You Can Deworm Yourself With Ayurveda-Here's How

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Updated Mar 20, 2025 | 12:19 PM IST

You Can Deworm Yourself With Ayurveda-Here's How

SummaryDeworming is the giving of an anthelmintic drug to a human or animal to rid them of helminth parasites, such as roundworms, flukes and tapeworms.

In the realm of natural healing, Ayurveda offers a time-honoured and holistic approach to deworming, rooted in centuries of traditional Indian wisdom. Rather than relying on synthetic medications, Ayurvedic practices focus on strengthening the body's natural detoxification mechanisms using herbs, lifestyle changes, and mindful dietary choices.

Dr Dimple Jangda, an Ayurveda and Gut Health Coach, recently took to social media to explain that regular deworming plays a crucial role in maintaining digestive and overall health. In a recent reel, she shared a series of Ayurvedic remedies aimed at cleansing the body of intestinal parasites while restoring internal balance. Here's how she did it.

Power of Herbs

Certain Ayurvedic herbs are known for their potent anti-parasitic, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Neem, vidanga, triphala, and cloves are among the most recommended. These herbs can be consumed in the form of decoctions—where the ingredients are boiled in water to extract their medicinal benefits. This herbal blend not only targets parasites but also supports gut health and immunity.

Panchakarma Therapies

Ayurveda also advocates Panchakarma—an intensive detoxification regime—to eliminate toxins and parasites from the body. Among the therapies, virechana (therapeutic purgation) and basti (medicated enema) are particularly effective in flushing out intestinal worms. These treatments must be done under expert supervision, as they are powerful methods to reset the digestive system and restore balance to the doshas.

Diet That Discourages Parasites

Diet plays a central role in preventing and managing parasitic infections. Dr. Jangda recommends incorporating more bitter and pungent foods into meals—such as bitter gourd, ginger, and turmeric. These ingredients create an inhospitable environment for parasites, inhibiting their growth and reproduction. In addition, these spices are known to aid digestion and reduce inflammation in the gut.

Herbal Air Purifiers

Beyond internal remedies, maintaining a clean and hygienic environment is essential. An interesting Ayurvedic practice involves placing dried herbs like eucalyptus, thyme, and mint in sachets or open bowls around the home. These herbs naturally purify the air with their antimicrobial and antifungal properties, contributing to a healthier living space.

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Hygiene and Fasting Practices

Good hygiene habits form the foundation of effective parasite prevention. “Practising basic hygiene—such as washing hands before meals, ensuring clean surroundings, and maintaining food hygiene—can significantly reduce the risk of parasitic infections,” says Dr. Jangda. She also emphasizes the benefits of periodic fasting or abstaining from heavy meals. These practices allow the digestive system to rest, regenerate, and effectively flush out unwanted organisms.

As parasites can silently disrupt digestive health and overall well-being, regular deworming with natural methods can offer lasting benefits. The Ayurvedic approach, with its emphasis on harmony between the body and nature, provides a gentle yet powerful path to detoxification and healing. However, it’s essential to consult an Ayurvedic practitioner before beginning any herbal regimen or Panchakarma therapy to ensure safety and suitability.

ALSO READ: Not Just a Screen Time Fix: 5 Timeless Health Habits from the '50s

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Rose Tea Has Benefits Beyond Ayurveda: Here's How To Make It

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Updated Mar 21, 2025 | 01:38 PM IST

Rose Tea Has Benefits Beyond Ayurveda: Here's How To Make It

SummaryThis beverage, besides its beautiful colour, offers several benefits and is naturally caffeine-free.

Roses have been a key ingredient in Ayurveda. Known as Shatapatri, these fragrant flowers are revered for their colling benefits and are therefore excellent for balancing Pitta dosha, the mind-body energy associated with fire. It is also known to benefit heart health. Now, research has shown that Rose tea is equally beneficial. This beverage, besides its beautiful colour, offers several benefits and is naturally caffeine-free.

Here Is Why You Should Drink Rose Tea

Many people rely on caffeinated beverages like coffee and tea for an energy boost and mental stimulation. However, many people feel the side effects of caffeine such as headaches, sleep and heart problems. Moreover, rose tea can also contribute significantly to daily fluid intake. Proper hydration helps combat fatigue, prevent headaches, and support skin health. Moreover, drinking water-rich beverages like rose tea can aid weight management by boosting metabolism and promoting a feeling of fullness when consumed before meals.

Rose tea is full of antioxidants, particularly polyphenols such as gallic acid, anthocyanins, and quercetin. These compounds combat oxidative stress caused by free radicals, which can contribute to ageing and chronic illnesses like heart disease and cancer. Research even suggests that the antioxidant content of some rose teas rivals that of green tea.

Rose tea can also prove to be a natural remedy for cramps. Traditional medicine often recommends rose tea for menstrual pain relief. A study conducted on teenage girls in Taiwan found that drinking rose tea reduced menstrual cramps and improved emotional well-being. While more research is needed, these findings suggest that rose tea could be a natural alternative to conventional pain relief methods.

