Eucalyptus Oil for Cold {DIY}

Oh yes, I am most definitely ad very uncomfortably suffering from cold so you are suffering from a barrage of cold related posts. Yeah, I stick to Eucalyptus Oil during cold but I didn't try taking bath with it ever. So, try this out. Let out really hot water (which might make your skin dry), add a tablespoon of eucalyptus oil to a bucket of water (change the proportions accordingly) and take bath with it. Make sure you bathe in really hot water. It will give immense relief and the experience is even better when the water is steaming hot so it releases eucalyptus oil vapors. Your bathroom will smell of the oil for hours later on and it will give a little bit of relief surely. Otherwise, taking bath while having cold feels really tiring.

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Headache: Natural Remedies

Sometime back, I had talked about the cause of headaches. If you are one of the persons who faces regular headaches, then I would suggest you to go through this article which elaborates on the ayurvedic remedies for headaches.  

From my personal experiences, I would like to suggest a few things as precautions and remedies for headaches.

What causes headaches in my case?

• I face maximum of my headaches due to improper nutrition. If I miss out on my meals for a long duration, I get headaches. So, you might want to consider eating proper food to reduce headaches.
• I also get headaches on days when its cold outside and I take a head bath. Mainly, I am told by elders that it is the exposure of wet scalp to cold air which causes headaches. Even a family doctor told me so. So, consider staying inside or cover your ears and head on a cold day. It prevents entering of cold air in your body through ears. I know it sounds strange but it is true.
• Not sleeping properly is again on the list for headaches. So, take a proper deep sleep at nights.
• Stress is again a cause. Excessive pondering and brooding does cause headaches. 
• Excess watching of TV or working on PC. Take a 5 minute break in every half hour to relax yourself. Even continuous reading of books also contribute to headaches.
• And, finally, sometimes, I just develop headaches without any intervention from my side. 
• One thing of importance here is that sometimes we wake with aching heads in the morning. Well, a nice hot shower and good heavy breakfast clears your headache.

How do I deal with headaches?

• I avoid taking medicines as much as I can.
• Sometimes, taking a hot bath and eating a little food afterwards helps a lot in relieving headaches. 
• When I was a little younger, I used to pounce on Disprin even on slightest inkling of headache. So, gradually, my body developed immunity to the drug and it stopped helping me after sometime of regular usage. 
• So, I decided that instead of taking any medication, I would rely on natural remedies. Well, you might have seen herbal pain balms like Amrutanjan and Himalaya. I use Amrutanjan because it works really well for me and it is really strong. But, I apply the balm on my forehead and go to sleep in my dark bedroom. If the pain is unbearable, I consider tying a scarf or something tightly around the head for preventing throbbing. Generally, this idea works for me after a very long day. 
• And, if the pain is so bad that I can not bear and have to take a medicine, I end up taking a paracetamol. It works in an hour for me. 

But, I would advise all of you who have regular headaches to stick to home remedies instead of taking medicines. Taking excess medicines is not good for the body and our bodies do develop immunity to them after a while. Please do not forget to share your ways of getting rid of headaches.

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Why do we get Headaches?

Have you ever wondered what causes the headaches. I have had headaches since 1998 as far as I can remember and it is definitely never a great experience. Instead, I feel like my head will come out of the skull. I have always wondered what causes headache. The reason which I knew was less blood supply to the parts of the head. Yes. If you are suffering from any kind of headache without having any ailment like cold, sinus, any kind of flu or fever or any other medical problem like tumor, it is just because you have less blood supply in your scalp and its nerves. The blood vessels are constricted and reduce the flow. This starts right from the neck blood vessels.

Time for reality check. I would like to share some issues regarding headaches which probably many of you are not aware of. At least, I came to know of them today itself. Coffee and sweets are two things which can cause or increase the intensity of headaches. This is because of the caffeine content in the coffee and chocolates. Caffeine decreases the blood supply to the head by constricting the blood vessels. And, the other sweets increase the blood sugar level which in turn also decreases the blood supply by constricting the blood vessels. Other foods which might trigger headaches are processed food, foods high in sugar, cheese, food additives, alcohol, carbonated beverages, red wine, Chinese food and even citrus fruits and bananas. You can also be sensitive to other things which you include in your diet so keep an eye open. There are many other factors too which cause headaches like stress, lack of sleep, bright lights, weather changes, loud noises and strong odors. Wearing a hair style which pulls your hair tightly or tying a hair band too tightly can also trigger headaches. It is best to leave your hair free in that case or use a clip to just catch hold of your hair. Mensuration cycles is again one of the common reasons for headache in women. Eye sight is also a very big catalyst in headaches. Excess exposure to sun is also a cause for headaches.

The lesson to be taken from all this is that you should be conscious of what you are eating and doing so that you can trace the reason of your headaches. Anything can trigger a headache within an hour of its consumption so keeping a little check on eating patterns can help you discern the reason and get rid of headaches easily. If you would not do so, these headaches may easily develop into migraines. I am sure many of you would really not be aware that you are suffering from migraines. One of the most common symptoms of migraines is a nauseating feeling accompanies by vomiting. Some headaches are so severe that they get resolved only after vomiting. If you are sensitive to bright lights or noises or odors, you should seek help from a doctor and clearly outline your case of headaches. Sometimes, doctors might also just ignore your complain of headaches saying it is normal or it is due to eyesight (if you have one). Be prepared for this. If you have such experience, try to find patterns on your own. Chances are that you yourself would be able to figure out the cause of your headaches. Sometimes, it is as simple as sitting a lot before a computer or watching too much of television or even too much of reading. Such things can easily be improved by changing a little of the lifestyle.

The best remedy for headaches is to lie down in a dark and quiet place. Instead of going for medications, you can also use balms (which you can apply on forehead) or get some to do a scalp or body massage for you.

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