Old Forest

30/08/2016

Adding Shine to Your Tresses with Mustard Oil

Does Mustard Oil Really Help Hair-Health?

Of course, it does.

We now live in such crazy, chaotic times, that our everyday exposure to air/water pollution, blistering sun-rays, stress, chemicals and questionable food items not just affects our overall health, but also leaves significant impact on our once-shining-glory… "Our Hair"… leaving them dry, dull, lustre-less, split at the ends, prematurely grey and/or thinned out.

As promised, we now bring to you some health benefits of mustard oil that are specific to hair growth & quality!!!

1. Massaging scalp with mustard oil improves blood circulation in scalp, thereby stimulating and improving hair growth.
2. Deficiency of certain nutrients weaken hair follicles, causing hair to fall prematurely. Mustard oil is rich store of antioxidants, essential alpha fatty acids, Vitamins A, D, E & K, and minerals. Hence, massaging scalp with mustard oil strengthens and nourishes hair follicles. Healthy hair do not fall out or split at the ends.
3. Beta-carotene, or Vitamin A, is good for hair and directly helps in hair growth.
4. Deficiency of zinc in body also causes severe hair fall. Mustard oil is affluent source of zinc, and its regular application fulfils zinc requirements and keep hair healthy.
5. Since mustard oil contains essential alpha fatty acids, they help in hydrating & conditioning the hair, giving much-desired volume, bounce and lustre to the otherwise dry hair.

How to apply mustard oil to your scalp?

Applying good quality oil to hair is one of the best & easiest ways to improve hair strength & quality, as per Ayurveda. It is better to apply mustard oil at night and take warm water head-bath the next morning; best if done twice a week. So apply hair oil on the nights before the head-bath day. Just dip fingertips in oil, make a partition in your hair and apply oil to scalp & hair roots. After application of oil all over your scalp, gently massage with your fingertips for 10-15 minutes in circular motion, as it improves blood circulation. Massaging also helps ensure oil coats all hair strands. Leave oil in your hair overnight, and wash it off the next morning using any good quality shampoo. For better results, half an hour before head bath, steam your oiled hair with a hot towel wrapped around your head, as it helps hair absorb oil better.

So add this to your Saturday night ritual before going to bed, and let your bouncy, shiny, healthy locks become “Neighbours’ Envy, Owner’s Pride!"

20/08/2016

Do you know - Mustard Oil is a BOON for your skin?

Adding Mustard Oil to your meals gives health benefits, but that’s not all - adding mustard oil’s wholesome goodness to your beauty regime also reaps awesome rewards as it imparts glow to your skin and shine to your tresses.

Skin Benefits of Mustard Oil

1. Mustard oil contains Vitamin E, and hence, it is very good for body massages - stimulates blood circulation, improves skin health & skin tone, and keeps it soft, smooth & supple.
2. It acts as natural sunscreen and protects skin against harmful effects of free radicals from ultraviolet light and air pollution.
3. It also helps in preventing wrinkles and arresting premature skin ageing.
4. Massaging face with mustard oil or using mustard oil in face-packs can help remove skin tan, dark spots and pigmentation, and make it appear light & shiny.
5. Massaging mustard oil on body stimulates sweat glands and opens skin pores. This helps in reducing body temperature and removes toxins, excess salts & water from the body - in the process cleansing the body effectively and making it feel rejuvenated.
6. Those who complain of dry, flaky skin can massage their body with mustard oil before taking bath, and it would keep your skin moisturised, lustrous, and supple whole day long.
7. And here is a remedy for chapped lips that comes straight from grandma’s rasoi and actually works wonders - if you have dry, chapped lips, apply 2-3 drops of mustard oil in your belly-button after bath every day. Actually, you can do it every night too before you fall off to sleep. It would keep your lips soft and supple in driest of winters.

So add a vial of mustard oil to your coterie of skincare products, and let your skin glow with health.

Keep checking this space - in out next segment, we would tell you how mustard oil can help you grow healthy hair !!!

09/08/2016

Why Mustard Oil is Considered the “Healthiest Oil”?

Being an edible oil, mustard oil - or सरसों का तेल - is widely used in cooking in Northern & Eastern India. It is quite rich in unsaturated fats, and hence, is pretty beneficial for heart, and is considered to be one of the “healthiest oils” for cooking purposes. A good quality Mustard Oil would undergo minimal processing - just cold-pressing of mustard seeds to extract the oil.

