PLANTS- THE GREEN MEDICINES

The Green Medicines

Plants play an important role in building healthy bodies. One way of fighting illness is to prevent it by keeping your body healthy. They supply energy, vitamins and minerals that are essential for our good health. The plants we eat, therefore, are in effect, green medicines. While some plants heal, others prevent illness. That is why it is important to include lots of green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts and fruits in our daily diet.

Ginger

GINGER-ONE OF THE WORLD’S BEST MEDICINES

The ginger plant is a yellowish, fresh rhizome or underground stem that is used in cooking. It has pungent taste and smell, as well as a distinct flavor when added to dishes. Ginger is also one of the world’s best medicines. If you feel nauseous, ginger juice is a very effective remedy. Ginger also helps digestion, and stimulates the circulation of blood. Ginger reduces high blood pressure and fever. Ginger has a warming effect, and is very soothing if you have a cough, cold or flu.

CLOVES

CLOVE WITH ANTISEPTIC PROPERTIES

When you have a toothache, your grand mother may give you a clove to chew upon. You will find that the pain becomes much less. This is because cloves have an anesthetic effect, and are useful painkillers. Cloves are actually the dried flower buds of the clove tree. They are used mainly as a spice, but they have many medicinal uses also. They are an ancient all purpose remedy for many ailments including colic pain, coughs and muscular spasms. Cloves improve the memory. Since they have antiseptic properties, they are useful in treating skin problems. The next time you are bothered by mosquitoes, you can try keeping an orange studded with cloves near you… it is supposed to be an effective mosquito repellent.

CARDAMOM

CARDAMOM- VERY MUCH IN DEMAND

Cardamom, one of the oldest spices in the world, is very much in demand. It has a pleasant taste, which adds a delicate flavor to sweets and curries alike. It also has a lovely aroma. In fact, it was used in ancient Egypt to make perfumes. Cardamom has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years, it is a remedy for many problems.
Cardamom is especially effective in treating digestive ailments. In India, it has been used for Asthma, bronchitis, kidney stones and general weakness. You can try chewing on Cardamom seeds, they are very effective breath fresheners too!

CINNAMON

CINNAMON-The Medicinal Uses

The cinnamon tree is an evergreen tree with a soft reddish brown bark, and yellow flowers. The inner bark of the tree is used both as a spice, and as a medicine. Cinnamon’s essential oil has antiviral and stimulating properties. In both India and Europe, Cinnamon is often taken in combination with Ginger to fight colds. It is also a traditional remedy for digestive problems. When buying Cinnamon for your use, remember that Cinnamon loses flavor quickly. It should be purchased in small quantities and kept away from light in airtight containers.

GARLIC

GARLIC-The ideal Herbal Medicine

You might have seen your mother chop Garlic to use in curries, and wrinkled your nose at its strong smell. Well, did you know that Garlic is also an ideal herbal medicine that is safe to use, and yet very powerful as a treatment for many health problems? Garlic is a bulb that is grown worldwide. Each bulb is made up of cloves which contain oil that is antiseptic and antibiotic. This makes it an excellent remedy for colds and coughs as well as all types of chest and ear infections. Garlic is used for digestive infections, and to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. It is very useful in preventing strokes, reducing blood sugar levels, and in delaying the onset of diabetes. Using garlic daily in cooking can lower cholesterol levels and boost the immune system. So the next time you see your mother chop Garlic, add a clove or two more for good measure. After all, garlic is good for the entire family!

TURMERIC

TURMERIC-THE MEDICINAL USES OF TURMERIC

Most dishes we Indians eat have a dash of turmeric in them. Like ginger, turmeric is also a rhizome or underground stem. Turmeric is used to treat digestive and liver problems. It also inhibits blood clotting, reduces inflammation, and helps to lower cholesterol levels. Turmeric has anti-bacterial properties, and is also used to treat many skin problems. Research is also being done on the effectiveness of turmeric in preventing cancer. Did you know that turmeric is also a beauty aid? A paste of turmeric in milk is supposed to make the skin fairer, and regular application of turmeric paste also gets rid of unwanted facial hair!

SANDAL WOOD

SANDAL -USES

Don’t you just love the fragrance of incense sticks? Incense sticks contain the substance which comes from the fragrant wood of sandal tree. Sandal is used as fragrance in perfumes and incense, and for woodworking. Some temples have been built with sandalwood in India and these retain the aroma for centuries. Jewelry boxes, fans and ornate carvings continued to be made in many parts of Asia, especially India, using Sandalwood. Sandalwood oil is good for the skin, since it has antiseptic properties that prevent infections. Sandalwood essential oil, which is very expensive in its pure form, is used primarily for Ayurvedic purposes and treating anxiety. Sandalwood is considered in alternative medicine to bring one closer with the divine.

Source : Google , Manorama , Wikipedia.