Popping pills? Give it a rest

If you are sick of popping pills, try these traditional home remedies that help ease asthma and acidity while also adding a glow to your complexion. Cold and Cough Crush 50 gm of sugar candy along with a similar portion of pepper powder, and fold the mixture into 2-3 tablespoons of pure ghee. Make small pellets of it and take three times a day. Five drops of clove oil mixed with one clove of crushed garlic and half a teaspoon of pure honey helps soothe the throat. Toss a mixture of crushed peppercorns (two), a pinch of black cumin seeds and salt to the back of your throat just before you sleep at night. You won’t be bothered by cough or cold and can sleep through the night. Asthma Mix a tablespoon of honey with a pinch of ginger powder and ground black pepper; consume early in the morning. Herbal or black tea with ground ginger, a couple of drops of honey and a dash of lime also helps clear the respiratory tract and can be consumed a couple of times in the day. Acidity After every meal, suck a small piece (the size of a boiled sweet) of jaggery. Crush one clove and one (opened) cardamom. Chew on the powder after every meal (it helps fight acidity and bad breath). Caffeine can cause acidity/cramps and leave you feeling drained out. One litre of water after every 150-200 ml coffee eases the condition. Weight-loss Chew two to three cloves of garlic every morning, and drink a warm glass of water with a juice of one lemon juice. Hair care Warm two tablespoons of coconut oil. Mix it with the juice of two freshly squeezed lemons and one orange. Massage the liquid gently into the scalp for 15-20 minutes. Soak a thin towel in hot water, wring the excess water and wrap it around your head for 10 minutes. Wash it off with a good shampoo. Brittle nails Soak your hands and feet in a bucket of warm water with 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil for 10-15 minutes a day for a month. This helps fortify, thin, damaged and brittle nails. TIRED EYES Crush 50 cleanly washed mint leaves. Wash your face and dab the paste around the eyes and on your face. Lie down for 20 minutes, and allow the paste to dry before rinsing it off with cold water. This works especially if you’ve had a sleepless night, followed by a hard day at work and an evening outing for which you want to look fresh. Soak one tablespoon of dry gooseberry powder in a cup of water and keep it overnight. Strain it in the morning and add one cup of plain water to the liquid, diluting it further. Splash your eyes with the liquid or wash it with the help of an eyecup.