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Acne is a very common skin problem which affects young people at their puberty and few adults till they reach 45. Acne are referred as Youvana pitikas (which means the eruptions of youth) in ayurveda. This shows the prevalence of acne from ages. Ayurveda has described the causes of acne and recommends the best natural herbal acne remedies too. What causes acne? A large number of oil producing glands called “sebaceous glands” are present under the skin on face, back, chest and shoulders. During puberty or menopause due to the influence of the sex hormones, which are produced in male and female, these glands become more active and produce an oily secretion called “sebum”. The sebum makes the skin more oily .The excessive sebum clogs the skin pore or the pit of the hair follicle forming acne. The blocked pore or acne acts as an excellent habitat for bacteria. The bacterial infection causes inflammation (red, painful swelling of the infected area) of the clogged pore or hair follicle leading to eruption of pimples. Vata and Kapha are two main doshas, which are involved in eruption of acne and pimples. Rakta dhatu or blood also plays an important role in formation of acne. Vata when gets vitiated due to unhealthy diet and lifestyles affects other two doshas (kapha and pitta) to aggravate them. Aggravated pitta affects rakta dhatu or blood. The vitiated blood affects the skin and causes excess secretion of oil from sebaceous glands. Kapha has sticky property. The aggravated kapha imparts the stickiness to the oil produced by sebaceous glands of skin. Thus the thick sebaceous plugs are formed in skin pores and hair follicles leading to eruption of acne. Acne worsens when 1. grease, dirt or other harsh chemicals accumulate on skin. 2. you have Increased stress levels. 3. you indulge in Squeezing or pinching of acne. 4. when there are hormonal imbalances during menstrual cycle, menopause and puberty. 5. you are under medications like steroids or hormonal therapy. Precautions to be taken to avoid exaggeration of acne eruptions: • Avoid foods which are spicy, dry and oily. These may cause indigestion and lead to vitiation of vata. • Keep a habit of emptying bowels regularly this always normalizes vata. • Avoid fast foods and soft drinks. • Wash your face twice daily with mild cleanser. • Put a hair band to avoid falling of hair on face. The sweat and dirt accumulated on hair may fall on facial skin through hair strands • Avoid application of scrubs. • Wash your hair regularly with mild shampoo to keep it clean and avoid dandruff. • Squeezing and pricking of pimples cause scaring. Hence avoid this • Avoid exposure of skin to severe climatic conditions. • Avoid oil based moisturizers. Water based moisturizers are always beneficial. • Drink plenty of water. • Practice a regular exercise regimen Natural Herbal acne Home remedies : • Wash your face with lukewarm water and mild soap twice a day. • Wash fresh methi leaves (fenu greek leaves) and grind it to make a paste. Apply it on face and wash it off with lukewarm water after 10 minutes. • Grind juicy tender neem leaves with turmeric to a consistency of paste. Apply this paste on acne and pimples. Wash this off after it dries. • Apply a face pack of ripe tomato pulp and wash it off as soon as it dries naturally (preferably after 45 minutes) . • Do not keep the make up while sleeping. Cleanse it with a mild herbal cleanser. • Mix besan flour (gram flour) with rose water and apply a face pack. • Consuming fresh vegetable salads and fresh fruits keeps the skin healthy and resistant to blemishes. • Drink plenty of water (15 glasses a day)

Dry skin looks dull and life less due to lack of moisture. Well hydrated skin glows and exhibits a healthy look. Wrinkles develop at an early age due to prolonged dryness of skin. Dry, rough and wrinkled skin gives an aged appearance. Dry and cracked skin harbor microbes and cause fungal infections. Excess drying of skin leads to dry eczema. Hence a proper care should be taken to increase the moisture level of skin and prevent drying. Soft, smooth and wrinkle free skin gives young and healthy look.. Causes of dry skin: Our skin is soft and smooth because of oil glands found under our skin. The skin becomes dry when these glands fail to supply sufficient lubrication to keep the skin soft and smooth. 1. The cold and dry weather of winter takes its own toll on the skin. The cold, dry weather of winter brings about drying of skin making it scaly. Lack of sufficient humidity out doors also leads to dry skin. Indoor heating further removes the traces of moisture and aggravates dryness of skin. Thus in winter the skin becomes extremely dry. 2.Dry skin condition may occur due to genetic factors. 3. Dry skin condition may arise from nutritional deficiencies due to poor diet. 4. Unhealthy practices like exposure to extreme weather conditions, bathing for long time in very hot water, using harsh soaps, swimming in chlorinated water, chemicals and harsh cosmetics. 