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STOMACH PAIN (COLIC)

Colic is one of the most common reasons a baby cries. The reason could be untimely feeds and wrong kind of gassy foods consumed by the breast feeding mother.

If a baby (less than nine months of age) has a pain in the stomach, the recommended remedy is to crush 10 to 15 grains of dill seed (known as “Suva” in India) in a teaspoonful of water. This extract should be mixed with a few drops of mother's milk and administered to the baby.
H Here’s a picture of the dill seed for identification.

CONSTIPATION

Another common stomach ailment is constipation. Everyone is aware how uncomfortable it is to be constipated. One loses one's appetite, feels that one's stomach is distended and dreads the next trip to the bathroom. If adults find constipation so discomfiting, one can only imagine what a baby must feel. Tradition has a cure for this too. Administer a few drops of castor oil mixed with a teaspoonful of mother's milk or lukewarm water. The dose of castor oil should be adjusted according to the age of the baby and the severity of the constipation. This once-a-day dose should be terminated once normal bowel movement has been restored.

CHEBULIC MYROBALAN : Botanical Name: Terminalia chebula - also known as harda or pilehar in Hindi, kadukka in Malayalam, Kadukkai in Tamil, kadukar or karakaya in Telugu, harithaki, pathya, sudha or poothana in Sanskrit. (Refer to the picture on your left)
It is very effective in treating constipation. Just rub the seed of the harda on a stone with a little bit of water and give the paste to the baby every morning after bath and the baby will be relieved of constipation.

1. A natural and simple diet is a significant factor in preventing constipation. Eat plenty of green vegetables, whole grains, cereals, bran, fresh and dry fruits, milk and milk products etc. One should carefully avoid faulty diets, intake of refined and rich foods lacking minerals and vitamins, overeating, extravagant consumption of meat, regular use of purgatives and excess of strong tea or coffee. If you are prone to habitual constipation, taking warm water frequently during the day-time will be of good help to you. Food should be properly chewed and should be taken as per schedule, avoiding odd meal timings.

2. Mix the three myrobalans (Indian gooseberry, Chebulic myrobalan and Beleric myrobalan) in equal ratio and grind them in a mixer and sieve it. Consuming this powder with a glass of warm water twice or thrice a day helps relieving constipation.

3. In a glass of cold water mix a teaspoonful of Ispagula husk. Now you get this commonly as Isabgol. Take this solution followed by another glass of water. This remedy is highly useful for constipation.

4. Keep drinking water in a copper vessel and leave it overnight. Drinking this water in the morning helps regulating the bowel movement.

5. Mix one part of Indian Senna, 2 parts of Chebulic myrobalan, and one part of Indian gooseberry. Grind the mixture into a fine powder. Taking a teaspoonful of this powder is effective in chronic constipation.
6. Apply Castor oil/ Coconut oil to the Anus region of the Baby, so that it doesn't pain for the baby while passing motion and the hard motion easily slips out. Use a cotton bud to apply and don't use your finger else you may hurt the baby with your nail.

NAUSEA
1. Cut a lemon into two halves. Sprinkle a very small pinch of black salt over the cut surface, and lick it. The strong aroma of lemon coupled with the salty taste will make you feel better.

2. Cut a slice of ginger. Chew it for some time. You can use black salt to impart a salty taste to the ginger.

3. Make a sherbet out of ginger and lime, Add some black salt and sugar to taste. You will feel much relieved.

LOSS OF APPETITE

Loss of appetite and indigestion are closely linked entities of digestive disturbances in Ayurveda. Agnimandhya is the term used to denote the loss of appetite while Ajeerna denotes indigestion. A harmonious balance of Vata and Pitta hold the essence of a normal appetite. A vitiation in their mutual balance could lead to a loss of appetite. Irregular dietary habits bring about a vitiation in Pitta while psychic problems like anxiety, fear or physical causes like suppression of impeding urges lead to an imbalance in Vata. Both these sequences lead to disturbances in normal levels of appetite.

1. Extract about a cup of pomegranate seed juice. Add a pinch of rock salt and a spoonful of honey. Taking this solution slowly removes the bad taste from the mouth and increases your appetite!

2. Take equal parts of mustard seeds, asafetida, ginger, cumin seeds and black salt and grind the mixture to a fine powder. Add this mixture to a glass of buttermilk and drink it an hour before meals to enhance the appetite.

3. Mix well a spoonful of each - Indian gooseberry powder, clarified butter and honey. Take this paste prior to meals to improve the appetite.

