Chicory- An Excellent Health Aid

‘Chicory’ or Kasni in Hindi

Legend

This mystical plant is native to Europe and has a very interesting Greek legend attached to it.

It is said that a beautiful blue-eyed girl refused the amorous pursuit of the Sun God Apollo. Hence to avenge his rejection, Apollo turned the maiden into a blue flower that opens each morning to face the sun and slowly fades throughout the day.

About Chicory

It was well known among the Romans and eaten by them as a vegetable or in salads. In Belgium, the young and tender roots are boiled and eaten with butter.

On recognizing the versatile uses of this medicinal plant people have made it a part of their daily lives.

The leaves of this plant are a good source of potassium, calcium, zinc, vitamin A, K, E and B complex. 

Method

Always use the tender and newer leaves of this plant since they are less bitter as compared to the older ones. You can add them as a part of salad dressing or just simply boil them then strain and drink.

Its roots are dried and processed before using it as a coffee substitute

Medical Uses

• Stimulating
• Gall stones
• Digestive weakness
• Constipation
• Liver problems
• Hemorrhoids
• Varicose veins
• Blood cleaning
• Metabolism strengthening
• Diabetes
• Uterine strengthening
• Headaches
• Ulcers
• Hair loss
• Skin impurities
• Coffee substitute

Today it is readily available in shops and can be directly consumed.

Wonderful uses of baking Soda

Baking soda remains one of the world’s best kept secret!

There is absolutely no need to go about spending an absurd amount of money on buying beauty products when an effective and cost efficient product sits right on top your kitchen cupboard-Baking Soda

It is an excellent beauty aid for skin as well as hair. It also used internally to control indigestion and gas. Its deodorizing qualities are used to its hilt while cleaning Refrigerators, Microwave, kitchen sink and the like.

Following are some quick Beauty tips which might come handy to you:

1. Bath: Add some baking soda along with lemon and castor oil (you can also add olive/baby/coconut) oil  in your bath tub. It will relieve you from itchy skin caused specially during winters. If you soak urself in the bath for 10 -15 mins it will also act as a mild bleaching agent for your skin thus providing a touch lighter shade to it.

2. Foot Soak: For general maintenance of your feet or for callous and hard foot skin do the following remedy. Prepare a foot soak with a spoon of Baking soda in warm water. Soak your feet for 30 mins in it. Trust me your feet will thank you for this especially if you are suffering from nail infections in your feet. If you want you can also put a thick paste of Baking soda with water along with tea tree oil if available otherwise a water paste inside the infected nail. Let it be as long as you can before washing.

3. Face Scrub: Mix a pinch of baking soda with a your regular face wash and start rubbing it on your face. Then wash it and see the difference. It helps in removing dead skin cells, makeup and acts as a natural scrub.

4: Hair Care: Take some 1 teaspoon of baking soda with a cup of water prepare a mixture and start rubbing it on dry hair for about 4-5 mins. Now wash with shampoo and conditioner as usual. You can also directly use it directly with the shampoo.

This helps remove old build-up of hair products on the scalp due to long term use of shampoos, styling products and hair colors.

Do this at least once a week or twice a month and you will immediately fall in love with your thoroughly cleaned, shiny & bouncy hair.

5. Deodarent: Immediately after having your bath rub some baking soda on your underarms in clock wise and anti clock wise motion. This is will not only keep bad odour away from you but is an excellent remedy for blackness around under arms.

Some other uses of baking soda (BS) are as follows:

1. Relieve Canker sore pains by using baking soda with water as a gargle. It can also be used as a mouth freshner and is an excellent replacement for toothpaste. A mixture of BS with salt can be used to rub on your teeth for effective cleaning and removing stains from them.

2. Use it in the toilet to flush out the stains and keep out the odour.

3. Sprinkle a little BS on gas stove to remove stains and unblock the clogged gas stove.

4. As an antacid for an upset stomach.

5. It can be effectively used to remove stains from cloth, remove rust from metals, clean mirrors and keep fridge sweet smelling.

Herbal Beauty Tips-Straight from the Kitchen!

Every woman craves to have flawless, smooth and soft skin. But not everyone can afford to spend oodles of money on buying expensive cosmetics. Maybe some people can but are simply too lazy to go about cosmetic shopping.

In such cases kitchen comes most handy in fixing some of the expected skin and hair related issues. So take a quick leap to your kitchen to pick, mix and apply !

Apply a mixture of castor oil mixed with lemon juice and honey. Keep it for 10-15 minutes then wash off with a mild face wash.

Apply a mixture of Almond Oil (5-7 drops), honey and milk cream as a face pack after thoroughly cleansing your face.

