Dr. Rama Shastri

Modern lifestyle generally motivates you to be conscious of your health and external obstacles to attain a fit body. But like many other problems that are not quite evident, lack of sex in your relationship may look like a trivial matter in the beginning, but can become a bigger emotional and psychological problem for you and your partner. Here are several ways in which lack of sex can lead to trouble in your relationship, and in the long run affect your mental and psychological health.

1. Resentment as a primary factor: It has been widely accepted that resentment towards your partner is one of the primary reasons for the lack of sex in your relationship. However, you cannot ignore the fact that in most cases, lack of sex, which is not due to resentment, leads to resentment and misunderstandings, making it a serious issue. This will indeed induce great stress in you, affecting the way you treat your partner even outside the bedroom.
2. Harm caused by resultant depression: Lack of sex in a relationship often goes a long way in widening the emotional gap between you and your partner. It results into simmering resentment or quarrels. The feeling of rejection has been known to induce severe clinical depression, which can seriously affect the relationship.
3. Stress which you can't cope with: Doctors all over the world agree that sex is a great stress buster. The release of chemicals like endorphin or oxytocin inside the body induces relief and a feel-good mood, which reduces anxiety of daily life goals. When you stop having sex, the stress increases, which at some point of time or the other will lead to misunderstandings and problems in the relationship and emotional strain.

Overall, lack of sex leads to insecurity in the relationship and builds up mistrust, which in turn affects your and your partner's personal health. So, sitting down and discussing how to address this issue might be a good idea if you notice the lack of passion in your relationship.

A healthy intimate life is very important for a person’s physical and emotional health. Sexual issues are very common, though they are not frankly discussed, given the cultural inhibitions that we are brought up with. Both men and women have specific issues, and it is often due to a combination of physical and psychological factors.

Some of the common physical factors that affect sex include normal aging, hormonal imbalances, chronic disease conditions like diabetes and heart disease, menopause, low libido, painful sex, smoking, alcohol abuse, etc. All these affect a person’s desire for sex, ability to perform, or a combination of both.

Psychological factors that affect sexual life include performance anxiety, work-related stress, strains in relationship, family issues, financial issues, past sexual relationships, history of abuse, etc.

Sexual issues manifest slightly differently in men and women. Reduced sexual desire, painful intercourse, lack of orgasms, and inability to be aroused are commonly seen in women. On the other hand, men suffer from erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, low sperm count, reduced libido, etc.

One of the first step towards resolving sexual issues is to acknowledge that there is a problem and come to terms with it. In more than 50% of the cases, coming to terms with it and having a frank conversation with the partner can help solve the issue completely. Both the partners become comfortable discussing about it and make an attempt to find ways to address it. In some cases, involving a counselor also helps.

Ayurveda believes that the following ingredients have a strong role to play in resolving sexual issues in both men and women.

1. Shilajit: Known for its potency inducing properties, it is believed to renew vitality and increase the core energy essential for sexual power.
2. Safed musli: It is very useful as a reproductive tonic to rejuvenate and improve impotency, premature ejaculation, and low sperm count in men. It is known to enhance libido and cure involuntary ejaculations. It can be used by mixing it with honey, sugar, ghee, and long pepper.
3. Ashwagandha: This is another wonder medicine with multiple uses. The roots are powdered and widely used in treating female sterility. It can also be mixed in milk and used, starting from 5 to 6 nights after menstruation.
4. Drumstick: Flowers of this plant can be boiled in milk and used as a sexual tonic in both males and females. The bark can also be powdered and used in impotency and premature ejaculation.
5. Garlic: A remarkable home remedy, it is a proven aphrodisiac, where it restores sexual power.
6. Ginger: Another valuable aphrodisiac, ginger juice can be mixed with honey and egg and consumed daily for a month. It helps cure impotency, premature ejaculation, and improves sperm quality.

Hair are an indispensable part of one’s aura and personality. To have thick and voluminous hair adds so much to one’s beauty. It defines one’s image and confidence. Baldness, losing and thinning of hair is of great concern for both men and women. In a stressful and competitive world like ours, people start losing hair at very young age. This is often attributed to our lifestyle, environmental pollution, inadequate sleep, excessive smoking and drinking. Losing hair is depressing as it is a sign of ageing. The cosmetic market today is flooded with products; be it hair fall control shampoos, serums, conditioners or hair masks. Many Ayurvedic remedies are also available for users to try.

However, the truth is nothing offers a tangible permanent solution than a surgery. However, Surgery comes with a host of side effects and is neither advisable nor affordable. Thus, the question is; whether there is any hope for people who want to regain their hair? Well, Aesthetic Medicine is undertaking lots of research on a possible cure for this condition. Recent Research suggests that adult stem cells have the ability to produce different stem cells, thus cells from hair follicles can be utilised to stimulate hair growth. One such research at the University of Pennsylvania, January 2014 described a method to convert adult cells into epithelial stem cells, responsible for hair growth. Many such studies on adult stem cells are underway.

