Dr. Amruta Varti

It is important for you to have a healthy and balanced body in order to perform your daily activities well. People often think health supplements are efficient alternatives to a healthy diet and regular physical exercise while most of the doctors and nutritionists believe that there is no need for any health supplement if you take in right quantity and quality of food and engage in regular exercise. While health supplements are not alternatives to a healthy lifestyle, they are somewhat necessary for everyday health in the hectic lifestyles of today.

Nowadays, stress (learn more about for Controlling Everyday STRESS) is a constant companion and the foods that we consume are often not of proper quality. You may think that you are taking foods full of nutrients but pesticides and chemicals used farming diminish the nutrient content from the crops. This creates a necessity for taking health supplements for the proper nourishment of body.People with certain medical conditions also need supplements. Supplements fill the gap in your diet.

Beneficial health supplements:

1. Pregnant women and breastfeeding (leanr more about the Benefits of Breastfeeding) women need iron supplements. Folic acid can be supplemented in your diet in order to reduce the chances of birth defects.
2. You can take in vitamin D supplements if they don't get enough sunlight every day. Adults, especially after the age of 40 need vitamin D and calcium supplements to maintain bone health.
3. Adults above the age of 40 are also advised to take vitamin B-12 supplements. 

Supplements have some side effects depending upon your health condition. If you take some supplements along with some other medicines or before surgeries, they can lead to serious complications. Research has concluded that some vitamin and minerals supplements particularly iron supplements, increase the risk of death. So it is necessary to have a proper examination of the body before you take health supplements. The risk factors include: 

1. Taking vitamin B6 regularly in excess of 100 mg may lead to damage of your nerves
2. Taking 400 international units of vitamin E on a regular basis increases the health risk and may even lead to premature death
3. Taking multivitamins does not supplement poor eating habits. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult the doctor.

Ajwain or carom seeds are the best thing to have ever happened to mankind, especially to those of us who suffer from digestive problems on a regular basis. They have a slew of benefits apart from just curing an upset stomach.

Let’s take you through the benefits of ajwain water or carom seeds boiled in water.

1. Acidity: Carom seeds are the best bulwark against acidity, especially when taken along with ginger powder and cumin seeds. For curing flatulence, carom seeds work best when they are soaked in lime juice, dried and then consumed with warm water daily. This works as a miracle against flatulence.
2. Asthma: Ajwain water cleans mucus from the body and provides relief from cold and cough. Apart from this, it also helps in treating bronchitis and asthma. The effects are even better if you take ajwain with jaggery twice a day. For best relief from cold, inhale the steam of carom seeds infused in hot water.
3. Irregular menses: Ajwain water is an excellent remedy for getting regular periods.
4. Liver and kidney malfunction: Ajwain water treats intestinal pains caused due to indigestion and also gets rid of liver and kidney malfunctions.
5. Weight loss: Ajwain water taken on an empty stomach every day helps dissolve body fat and helps to reduce weight. You can also consume 1tsp of carom seeds on an empty stomach every morning to reap its weight loss benefits.
6. Tooth pain: Ajwain seeds have been proven to cure tooth pain. Ajwain oil mixed with olive oil and water is an excellent panacea for tooth ache and bad mouth odour. This mixture also maintains oral hygiene.
7. Itching, boils, and eczema: Ajwain seeds ground into a paste with lukewarm water and applied on the affected parts of the body can get rid of boils and itching.
8. Arthritis: A massage with carom seeds oil on joints affected with arthritis is an excellent way to get rid of pain.
9. Trembles: Ajwain soaked in water in the night and consumed the next morning on a daily basis is useful in treating trembling and shaking of limbs.
10. Eye cleanser: Cold ajwain water can be used to wash itchy eyes for cleaning them.
11. Flu: Carom seeds boiled with cinnamon powder in water is one of the best natural remedies for flu.
12. Diarrhea: Ajwain water taken twice daily is an excellent cure for diarrhea.
13. Menstrual cramps: Carom seeds work as a nerve tonic and are used to relax nerves during menses, decreasing menstrual cramps. You can also apply carom seed oil on the lower abdomen to get relief.
14. Heart: Ajwain water can cure chest pains. You can add jaggery to get instant relief.
15. Lactation: Ajwain water is excellent for lactating women as it increases milk flow. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an ayurveda.