How To Lower Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is very common disease today owing to today’s lifestyle. Also called as hypertension, high blood pressure raison d'être ranges from obesity, lack of exercise, bad food habits, excessive alcohol intake, or smoking. It often runs in the family too. Although the symptoms of high blood pressure can be diagnosed medically, it is called ‘silent disease’ as it doesn’t have any signs or symptoms and is recognized only when the high blood pressure has reached a very advanced or life threatening effect. If you are suffering from high blood pressure, there are certain things, which you can do to lower it. Read on to know the tips for lowering your hypertension.

Tips For Lowering Blood Pressure

There is no alternative to healthy eating. If you want to lower your blood pressure you need to stick to a healthy diet which include wholesome grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and provide right amount of carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and vitamins. You need to strictly avoid foods that are high in cholesterol, fat, and sodium.

Exercise is your best friend if you want to lower your blood pressure. Incorporate exercises in your daily life for at least half an hour. Exercises like cardiovascular exercises, aerobics, strength training, jogging, walking etc will help you lower your high blood pressure.

Stress is one of the main culprits of high blood pressure. Under chronic stress the cardiovascular system, goes in the state of overtaxing which results in high blood pressure. Don’t take unnecessary tensions and learn the stress management skill to help you lower your hypertension.

If you are in a habit of smoking, then you may have to face high blood pressure. Quit smoking, there is no other way of lowering hypertension. With this, also avoid drugs and alcohol. Actually these bad habits, damage many organs in the body which in turn causes the build-up of fluids in the body. These extra fluids cause the heart to beat harder which increases the blood pressure.

People, who have high blood pressure, are generally overweight. It just works on a simple principle that extra weight makes the heart works harder and thus causes high blood pressure. Maintain proper weight and if you are overweight, cut down your weight.

Sodium helps in increasing fluids in the body, which makes the heart beat harder and increase the blood pressure. Salt is the main source of sodium so decrease the salt intake from your diet.

If you already are suffering from high blood pressure then avoid caffeine too. Caffeine is a stimulator, which can raise the blood pressure in the body.

According to one study, meditation along with a good diet helps in stabilizing the heart and helps in lowering the blood pressure. Incorporate yoga too in your daily life for better results.

Lycopene is an antioxidant that helps in lowering the blood pressure. Lycopene is found in tomatoes and many other fruits and vegetables. Increase the intake of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Foods like broccoli also help in lowering blood pressure.

You should certainly add Omega 3 essential fatty acids to your diet. A good source of these is flax oil and cod liver oil. You can also take supplements of fish tablets in your diet.  

Incorporate the DASH diet in your lifestyle to help you lower the high blood pressure. DASH stands for "Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension." which lays the emphasis on eating whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts, fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods with low saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol.

There are many herbs, which helps in lowering the blood pressure in your body. Rauwolfia, Turmeric, Ginkgo Biloba, Hawthorn Berry, Maitake, Olive Leaf, etc are well known for their beneficial assistance in case of high blood pressure.

How To Get Rid Of Pink Eye

As the name suggests, pink eye is a medical condition, wherein the color of the eyes turns pink due to viral or bacterial infection. Usually it occurs due to an allergen, which refers to a general irritation and redness of the eye and the surrounding membranes. It is also referred to as conjunctivitis and can also occur due to lack of Vitamin A. Considering the fact that conjunctivitis can occur due to so many varied reasons, it becomes, quite essential to find out the reason and cure it quickly. Given below are some vital tips for getting rid of pink eyes.

Home Remedy for Pink Eyes 

• Try to figure out if your pink eye condition is due to a specific allergen. It can be dust, pollen or animal dander. In case yes, then try to stay away from them.
• Washing your eyes with cold running water is the best way to eliminate contaminants out of your eyes.
• Apply warm washcloths on each eye repeatedly. Do not use your hands as they contain bacteria.
• Wash your hands thoroughly if you wish to apply them to your eyes for any purpose. Dirty hands will introduce more bacteria, aggravating the condition.
• You can use an antibiotic ointment or eye drop to get rid of the bacteria in your eye. However, it should be under the supervision of a doctor.
• To get rid of the pain and itchiness, you can apply boric acid mixed in warm water to your eyes.
• Do not wear contact lenses while you are suffering from pink eyes, as it may irritate your eye tissues.
• You can use apples for treating pink eyes. Take 1 tablespoon infusion that is gold petals in 125 ml of boiling water. Strain the liquid and simmer one peeled finely chopped apple in it. When the apple become soft, drain it and let it cool. On cooling, put it in between two layers of gauze and apply on your eyes for 10 minutes
• You can also use a small quantity of fresh castor oil and put it along the eyelids.
• You can also use almond, apricot and coconut oils.
• Freshly crushed mint leaves are also quite beneficial for pink eyes.
• If the symptoms persist or worsen, consult your doctor immediately.