4. Ingredients : one part each of cloves, nutmeg and long pepper, 3 parts of Indian gooseberry and 8 parts of ginger. Grind the mixture to obtain a fine powder. Add sufficient sugar to make the taste acceptable. Consuming a spoonful of this mixture twice or thrice a day helps in regaining the lost appetite.

5. Mix in equal parts, cinnamon bark, small cardamom, coriander seeds and fennel seeds. Soak the mixture in cold water overnight. Strain this blend with a tea strainer. Drinking this cold infusion early in the morning helps in building an appetite.

6. Soak about 10 grams of tamarind in a cup of warm water for 30 minutes. Squeeze the mass to obtain tamarind juice. Add a pinch of table salt to suit your taste. Add about 2 grams of powdered ajowan seeds. Taken before meals, this juice improves appetite. Alternatively, you can dilute 1/2 a teaspoonful of tamarind pulp in one cup of water for this purpose.

7. Basil tea is an efficacious drink to enhance appetite. Take about 20 gms of Basil leaves and boil the same in 250 ml of water till the quantity is reduced to half of the original volume. Strain the liquid and mix an equal amount of milk, a pinch of cardamom powder and sufficient sugar to suit your taste. Consuming this tea twice a day helps to increase your appetite.

FLATULENCE

Flatulence is known as Anaha in Ayurveda. The causative dosha is Vata and is characterized by stiffness in the lower abdomen, scanty defecation, and occasional breathing problems.

1. Take a pinch of asafetida and dissolve it in a cup of hot water. Drink this water when it is adequately cool.

2. Light roast a tablespoonful of fennel seeds. Once they cool down to a bearable temperature, chew them thoroughly in divided doses. After the first two doses, you will experience a great deal of relief.

INDIGESTION

This is known as Ajeerna in Ayurveda. It is result of fasting or consumption of food before digestion of the earlier intake of food. Untimely food habits, heavy or dry food, psychological causes like fear, anger, jealousy etc., suppression of natural urges and excessive intake of water cause indigestion! A reduction in Pitta activity with an excessive Kapha characterize the doshic profile of indigestion.

1. Mix a teaspoon of ajwain seeds with 1/2 spoon of rock salt. Consume the mixture with a glass of water. This will instantly get rid of flatulence and stomach disorder.

2. Mix 5 gms of asafetida with a glass of hot water. Add a teaspoonful of sugar to better the taste. Though it smells bad while swallowing, it rapidly relieves your system of flatulence and helps in relieving indigestion.

3. Add 2 drops of mint oil in a cup of warm water and drink immediately. It provides instant relief from gripping and flatulence.

4. Wash about 20-25 fresh curry leaves with cold water. Extract the juice from these leaves. In a cup of plain water, add about 1 teaspoonful of lemon juice and the juice obtained from the curry leaves. Add 1 teaspoonful of honey to this blend and always drink this when its fresh. It relieves nausea, vomiting and flatulence induced by indigestion.

DIARRHOEA (Loose Motions)

This condition is termed as Atisara in Ayurveda. Diarrhoea could be caused by any of the following :

Intake of foods of any particular quality in excess, foods incompatible with your prakriti or with seasonal variations, intake of foods that are not well cooked, contaminated water or other beverages etc.
Further, in Ayurveda, diarrhoea is also described to be induced by mental causes and by toxins.

Atisar is classified into 7 distinct types namely, Vataja, Pittaja, Kaphaja, Bhayaja (caused by fear), Tridoshaja, Shokaja (caused by grief) and Raktatisara (diarrhoea associated with bleeding).

During diarrhoea, ensure that you are on a suitable diet to overcome dehydration, as advised by your physician. Ensure that the body is replenished with fluids to prevent dehydration.

1. Whey or buttermilk are considered effective remedies for diarrhoea. Whey is the liquid portion of curd while buttermilk is obtained by churning the curd after the fat has been removed. Take any one of them in small volumes at frequent intervals.
2. Kanji made from cooked rice cooked in water, with a pinch of salt is also very good and soothing.
3. A solution made with salt and sugar (Electral water/ ORS) is to be administered to the person suffering from time to time. This is to prevent dehydration.
4. Raw banana is an effective astringent and is recommended widely as a diet for treating diarrhoea. Cut one raw banana into three pieces and soften them in a pressure cooker using an adequate volume of water. Drain out the excess water. Separate the peel and mash the softened pulp well. In a skillet, roast a small volume of poppy seeds till they brown. Grind them to obtain a fine powder. Add this powder to the banana mash together with a pinch of salt. This delicious and nutritious receipe checks diarrhoea owing to its astringent properties.
5. The dried rind of a pomegranate is an invaluable remedy for diarrhoea. A fine powder of this rind, 1 gm twice a day taken with buttermilk helps to check the frequency of loose motions.

