Home Spa: Rose petal mist

The hot and cold water therapy for hair has already been mentioned to increase blood circulation and strengthen hair. The hot and cold therapy for the face is beneficial too.

In a bowl, bring some water to a boil. Remove from fire and put some fresh rose petals in it. Steam your face for 5 minutes with this fragrant water by covering your head with a towel. Now splash cool water on your face. Apply moisturiser.
This simple procedure unclogs the pores, removes impurities and improves blood circulation, thus refreshing and renewing the face. Soothes your senses too!

p.s. Rose water is made at home in a similar way, with rose petals put in hot water and covered with lid till it gets cool. It is strained and filled in a sterlized bottle and refrigerated. But this does not last long.

desi but effective

Rub your hands with mustard oil and then wash them with soap. This will not only remove filth, dirt from your hands but also make them supersoft. Keep a small bottle of mustard oil on the wash basin. Hands can be washed this way as many times as needed especially after gardening, household chore or any job that makes your hands filthy. Men usually prefer to wash hands this way because they are not much interested in using various hand creams n lotions to soften their hands.

We have seen older people in our house using mustard oil to massage their head and body. Mustard oil keeps our body warm in winter, helps reduce hairfall through improved blood circulation in the scalp. It is also called bitter oil, is anti-fungal keeping away rashes and itches.

Those swollen ankles/feet

Ankles swell up because of muscle tightness when there is no proper circulation of blood in the feet. This can be caused due to prolonged standing.

Tips to reduce or prevent swelling ankles:
1. Reduce your salt intake. Take less of Chinese foods, soups as they contain lot of salt.Make your own soups with less salt. Occasionally rock (sendha) salt can be used as it is less salty compared to the normal iodized salt and does not have effect on your BP.
2. Wearing flat chappals will help reduce swelling.If the feet are tilted at an angle, it is difficult for the heart to pump blood to and from the feet, so the blood pools up near the ankles.
3. Lift up your legs against a wall for sometime daily.
4. Do not sit at the computer seat/desk for too long (do not cross your legs while sitting). Take frequent breaks.
5. Do not push or lift heavy things.
6. Do not do any straineous exercise/yogic posture that puts a strain on your feet.