5. The skin loses its capacity to retain moisture, as we grow old. The extreme climatic conditions to which we get exposed, as we grow old worsen the condition and skin becomes more dry. 6. Few underlying diseases like hypothyroidism, diabetes, eczema, psoriasis or seborrhea may also lead to dry skin. 7. Dry skin may arise as an effect of medications like diuretics, antihistamines and anti spasmodics. What ayurveda says about dry skin ? According to texts of ayurveda dry skin is caused by vata dosha. When vata dosha increases in body it reduces kapha and makes skin dry and wrinkled. ( Kapha keeps skin soft and smooth where as vata makes the skin dry and rough. Vata dosha's qualities are opposite to kaphadosha qualities ). The causes which increase vata dosha in body 1.Exposure to cold and dry climate 2.Controlling natural urges like urination, defecation, hunger, thirst, etc. 3.Staying awake at unearthly hours ( late night). 4.Irregular food habits. 5.Excess physical and mental exertion. 6.Consumption of spicy, dry, bitter food. Here are the natural tips to take care of dry skin 1.Do not use hot water to cleanse dry skin. 2.Use a soft cotton cloth and pat dry your skin. Do not rub the skin with harsh, rough textured towels. 3.Instead of washing with water use a clean sprayer to moisten your skin. Use mineral water instead of tap water for spray. 4.Lightly pat dry the skin. 5.Avoid using harsh soaps and face washes as they remove natural oil that protects your skin. 6.Pamper your skin by massaging with moisturizer. Moisturizer increases the moisture of upper layer of skin and makes it soft and smooth. 7.Regularly massage your body with herbal oil. Herbal oil softens and sooth the dry skin and help to trap the moisture between skin pores. 8.Apply a thin layer of coconut oil before finishing the bath and pat dry the skin 9.Avoid alcohol-based cleansers. 10.Consume a balanced diet which includes foods from all groups like vegetables, fruits, carbohydrates, cereals, milk and milk products. 11.Include yellow and orange vegetables like carrot which have rich anti oxidants. 12.Avoid junk food like chips, deep fried food etc Ayurveda tips for dry skin condition. 1.Keep yourself warm in dry cold climates. 2.Massage whole body with body massage oil which is infused with vata balancing herbs. 3.Do not sit near fire place. 4.Avoid stale, over fried, dry food. 5.Always consume fresh warm food with little fat like ghee or olive oil. 6.Include sour and salty food in diet. 7.Sweet juicy fruits are recommended. 8.Drink 7-9 glasses of warm water everyday. (Do not drink cold water as it increases vata) Home remedies for dry skin 1.Mix egg yolk, rose water lime juice, olive oil and orange juice (1 tea spoon each) thoroughly. Apply a smooth mixture of this ingredient on your face in morning and wash it off after 20 minutes 2.A face mask of honey, egg, olive oil and rose water works very well for dry skin. 3.Liberally apply gentle herbal moisturizer all over your body. 4.Massage your body with herbal oil infused with vata balancing herbs, twice in a week. 5.Increase the moisture level of skin by applying natural herbal gel which is rich in aloevera and essential oils. 6.Consume herbal tea which contains vata balancing herbs regularly.

Definition of Obesity Excess amount of body fat is Obesity. Excess weight of muscles, bone, fat and water in the body (like body builders and athletes) is Overweight. Over weighted persons are at increased health risk than normal persons. They are more prone to chronic diseases like heart diseases, type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and few types of cancers. Is fat necessary to our body? Certain amount of body fat does the following function 1. Heat insulation. 2. Absorption of shock. 3. Storage of energy. Etc. Ayurveda describes the functions of body fat as “Medaha sneha swedaudhrudatwam pushtim asthyancha” This means in normal conditions the body fat keeps the body moisturized , causes sweating , gives energy to body (by storing energy) and nourishes bones. (By protecting them from shock) Distribution of fat Women have more body fat than men. In women usually the fat accumulates around hips giving them a pear shape. In men it accumulates around belly giving them an apple shape. The obesity related problems start when fat accumulates around waist. In ayurveda the distribution of fat is described as follows. Medastu sarvabhutaanamudarenvasthi thishtathi | Ata evodare vriddhihi prayo medaswino bhavet || Fat gets deposited in and around belly in all living beings. It is also present in bone. Hence when a person becomes obese his stomach bulges out. And also the characters of an obese person are described as "Medo mamsa ativriddhatvaachalasphigudarastanaha" Which means the hips, belly and breasts of an obese person sag and sagged parts flap as that person moves. An obese person will not be active. Causes of Obesity When a person consumes more calories than he burns then the excess calories get stored in the form of fat causing obesity. Genetic factors–Obesity tends to run in families. If parents are fat then the offspring also show a tendency to accumulate fat. Even the diet and lifestyle habits which are practiced in family also contribute to obesity. Environment. – A person’s eating habits and the level of physical activities a person has also contribute for excess deposition of fat. When a person eats food containing more calories and has a sedentary work then the calories consumed are more than calories burnt. The excess