August 23, 2007

Cough Remedies – 9 Useful Home Remedies for Cough

Author: Dr James Sameul
Read this Article to know the most of the Home Remedies for Cough which are especially recommended by most of the users. First we will discuss about Cough and its causes

Cough is an important reflex action, which the body undertakes to get rid of substances that are irritating the air passages. A cough is usually initiated to clear a buildup of phlegm in the trachea, by forceful expulsion of air at high speed away from the body. You can choose to cough (a voluntary process), or our body may cough on its own (an involuntary process).

Cough can be of 2 types - acute and chronic. An acute cough is one that begins suddenly and is present for less than 3 weeks. They can be infectious (common cold, sinus, pneumonia), or non-infectious (asthma, bronchitis). Chronic coughs are present for more than 3 weeks. .

Some common causes of cough –

The cause of a cough is usually based on where it is originating from. However, the most common triggers of a cough include -

1) Allergies or asthma, chronic bronchitis

2) Common upper respiratory tract infections, resulting from the secretions of the nose and sinuses draining into the throat, such as in cases of sinus infections, chronic postnasal drip, diseases of the external ear, infections of the throat

3) Exposure to environmental pollutants such as cigarette smoke, dust, pollen, pet dander, industrial chemicals.

4) Smoking as well as exposure to second hand smoke.

5) Side-effects of certain medications

6) Chronic fluid build-up in the lungs.

7) Blockage of the airway due to an inhaled object such as food.

8) Gastroesophageal reflux is also a very common cause of cough. This occurs when acid from the stomach travels up the esophagus, resulting in the reflex production of a cough. This is often associated with a sensation of heartburn; and worsens during the day or when one lies flat on the back.

Symptoms of cough –

The symptoms of a chronic cough can be hard to assess, because many causes of chronic cough have overlapping signs and symptoms. Infact, a cough is an annoying symptom that can have many causes.

However, some common cough symptoms include –

1) Shortness of breath, as well as coughing up pink, frothy mucus – maybe the cause is fluid retention in lungs

2) Cough produces clear pale yellow mucus – due to viral infection, such as cold

3) Cough produces yellow or greenish mucus – cause may be chronic bronchitis or pneumonia.

4) If cough is associated with wheezing and shortness of breath – reason could be asthma.

5) Fever, chills and night sweats along with chest pain when you cough – the cause may be tuberculosis

6) If lung cancer or a cancer of the air passages is present, one may cough up blood. Other symptoms that may point towards a cancer include increasing fatigue, loss of appetite, unexplained loss of weight, or decreased ability to swallow solid or liquid foods.

Treatment –

Coughs can be treated with cough medications. Dry coughs are treated with cough suppressants that reduce the urge to cough, while productive coughs (coughs that produce phlegm) are treated with expectorants that loosen mucus from the respiratory tract.

Antihistamines and decongestants are a good choice for treating coughs associated with post nasal drip.
If some underlying disease is causing the cough, treatment should first be based on treating the underlying disease.

A recent study indicates that, because of the presence of theobromine in chocolate, a bar of dark chocolate may be an effective treatment for a persistent cough.

Gargling with salt and warm water is also very helpful by cutting phlegm and reducing inflammation. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon table salt in 1/2 cup warm water, and gargle every three to four hours.

Some Useful Home Remedies for Cough

Symptoms of cough usually subside on their own with 7-10 days. However, lot of simple home remedies are there which provide relief from the discomfort associated with it.

1) Take three peppercorns, and add a pinch of black cumin seeds and rock salt and consume it.

2) Drink hot milk with honey at bedtime for cough relief.

3) Make a decoction by boiling 50 grams fresh ginger with 5 tablespoon sugar in 2 glasses water for 30 minutes. Drink it hot, twice a day, in one day as this is very effective Home Remedy for Cough.

4) Mix powdered cinnamon, lemon juice and honey. Take two teaspoon twice daily.

5) In one cup of warm milk, add a pinch of turmeric powder (Haldi) and drink twice a day.

