Thursday 19 February, 2009

Amazing Amla

Amla is a potent gift of Mother Nature to mankind. Humanity has
utilized its benefits for decades, and it forms an indispensable part
of the ayurvedic and unanai medicine. You must have seen your granny
using amla for pickles and murabas and its formulations for treating
many common diseases. Amla or Gooseberry has many nutritious benefits.
The amla has been found to be the most abundant source of Vitamin C in
the plant kingdom

---containing as much as 20 times that of an orange. What makes this
even more extraordinary is that unlike many other natural sources, the
vitamin C content in amla does not diminish with cooking. It was used
successfully in the treatment of scurvy during the Hissar (Haryana)
famine of 1939-40.

Amla is a medium sized deciduous tree which can be successfully grown
in cariable agro climatic and soil conditions. It can tolerate
climates as high as 45 degree celcius and freezing temperatures too.
Its natural habitat is Burma in the east to Afganistan in the west.

Though every part of the tree possess therupetic potentials, it is the
fruit which constitutes the main drug. Amla is an unusual fruit as it
contains gamut of tastes, except the salty taste. With sourness as the
foremost taste , it is sweet, astringent bitter and pungent too.

The fresh fruit contains more than 80% of water besides protein,
carbohydrates, fibre, minerals and vitamins Minerals and vitamins
mainly include cacium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, Vitamin C and B
complex. It also contains gallic acid, which is a potent polyphenol.

Amla is the most widely used herb in ayurvedic medicines. Charak and
sushrut widely mention the use of amla for curative purposes.

Amla is used in innumerable Auyrvedic formulations. Here is how you
can alleviate some of the common ailments through these time-tested
decoctions. Put your body back into action following these tips.

The cholesterol in our body is a very essential component. The human
liver is the main source of cholesterol. The amount of unused
cholesterol gets collected in the blood vessels , Thus resulting in
heart attacks. The Vitamin C in amla helps in dilating the blood
vessels and there by reducing the blood pressure.

Prepare a powdered mixture of dry amla and sugar candy. Mix one
teaspoonful of this mixture in a glass of water and consume daily in
empty stomach. This decoction helps in stabilizing the blood
cholesterol level.

· Diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to regulate the blood
glucose levels. It is the talk of the world today as the number of
diabetic patients is rapidly increasing due to the adoption of western
food habits aerated beverages, tobacco and alcohol.

If you suffer from this disease trust the anti-diabetic potential of
amla and prepare a mixture by mixing equal quantities of amla, jamun
and bitter gourd powder. A teaspoonful of this mixture once or twice a
day is effective in checking diabetes.

· Of the numerous diseases attributed to the modern life style acidity
is one which all of us might have suffered from at different times. In
majority homes we find strips of antacids adorning the medicine
cupboards.

Frequent intake of sweet, sour and spicy and oily food causes acidity.
Excessive coffee, tea and smoking are other causative agents.
Psychological reasons for acidity include anger, grief and depression.

When your belly is on fire reach for amla. In acute or chronic
acidity, simply take one gram of amla powder with a little sugar in
milk or water twice a day.

· Hair, your crowning glory, turns grey with ageing and lusterless due
to pollution. All traditional recipes for promoting hair growth
contain amla as the chief ingredient.

Anyone worried about graying hair would be delighted to know amla
powder soaked in water and left in an iron utensil is a 3-in-1
preparation--- shampoo, conditioner and hair-dye.

Regular application of this mixture for a few hours at a time is ideal.
source: http://www.healthtips.in/benefits_of_amla.asp


நன்றி திரு பத்மநாபன்.

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