A simple first cure for stomach ailments....

Hi readers,

     I spent the last week tending to my little one's cold, cough and fever followed by stomach pain (all without a single pill). 

     Most often, little children and sometimes even adults, suffer from indigestion or flatulence or some form of stomach upset. Let me share with you two simple traditional cures which have worked wonders for me and my family umpteen times.

     One of the little secrets is the castor oil. Applying castor oil on the stomach, around the navel and massaging a little will help in relieving the pain in about 10 minutes' time. If the pain is due  to gastric trouble  or indigestion, this certainly works. In fact, castor oil has the property of removing toxins from the system. Because of this, castor oil packs on the affected area help in relieving most pains, inflammations etc.  It is a good laxative, if taken orally. But be warned, make sure you have a good quality castor oil before you take it internally. Traditionally, in the yester years,  a holiday was set aside every month for castor oil intake for all children. This helped in keeping the children's digestive system trouble-free. My parents reminisce often of their 'castor oil treatment' days. This practice is almost forgotten these days.  The medicinal benefits of castor oil are many. It is a must-have item in every household. 

     The other little secret is a small piece of white chalk  called the "naamakkatti" in Tamil. This chalk is used for religious purposes. It is also used for medicinal purposes. Making a paste of it and applying it on the stomach helps in relieving the pain. Several times, after hours of complaining, I've seen my child (and other children) doze off to sleep within minutes of applying this paste. Those scientifically inclined out there who are already shrugging this off as a placebo effect, please take time off to explain how it works on children. Instead of shrugging it off, please find what this piece of chalk is made  of and   how it works. I say this, because IT WORKS!

 

Have a nice day!

Naturally....

Dear readers,

      Today, let's discuss on one of the alternative therapy systems - Naturopathy or nature cure. This system of medicine has been in existence for long  in various countries and in different forms. The basic premise in this system is that Your food shall be your medicine. Our body has the wonderful capacity to cure/heal itself. What it requires is the right stimulation in the form of the right diet to trigger the process.

     One of the fundamental principles of nature cure is that most diseases have the same basic underlying cause - the accumulation of waste material through several years of wrong food habits. By changing these wrong food habits and cleansing the system, the body   can be triggered to heal itself. Fasting is one of the primary methods through which a cure is triggered.

     Personally, I've had good  results for my sinusitis problem through nature cure. There are some good institutions in India where naturopathy treatment is provided. Some of these institutions have a holistic approach with other forms of therapies also included. Most of these  places require that you  take time off for at least 15  days and stay in the place. Though it might appear difficult to do so with our busy schedules, it is wise to take time off. This helps us to relax and rest and enjoy the treatment. Taking time off and getting treated in a relaxed manner hastens the healing process.

     Some of the treatment methods followed in these places are

1. Diet

2. Massage

3. Yoga

4. Warm water bath to a particular area like arm/foot/hip

5. Cold water bath to a particular area like arm/foot/hip

6. Alternate warm and cold water bath

7. Mud packs

8. Acupressure

9. Acupuncture

10. Sun bath

11. Steam bath

12. Magnetic therapy

      Here is a list (not comprehensive) of nature cure institutions in India. If you have  a personal experience at any of these places, do share it in the comments section.

• National Institute of naturopathy, (Govt. of India, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Dept. of AYUSH) Bapu Bhavan, Tadiwala Road, Pune – 411 001.
  Tel.: +91-020-26059682/ 26059683/ 26059684/26059685.
  E-mail: ninpune@vsnl.com
  Website: http://www.punenin.org
  
  
• When I contacted  NIN recently for an ailment, I  was directed to the following Chennai address. This place is also good. The treatment is free. It is not very commercialized(with packages and expensive treatment) like some of the other institutions
  Govt. Naturopathy & Yoga Medical College & Hospital, Anna Govt. Hospital of Indian Medicine, Anna Nagar, Chennai - 600106.
  Tel.: 044-26281563, 26216244, 26214844
  
  
• Naturopathy & Yoga Research Center
  53/3, Dr. R S Bhandari Marg,
  Indore – 452 001 (MP) INDIA
  Tel.: +91-731-2533268, 2545492, 3944449
  Mobile: +91-9302103349, 98270-36542
  E-mail: info@naturopathy.co.in
  Website: http://www.naturopathy.co.in
       