6) Mix half a teaspoon of tulsi juice with half a teaspoon of ginger juice. Add 1 teaspoon of honey. Take the above mixture 2-3 times a day. This is also useful Home Remedy for Cough

7) Prepare a mixture by adding 1/2 teaspoon honey with 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and take it every 12 hours. Honey relieves the itchiness by moistening the throat passage.

8) Mix 8 - 10 tablespoon of coconut milk with 1 tablespoon poppy seed (powdered) and 1 tablespoon of pure honey. Take this every night before going to bed. This remedy is very good Home Remedy for Cough

9) Garlic-onion-chicken soup is an effective remedy for cough. Take it steaming hot, to give relief to irritation in throat.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/cough-remedies-9-useful-home-remedies-for-cough-196575.html
About the Author
Dr James Sameul is an Ayurvedic doctor having years of experience in the field of Ayurveda and Alternative medicine. Find out more Home Remedies for Cough at http://www.natural-homeremedies.org/
He has an exclusive website on Home Remedies for various diseases. You can also contribute to the Home remedies by visiting the website

August 5, 2007

Home Remedies for Toothache – Top 9 Users Recommended Home Remedies

Author: Dr James Sameul
Read this article to know the top user recommended Home Remedies for Toothache. First of all we will discuss what is Toothache and what are the possible causes of Toothache?

Toothache generally means pain around the teeth or jaws. The severity of a toothache can vary from chronic and gentle to sharp and unbearable. The pain may be aggravated by chewing or by cold or heat.
The toothache gets worse over time if left untreated as the inner pulp can become infected. The second most common cause of toothache is gum disease. Toothache or tooth pain is caused when the nerve root of the tooth is irritated.

In the majority of cases, toothaches are caused by tooth or jaw problems like dental cavities, cracked tooth, an exposed tooth root, gum disease, disease of the jaw joint (temporo- mandibular joint), or spasm of the muscles used for chewing

The most common cause of a toothache is a dental cavity also known as tooth decay or tooth caries. Dental decay is when bacteria in your mouth break down the tooth enamel. Holes (cavities) in the tooth build up, exposing the nerves underneath.

If left untreated, the pulp inside your tooth will die and become infected. This will lead to an abscess forming, causing a harsh and continuous throbbing pain. Eating or drinking something that is very hot or cold may also give you toothache because it touches the nerves in the pulp.

Home Remedies for Toothaches:

1) Asafetida is ground into a paste in lemon juice. This is then slightly warmed. A cotton pad is dabbed in the solution and applied on the tooth cavity. This is a very quick method to relieve the ache and is also good Home Remedy for Toothache.

2) A very simple Home Remedy for toothache is to mix some pepper powder with common salt and rub this mixture onto the teeth. Doing this daily will also prevent any toothache troubles as well as dental cavities.

3) Mix a pinch of pepper in clove oil. Put this oil straightly into the cavity to stop toothache.

4) Garlic is one of the most effective Home Remedies for Toothache is garlic. A clove of garlic with a little rock salt should be placed on the affected tooth. It will relieve the pain and, sometimes, may even cure it. A clove should also be chewed daily in the morning.

5) Drops of vanilla extract on the affected tooth are an effective remedy.

6) A paste of the bark of bay berry should be made with vinegar. This paste, applied on the affected tooth, will reduce the toothache. It can also be applied beneficially on the gums for strengthening them. This is one of the effective Home Remedy for Toothache.

7) Toothache pain is often relieved by placing a small piece of onion on the bad tooth or gum, since onion has antibacterial properties that kill the germs in the mouth.

8) One of the best known Home Remedies for Toothache relief is the good old clove. Clove reduces the pain as it has antiseptic properties and clove oil, applied on the painful tooth, can ease toothache pain fairly quickly. If you don't have clove oil grind a clove and apply the powder on the affected area. The tooth cannot be cured, but the clove will give you relief from pain.

