CHEBULIC MYROBALAN (HARAR, HARITAKI)
It is also known as Tenninalia Chebula. It is one of the three major constituents of ‘TRIPHALA’ the other two being Amla and Bahera. It is claimed, and perhaps quite rightly so, that triphala tones up all organs of body and activates their functions and is profusely used for treating stomach disorders, liver complications, for improving eye-sight, regulating bowels. Its efficacious effects vary and depend upon the liquid source, with which it is taken.
Ilaritaki (C. Myrobalan) will keep a person free from all diseases, if one bites a piece of it after meals and chews and swallows its juice.Synonyms of C. Myrobalan are Vijaya, Avaya, Rohini, Putana, Jeevanti, Amrita, Ketaki. Its medicinal values are par excellence. If one chews a piece of it in the morning, he will not have complaints like skin eruptions, disorders of vocal chords asthma, acidity, wounds, gall-stones, colitis, weak and defective vision.
It induces and promotes appetite, if chewed with black salt. If its boiled water is taken, it will remove constipation, if taken, after grinding, will purify blood; if taken with other food items it will improve vitality, sexual power and thinking power, sharpen intellect. All the three basic causatives of physical disorders (Kapha, vata and Pitta) will be kept under balanced control if it is taken after being fried in ghee (clarified butter). It is a preventive of bilious disorders, stomach disorders, cough, cold, acidity if it is taken after two principal meals.
There is an old saying in Sanskrit which reads “One’s mother may get annoyed, though even for a while, but a harar will never get annoyed or prove ineffective”, (that is, it will always benefit its user who uses it, at whichever time whatsoever); hence its all-round efficacy. Mr J.F. Dastur spells out curative powers of C. Myrobalan like tliis. ‘Chebulic Myrobalan is a mild, safe and efficacious laxative, astringent, stomachic, tonic, an alterative; the pulp of the fruit is given in piles, chronic diarrhoea, dysentry, costiveness, flatulence, asthma, urinary disorders, vomiting, hiccup, intestinal Worms, ascites, enlarged liver and spleen.
Caution: Pregnant women must not lake it, as it may cause abortion of faetus.
Uses of C. Myrobalan in different seasons:
During Winter: To be taken alongwith ground pepper or pepper longum.
During Spring: It should be taken with honey. During Autumn: It should be taken with sugar-candy. During Dewy Season: To be taken with ginger (or ginger juice) During Rainy Season: It should be taken with rock salt Medicinal
Uses:
In Eye-Troubles: Extract juices of C. Myrobalan and E. Myrobalan (Amlaki, Amla) to keep general health of eyes, to improve vision. If C. Myrobalan is soaked in water, after removing its stone, mashed and strained and the juice, so obtained, should prove a boon, if eyes are washed simply or still better, with the help of eye-bath cups.
Gail-Stones: To melt and dissolve the stones in the gall-bladder, take regularly the juice of both the Myrobalans.
Acidity: Juice of C Myrobalan, if taken after both principal meals, will neutralize acidic contents. To derive a miraculous benefit, its juice should be mixed with E. Myrobalan.
Piles: Before retiring to bed take a piece of C. Myrobalan.
Asthma: Chewing a piece of C. Myrobalan at bed time, will minimize chance of an asthmatic attack, and also prove use in cutting down paroxysms of asthma.
POTATOES (ALU)
Potato is known as ‘King of Vegetables’ as no dining table’s menu is complete without it. It is widely grown, and frequently used by all classes of people in various food preparation but not used as a raw vegetable. It is the richest source of carbohydrates and thus full of energy to assist the body to carry out various functions. In the northern region, ‘Alu ka paratha’ is a very famous item.
Potato is served in vegetables, is mashed, cooked and also ground. It is also used to thicken the cooked vegetables and sauces, alone or in combination with other vegetables. It is liked by all age groups due to its abundant pulp content, since old persons and young kids also eat it. Potato is also rich in amino acids, iron, protein, Vitamin ‘C, nicotinic acid and amino acids, besides plenty of carbohydrates. Due to its rich content of carbohydrates, it should not be eaten by diabetics, heart patients, patients having high blood pressure and the obese (fat persons), the rheumatic persons, gouty ones and those having joint pains etc. Potato is not so useful in a raw form because, except for two or three therapeutic uses, it is always used in a cooked form.
It is said that rheumatic pains can be relieved by application of juice of raw potato. Crushed contents of potato can also be externally applied on wounds or sore organs or else the affected organ(s) may be bandaged after applying crushed potato. For those who burn their organs, due to any Reason/cause, should apply crushed potato on the burnt site, to get instant relief. As is well known, Germans consume, at least 1kg of potatoes in their diet daily, because they require to replenish their energy which they lose while working hard. Intake of potatoes must commensurate with amount of (hard) labour put in.