Moreover, this herbal tea is also associated with antibacterial properties, improved digestion, and stress relief. However, many purported benefits, such as enhanced heart health and anti-inflammatory effects, stem from studies on concentrated rose extracts, not the tea itself. It’s important to distinguish rose tea from rosehip tea, the latter being rich in vitamin C.

How To Prepare Rose Tea?

Making rose tea is simple and customizable. You can start by using fresh petals or dried rose buds but you need to ensure that they are pesticide-free. If you’re making tea from fresh petals, you need about 2 cups of washed petals. Simply boil them with 3 cups (700 ml) of water for about 5 minutes. Once finished, strain the tea into cups and enjoy.

If you’re using dried petals or buds, place 1 tablespoon of either in a cup and steep them in boiling water for 10–20 minutes. Different brands may recommend specific water temperatures and brewing times. Enjoy the tea plain or with a touch of honey for added sweetness.

How Is Rose Tea Made?

This aromatic herbal beverage is made from the fragrant petals and buds of rose flowers. Honey is added for sweetness. Here are steps to make it at your home:

  • Get one fresh rose, pluck the petals, and wash them thoroughly.
  • Add ½ a cup of water and the rose petals in a teapot or a saucepan.
  • When the water starts boiling simmer it for 5 minutes or wait until the colour of rose petals runs off completely into the water.
  • Use a strainer and transfer the tea to a cup.
  • Now you can add honey as per your taste. (You can also add lemon to this tea if you have a strong liking for tangy flavour).

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With Obesity On Rise, This Ayurvedic Drink Could Be Your Weight Loss Essential—Here's How to Make It

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Updated Mar 19, 2025 | 01:52 PM IST

With Obesity On Rise, This Ayurvedic Drink Could Be Your Weight Loss Essential—Here's How to Make It

SummaryA powder made from amla (Indian gooseberry), harad (chebulic myrobalan), baheda (beleric), neem, tulsi (holy basil), and giloy can be just the decoction you need to speed up weight loss.

Over half of adults and a third of children and young people worldwide will be overweight or obese by 2050, posing an "unparalleled threat" of early death, disease and enormous strain on healthcare systems, a report published in Lancet, last month, warned. This brought back the spotlight on this health issue. Now, while it is an established fact that diet and exercise are pivotal to reducing obesity, new studies have shown that Ayurvedic treatments can be quite effective for weight loss as well. An added advantage is that they tend to have excellent results and come with minimal risk of side effects. However, it is advised to follow these methods under expert supervision.

Naturopathy expert Dr Nitasha Gupta claims that a particular herbal decoction can help reduce up to 7 kilograms of weight in a month. Dr Gupta explains that the powder is made from amla (Indian gooseberry), harad (chebulic myrobalan), baheda (beleric), neem, tulsi (holy basil), and giloy. These ingredients help in quick weight loss. The body also detoxifies, and the risk of diseases decreases. The powder can also be consumed in another way.

How To Make Ayurvedic Weight Loss Drink At Home

  • Take one glass of water in a pan.
  • Add one spoon of herbal powder made from Ayurvedic herbs.
  • Boil the water until it is reduced to half.
  • Remove from heat and pour into a glass.
  • Drink it on an empty stomach in the morning and again before bedtime.

Here's Another Way To Take It

- Take one spoon of the powder in a bowl.

- Add one spoon of honey to make a paste.

- Consume this mixture on an empty stomach in the morning and again before bedtime.

- According to Dr. Nitasha, this method too can help reduce up to 5 kilograms in a month.

Bnefits Of Amla, Baheda And Harad

Amla, baheda, and harad are considered powerful Ayurvedic remedies for fat reduction and overall well-being. Together, they form the popular Ayurvedic formulation known as Triphala, which has been used for centuries to cleanse the body and support healthy digestion.

Amla (Indian gooseberry) is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. It helps in boosting liver function, enhancing metabolism, and strengthening the immune system. Regular consumption of amla is believed to improve fat breakdown and reduce harmful cholesterol levels, making it an effective aid in weight management.

Baheda (beleric) is known for its detoxifying properties. It flushes out toxins from the digestive tract, balances the body’s doshas, and stimulates digestive fire (agni), which is essential for nutrient absorption and fat metabolism. It also supports respiratory and liver health.

Harad (chebulic myrobalan) is revered in Ayurveda for its powerful cleansing effects. It increases the metabolic rate, helps maintain optimal weight, controls hunger pangs, and improves gut health. Collectively, these three herbs support natural detoxification, balance internal systems, and promote sustainable weight loss.

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I Was Stuck In A Cycle Of 'Stress, Burnout And Insomnia'- Until I Tried This Ancient Ayurvedic Practice To Quiet The Mental Chatter

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Updated Mar 19, 2025 | 05:20 PM IST

I Was Stuck In A Cycle Of 'Stress, Burnout And Insomnia'- Until I Tried This Ancient Vedic Practice

SummaryTranscendental Meditation (TM) is a scientifically backed practice that reduces stress, enhances cognitive function, and improves sleep. Studies show regular TM practice lowers cortisol levels and boosts emotional well-being.

