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Amalaki or Indian Gooseberry

18/4/2014

3 Comments

 
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How and when to use Amalaki? Some applications and also certain misconceptions about Chyavanaprasham.

Bot Name: Emblica officinalis

Family name: Euphorbaceae
Local name: Amla (Hin), Nellikka (Mal and Tam)

Amalaki is regarded by modern science as one of the richest source of vit C. In Ayurveda it is regarded as the best Vayasthapana or heath maintaining drug.

In the market one comes across majorly 2 varieties of Amalaki. One is small and the other one is big (as big as a golf/table tennis ball). The smaller, is the country variety and more potent. Amalaki like Hareetaki also contains the 5 tastes. But mostly, Amalaki which comes into the market is unripe. They cant afford to wait till it ripens. Ripe Amalaki is the one which contains the sweet taste, and this taste is one major quality in Amalaki which makes it Vaysthapana.

In Ayurvedic formulations, if not specifically mentioned, Amalaki is supposed to be used in the dry state. This is one fruit which can be consumed on a daily basis. Now how to do that? Take 365 ripe country fruits and place it in a porcelain jar. Fill it with water and add Saindhava lavana (rock salt and not sea salt). Take one fruit daily and consume it. If you notice, in villages grandmothers ask us to eat Amalaki with salt. Why? Salt is the only taste missing from Amalaki.

Some common applications
  • Amalaki powder along with turmeric powder, 2:1, when consumed on empty stomach with warm water keeps blood sugar level under check.
  • Amalaki powder made into a paste with water and applied on hair as shampoo for cleansing and nourshing.
  • Bhoomi amalaki (Phyllanthus niruri or keezhanelli) paste (size of Amalaki) taken alongwith Amalaki juice on empty stomach for jaundice. Amalaki juice continued for a 2 weeks to maintain bilirubin  levels.

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Companies market Chyavanaprasham (main ingredient is Amalaki) and advertise it being the richest source of vit-C. But its preparation involves long duration cooking and heating, which in turn disintegrates vit-C. So the fact remains that one shouldn't consume Chyavanaprasham for vit-C, but do consume it daily for its other health promoting and maintaining qualities.
For general health, Chyavanaprasham can be consumed by all in the dose of 1 teaspoon after breakfast followed by a glass of hot milk. For specific indications, dose and time of administration may change.

3 Comments

Fear of Dehydration

4/4/2014

11 Comments

 
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With summer setting in, how much water should one drink? How to keep the kidney healthy and functioning?

I recently went through an article in THE HINDU, Chennai edition. It says that one has to consume a minimum of 3 litres of water daily to keep one’s kidney healthy.
This is how it goes….
“Doctors say keeping cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar levels under control, drinking three litres of water daily ……………..help keep kidneys healthy.”

Personal opinion
One should consume water according to one’s thirst if not under medical supervision for some ailment. Also do not consume lots of water at one go. It just increases the load on the kidneys as you urinate more. So drink little by little and slowly. 

A person working in the fields would require more water that an IT guy sitting in the A/C. 
Anything consumed in a semisolid form (soup or food mixed with rasam or curd) also keeps one hydrated. Rehydration need not necessarily be in the form of water. 
That one (especially during travel) is not comfortable using a public restroom or cannot relieve oneself outdoors, should not be the reason why one is not consuming water. Not drinking water despite being thirsty is extremely bad for the kidneys.
Fact
Let us assume that God has created a machine( you) with 2 small bean shaped filters which will work for 100 years or filter 100,000 litres, whichever is first. Now it is in your hands whether you use these (there are no spare parts) for 100 years or finish off the 100,000 litres in 40 or 50 years. Ayurveda says that a premonitory symptom, excessive urination (prabhuta mutratvam) will lead to diabetes in later life. So in this case, by drinking excessive water why should one get the body tuned to excessive urination. I wouldn’t be surprised if in 20 years somebody would come up and say “drinking too much water for 10years might lead to diabetes in later life”.

Bottomline

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Taking India’s population into consideration with everybody consuming three litres of water daily, I think I should seriously consider starting a water bottling plant.

11 Comments

    Author

    Dr.Nambi Namboodiri sharing his thoughts and experiences as he learns, travels and treats patients

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