Chili and Spices Benefits for health-
Spices in the kitchen are not just for enhancing flavor; they also offer numerous health benefits. For instance, turmeric contains curcumin, which helps reduce inflammation. Cumin improves digestion, while coriander aids in controlling blood sugar levels. Ginger strengthens the immune system, and the consumption of chili peppers boosts metabolism. Cloves and cinnamon are rich in antioxidants, which protect the body from free radicals. Thus, spices not only enhance the taste of food but are also highly beneficial for health.
Fenugreek (Methi): Fenugreek enhances the flavor and aroma of dishes. It can be used as a vegetable or as seeds for seasoning. Both fenugreek leaves and seeds are rich in medicinal properties, acting as a remedy for vata and kapha doshas. It reduces wind, balances heat, and provides cooling effects. Fenugreek contains various health-promoting elements and enzymes. Its decoction is beneficial for acidity, stomach ulcers, and appendicitis. It helps with indigestion, constipation, gas, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and digestive system issues. Fenugreek vegetable combats anemia and corrects blood disorders.
The extract of fenugreek leaves can heal mouth ulcers. A paste of fenugreek seeds can be applied to remove dark circles under the eyes. Fenugreek powder and decoction are beneficial for conditions like dysentery, kidney stones, tonsillitis, high blood pressure, excessive urination, dry diseases, nerve disorders, and mental stress. Consuming fenugreek laddus can increase milk production in lactating women. It is also helpful in alleviating postpartum weakness and issues like leucorrhea. A paste of fenugreek can be applied to treat swelling in women's genital areas. Fenugreek contains 'trimethylamine,' found in fish oil, making it a good substitute for vegetarians. It also helps combat brain weakness due to the presence of lecithin.
Fenugreek Seeds: Fenugreek seeds are a treasure of health. Consuming soaked or sprouted seeds with water daily keeps a person healthy and active. They prevent diabetes, joint pain, inflammation, high blood pressure, phlegmatic diseases, and indigestion. Fenugreek seeds help with age-related issues like sciatica, knee pain, numbness in limbs, muscle strain, loss of appetite, frequent urination, and dizziness.
They are particularly beneficial in eliminating flatulence and improving digestion. Fenugreek is capable of eradicating diabetes. Its warm, dry, and light properties help relieve wind, expel phlegm, and alleviate vata. It detoxifies the digestive organs, respiratory system, blood vessels, intestines, and inner skin, reducing swelling, inflammation, and pain.
Consumption of fenugreek improves digestion, leading to proper nutrient absorption. It binds stool, cleanses the intestines, and enhances liver function, providing energy. The chemical composition of fenugreek seeds is similar to that of cod liver oil, making it an excellent fish oil substitute for vegetarians. It is beneficial for blood deficiency, weakness, nerve disorders, knee pain, arthritis, and many other ailments.
Fenugreek also helps alleviate digestive issues such as abdominal pain, bloating, appetite loss, and colitis. It assists in treating phlegmatic coughs, asthma, and respiratory inflammation. Fenugreek reduces swelling in the organs, making them functional again, and aids in treating appendicitis, tonsillitis, and sinusitis. It also improves menstrual issues in women.
Cardamom: Small green cardamom possesses numerous qualities. If too many bananas have been consumed and digestion is difficult, chewing cardamom helps ease digestion. It relieves gas and nausea. Consuming cardamom after meals promotes faster digestion and freshens the breath.
Applying powdered cardamom with honey helps relieve ulcers. Regular consumption of cardamom helps treat bile disorders. There are two types of cardamom: small and large. Small cardamom aids in treating phlegm, breathlessness, cough, hemorrhoids, and urinary burning. Large cardamom helps with oral diseases, headaches, breathlessness, and cough.
Fennel (Saunf): People enjoy consuming fennel and sugar after meals. Fennel is considered a good digestive aid. It can be given to infants in small quantities. For indigestion, gas, and constipation, boiling one teaspoon of fennel in a cup of water provides relief. Chewing fennel after meals not only refreshes but also aids in digestion.
For women, fennel helps regulate menstrual cycles and alleviates pain during menstruation. Regular consumption during pregnancy is believed to enhance the complexion of the baby.
Asafetida (Hing): To relieve stomach pain from gas, heating asafetida on a pan and applying it with a warm cloth provides instant relief. Frying garlic in mustard oil and using the oil also helps.
Cloves: Consuming a mixture of cloves and chirata in water helps reduce fever. Cloves, when roasted and powdered with honey, offer health benefits.
Ginger: It is helpful in curing persistent cough. For children experiencing stomach pain or worms, ginger powder mixed with water can alleviate bloating. Applying a paste of ginger and asafetida on sores reduces heartburn. Ginger pills offer relief from cough and phlegm.
A decoction of ginger and haritaki, mixed with rock salt, is beneficial for indigestion and constipation. Ginger's bitter and pungent properties are good for the eyes, digestion, and flavor. It helps with cough, blood disorders, thirst, vomiting, abdominal pain, breathlessness, hiccups, and dental issues.
Cinnamon: Using cinnamon in food stimulates the stomach lining, aiding quick digestion. It expels previously accumulated gas and is particularly beneficial for stomach-related ailments. Drinking cinnamon decoction helps stop bleeding and is useful in hemorrhoids.
Cinnamon helps open the throat when there is a cough due to phlegm. It eliminates bad breath and loosens phlegm in the lungs. Its consumption enhances memory and is beneficial in cases of paralysis and epilepsy.
Remedies:
For constipation, mix 5 rattis of dry ginger and 5 rattis of cardamom. This will relieve constipation and stimulate digestive fire.