Health Benefits of Mustard Oil

1. Mustard oil is rich in monounsaturated (MUFA) & polyunsaturated fats (PUFA). Also rich in Omega-3 & Omega-6 fatty acids. These balance cholesterol levels by increasing good cholesterol (HDL) and decreasing bad cholesterol (LDL). Hence, mustard oil minimizes risk of cardiovascular diseases, and can be good substitute for other oils, butter, cheese, and other dietary fat.
2. Whether consumed or applied topically on body parts, mustard oil stimulates sweat glands and opens skin pores. So it helps in removing unwanted toxins, excess water & salts from body, and lowers body temperature.
3. Don’t grimace at the pungent smell, use mustard oil to massage your body. It rejuvenates and cleanses skin by increasing blood circulation.
4. Mustard oil has anti-inflammatory properties due to presence of selenium; hence, it reduces skin inflammation and facilitates quick healing of cuts & wounds.
5. Mustard oil contains glucosinolate, which is known for its anti-carcinogenic properties and prevents formation of cancerous tumors.
6. Mustard oil is considered a natural remedy for asthma & sinusitis. Massaging chest with warm mustard oil can bring relief in case of an asthmatic attack as breathing in the pungent vapours improves airflow to lungs.
7. Mustard oil can bring relief in cold & cough as well, and can clear chest congestion. Rubbing mustard oil mixed with camphor on chest and breathing in the vapours can make breathing less strenuous.
8. Massage with mustard oil helps relieve rheumatic & arthritic pain, and soothes sprained ankles, joint aches & pains.

So go ahead and make mustard oil part of your kitchen and household!!!

01/07/2016

The Good Old Indian Mustard Oil is BACK!!!

Extensively used for cooking in Northern and Eastern India at one time, mustard oil (sarson ka tel) lost ground in the household kitchens first to Dalda, and then to refined oils and olive oil in last few decades. But now it is making a fast come back, as doctors & scientists and the proponents of Naturopathy & Ayurveda hail its health properties and encourage people to eat “Indian Foods”. And mustard oil is all Indian.

Mustard oil has about 60% mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and 21% poly-unsaturated fats (PUFA), which are considered “good fats” as they don’t adhere to the arterial walls. Taken in moderation, this oil can really bring loads of health benefits, and guess what - its wonderful for your skin, hair and dental health as well!!! So don’t wriggle your nose at the distinctive pungent smell, embrace it. Keep checking this page, as we bring to you these health benefits of mustard oil.

So go Indian, and make Mustard Oil a part of your kitchen and your cooking!!!

21/06/2016

“Yoga is not a religion. It is a science - science of well-being, science of youthfulness, science of integrating body, mind and soul.”
― Amit Ray, Yoga and Vipassana: An Integrated Life Style

06/06/2016

What is So Awesome about Wild Honey?

Have you ever tasted WILD HONEY?

If you are fond of honey, and yet, have not tasted wild honey, then you are really missing out on an awesome taste!!!

The regular honey you get in the market is either farmed honey or seasonal honey. This type of honey is collected during certain crop seasons and from honeybees kept on those farms. For example, when mustard crop flowers in northern India, all the honey bees in the region forage nectar from mustard flowers, and so the honey collected from their beehives has aroma & taste of mustard. Since farming requires use of chemicals & pesticides, the same are transferred to farmed honey as well.

Wild honey, on the other hand, is collected from honey bees that dwell in forests in natural beehives, which means the bees have been flitting on wild flowers of all kinds and foraging nectar from each. Usually collected by small-scale artisanal honey collectors, this honey is much purer in quality, lighter in consistency, and tastes so much better and intense than the farmed honey. Devoid of chemicals & pesticides, this honey undergoes no heating or processing, except for natural filtering to remove floating impurities, and has no additives.

Wild honey also has bee-pollen, propolis, royal jelly, enzymes, yeast, more vitamins, minerals & amino acids, which contribute to higher antioxidant levels than normal honey, and has more intense flavour and health benefits.

So go ahead, and get yourself some wild honey and enjoy its finger-licking wholesome goodness!!!

24/05/2016

Why Essential Oils have become Essential for Modern Lifestyles?

