Ginger

September 24, 2009 at 4:41 pm (Ayurveda)

Ginger root:

Sunthi, this rhizome has been used in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for over 5000 years. Native to Asia, ginger is used throughout Indian cuisine. Ginger has heating, cleaning, toning and stimulating properties. It is used for multitude for health purpose, such as digestive problems, muscular pain and constipation. 100 or varieties from the small green types to the delicate shell pink ginger are available in spring in India. Many fresh chutneys and condiments are used with ginger. It is also used in various curries, dhals, vegetable dishes, it is best for Kapha Vata type, although Pitta may use occasionally. All types may use it externally.

I personally like to chew the freshly grated ginger slices, excellent stimulant for digestion. You can make your own Indian pickle at home.

Step1. Grate 1 Ginger. Put it in a glass container.

Step2. Squeeze lemon in the container so that the ginger is submerged.

Step3. Add a hint of salt and sugar.

Step4. Place it in the sun for couple weeks.

The ginger in the glass container will turn red and the liquid too will be reddish.

Eat to your heart fill. Excellent as pickle for Kapha types. Remember don’t mix it with milk or curd.

Go Green Go Organic  Save Thy Earth

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Fenugreek

September 24, 2009 at 4:35 pm (Ayurveda, Health, Ayurveda, Lifestyle, Herbs, health, ayurveda)

Fenugreek leaf:

Methi sak, this leaf has a strong and unusual scent and a densely bitter and pungent taste. It energy, when added to vegetables, the dhals and other dishes is a very pervasive. It is a good stimulate for Kapha types, but too pungent for Pitta types and too bitter for Vata. These leaves are used either as fresh or sundried. Fenugreek seed is like a small bean than a seed. It has a golden yellow color and has an odd shape. Generally methi is dried and moderately roasted before use. Like the leaves, fenugreek seeds are also bitter, they are used mainly in pickles dhals and masalas. The fenugreek seed is also used in Ayurvedic pharmacology to promote hair growth. For this purpose the seeds are soaked overnight and mashed into a paste now apply on the scalp and kept on the hair for 30-45 mins before rinsing the hair is left gleaming with subtle oils. Fenugreek seed is good for kapha type although Vata could you occasionally, all types may use it externally.

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Mace

September 24, 2009 at 4:21 pm (Ayurveda, Health, Ayurveda, Lifestyle, Healthy Lifestyle, Herbs, health, ayurveda)

Javitri, this fibrous covering of the nutmeg fruit can be dried, roasted and ground into a masalas with ther spice are used for flavour sauces. Since the fibre of the mace does not dissolve they are removed before the sauce is served. It is good for Vata Kapha and occasionally for Pitta type (infused in milk).

I prefer Organic. Organic helps sustain the fertility of soil and keeps the farmer off from high loan amounts to buy fertilzers and then pesticides and weedkillers and fumigation and the works to protect the crop that has a slight yield advantage and then has to toil hard in the chemical infested soil, the cows and oxen’s health suffer, the farmer’s health suffers and then finally the end user’s health suffers. The farmlands are rendered useless as the chemicals make it difficult to cultivate the land again. Then the water consumption is also higher for plants growing using chemical dependence.

Thanks!

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Salads

September 24, 2009 at 1:59 pm (Ayurveda, Blogroll, Health, Ayurveda, Lifestyle, Healthy Lifestyle, health, ayurveda)
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Indian food has always been great but current gen is more american than Indian in its habits. We took the bad part of American diet i.e., heavy burgers, pizza (Americana style – lots of toppings), colas, sedentary living. But no one has copied the good part that is salads. Now research on salads took me to far east, land of the rising Sun, Nippon. Japanese cuisine are great when it comes to healthy living. I will be writing more on the benefits of making Pressed Salads work for you and these can be prepared easily (not instantly). Kindly notice that the salads are not raw but pressed and suit individual body-type. Thus choose cleverly amongst the recipe.

Yum and sumptuous, these form the best and should be the max part of the diet. Personally I avoid salads in the evening as it takes time for salads to digest due to its high fiber content, though these are best amongst the rest.

Pressed salads refer to sliced vegetables that have been combined with a pickling agent and pressed. These salads, which use a quick form of pickling, have been present in Japanese cuisine for centuries. As these are sour and/or salty tasting, small amounts are eaten to activate digestion of various body types. Use either a pickle press or a heavy rock. (Place salad in a bowl and put a shallower bowl, filled with heavy rock, on top of salad.)

Pressed salads may sit for 30 minutes to 3 hours, depending on the strength desired. The longer it is pressed the more pickled, thus more sour, the salad becomes. Unless otherwise specified Kapha and Pitta types may use salads pressed for 30 minutes to 1 hour; Vata types may use salads pressed for 1 to 3 hours.

Pressed Red Radish Salad – For all (VPK)

1 bunch red radishes, thinly sliced

1 tsp sea salt

2 tbs roasted sesame seeds

Vata types add half tbs warm sesame oil

PK, K, KV, KP use sesame seeds sparingly.

Toss sliced radishes with salt and press for 1 hour. Rinse off salt and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Eat it :) tastefully. (Enjoying and focus on the food is as important as having nectar of life, with each juicy bite you will become healthy.)

Go Organic Go Green Save thy Earth

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Beat the Flu

August 19, 2009 at 5:43 pm (Ayurveda, Blogroll, Health, Ayurveda, Lifestyle, Healthy Lifestyle, health, ayurveda)

There is a huge hue and cry about how H1N1 is spreading and might be a threat in the coming fall. All eyes are at the national laboratories for a magic pill.

We forget that human beings are god gifted with a strong immune system, that we do not care for. Nature has provided for endless resources that we just need to use judiciously to keep ourselves healthy.

In past we had viral and flu that wiped out large populations but if you look closely those were sudden attacks, it was not like H1N1 cropped one fine day and people started dying. This flu is a variant of earlier flu and maybe a mutation of many flu combined.

I was reading the journals and talking to few old doctors and ayurvedic practitioner it is safe to say that prevention is better than cure. Make your system so strong that anything alien should die before it hurts you.

For this case: Guduchi and Tulsi in organic forms are best suited.

Guduchi is Tinospora cordifolia
It is traditionally used to improve the immune system and the body’s resistance to infections. It is also an effective immuno-stimulant. Guduchi increases the killing ability of macrophages, the immune cells responsible for fighting invaders.

Wow!!! Now that is something special. Nature provided for specific task meant to sustain human life.

Tulsi or Tulasi is Ocimum sanctum
Tulasi, also known as Queen of Herbs, reduces stress, improves stamina, boosts immunity and provides a rich supply of antioxidants and other nutrients. Tulasi promotes optimum respiratory support as it has anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties.

Please note that these are just some small fraction of what knowledge is available in Ayurveda.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. My aim here is not to sell anything nor do I intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

I am just saying that there are alternative cures.

Stay healthy.

Go Green, Go Organic and Save thy Earth.

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