For cold, cough, or influenza, mix 4 mashas of cinnamon, 5 rattis of cloves, and 15 rattis of dry ginger in one liter of water to make a decoction. Consume 5 tolas three times a day for relief.
For cough: mix 4 mashas of bitter almonds, 4 mashas of sugar, and prepare powder or three ratti pills. Sucking these pills provides significant relief from cough.
For intestinal strain: massaging cinnamon oil on the abdomen alleviates intestinal strain. For headaches, apply cinnamon oil on the head and forehead.
Baking Soda: Baking soda enhances the flavor of dishes and makes fried foods crispy. To eliminate bad breath, rinse the mouth with a solution of baking soda; this will help remove the odor over time. Baking soda also kills bacteria.
For wounds: create a paste of baking soda with water and apply it to the wound. Rinse off after 15-20 minutes; the wound will heal quickly. A paste of baking soda can reduce irritation from bee stings. For digestive issues like gas, adding a pinch of baking soda to lemon water provides relief.
Alum: For bleeding gums, rinse with a mixture of alum and rock salt. For ear wounds, use a solution of alum to rinse the ear. Mix alum with honey and apply it on cotton to the ear to help stop bleeding. For cuts or lacerations, immediately apply finely powdered alum to the wound. For nosebleeds, dissolve alum in water and use a syringe to apply it in the nose.
Carom Seeds (Ajwain): Patients with high blood pressure should add carom seeds to their bread. This stimulates digestive fire and keeps blood pressure normal. For constipation or worms, mixing a teaspoon of carom seed powder with yogurt in the morning and evening provides relief.
Nutmeg: Consuming one gram of nutmeg powder mixed with honey twice a day improves digestion. Chewing nutmeg with basil leaves quickly alleviates hiccups. Making a paste with nutmeg and giving it to infants helps cure diarrhea. For adults, one gram of nutmeg powder with half a cup of water is beneficial.
Camphor: Camphor is known for its properties of eliminating phlegm, bile, toxins, thirst, bad odor, and excess fat.
Chyawanprash: Famous for rejuvenating properties due to its consumption by sage Chyawan, eating 7 kilograms of chyawanprash throughout the year increases strength and the ability to combat diseases. It cures respiratory disorders, blood disorders, hemorrhoids, and physical weakness.
Haritaki’s Benefits: Haritaki is always considered health-promoting. Mixing haritaki powder with a little salt helps maintain a healthy digestive system. With ghee, it prevents heart disease. Taking haritaki powder with honey increases strength. Consuming haritaki powder with milk before sleeping ensures good digestion. Mixing it with butter enhances cognitive function. Regular consumption of haritaki with various foods according to the season improves health. Its usual dosage is 3 to 6 grams, which should be chewed after meals.
Medicinal Properties of Black Pepper
Black Pepper: This small spice is packed with numerous medicinal properties. It is beneficial to consume black pepper mixed with sugar or candy in milk when suffering from a cold. Applying a paste of black pepper in ghee to areas affected by ringworm, itching, or boils provides relief. Gargling with water boiled with 8-10 black peppercorns can soothe a sore throat.
For chronic cough, eating black pepper and sugar with cream can provide comfort. In cases of hair fall, rubbing black pepper in water and applying it to the affected area can be beneficial. If there are intestinal worms, chewing black pepper powder mixed with sugar two to three times a day may help eliminate them.
To improve digestion, a mixture of cumin, dry ginger, rock salt, long pepper, and black pepper in equal quantities can be made into a powder. Taking one teaspoon of this powder with water after meals gradually enhances digestion. Black pepper is particularly effective in relieving indigestion and heartburn, as it helps increase the secretion of saliva and digestive juices. For sour belching or burning sensations, a pinch of black pepper powder mixed in lemon water can be consumed.
Rock Salt
Rock Salt: To eliminate intestinal worms, taking 4 grams of finely powdered rock salt with cow’s whey in the morning can kill the worms within a few days. For scorpion stings, a mixture of 15 grams of Lahore salt and 75 grams of clean water applied to the sting site can reduce the effects of the poison.
For headaches, placing a pinch of salt on the tongue and drinking a glass of water after 10 minutes can provide relief.
Sugar and Jaggery
When sugar is extracted from sugarcane, only pure carbohydrates or fats remain, devoid of other nutrients. All types of vitamins are destroyed in the production of sugar, whereas during the process of making jaggery, all the vitamins present in sugarcane are preserved. According to Ayurveda, the chemical process of sugar destroys all vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, while the process of making jaggery increases the amounts of reducing sugars and other minerals. For this reason, jaggery is more nutritious and beneficial for health.
Studies indicate that higher consumption of jaggery in rural areas correlates with fewer cases of diabetes. Chocolates made from sugar can cause cavities in children's teeth, while chocolates made from jaggery do not have this effect. A study in Japan found that bacteria in the mouth convert sugar into acid, accelerating tooth decay.
Jaggery contains beneficial elements, while sugar is merely a contributor to obesity and increases the risk of colon cancer. Recent research in the U.S. shows that individuals who consume more sugar face a higher risk of colon cancer and other diseases. Therefore, controlling sugar intake is essential, and opting for jaggery is a better alternative.
Conclusion-
The diverse range of spices and herbs discussed, including fenugreek, cardamom, ginger, and others, offers numerous health benefits that can enhance digestion, alleviate various ailments, and promote overall well-being. Incorporating these natural remedies into your diet can support both physical and mental health, while also serving as flavorful additions to your meals. However, it is essential to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new health regimen or relying solely on these remedies, especially for pre-existing conditions.
Disclaimer-
The information provided in this text is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider regarding any health-related concerns or conditions. Individual results may vary, and what works for one person may not be effective for another.
0 टिप्पणियाँ