Essential oils have become such a trend all over the world these days. Whether being used in aromatherapy for health & wellness, or applied topically for cosmetic purposes, or ingested as medicine, they spread their natural goodness in all forms. They smell heavenly and people just adore them - simply because they are natural healers that bring good health & happiness.

Different essential oils have different properties & uses, and we would take them individually in subsequent posts. But in general, essential oils make for a whole bouquet of health & wellness benefits and help alleviate many modern-day lifestyle issues:

1. Insomnia a curse. Either use a few drops in a diffuser and inhale, or plop a few drops on your pillow before drifting off to sleep, or add to your bathing water, the lovely aroma would calm & soothe your nerves and make you drift easily into a sound sleep.
2. Pollution all prevalent. Some oils work wonders in chest congestions and opening the sinuses.
3. Chemicals galore. Essential oils are natural air freshness & natural disinfectants, and can be used in house-cleaning rags & sprays instead of chemical-laden solutions available in markets. Would make your home smell wonderful and also keep the insects away.
4. Lurking stress. Essential oils are stress & anxiety relievers and also anti-depressants - they help alleviate flagging spirits and rejuvenate mind, body & soul.
5. Selfie pressure. Some essential oils are good for skin - promote skin tone & health, and prevent it from ageing. Some reduce age-spots and blemishes. Some are known to cure dandruff and curb hair loss.
6. Health hazards. Some essential oils, when ingested, aid digestion and bring relief from flatulence. They can even help you feel better if you are assailed by nausea or motion sickness. Applying massage oil mixed with essential oils makes for the most relaxing and invigorating massage. Some give relief from headaches & muscle aches as well.
7. Yoga is trending. Diffusing essential oils during meditation, some say, increases spiritual connect.

So buy your own set of dainty bottles filled with this natural goodness and take refuge from modern-day stressors. But remember - only use essential oils that are 100% pure and natural, and are extracted without use of solvents & chemicals.

18/05/2016

Slightly diverging from the agenda, we are posting a request to Sign a Petition… for BHOPAL!!!

The Petition insists that the US Government must meet its obligations under Treaty & International Law by immediately serving notice upon Dow Chemical to attend court in Bhopal on July 13, 2016.

17/05/2016

The foods might differ in Indian context, but the importance of farmers' markets and buying local remains the same.

Yes, farm-fresh produce tastes better, but there are dozens more reasons why you should support local food.   Farmers’ market food tastes better, simple as that. But that’s not the only reason you should start hitting up your weekly market as much as you can. Whether you care about your health…

14/05/2016

“Stands the clock at ten to three? And is there honey still for tea?” ~ Rupert Brooke, The Old Vicarage, Grantchester

Ever seen honey flow? Well, this sweet, golden-yellow, molten, somewhat viscous liquid does look like gold when it flows from the end of your spoon, but when you add all the health benefits - both nutritional and medicinal - of this nature’s elixir, you realise it is previous in every way!!!

Nutritional Benefits of Honey

1. Honey is 80% carbohydrates, so its an all-natural energy drink. The natural unprocessed sugars present in honey - fructose & glucose - directly enter bloodstream and deliver a quick boost of energy. So next time when you go for that long jog, take a spoonful of honey before you start, and give your body boost to go that extra mile.
2. Honey contains a wide array of vitamins & minerals, albeit in small quantities, including niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Thus, using honey instead of sugar provides you with more nutrients for your calories.

Medicinal Benefits of Honey

1. Honey works as cough suppressant and reduces throat irritation during common cold. The thick smooth consistency helps coat throat while the sweetness is believed to trigger nerve endings that protect the throat from incessant coughing.
2. Honey contains antioxidants, so it removes free radicals from the body and is a natural immune system booster.
3. Honey can be natural cure in first-aid treatment for wounds, burns & cuts, as it promotes healing. Its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal properties prevent infection, and function as anti-inflammatory agent, reducing swelling, pain & scarring.
4. Honey is a wonderful natural home remedy for obesity and lowering cholesterol levels. It mobilizes extra deposited fat in the body, allowing it to be utilized as energy for normal body functions.
5. When taken with milk at night, honey induces sound sleep and improves the quality of sleep.
6. Honey is a mild laxative, so helps reduce constipation, bloating & gas.
7. In Ayurveda, honey is referred to as “Yogavahi”. When honey is used with other herbal preparations, it enhances the medicinal qualities of those preparations and also helps them pe*****te deeper tissues of the body.
8. Honey increase the body's ability to metabolize alcohol, thereby reducing alcohol blood levels and diminishing hangover.

