A Natural Remedy for Eye Irritation

Aloe Vera is a well known coolant in Ayurveda.

Its can cool any stressed and overheated body.

Due to “heat” the eyes can become red, itchy and swollen.

The pith of Aloe Vera are cut into small paces and placed over the eyelids. Lie down flat for 15 minutes. You can place a piece of linen on top if needed.

This will cool your body.

Also Indian gooseberry juice with few drops of honey two teaspoonfuls internally taken two times a day can bring down the “heat” drastically.

Disclaimer: All information provided in this blog is provided for historical and educational purposes only; statements contained here are reported in an effort to preserve traditional cultural lore and information. Nothing here should be construed as an attempt to diagnose, prescribe, or recommend treatment for any disease or condition. Please consult your physician for medical advice regarding any medical condition and do not use any of the historical information on this site without your physicians approval.

Some More Natural Remedies for Eye Irritation

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) called adhimadhuram in India, Myrobalan (Terminalia Chebula) called kadukkai in India, and pepper all three powdered and mixed with honey and taken along with hot water taken three times a day can cure most of the eye irritations.

Juice made of amaranth leaves (half a cup) taken raw early morning half an hour before breakfast for three days will cool the body resulting in clearing eye irritations.
The leaves of the amaranth plant taste much like spinach and are used in the same manner as spinach is used. They are best if consumed when the plant is young and tender.
Disclaimer: All information provided in this blog is provided for historical and educational purposes only; statements contained here are reported in an effort to preserve traditional cultural lore and information. Nothing here should be construed as an attempt to diagnose, prescribe, or recommend treatment for any disease or condition. Please consult your physician for medical advice regarding any medical condition and do not use any of the historical information on this site without your physician’s approval.

Siddha Remedies for Eye Problems

Eyes are sensitive enough to reflect changes that happen internally in our body.We are familiar with doctors checking the eyes for jaundice. Redness of the eyes in many cases is regarded as increase of “heat” in the body, according to Siddha practitioners. They would say the body has “heated up” and it has to be cooled down. To that end they use both external and internal preparations to regain the needed balance. The redness is cleared once this balance is established.

While some problems of the eye may be due to simple “heat” (“heat” in Siddha terms is when the body’s pH becomes acidic, this may be due to deprivation of sleep, stress etc) from a home remedy perspective, it is always advisable to seek the help of a qualified physician if problems persist for more than three days. Certain problems of the eye require a complete study of the individual to diagnose the exact cause.

Now for some simple remedies of the eye.

Neem flowers help improve eyesight. For this purpose dry neem flowers are used, preferably 6 months to one year old. These flowers are fried lightly using ghee and then taken internally in the form of thuvayal.

The extract of crushed jasmine flowers also help improve eyesight. Four drops of this juice is put in the eyes using a dropper. Regular application will help in clearing up the redness of the eye.

Following preparations are used to “cool” the body.

Arugampul (Bermuda grass) root is dried and powdered. This powder is then fried in ghee and taken internally.

Take a small amount of cumin seeds. Boil the seeds in water. Filter the seeds out.The boiled seeds are then taken internally with cow butter.

For irritation of the eye, kadukkai, gooseberry, neem seeds, coconut, and white pepper are taken in equal quantities and ground to a fine paste. This paste is applied on scalp 5 minutes before bathing. Use this paste once in two days until irritation ceases. This simple Siddha home remedy helps clear eye irritation.

Ayurvedic Home Remedies: For Jaundice and Liver Diseases

Kizhanelli and karisalanganni are two herbs that are used in Siddha and Ayurveda for treating fatty liver, jaundice and other liver diseases. The incidents of liver damage are on the increase and it would be beneficial to equip ourselves with the knowledge of these herbs for both preventing and treating a host of liver diseases.

Liver is located on the right upper side of abdomen. The normal weight of liver of an adult is around 3 pounds. It secretes bile into the intestine which is essential in digesting fat. Harmful chemicals that enter the body like alcohol and drugs are rendered harmless by liver. A healthy liver is needed for production of proteins like albumin.

The normal function of liver is disrupted due to viruses, alcohol, toxins in drugs etc.

Kizhanelli (Phyllanthus niruri) is a herb with very tiny round leaves. It grows in lush green areas and can be found in the banks of rivers, lakes and paddy fields. Apart from treating jaundice this herb is useful in curing anemia, skin problems, eyesight defects etc. Kizhanelli juice and ponnankanni juice are mixed in equal quantity of linseed oil and allowed to boil for five minutes. The oil is then allowed to cool. This oil is applied on head for healthy hair growth as well as eye problems.

Karisalankanni (Eclipta alba) is found to grow in river banks and paddy fields. Two litres of karisalankanni juice and linseed oil are mixed and allowed to boil. 40 gm athimathuram powder is added and then allowed to cool. This is a well known remedy for cough, phlegm in chest, disturbances of voice box etc. A spoonful of this oil is taken in the mornings and evenings. The oil can also be used for bathing purposes.

For treating jaundice and other liver problems, leaves of karisalankanni, kizhanelli and thumbai of equal quantity are ground to a fine paste. Around 15 gm of this paste is mixed in buttermilk and taken on empty stomach in the mornings and evenings. This not only cures jaundice but also restores the liver to its healthy normal level within a short period.

Ayurvedic Home Remedies: Medicinal Uses of Oils

Oil massage once a week helps in relieving body pain, joint pains etc. Just a couple of decades back people in Tamil Nadu used to religiously follow this regimen to keep themselves free of joint pains and body pains. Now with the hectic lifestyle people are not able to set aside the time needed for a relaxing weekly oil massage. It has reached a stage where application of oil to the body or hair is viewed as a hassle and conveniently bypassed.
Oil prepared with herbs like nocchi, basil, cumin seeds, vadha narayana keerai, kuppaimeni etc is very effective in relieving body pain. Regular massage with this medicated oil strengthens the muscles and removes stagnant toxins. Kuppaimeni is a well known herb for its action on skin conditions like eczema, blackheads etc. For relief form body pain and joint pain, massage this oil on the affected area and then follow it with warm water fomentation.

Medicinal Benefits of Castor Oil

Castor oil is used for lighting up temple lamps in Tamil Nadu. It is also used as a medicine. Castor oil is given to pregnant women and children for easy elimination and to avoid constipation. There is a saying in Tamil which stresses the importance of oil. 'Vaithiyanukku koduppathai vaaniyanukku kodu'. If you spend money on oils, you can save money treating diseases and ailments. This stresses the role of oil in preventing various ailments.Ayurvedic texts stress the importance of ‘Virechana’ a bowel cleansing process once in six months. Castor oil is used a purgative for this purpose. Castor oil is also used in treating stomach pain, abdomen pain, body heat etc. Castor oil is applied liberally in the naval area around the belly button for this purpose. This is said to bring down the body heat as well as relieve stomach pain etc.
In case of inflammation of the eye due to body heat, redness etc, castor oil is mixed with mother's milk and instilled into the eyes. This rapidly cures the redness of eyes. Castor oil is also used in treating dysentery due to 'body heat'. 'Sweet flag' is burnt in castor oil lamp and the ash obtained in mixed in honey and given to the person suffering from dysentery.
Constipation is considered to be the root cause of most of the diseases that afflict modern man. Fast food is one of the prime cause for constipation. Constipation leads to formation of hemorrhoids or piles.
Castor oil is used extensively in treating constipation. It expels accumulation of gas in stomach. It drives out intestinal worms and pacifies vata. It relieves mental tension and cools the body and mind.
My next entry will detail more on medicinal uses of castor oil.