How To Cure Insomnia

Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep for a consistent period of time even when the body is trying to shut down on its own. Having said that, insomnia is not a disease but a symptom, and it affects all age groups. However, the severity of it only increases with age. Each one of us, at some point of time in our lives, has had trouble going to sleep or maintaining it for a good period but that doesn’t mean that we are sleep deprived. Once in a while, it is natural to be unable to fall asleep. 

But facing sleeplessness constantly is something you should give a serious thought to. Unlike other medical conditions, insomnia doesn’t kill the body, but problems like excess fatigue, anxiety, irritability, depression, and poor concentration arising out of sleep deprivation are no less than a slow poison taking over the body and making us impaired. 

Those who have insomnia or have had it in the past know that it puts one in a purgatorial situation, neither here nor there. But it should be noted that deliberately staying awake doesn’t put you in a state of insomnia. It’s just a bad decision to be doing that unless it’s once in a blue moon. Treatment for insomnia depends on the state of it and their causes; so before moving on to it let’s discuss about the types of insomnia and their causes.

Types Of Insomnia And Their Causes

Transient insomnia generally lasts for less than a week, and is caused by stressful situations (divorce, death, exams etc.), jet lag, and changes in work hours, uncomfortable room temperature, and presence of some medical illness.

Acute or short term insomnia generally lasts for less than a month, and is caused by above disorders when they prolong themselves coupled with physical illnesses like pain, breathing problems, diarrhea, nasal and chest congestion, and fever.

Chronic or long term insomnia lasts for more than a month, and is caused by both psychological disorders like depression, anxiety, some sort of trauma, schizophrenia; and physical disorders like long term pain and fatigue, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), asthma, sleep apnea, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Any of the above type of insomnia can also be caused by medications being prescribed for the disorders and intake of caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol before going to bed.

Treatment For Insomnia

The treatment for insomnia begins with proper diagnoses with your complete medical history in the hands of a qualified practitioner. The focus will be on a thorough examination and identification of the contributors to the problem. Most of the times, merely curing these causes is enough to induce sleep back into your life. Cure for insomnia can be provided by both non-medical and medical treatments.

Non Medical Treatment

Non medical treatment calls for designing and implementing proper sleep hygiene including exercising, shunning caffeinated beverages or alcoholic beverages and smoke. Eating properly before going to bed, adjusting the room temperature and lighting, following relaxation therapies (meditation, walking before going to bed, or light music), avoiding sleeping in the daytime and maintaining a regular sleep routine will definitely make a difference.

Medical Treatment

Medical treatment works best when combined with non-medical treatment. Medications like benzodiazepine and nonbenzodiazepine sedatives, ramelteon, antihistamines, melatonin, antidepressants, and valerian may be prescribed by the practitioner depending on the diagnoses and your current and previous medical state.

It’s better to seek treatment for insomnia than hoping and waiting for sleep to fall over you. Unless you eliminate the cause for your sleep deprivation, it’s no good waiting for sleep! 

How To Clear A Stuffy Nose

Cough and cold is one of the most common problems in winter. Stuffy nose is the most irritating and common symptoms of cold. A stuffy nose blocks your nasal passage due to inflammation of the blood vessels present in the lining of the nose. Stuffy nose can cause problems with ears and hearing. More severe stuffy noses may also cause snoring and sleep problems. 

A blocked nose doesn’t allow you to breathe properly and create a lot of discomfort while sleeping. Plus, a stuffy nose can also lead to heaviness in the head that don’t allow concentrating on your work. Although, cough and cold take a while to go away, however, you can do something at home to get relief from stuffy nose. Here are some easy home remedies to resolve your blocked nose. But, if your condition worsens you should see a doctor.

Home Remedies For Stuffy Nose 

Take water in a wide bowl and boil it for some time. Cover your head with a Turkish towel and inhale the steam from the boiling water through your nostrils. Repeat the process for at least 15-20 times. The hot steam helps to dissolve the mucus giving you some relief. For better results you can add a few drops of essential oils like eucalyptus or tea tree oil.