Skin Benefits of Honey

1. Honey, when applied on skin or ingested, works as natural moisturiser & nourisher that keeps skin smooth, supple & hydrated, so it’s a boon for people with dry skin.
2. Facial application also reduces blemishes over time.
3. Honey helps in treating scalp dermatitis & dandruff, relieves itching and diminishes scaling.

So hurry, buy a pot of honey from the nearest store and add its natural goodness to your day… everyday! But remember to buy either organic or natural!!!

07/05/2016

Why You should Choose Old Forest Peach Jam?

PEACH JAM is yet another delicious preserve introduced by OLD FOREST recently!

Have you ever seen a peach orchard on a hill-side lined with trees over-laden with golden-yellow fruit, and breathed in the intoxicating aroma of the sweet, ripe fruit wafting through the orchard every time a light breeze blew across the terrain. It’s one of the most enchanting scenarios, they say!!!

We, at Old Forest, source our peaches from such environs only - from the clean, uncontaminated regions of Kumaun Hills in Uttarakhand actually and grown by small-scale farmers. The peaches are hand-picked, cut into large chunks, and cooked & churned into a delicious mouth-watering jam, which finds its way onto your plate. Such fresh, sweet, finger-licking flavour, that you are tempted to add it to almost everything you eat.

So you can spread a generous amount on your toast, or pack with paranthas in your kid’s lunchbox. Swirl it in your oatmeal porridge, puddings, plain yogurt or milkshake to give them extra zing. You can also fill it as stuffing in french-toasts & strudels, or glaze your chicken or ribs with it. Anyway you eat it, it would tempt you to have yet another spoonful!

29/04/2016

"If you start with a great peach, there's nothing you're ever going to do that's going to make it any better than when it comes off the tree...” ~ Ruth Reichl

They say, there is nothing like a ripe, golden yellow peach; and when it happens to have a rosy hue, then you have surely hit the jackpot! All you should do then is sink your teeth in that aromatic, sweet firm flesh and savour each mouthful - oblivious to the juices running down your chin! And if something so delicious could have health benefits too, then it’s double jackpot - isn’t it? So sharing with you all some health benefits of this delightful looking fruit.

Health Benefits of Peach

1. Peaches are excellent source of Vitamin C, so they help fight free radicals and protect the body against various diseases, including cancer.
2. Peaches contain significant amount of potassium, which is vital for proper nerve & cellular functioning of the body. Potassium also helps in metabolic processes, utilizing carbohydrates, maintaining electrolyte balance and muscle tissue.
3. Chlorogenic acid and neochlorogenic acid present in peaches inhibit growth of breast cancer cells, without affecting normal cells, thus effective in cancer treatment.
4. Peaches are rich in beta-carotene, which converts into Vitamin A and helps maintain healthy eyesight and prevents various eye diseases.
5. Dietary fibre in peaches absorbs water and helps prevent stomach disorders like constipation, hemorrhoids, stomach ulcers, gastritis & irregular bowel movements. The fibre also helps in cleansing & eliminating toxic waste from intestines and preventing body from contracting various abdominal disorders.
6. Magnesium in peaches helps prevent stress & anxiety in the body, and aids in keeping nervous system calm.
7. Peaches contain phosphorous which, along with calcium, helps in strengthening teeth & bones, and helps in maintenance & repair of tissues.
8. Significant level of iron in peaches helps in formation of hemoglobin in red blood cells.

Skin Benefits of Peach

It is often said about the rosy glow of a damsel’s cheeks - "Oh, her skin looked like peaches and cream!!!" So yes, peaches are indeed good for skin!

1. When peaches, rich in Vitamin C, are consumed, they can help reduce wrinkles and improve overall skin texture.
2. Peaches exert protective effects on skin against ultraviolet radiation, and fights skin damage caused by harsh sunshine & pollution.
3. Vitamin C in peaches also plays a vital role in formation of collagen - the support system of skin.
4. Flavonoids, essential vitamins & minerals in peaches help in sloughing off dead cells, as well as hydrating & revitalizing the skin.
5. Antioxidants in peaches promote faster recovery of skin problems such as blemishes and spots.

So go grab a peach, and get PEACHY!!!