Ever felt like your mind just won’t turn off? Like you're trapped in a never-ending cycle of stress, sleeplessness and exhaustion—fuelled by caffeine and pure willpower? You're not alone. We all drive ourselves through life, believing burnout is the cost of doing business. But what if there was a quick, scientifically-proven way to escape?

For Arghya Dutta Choudhury, life was a draining blur of deadlines, self-doubt, and relentless overthinking—until he got to know about Transcendental Meditation (TM). What was a desperate attempt to take back control became a powerful transformation. From crippling insomnia to a deep sense of inner calm, his journey reveals shows how 20 minutes of meditation, twice a day, can reboot the mind, balance emotions, and even help you sleep better.

He worked full-time as a content writer at 29, juggling deadlines, career demands, and personal issues. Though academically successful, his thoughts ran non-stop, making him feel emotionally unbalanced and reckless. Anxiety, together with incessant overthinking, made it virtually impossible to concentrate, resulting in self-doubt and emotional burnout.

As with others trapped in the cycle of burnout, his sleepless nights only made him worse. Insomnia became an unwelcome visitor, and day-to-day activities became a strain. The convergence of work-related stress and lack of relaxation compelled him to higher levels of tiredness and emotional distress. Tired of this, he tried meditation, but his early spiritual quest was wanting in depth and change.

"My mind was always racing, and it was hard to concentrate on work or even appreciate simple things," he remembers. The pressure of his high-stress job, combined with lack of sleep and emotional instability, drove him into burnout cycles that compromised his productivity and relationships.

One of his biggest challenges was insomnia. No matter how exhausted he felt, falling asleep—and staying asleep—was an ongoing battle. “I would wake up feeling just as drained as the night before,” he says. This constant state of exhaustion left him struggling to perform at work and maintain personal relationships, leading to a downward spiral of stress and fatigue.

Eager to resolve the issue, Arghya discovered Transcendental Meditation in June 2016. TM is a very easy yet highly effective meditation practice based on Vedic traditions that is meant to enable one to go beyond thoughts and enjoy deep relaxation. TM is different from other types of meditation that need one to focus intensely because it enables the mind to settle down naturally into a state of great stillness.

His initial TM session was nothing less than a revelation. "For the first time, my mind felt absolute silence," he says. "It was like someone had thrown a switch, and all the commotion in my head just disappeared." Inspired by this instant sense of peace, Arghya began practicing TM daily—and the change was phenomenal.

In weeks, Arghya experienced a deep transformation in his mind and emotions. The impulsiveness that used to drive his choices slowly faded away, replaced by an inner sense of balance and clarity. He was more patient, more grounded, and less reliant on external stimuli to feel content. "I no longer needed constant social media stimulation or overwork to feel complete," he says. Rather, he found happiness in solitude and in the ordinary everyday moments.

The most striking alteration was in sleep. For years, he had fought insomnia. Now, he slept soundly and deeply at last. "For the first time in years, I woke up feeling refreshed," he remembers. His output increased, his emotional strength increased, and he no longer was bogged down by the rigors of life.

In 2024, Arghya attended the 10,000 for World Peace Assembly at Kanha Shanti Vanam in Hyderabad, where meditators from 134 nations came together to bring orderliness to the group consciousness. The experience of the raw power of thousands of people meditating as one made him realize more intensely the vast impact of TM.

He also learned Yogic Flying, an advanced practice in the TM Sidhi Program, during this event. "Yogic Flying enabled me to reach a new level of self-awareness and mental clarity," he reports. This advanced practice solidified his understanding that he was not just his thoughts and feelings—he was the quiet observer beyond the mental chatter. This shift in perspective liberated him from the emotional storms that had previously dominated his life.

Arghya's path was supervised by Ms. Aditi Shrivastava, a diligent teacher of Transcendental Meditation. While looking back on his change, she provided an overview of TM as a transformative instrument for psychological and emotional equilibrium. "Individuals approach TM hoping to break free from the shackles of stress, tension, and sleeplessness. And gradually, a complete shift takes place in their consciousness," reveals Aditi.

According to Aditi, TM not only heals but also empowers individuals to take control of their mental health. “The beauty of TM lies in its simplicity. Unlike other meditation techniques that require years of practice, TM delivers results relatively quickly. With consistent practice, individuals develop greater emotional resilience, enhanced cognitive function, and an overall sense of inner peace.”

She underscores that though the journey of every meditator is different, the most important aspect of transformation is commitment and faith in the process. "Meditation is not a quick fix, but with consistency, it wires the brain differently and allows individuals to get stability and clarity in life," she adds.

Arghya offers one piece of advice to anyone suffering with either or all of what he went through, "Give meditation a chance. The peace you are looking for is already inside you—you just need the proper tools to find it."

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