Low Sodium salt

Sodium chloride is the Table salt which we can't live without.
Salt regulates the fluid balance in the body and regulates the electrical signaling in the nervous system.Too little salt in the diet can cause dizziness and fluid imbalance .
The recommended salt intake differs slightly depending on the age group of a person and the country one belongs to . But 2200 mg of Sodium in a day is the upper limit .This includes the sodium from all the food sources.
              Increased Sodium levels in the diet cause kidney trouble,heart problems and water retention in the body.There is a direct relation between high blood pressure and increased salt intake.So it is always better to decrease the salt intake in the food.
            There are low sodium salts available under different brand names in the market.These substitutes taste almost like salt but the sodium content is low.It is because the sodium chloride is substituted with Potassium chloride.The most common additive in table salt is the anti caking agents to make the salt more free flowing.This could be Magnesium carbonate or other agents in permissible amounts.Iodides  and fluorides are also known additives in special salts.
           Since Potassium chloride is also essential in the body and sometimes used to replenish electrolytes  -it is thought to be safe for replacing the sodium in the table  salt.However it is quite bitter and  not salty and has to be mixed again with other additives to make it more palatable.Over dosage of Potassium chloride can lead to severe consequences and people suffering from hyperkalemia should not try using the low sodium salt.It is always better to consult a doctor before switching over to the substitute salt.
Avoiding pickled items in the diet ,chips,fast foods,processed foods and eating more boiled vegetables(without salt of course) and adding lemon and herbs to improve the taste are natural ways to decrease the salt intake in our food.It is very important to accept the salt- less  taste of the vegetables and enjoy their true taste.

To look and feel younger...

Mix:
10 gms of ghee made from Cow's milk and equal amount of Sesame seed oil -aka  Til ka tel , Nuvvula nooni and Nallenai in different Indian languages.
5 gms of honey
25 gms of Amla Churan
This powder is available in all ayurvedic stores.It is the powder of the dried fruits of Goose berry ( Usurikaya in Telugu ,Nellikai in Tamil)

Eating a little of this mixture in the mornings will make the person look and feel younger.

(This tip was taken from Rishi prasad- Asaramji Bapu ashram  magazine)

Ayurvedic nose drops for Sinusitis

People who suffer from Sinusitis during winter as a routine can crush the leaves of Acalypha indica * and put one drop of the juice in the nostrils.A slight burning sensation is normal. One drop for each nostril is sufficient.
Care should be taken that the leaves are clean .This is an extremely common plant and the remedy is very effective in relieving the Sinus symptoms .
Common names of Acalypha indica:

Tamil name:Kuppaimeni
Telugu name:Moorkonda,murkonda,kuppi chettu, Kuppinta
Sanskrit  name: Haritha manjari
English name:Indian Acalypha,Indian nettle
Hindi  :Khokli or Kuppi


More info and image can be found in 
http://simpleayurvedichealthtips.blogspot.com/2011/01/acalypha-indica-khokli-or-kuppi.html

Click on the tab ' Sinusitis' below  for more remedies for the inflammation of the Sinuses.

A simple tip for pimples

Mix Sont powder * (dried ginger)
 and
Clove powder (Laung, Lavangam)
with a little water and  apply on  the pimples .The size decreases dramatically and they slowly disappear.

For back pain during periods

Many ladies complain of back ache during  the time of the month.This easy tea recipe will relieve that backache to a great extent.

Pound
 10 gm of Sont-dried ginger
and
10 gm of false black pepper (dried fruits).
The Latin name of this plant is Embelia ribes.It is known as Vayuvidangalu in Telugu,Vayuvidang in Hindi.

Boil the mixture in water till three fourth of the water remains.Add jaggery (30gm) and drink up the decoction for the back pain to disappear.
This is done once a day for 3-4 days.

For difficulty in breathing during winters

Many children and adults may have a breathing problem during winters.This is a small aid suggested by Pujya Asaramji Bapu  in the book Arogya nidhi - part 1.
Mix a pinch of pepper powder and little honey and ghee ( a few drops) and swallow it .This relieves the congestion to a large extent.

A tip for muscle pain

Mix a little rock salt * with garlic juice and massage in the area where there is a muscle pain due to vata dosha.This will reduce the pain to a great extent.

* Saindhavalavanam