THE MOST EFFECTIVE HOME REMEDY FOR INFANTS/ TODDLERS/ YOUNG ONES & FOR ADULTS AS WELL IS NUTMEG - NUTMEG CAN WELL BE CALLED THE STAR IN TREATING LOOSE MOTIONS.

NUTMEG

Nutmeg is also known as Jaiphal in hindi, Jadhikkai in Tamil, Jajikaya in telegu.
(Refer to picture of Nutmeg on your left).
Nutmeg is very effective in loose motions. It helps arrest the motions and also gives a peaceful sleep to the baby.

SORE THROAT

1. Soak two teaspoonfuls of ajwain seeds(bishops weed) in cold water. Add a pinch of common salt. Using this infusion as a common gargle substantially eases the acute sore throat.

2. Two tablespoons of fenugreek seeds should be added to a litre of cold water and simmered on a gentle flame. This should be allowed to cool to a temperature that could be tolerated by the buccal cavity. Strain this mixture and gargle with it several times a day. This cures a sore throat.

3. Coarsely powder the cinnamon bark. Boil a teaspoonful of this powder in water. Strain the extract and add a pinch of black pepper and a teaspoonful of honey. Consuming this decoction every three hours in a day cures a sore throat.

COLD AND COUGH

Traditional home remedies for Cold
Cold makes the baby extremely uneasy, the baby becomes cranky and sleepless. What can be done when the baby has a cold.
Indian Home remedy :
Here is a recipe for “Kashayam” or tonic which can be administered to the baby all through the day instead of using water. The only point to remember is that it has to be made fresh every morning and it should be warm while given to the baby, this can be had by adults too.
Recipe for Kashayam for Cold
Tulasi or Basil – 8-10 leaves (u can put along with the stem). (Refer to picture on your left)




Leaves of the Bishop’s weed – (leaves of the ajwain plant, Karpooravalli) – 1-2 leaves. (Refer to picture on your left)



Bishop’s weed - (Ajwain,Omam) – one teaspoon
(Refer to picture on your left)




Cumin seeds – (Jeera, Jeeragam) – one teaspoon(refer to picture on your right)


Dill seeds – (Suva seeds) – one teaspoon (Refer to picture below)

Fennel seeds - (Saunf, Sombu) – one teaspoon (this sweetens the tonic a little). (Refer to picture on your right)

Pepper (Miri, Molaghu) – 3-4 peppercorns (refer to picture on your left)



Method
Take 4-5 glasses of water, put all the abovementioned ingredients and let it come to boiling point, once it reaches the boiling point wait for another 2-3 minutes so that all the essence of the spices and herbs enter the water and put off the gas.
Wait till this concoction becomes warm and u can add a teaspoon of honey and give your baby. Honey is very soothing for the throat incase the baby is having a sore throat. Also if the baby is fussy and doesn’t like the taste of the tonic, adding honey may induce the baby to have the tonic because it adds some sweetness to the kashayam. This can be served several times during the day. It reduces the phlegm and very soothing for the cold and cough. Remember it has to always be served warm and made fresh everyday.

FERMENTATION
Having a cold can be quite a nuisance, but for a baby it is particularly uncomfortable. There is a traditional method to alleviate the baby's discomfort. If the baby is less than six months old, take 4-5 nagarvel paans (Paan means betel leaves) and place them on a sieve. Place the sieve on a cooking pan over a fire. 1 paan should be placed in the centre of the sieve to allow it to get moderately hot. These warm paans are then placed on the baby's chest one after another. However, make sure that the paans are not so hot that they burn the baby's skin. This procedure should be continued for about five minutes by re-heating the cooled paans.

In the case of babies over six months of age, one can use balls of soft cotton cloth in place of the paans. The balls of cloth should be heated on an indirect fire (heat a tava (flat bottomed pan), place the cloth for a second or 2, feel it against your palm, if it is bearable or not). Then place it on the baby’s chest, on the ribs, the throat and the back. The moderately warm balls of cloth should then be pressed gently against the baby's chest and back. Here again, make sure that the balls of cloth are at a temperature that will not affect the baby's tender skin. If it is not possible to heat the balls of cloth on an indirect fire, one can heat a piece of soft cotton cloth using a hot iron and then roll it into a ball.

DISCLAIMER : "HOME REMEDIES ARE JUST SUPPLEMENTARY APPROACHES. ALWAYS SEEK A QUALIFIED PHYSICIAN'S ADVICE FOR ANY ILLNESSES."