Lemon - A perennial ingredient

Lemons have been the perennial ingredient of Indian homes for ages. Lemon holds within the first ten places in cultivation in India. It has been used greatly for both commercial as well as domestic purposes. It has been widely used because of its high content of Vit C. It can grow well in different types of soils as well as in sub-tropical climate. It is grown using the seedlings, "T" budding planting material and people who do not have enough open space around the house can choose the Bonsai citrus variety that can be grown indoors. Growing indoor Bonsai varieties is entirely a different art. The season recommended to plant lemon is between June and August.

Culinary Purpose

Next to salt, chilli and pepper, lemon is the widely used culinary ingredient in Indian cooking. Lemon when added to the dishes brings about a tangy flavor and greatly intermingles with the taste buds. It is not necessary that you need to refrigerate the lemons which generally thickens the skin. Lemons stay fresh and juicy when they are stored at room temperature. To extract a good amount of juice from a single lemon you can roll it over the kitchen counter which releases juices interlocked in the flesh of the lemon. A medium sized lemon typically gives you 3 tbspns of lemon juice.

Non-vegetarians widely use lemon to marinate the meat as the juice helps in softening connecting fleshy tissues in meat. This enables the easy cutting of meat but it is suggested that you do not indulge in too much marinating which might make the meat hard to cut. The citrus acid in the fruit helps to maintain the white color of potatoes and other root vegetables.

Health benefits of lemon

There are plenty of benefits to mention. One average lemon can yield a whole lot of health benefits. 

• Helps in weight loss when the juice is taken in a glass of warm water in empty stomach in the mornings
• Acts as detoxifying agent
• Removes bad odour from mouth and aids toothache
• Purifies blood and cures constipation
• Fights throat infection and when gargled with water in equal ratio helps in eliminating throat infections
• Helps in curing acidity instead of just alleviating the symptoms
• Contains calcium which strengthens the bone, teeth and the nerves
• Contains phosphorous which helps in assimilating protein consumed in forms of tough meats.
• Can be used as a beauty agent for skin revitalizing due to its dermatological properties
• Regulates blood pressure with the help of its potassium content
• Cleanses cholesterol
• Alleviates back pain
• Assists liver function

 And the list goes on.

Healthy Lemon Recipes

Though there are a number of healthy recipes that you can make using lemons, I chose to highlight two here which are easy to prepare and offer major health benefits.

 

Recipe 1: Morning Cleanser

1. Add half a lemon juice in one cup of hot water 
2. Relax and drink

 Recipe 2: Lemon Detoxifier

1.  Boil a glass of water 
2. Add 2 teaspoons of honey of good quality to the boiling water till it dissolves 
3. Remove from the flame and add half a lemon juice and allow it to brew for five minutes
4. Relax and drink

Herb Garden – Mint and Coriander

It is not that you will find ageless Indian herbs only on mountains and forests. You can also grow them in your home garden. There are some herbs that can be grown conveniently around your home. They not only add colors to your garden but add flavor to your foods as well. You can spice up your soups and day to day dishes with these invaluable herbs that offer superior medical and health benefits to your family.

To set up an herb garden you first would need to device a proper plan. This includes the kind of herbs that you would like to grow and the space you can offer to grow them hassle free. You have to make a list of herbs that you wish to grow in your garden. You can buy minimum sized mud pots from nursery gardens found in your locale. It is better you grow them in mud pots which are transferable if you want to grow perennial herbs. You can get the seeds from the nurseries or shops that sell fertilizers.

Mint

Mint Plant

One easy to grow and a widely used herb would be mint. Mint can grow fast and you can use fresh leaves from your herb garden to garnish your dishes. You can just take a mint stalk and tuck it in a mud pot and you will be delighted to see a plush mint plant within a month. You can borrow a fresh stalk from somebody who grow mint plants or get it from a nursery. