Managing Headache & Sinusitis With Ayurveda!

Ayurveda believes that overall health is the result of the balance between three elements in the body – vaata, pitta, and kapha. Common disease conditions such as headaches, cold and sinus infections can be easily managed by making slight lifestyle changes so that overall health is managed. Ayurveda believes in a holistic approach where a combination of yoga, diet and lifestyle changes are required to bring about the change.

Whatever is the reason for the headache, be it stress, vascular, tension, hunger or sleep induced, it can be treated by a combination of approaches. Ayurveda gives the following recommendations for headaches:

• Avoid going hungry for prolonged periods
• Avoid going out in extreme weathers (hot or cold) without adequate protection
• Eat whole grains, fruits and vegetables; avoid stale food
• Avoid working for very long hours without a break
• Sleep in a calm, quiet, and dark room
• Avoid using digital media at night
• A paste of sandalwood on the forehead provides relief
• Grind some pepper and rice to make a paste and apply it on the forehead

Ayurveda believes that a headache is a symptom, not a disease in itself. Therefore, treating the underlying symptoms will provide relief from the headache.

Sinusitis: Sinuses are air-filled spaces in the skull, and due to various reasons, these can become filled with mucus and get inflamed. People with cough and cold get sinusitis. It is also common in people who are exposed to dusty and cold weather. All these lead to irritation of the mucosa and blockage, causing headaches and congestion.

Management: Again, Ayurveda believes that sinusitis is a manifestation of an underlying problem and helps the body get rid of the blockage and the mucus. This is done via the following:
Include a lot of garlic and ginger in the diet

• Avoid stale, heated foods.
• Eat freshly cooked foods which are digestible and warm
• Do not drink cold water, drink it warm; even better if you can, add pepper
• Get adequate rest, and sleep on one side with a pillow under the head
• A mixture of turmeric, honey and ginger does wonders for the sinus
• Avoid oily foods, chocolates, cold drinks and ice creams.

Common cold: As the name itself suggests, this is a very common condition and is brought on by any weather change. Kapha, which balances the respiratory system is the main culprit here. Similar to sinusitis,

• Drink adequate water (preferably warm)
• Get adequate rest
• Include a lot of clove, ginger, garlic, turmeric, and tulsi
• Eat simple, easy to digest foods, soups, broth, cooked and mashed vegetables
• Avoid processed and oily foods