Stem cells are tiny microscopic cells responsible for repair and regeneration of aged and damaged tissues. By now, everyone knows the amazing benefits of stem cells from umbilical cord, thanks to the Stem Cell Banking concept. The good news is that ongoing research on Stem Cells as a non-surgical way to treat baldness now offers a ray of hope for people suffering from hair loss issues.

Stem Cell treatment helps regeneration of damaged hair follicles thus, promoting hair growth. The procedure is simple and painless. It has minimal side effects and requires no hospitalisation. The live hair follicles from the patient’s hair are used to harvest stem cells. The processed stem cells are then carefully and slowly injected into balding areas with the help of very fine needles. Local anaesthesia is used to avoid any pain or discomfort.

Results in the form of visible hair growth, as well as improvement in density and thickness, are visible within a month. Stem Cell treatment is undoubtedly one of the advanced treatments for hair loss available today. Many clinics/ hospitals are now beginning to offer stem cell therapy for hair loss treatment. However, if hair loss is your concern, It is best to consult an expert, ask a free question and get your scalp examined and be assured of the usefulness of this therapy for yourself before deciding to go for the treatment.

Some of the most interesting health benefits of linden include its ability to improve the immune system, prevent certain forms of cancer, calm and detoxify the body, eliminate anxiety, lower inflammation, and lower blood pressure.

What is linden?

Tilia is the name of the genus that contains varieties of trees named linden, whose flowers, leaves, and extracts have been used for medicinal and decorative purposes for many years. The tilia genus members are often also called lime or basswood, and the different types of linden have slightly different components and effects. Tilia cordata is the strongest type of tree, in terms of its medicinal effects, and is commonly known as little-leaf linden. This wide variety can be found throughout europe and into western asia and is 60-80 feet in height. Linden flowers are the most commonly used part of these trees, primarily because of the potency of linden flower tea, which is known to be very powerful as a treatment for a wide variety of conditions.

The flowers are yellow and once they are dried, they can be brewed as a delicious and potent tea, which is growing in popularity around the world as more research is being done. The health benefits of linden and linden tea are largely due to the high concentrationof phytonutrients, flavonoids, and other diaphoretic substances. This unique mix of organic compounds has resulted in one of the most trusted and reliable herbal tea varieties on the market.

Health benefits of linden

Let’s take a slightly closer look at the many health benefits of linden.

1. Relieves anxiety

One of the most frequent uses for linden tea is as an anxiety aid, as its soothing properties have been known to reduce mental stress and anxiety. If you suffer from mood swings or unexplained chronic stress, a cup of linden tea can be a very wise addition to your health regimen. It has a minor effect on your hormone levels, inducing a state of relaxation for the body and mind.

2. Prevents chronic diseases

As with so many herbal remedies, the antioxidant content of linden is one of the best qualities this plant has. Antioxidant compounds like quercetin and kaempferol both act as free radical scavengers, eliminating these harmful byproducts of cellular respiration from your system and improving your overall health by preventing chronic disease. These are particularly effective for protecting the skin against signs of aging and exposure to the sun as you age.

3. Detoxifies the body

P-coumaric acid is another very beneficial organic compounds found in linden that can be accessed in linden tea. This is known as a diaphoretic, which means that it induces sweating, which is a very effective way of releasing toxins from the body, along with excess salts, fat, water, and foreign substances. This quality also makes linden valuable for people suffering from fevers, as inducing sweating can help lower a fever faster and prevent permanent damage to organ systems.

4. Reduces cold and flu

In addition to stimulating sweating to break a fever, linden also contributes to other symptoms of cold and flu, such as inflamed or swollen membranes throughout the mouth and respiratory tracts. This can help to reduce coughing and irritation, which is why linden is often relied on, to soothe sore throats and calm coughing. Linden tea can also help to eliminate congestion, making it a true triple-threat to colds, and represents a major immune system booster.

5. Removes inflammation

For those who suffer from tension headaches and other inflammatory conditions, including arthritis and gout, linden tea can help eliminate those painful symptoms. Just as it reduces the inflammation in the respiratory tracts, it also helps to lower blood pressure and remove inflammation in the blood vessels, thereby preventing the small capillary back-ups that so commonly lead to headaches, as well as the swollen tissue of arthritis sufferers.

6. prevents cancer

With its impressive arsenal of antioxidants, linden is a definite contender for preventing and treating various forms of cancer. Those antioxidant compounds, like quercetin and coumarin, prevent free radicals from causing apoptosis or mutation in healthy cells, which often lead to cancer.

7. Improves digestion

If you’re suffering from an upset stomach, bloating, constipation, or cramping, sip on a cup of linden tea and settle your stomach in no time. The blend of compounds and chemicals found in linden can reduce gastrointestinal discomfort and stimulate the proper digestion and excretion of food.

8. A final word of warning

There are some people who are allergic to these flowers, so speak to your doctor before adding linden tea to your favorite beverages list. Also, there is a maximum dosage, so avoid drinking more than 3 cups per day. Furthermore, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it usually isn’t a good idea to drink linden tea, or if you have heart disease, as this flower can negatively interact with certain medicines.