Put 1 tbsp salt in a cup of water and boil it for at least 10 minutes. Let the salt water cool. Put 5-10 drops of this salt solution in your each nostril. This will also help to alleviate your condition.

A dry environment can irritate your sinuses to produce mucus that can block your nose. If you are living in a dry environment, installing a humidifier in your room will be of great advantage.

Spicy food is a natural decongestant. If you are suffering from heavy nose congestion, eat spicy and peppery foods. They make your nose runny, thus curing the stuffiness.

Mix Tulsi, lemon juice and ginger juice in equal proportion. Add some honey. Eat this mixture twice in a day to clear off congestion.

Many people get benefitted from sniffing onion, with the outer layers peeled off.

If you are suffering from a stuffy nose, reduce consumption of wheat and dairy products, as they can make your nose even stuffier.

Ensure to drink plenty of water and fluids to keep your sinus membranes hydrated. Dry and irritated sinus membranes secrete more mucus that can make your nose stuffy.

Drinking warm water with a pinch of salt in it is helpful to keep away stuffy nose.

Crush some cardamom seeds and put them in a handkerchief. Tie the hanky properly and sniff occasionally.

Roast some cardamom seeds on a pan and inhale the smoke that comes from them.

Take a few fresh menthol leaves and crush them. Deep inhale the smell to get rid of blocked nose.

Avoid eating cold, fried, and oily food that will only aggravate your condition.

Apply a warm compress to your face to help ease the discomfort of a stuffy nose. The heat and moisture helps promote drainage so you can blow your nose more effectively.

If your stuffy nose is painful, lasts more than 7 to 10 days or is accompanied by a fever, consult a physician. You may have a sinus infection which requires medication.

Home Remedies For Ear Infections

The inner ear, the outer ear, and the middle ear constitute the complex structure of the ear. The back of the throat and the nose is connected to the middle ear by the Eustachian tube, through which the fluid drains out through the throat. Sometimes due to a variety of reasons, the tube gets blocked and stops functioning. This results in the accumulation of the fluid in the middle ear that leads to infection. The main reason for the blockage of this tube can be due to cold, flu, and various types of allergies. 

These infections can also be very painful and if they persistsfor a couple of days then medical advice should be sought, otherwise there is a great chance of it leading to deafness. Ear infection is particularly common in children and swimmers. Another type of ear infection is known as the ‘swimmer’s ear’ which infects the ear canal. This is most commonly prevalent among the adults. Generally mild infections last only for a couple of days and so proper medications must be taken to tide over the irritations. The best of course is the various remedies that are available in your kitchen. These home remedies not only save you from the pain but also rid you of the infections. To know more, go through the article below for the various home remedies for ear infections.

Natural Remedies For Ear Infections 

To eliminate the fungus, which causes the ear infection, mix one part of apple cider vinegar with one part of water. Take a cotton ball and soak it in the solution. Now, plug your ear with the cotton ball and keep it for 5 minutes. Tip the head to drain the ear and dry it as much as possible. Apple cider vinegar is very good for fungal infections like swimmer’s ear.

Another effective home remedy for ear infections is tea tree oil. This should be used only if it is a bacterial infection. Mix one part of tea tree oil with one part of water and using a dropper, drop the solution into the ear. Leave it for 5 minutes before tipping the head and draining. Tea tree oil can be used to treat various types of ear infections.

Garlic is also very good in killing the bacteria in the ear. Take a few drops of garlic extract and apply it to the ear to stop the pain as well as the infection. It is especially beneficial if you use the extract two to three times a day, daily. After applying the garlic extract, allow it to set for 3 to 5 minutes and then tilt the head to drain and dry.

Apply a couple of drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide to the ear and leave for 10 minutes.

Onion is also another effective home remedy for curing ear infections. Take onion juice and heat it till warm. Now apply a couple of drops in the ear and after sometime drain.

Pluck a few tender mango leaves and then crush or grind them to take out the juice. Warm this juice a little and then put three to four drops into each ear.

You can also put 1 to 2 drops of warm olive oil into each ear to cure the irritation as a result of ear infection.

Heat half a teaspoonful of sesame oil and add half a clove of garlic to it. Cool it till warm and then put a few drops into the ear. Keep for 15 minutes and then drain.

Warm mustard oil is also very effective in reducing the chances of ear infections.

Take 1 tablespoon of almond carrier oil, 2 drops of lavender essential oil, 2 drops of chamomile oil, and 3 drops of tea tree essential oil. Heat this mixture till warm and then apply two drops into the ear. Do this thrice a day, daily for the best results.