For extremely damaged to aged skin- Take any good cocoa butter cream, add jojoba oil (6-8 drops) as well as almond oil (6-8 drops). For fragrance you can also add a little sandalwood oil. Use this as an overnight cream. Every night before retiring to bed, cleanse your face, dab some rose water let it dry then apply this cream and massage lightly for a minute.

Homemade butter is one of the best options to fight dryness not only for face but for your entire body. Take few scoops of it, add olive oil and few drops of lemon in it. Now massage this mixture all over the body. Let it stay for half an hour then have a regular bath. Do this atleast twice a week during winters.

Always keep some coconut oil handy in case there is nothing else just apply it directly or add 3-4 spoons of it the bath water.

Honey is one of the best moisturizers. Take 2 teaspoons of honey, mix 2 tea spoons of milk powder, add few drops of lemon juice and pour some rose water to make a thick paste. Apply this face pack every day for glowing and clear skin.

Sugar granules, olive oil and lemon juice make a great body scrub. Massage this slowly before bath for 10 minutes then apply a pack of chickpea (besan)powder, milk and turmeric and keep it for 10 minutes. Now wash off and feel the soft renewed skin beneath. Do not step out of the house with applying a good sunscreen after this procedure. Apply sunscreen atleast half an hour before going out in the sun.

Winter Care Tips

The season of the cold creams and hot soups is on full swing, making us lethargic like never before. Getting out of bed seems like a big task making looking good and  maintaining your beauty routine something like a mission impossible.

But then there is a price for everything in life….same applies to having a great skin and hair!

Here are few tips which will make sure that you have a sooth sailing winter:

1.Diet

Eat lots of protein rich foods like Paneer, Chicken, Eggs, Soyabean, nuts and other dairy products. Have lots of hot soups to boost your immune system to fight against the cold weather. Also take Cod liver oil supplements.

2.Water

Even though you might not feel the need to have it still force yourself to have atleast 8-10 glasses of water daily. It rinses out your system well.

3.Oil Bath

Massage oil over entire body and let it stay for as long as possible- minimum 30 minutes then have a bath with luke warm water. Do this atleast once a week.

Also, you can pour some oil in bath water and use it directly for bathing.

4.Moisturize

Never step out without a moisturizer. Also, invest in a good over night cream and apply it after cleansing thoroughly.

5.Exfoliate

Use a mixture of oil with sugar crystals to exfoliate. Rub this mixture onto your body before bath for 5-10 mins then carry on with your normal bath routine.

6.Exercise

Constantly staying cuddled up inside the quilt will do no good for your blood circulation. Doing atleast half an hour of aerobics everyday will not only support your muscles but bring that much desired pinkish glow to your face.

7.Winter Beauty Packs

a. For Glow and Anti-Dryness

Take Milk cream, add honey, almond oil and few drops of lime juice.

Mix this paste thoroughly and apply on entire face and neck. Keep it for 15 mins and wash off using luke warm water.

b.For Anti-Dryness and Tan Removal

Take some boiled milk

Add a little lime Juice in it

Let it set for another half an hour

Now mix a little glycerine in it

You can apply this mixture either on your face or all over the body and let it absorb for 30 mins.

Rinse off with Luke warm water.

8.Cold

Winter’s biggest curse are the cruel wave of cold and cough that catch us unawares. They are a true bummer to the otherwise excellent weather.

Make sure to eat lots of Vitamin C found in- Indian Gooseberries , oranges and lemon to help fight against the cold.

9.For Hair

First of all do not wash your hair very frequently during winters. Take regular hair spa treatment available in any of the good beauty parlour in your area. For home care follow as given below

Apply warm olive oil and massage for 15 mins. Keep it overnight and wash off in the morning.

Apply a mixture of eggs with curd and lemon juice as hair pack during winters

10.Lips

Make sure that you exfoliate your lips atleast once a week. Take a soft tooth brush, dip it in warm water and without using toothpaste gently brush your lips. Follow this tip with a soothing and quality lip balm, you can also use vaseline. Besides, ensure that whatever lip gloss you use, it should have moisturizing features.

Make Your Own Cosmetics

Post Shaving Soothener

This soothener is recommended for women who face eruptions after shaving.

Ingredients:

OTC Aloe vera gel

Tea tree oil

Camomile Oil

Method:

Take 2-3 spoons of the aloe vera gel (increase the quantity for greater area coverage)

Add 4-5 drops of Tea Tree Oil and Camomile Oil each.

Mix them and it is ready to use.

Apply it immediately after shaving on slightly moist skin.

Rub it slightly till the skin absorbs it. Leave it on.