  
• SOUKYA - Dr Mathai's International Holistic Health Centre
  Soukya Road, Samethanahalli, Whitefield, Bangalore - 560 067.
• Tel.: +91 80 2801 7000 - 08
  Mobile: +91 98453 74400
  Email: info@soukya.com
  Website: http://www.soukya.com
  
  
• Balaji Nirogdham
  A unit of Maharaja Agrasen Naturopathy & Yoga Sadhana Research Trust, Behind Ashiana Farm HouseMain Palla-Bakhtawarpur Road,
  Bakhtawarpur,New Delhi - 110036
  Tel.: +91-11-64532820/21
  E-mail: nirogdham@gmail.com
  Website: http://www.balajinirogdham.com
  
  
• Jindal Naturecure Institute Jindal Nagar,
  Tumkur Road,
  Bangalore - 560 073,
  Karnataka, India.
  Tel.: 91 - 80 - 23717777 (6 lines)
  Email:
  General Enquiry : info@jindalnaturecure.org
  Reservation Related : res@jindalnaturecure.org
  Website: http://www.jindalnaturecure.org/
  
  
• I had contacted this place and the response was good, though I couldn't go for treatment here.
  NISARGOPCHAR GRAMSUDHAR TRUST
  Uruli Kanchan - 412202
  District-Pune, Maharashtra (India)
  Tel.: +91-020-2692 6298/2692 6230
  E-Mail: nisargopchar@gmail.com, nisargopchar@live.com
  Website: http://www.nisargopcharashram.org/
  
  
• RAM SEWA SWAMY SATYANAND TRUST
  Jind Road, Gohana - 131 301 ( HARYANA )
  Tel.: +91-1263-257930 / 253740 / 256946
  Mobile: +91-94161-08672
  Email: info@sanjeevaniindia.org 

Try nature's path. It is the best path!

Waiting....

Dear readers,

     Today, I feel like discussing a topic not directly on health but related to health, nevertheless. The urge to write on this topic came about largely because of the way I've been spending the last few days: in waiting at hospital lobbies.

     Unfortunately, Chennai, which is becoming an internationally acclaimed city for medical treatment, does not have the appointment system in place in most of its hospitals. Some of the leading and well-known hospitals with multiple branches  across cities, have something 'like' an appointment system. You can fix an appointment for a particular day. But the time at which you get to see the doctor is not fixed. Crowding in the lobbies near the receptionist and waiting for several hours in unbelievably crowded waiting areas with scarcely enough seats is very common and considered 'normal'. Quite often, you can see people standing, waiting and fidgeting, nervously eyeing for a seat to be vacated. Patients check the list with the receptionist and their turn umpteen times before they get to see the doctor. Waiting periods of a few hours is very prevalent. 

     I do not know if there is any hospital in Chennai where this is not the case. Eight years back, when I had to go for my pre-natal check-ups in a leading hospital in Bangalore, I was impressed with the appointment system. Except for cases when there was an emergency, I'd get to see the doctor in about 15 minutes. But, in the last few years of visiting hospitals (branches of the same chain of hospitals as I went to in Bangalore) in Chennai, I am surprised that nobody really cares about timing here. A sad state of affairs where the patients' time is not valued!

      Okay, I have accepted my fate and I am now used to waiting indefinitely for the doctor. But, I am also appalled by the conditions in which one has to wait. Insufficient seating, seating very close to doors that are banged open every few seconds with a hit on your legs, a blaring TV with an awful Tamil serial or disgusting songs which you're forced  to watch because of the seating direction and a few outdated magazines of the past decade are the norms. Some hospitals have some area earmarked as children's play-area with totally uninspiring design. A few colourful balls and some plastic toys are thrown into the area which has the capacity for about 4 or 5 children whereas there would be at least 20 children waiting to see the paediatrician.

     In all, a  visit to a hospital is becoming a dreaded affair and invariably, I feel totally exhausted with a headache at the end of the day.

     Doctors and hospital managements out there! Will you please  take notice of this?