amount calories are stored as fat. Psychological disturbances. There is a tendency to over eat in response to negative emotions like boredom, sadness or anger. This leads to obesity. Binge eating disorder. Diseases and conditions like Hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, Depression, and certain neurological problems lead to overeating which in turn leads to accumulation of fat. Medicines such as steroids and some antidepressants may cause weight gain. Causes of obesity according to Ayurveda The causes of obesity are very clearly explained in ayurveda. The following reasons which are mentioned in ayurveda increase the deposition of fat. Avayamadivaaswapnashleshmalaaaharasevinaha | Madhuroannarasaha prayaha snehamedhovivardhati || According to ayurveda the causes of obesity are defined as : Avyayama : Not exerting physically Divaswapna: Sleeping in afternoon. Shleshmala Ahara Vihara : The diet and life styles which increase Kapha Madhura Annaha : Consuming sweetened foods . Health risks due to Obesity Obesity leads to the following problems. – Type-2 diabetes – Heart disease. – High Blood pressure. – Stroke – Few types of Cancers – Gall stones – Liver diseases – Osteo arthritis. – Gout – Infertility – Irregular menstruation in women. According to Ayurveda the obese persons are more prone to the following diseases. – Diabetes. – Kidney related problems. – Hepatitis. – Low libido. – Low energy levels. – Skin problems. – Fistula – Piles. – Filariasis . etc Tips to reduce Obesity Determine with the help of your physician how much weight has to be reduced. Set several short term realistic goals . Reward yourself each time you make progress (Not food items) Even small weight losses have shown to be beneficial. Make gradual changes in eating habits. You will lose weight when you burn more calories than you consume. Hence eating less and being more active help in losing weight Sound eating habits keep you out of putting on weight. Stay motivated to lose weight. Slow weight loss is the safest and most effective. ( one to one and half pound per week). Gradual weight loss, promote long term loss of body fat. A person who is moderately active needs daily, 33 calories per kg of body weight to maintain his weight . Reducing calories intake by 300 per day and increasing the physical activity to burn 200 calories per day results in weight loss of 400 Gms per week. To satisfy basic nutritional needs eat a variety of foods every day. Choose from each of the five food groups milk, meat, fruit, vegetable and cereals. Balanced food plans encourage making wise choices about everyday food choices. This type of diet helps to stay at your proper weight for life. Allow for an occasional treat. Evaluate your eating pattern. Try to cut down on foods high in fats and sugar. Most successful weight – loss plans stress on reduction in both calories and the amount of fat eaten Physical activity: Determine the type of physical activity that suits your life style. Regular aerobic exercise like brisk walking, jogging or swimming, is a key factor in achieving permanent weight loss and improving health Health experts recommend exercising 30 minutes or more on all, days of the week for maximum benefits. The exercises should be moderately vigorous to be most effective but not exhausting. Incorporate few simple measures to burn calories effectively. Like- taking an after dinner walk, using stairs instead of escalators or elevators, parking the car farther away to have a longer walk etc. Exercises also improve sense of well being ,decreases stress and decreases appetite in some. Ayurvedic tips to reduce Obesity Numerous tips to reduce obesity have been mentioned in ayurveda. The following ayurvedic tips help you to reduce the obesity. Very good exercises. Exercises like brisk walking, jogging, playing out door games etc help to reduce weight. Physical and mental exertion. Exerting physically like doing house hold works, walking to distant places to bring groceries, vegetables etc, walking long distances to bring the child back from school, walking to working place, climbing stairs etc are types of physical exertion. Exerting physically as much as you can help to burn more calories. Mental exertion like worrying or involving in finding solutions to problems also restrict food consumption in some and there by reduces the intake of calories . Having sex frequently is also a good physical exertion. Consumption of honey. This is advisable for non diabetic patients. Consuming 2 tea spoon of honey with a glass of herbal tea which includes weight reducing herbs help a lot in weight reduction. Honey along with these herbs scrapes and dissolves the Kapha and medha (body fat). Sleeping for less hours. Avoiding sleeping in afternoons help to increase the burning of calories. This avoids slowing of basal metabolic rate. Avoiding the food and beverages which increase kapha and medha. The foods which increase kapha and medha are sweets, sweetened drinks , large quantities of carbohydrates and oily food. Consuming wheat products than rice products help to reduce obesity. Using Green gram and horse gram help in reduction of kapha and medha. This article is copy righted. The author Dr.SavithaSuri is an Ayurvedic Physician and web master of Ayurhelp.com