Ayurvedic home remedies
Simple, traditional preparations for common, everyday complaints. Each remedy lists ingredients, preparation, how to use it and — most importantly — precautions.
This is the full list of home remedies. Each remedy has one address under Remedies. Browse by health concern
Showing 24 of 611 remedies
Digestion
5 minGinger–lemon appetiser before meals
A tiny bite of fresh ginger with lemon and rock salt, taken before lunch, is a classic way to wake up a sluggish appetite and support agni (digestive fire).
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Digestion
10 minCumin–coriander–fennel (CCF) tea
A mild, soothing seed tea sipped through the day. It is gentle enough for most people and is often used for bloating and a heavy feeling after meals.
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Digestion
2 minAjwain with black salt for gas
Carom seeds (ajwain) have a sharp, warming taste. A small pinch with black salt and warm water is a well-known kitchen measure for occasional gas and cramping after a heavy meal.
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Digestion
5 minSpiced buttermilk (takra) with lunch
Thin, freshly churned buttermilk with roasted cumin is praised in Ayurveda as one of the best drinks for digestion. It is light, cooling to the gut and easy to make.
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Digestion
2 minTriphala with warm water at bedtime
Triphala — a blend of amla, haritaki and bibhitaki — is one of the most widely used Ayurvedic formulas. A small amount at night is traditionally taken for occasional constipation and regularity.
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Digestion
1 minFennel and mishri after meals
The familiar after-dinner mix of fennel seeds and rock sugar is more than a mouth freshener. Fennel is cooling and is traditionally chewed to ease mild acidity and bloating.
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Skin
5 minBesan–turmeric ubtan for glowing skin
Ubtan is the traditional Indian cleansing paste used before festivals and weddings. Gram flour gently removes dirt and oil while turmeric and curd leave the skin soft.
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Skin
5 minFresh aloe vera gel for sun-tired skin
Aloe (ghritkumari) is cooling and calming. Fresh gel from a home plant is a simple way to soothe skin that feels hot and tight after time in the sun.
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Skin
5 minMultani mitti and rose water pack for oily skin
Fuller's earth (multani mitti) soaks up excess oil and has a cooling effect, which makes it a favourite summer face pack for oily, pitta-type skin.
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Skin
3 minHoney and milk cleanse for dry skin
When winter air leaves skin rough, a gentle cleanse with raw milk and honey is a soft alternative to soap. It suits dry, vata-type skin well.
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Hair
15 minCoconut and curry leaf hair oil
A south-Indian family favourite: coconut oil gently warmed with fresh curry leaves. Regular oiling (shiro abhyanga) nourishes the scalp and is deeply relaxing.
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Hair
10 minAmla and fenugreek hair pack
Soaked fenugreek seeds become slippery and conditioning, while amla powder is a traditional hair tonic. Together they make a simple pack for dull, dry hair.
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Hair
10 minHibiscus and curd hair mask
Red hibiscus (gudhal) flowers and leaves have a soft, mucilaginous texture that leaves hair smooth. Mixed with curd, they make a cooling mask that many grandmothers swear by.
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Immunity
10 minGolden turmeric milk (haldi doodh)
Warm milk simmered with turmeric, a pinch of black pepper and a little ghee is India's best-known bedtime comfort drink, traditionally taken when the seasons change.
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Immunity
5 minFresh amla with honey in the morning
Indian gooseberry (amla) is one of Ayurveda's most respected rasayanas (rejuvenating foods) and a rich natural source of vitamin C. Eating it fresh in season is the simplest way to enjoy it.
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Immunity
2 minSoaked almonds and raisins for morning energy
Soaking makes almonds and raisins easier to digest. A small handful in the morning is a traditional, nourishing start to the day, especially for students and the elderly.
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Cold & cough
15 minTulsi–ginger kadha for seasonal colds
A warming herbal decoction made in countless Indian homes at the first sign of a sniffle. Tulsi, ginger, black pepper and cinnamon make it aromatic and comforting.
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Cold & cough
5 minGinger juice and honey for a tickly cough
A spoonful of fresh ginger juice mixed with honey is a time-honoured way to soothe an irritated throat and a dry, tickly cough.
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Cold & cough
10 minAjwain steam for a blocked nose
Breathing in warm steam infused with carom seeds is a simple way to ease a stuffy nose and a heavy head during a cold.
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Cold & cough
3 minWarm salt and turmeric gargle for a sore throat
Gargling with warm salt water, with a pinch of turmeric, is one of the simplest and most widely recommended home measures for a scratchy throat.
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Cold & cough
2 minBlack pepper and honey for chest heaviness
In Ayurveda, black pepper (maricha) is valued for its pungent, kapha-reducing quality. A pinch with honey is a traditional support when a cold settles on the chest as heaviness and mucus.
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Sleep & stress
5 minWarm milk with a pinch of nutmeg for sleep
A cup of warm milk with a tiny pinch of nutmeg (jaiphal) and cardamom is a gentle, traditional wind-down drink for restless evenings.
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Sleep & stress
10 minPadabhyanga: warm oil foot massage before bed
Massaging the soles of the feet with warm oil is a small nightly ritual that Ayurveda recommends for calming vata, easing tired feet and settling the mind for sleep.
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Sleep & stress
5 minAshwagandha milk for stressful days
Ashwagandha is Ayurveda's best-known adaptogenic herb, traditionally used to support strength and a calm mind. It is classically taken in warm milk at night.
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