinks can also increase the Vata dosha levels in our body. Coldness creates congestion and constricts the internal organs while warm food allows the digestive and stool carrying channels to stay open. This allows for the easy expulsion of waste and reduces toxins in the body. Hence, opt for warm drinks like tea or coffee instead of soft drinks and juices and try to eat your food while it is hot.
3. Padahastasana or the standing forward fold pose: This yoga asana is very effective when it comes to treating back pain as it allows the Vata dosha to flow easily through the body. In doing this it opens up the digestive channels that may have been causing constipation and back pain. It also relieves problems associated with sciatica. To practise this asana begin by standing upright with your feet beside each other. While inhaling, lift your arms over your head till they touch your ears. Bend forward from your hips while exhaling and try to keep the back and your legs straight. Touch the floor or wrap your hands around your calves. Bring your head as close to the knees as possible and hold for 5 – 10 seconds. Inhale and the slowly roll your body upright again. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an ayurveda and ask a free question.

It might seem difficult to overcome feelings of it but there are in fact various ways you can deal with it. It is often observed that an individual feels ashamed or guilty about their urges. 

In most cases, sexual repression stems from certain social and cultural norms. It affects both the sexes and generally sets off from an early age. Following are the ways to overcome sexual repression:

1. Teach yourself various sexual values - Whenever thoughts of sexual repression cloud your mind and lowers your sexual urges, try getting rid of these thoughts gradually. Replace your depressing thoughts with thoughts about sex being a natural activity. Teach yourself to look at sex differently and stop trying to convince yourself otherwise.

2. Avoid taking negative opinions regarding sex from other people - You might long for a company when you are miserable and sexually repressed. Talking to people who are sexually repressed themselves will do little good as they might impose their own feeling on you. It's best not to take their advice or argue with them. Instead, you can form your own sexual values and strengthen them over time.

3. Be more vocal about sex - This conversation is not the one where you make sexual jokes or is otherwise completely irrelevant and of little use. Pour it and try conveying your feelings to people who are close and empathetic towards you. Interact with your partner and ask about their opinion on sexual repression and healthy sexual ideas.

4. Expose yourself to the sexual values of different culture - According to studies, Holland and Austria are among the most sexually liberal countries. Italy is also considered moderately liberal about its sexual values. You can try knowing about the various countries like Japan which is among the sexually repressed nations. Learning about various ways and forms of sexual repression will broaden our outlook and make you look at sex differently altogether. In a way, it can help you deal with your own sexual repression.

Related Tip: What If You Have Unprotected Sex??

Ayurveda believes health is managed by 3 components i.e. pitta, vata and kapha dosha. The type of skin that a person has also depends on which of these is predominant. Accordingly, in people where pitta is dominant, it is warm to the touch and more prone to breakouts, moles and freckles. In people where vata is dominant, the skin is thin and remains cool, gets dehydrated easily and is easily affected by dry weather. In people with kapha dominance, the skin is thick and greasy and is more tolerant to sun exposure.

Allergy is when the body responds adversely to a component which might have reached the system either through air, food or contact. Various substances cause allergies and with most allergies, skin rashes are common, can be of mainly 4 types:

1. Contact dermatitis: When the skin comes in touch with an allergy-causing agent, the skin breaks out into a rash. The inducing agent could be rubber, chemicals, metals, pets, etc.
2. Bites and stings: When insects such as bees or other insects sting or bite, the surrounding area develops a rash.
3. Warm weather: When the weather is too warm, there is prickly heat effect, which produces a rash.
4. Food induced: When certain food items like peanuts or eggs are consumed, some people develop a skin rash.

Whatever the reason, the mode of management would be to try to achieve a balance between the three components.

1. Poppy seeds: A paste of poppy seeds powder mixed with lemon juice and water can help get rid of rashes.
2. Buttermilk and baking soda: Use a cotton swab to apply a mixture of buttermilk and baking soda on the affected skin area and see the rashes disappear. The soothing effect and relief will be felt immediately.
3. Basil leaves, garlic and olive oil: Crush some basil leaves and add some garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil to form a smooth paste. Apply over the skin rash for 1 to 2 days until the rashes disappear.
4. Oatmeal bath: Adding a cup of uncooked oatmeal into the bath water and using this water for a bath after 5 minutes is a great way to get rid of rashes and their redness and itching.
5. Essential oils: Almond oil, chamomile oil, and tea tree oil can be mixed in equal proportions to get relief from rashes of almost all causes.
6. Cold tea bags: Using cold tea bags on the skin helps relief of the rashes through tannin contained in the tea, which has great healing properties.

Just as skin rash is very common, so is the treatment. These substances are readily available in the kitchen and so treating a skin rash is very easy. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a ayurveda.