9) Melt 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water and use this mixture as a mouth wash.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/home-remedies-for-toothache-top-9-users-recommended-home-remedies-193454.html
About the Author
Dr James Sameul is an Ayurvedic doctor having years of experience in the field of Ayurveda and Alternative medicine. Find out more Home Remedies for Toothache at http://www.natural-homeremedies.com/
He has an exclusive website on Home Remedies for various diseases. You can also contribute to the Home remedies by visiting the website

August 3, 2007

Home Remedies for Constipation - Top 12 Users Recommended Home Remedies

Author: Dr James Sameul
Constipation is the term used to explain difficulty going to the toilet or opening the bowels. It means the passing of hard, dry stools. Constipation can occur from a high fiber diet if not enough water is consumed. Constipation is when you have problem having bowel movements.

Constipation is a common digestive abuse. It mostly occurs when the waste (stool) that forms after food is digested moves too slowly (slow transfer) as it passes through the digestive tract. Change of diet or dehydration and a change of daily routine may lead to constipation.

What Causes Constipation?

The hard and dry stools of constipation mostly occur when the colon soaks up too much water. This happens because the colon's muscle contractions are slow or sluggish, causing the stool to move through the colon very slowly.

Common Causes of Constipation

• Insufficient fiber in diet.

• Not enough liquids.

• Lack of physical exercise.

• Medications.

• Irritable bowel syndrome.

• Variations in life routines such as pregnancy, older age, and travel.

• Abuse of laxatives.

• Problems with the colon and rectum.

• Problems with intestinal function

User Recommended Home Remedies for Constipation:

1) A good natural remedy for constipation is to add a little extra sugar or some honey a glass of milk. Drink two times in a day

2) Dip 10-14 dry grapes without seeds in milk and then boil the milk. Drink the milk alone and after that chew those grapes. This is more helpful when taken at night. This is one of the effective Home Remedy for Constipation.

3) Dip two teaspoonfuls of Spiegel seeds in water for 5-6 hours, add equal amount of sugar and take this with water at night.

4) A teaspoon of linseed taken with water before each mealtime supply bulk and lubrication, and acts as a good Home Remedy for constipation.

5) Mix in a glass of water 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon honey and drink.

6) 2-3 teaspoons of almond oil taken with milk during night for 3-4 days reduce constipation and this is also good Home Remedy for Constipation.

7) Add one tablespoon flax seed in two cups water and boil this for roughly 10 minutes till it becomes a slight jelly-like. In this jelly put a tablespoon of natural apple cider vinegar. Take a cup of this as soon as you get up in the morning. In a few days bowel movement should come back to normal.

8) Prune juice has been preferred for many years. It arouses contractions in the intestines and increases the amount of fluid released. It makes your stools softer and moves them through the body more speedily. Prune juice is very effective Home Remedy for Constipation.

9) Take 2 tablespoons of Blackstrap molasses before going to bed. Molasses is too high in calories to use it as a daily preventative, but on an irregular basis, it can help to get you moving. It has a strong taste, though, so you may want to add it to milk, fruit juice, or for an extra-powerful laxative punch.

10) Take the powder of one dry ginger (Zingiber officinale) and the powder of some senna leaves in equal proportions. Mix these powders in a cup of lukewarm water. Drink this water while it is still a slight hot each night. This will guarantee suitable passing of stools in the morning. This remedy is also considered as good Home Remedy for Constipation.

11) Take a glassful of milk each night with some dates. Take them in this way. Chew dates first and then drink milk sip by sip. This avoids constipation if you fear its happening and will also help in its cure.

12) Make a mixture of carrot juice and spinach juice. Take both these juices in such quantities of half a glass, so that you make up one whole glass. Drink this glassful of juices at nighttime before going to bed. This is a sure good Home Remedy for Constipation.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/home-remedies-for-constipation-top-12-users-recommended-home-remedies-192827.html
About the Author
Dr James Sameul is an Ayurvedic doctor having years of experience in the field of Ayurveda and Alternative medicine. Find out more Home Remedies for Constipation at http://www.natural-homeremedies.com/
He has an exclusive website on Home Remedies for various diseases. You can also contribute to the Home remedies by visiting the website