12 Kitchen Ingredients as Cures 

Raid your pantry for natural remedies for all ailments

Mother Nature has an answer to all our malaises be it body odour, constipation, acidity, low immunity, less appetite et al. We simply need to turn to natural herbs.

Foodism shares with you the benefits of 12 kitchen commodities -

Betel Leaves

• Grind some betel leaves into a fine paste, mix this with one teaspoon of warm water; and consume it for effectively alleviating your cold
• Boil four betel leaves in two cups of water and gargle with this mix to cure bleeding gums
• Boil 5-6 betel leaves in five cups of water and wash your eyes to instantly cool and reduce their redness

Cinnamon

• Take one teaspoon of cinnamon with lemon juice once, every day, before meal time to reduce painful periods and irregular cycles
• Mix cinnamon powder with sesame oil and apply on the forehead to reduce unbearable headaches
• Reach out for one stick of cinnamon or half teaspoon of cinnamon powder, mix it in hot water and inhale the vapour for an effective relief from cough and cold
• Consume half teaspoon of cinnamon powder with one pomegranate mixed in curd to control your diarrhoea 
• Mix half teaspoon cinnamon powder with a pinch of nutmeg powder and half a cup of yogurt to combat indigestion

Coriander

• Bid farewell to the uncomfortable sensation caused by acidity and indigestion by drinking a boiled concoction of coriander seeds, water and salt 2-3 times a day
• Give your child 1-2 teaspoons of the juice of coriander leaves to perk his appetite
• Drink coriander juice – its acetylcholine relaxes and therefore reduces blood pressure 
• Coriander juice contains anti-histamines which help reduce allergic conditions
• A mixture of coriander juice and cumin reduces abdominal ailments like digestion, loss of appetite and diarrhoea
• Apply a paste of coriander leaves on mouth ulcers for relief

Cumin Seeds

• Cure morning sickness by consuming roasted cumin seeds with yoghurt 
• Chew on cumin seeds after each meal for a minty fresh breath
• Drink cumin seeds boiled in water early in the morning on an empty stomach to combat hormonal imbalance
• Reduce bloating by drinking cumin seeds mixed with buttermilk; coriander leaves and slices of ginger 
• Mix one teaspoon cumin in one cup milk with sugar and feed to lactating mothers to increase their milk production

Fenugreek Seeds

• Eat fenugreek seeds soaked in water or fenugreek leaves (boiled or raw) to combat heartburn
• Soak one teaspoon fenugreek seeds in water overnight and gulp down this concoction early in the morning on an empty stomach to temper your blood sugar levels 
• Banish hair fall and dandruff by applying a paste of fenugreek seeds mixed with yoghurt 
• Relieve phlegm by drinking a concoction of fenugreek leaves with ginger and honey

Garlic

• Eat one garlic clove every day on an empty stomach to reduce bad cholesterol in the blood
• Rub a garlic clove on the bite of a red ant, mosquito, bee or any insect to reduce irritation and inflammation
• If you are prone to regular acne, eat two cloves of garlic every day, as it has blood purifying properties
• Maximize the anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties of garlic by deploying it to remove corns, bunions, warts and fungal infections 
• Place a clove of garlic on the affected tooth/area for relief from tooth-ache

Ginger

• A concoction of one teaspoon ginger juice and honey reduces asthma; suffocation and breathlessness; and cough and cold
• Apply ginger paste for 10-15 minutes on your hair, and wash off with normal water to relieve lice infestation
• Crush a piece of ginger and boil it in a cup of water; have this before breakfast to alleviate the pain of painful periods 
• Expecting mothers can relieve nauseas by sucking a piece of ginger mixed with pepper and salt
• Boost your immunity levels by daily consuming a mix of lemon, ginger and honey

Gooseberry - Amla

• Drink amla or Indian gooseberry juice early in the morning to improve digestion and to increase body metabolism 
• Mix amla powder with yogurt and consume it to reduce the symptoms of diarrhoea; apply the same to the scalp to reduce dandruff
• Amla combined with vibhitaki and haritaki, also known as triphala are the best way to combat constipation, fistula, indigestion, piles, eye problems et al
• Dried amla boiled with sugar cures vitamin C deficiency, bleeding gums, bad breath and acidity
• Mix amla with cumin powder, coriander powder, a pinch of asafoetida and pepper powder; dry this mixture and consume it after a heavy meal to reduce bloating and heaviness 

Gulkand (Rose Petals)

• Banish social embarrassment caused by persistent body odour...consume gulkand with milk daily 
• The bitter and pungent property present in gulkand helps arrest nose bleeds
• Vanquish that acidity bubble in your gut and heart with the time-tested gulkand and milk combo
• Gulkand works wonders on acne and other skin ailments
• Gulkand helps reduce constipation; ease mouth ulcers and painful periods! 

Honey and Lemon

• Mix one teaspoon honey and squeeze a bit of lemon in a glass of warm water and gulp down this elixir in the early morning to garner the following benefits:
• Purify your toxin-filled blood 
• Soothe a sore throat
• Reduce that irritating cough
• Get your digestive juices in order and avoid constipation
• Rub lemon peel mixed with honey on the skin and wash it off after some time…voila get a shade lighter!

Sesame Seeds

• Soak some sesame seeds in a quarter cup of water overnight; and consume this mixture first thing in the morning as an effective iron supplement
• Combat dysmenorrhea (painful periods) by consuming sesame seeds with one teaspoon honey
• A relaxing massage with sesame oil is an effective remedy for low blood pressure 
• Inject sesame oil into the nasal stream to reduce sinusitis

Yoghurt

• Mix yoghurt with amla powder and consume this powerful natural cure for dysentery
• A mixture of yoghurt and pomegranate cures a burning stomach, indigestion and nausea
• Mix mint leaves, yoghurt and pepper; and feed this mixture to your child 3-4 times a day, to increase appetite

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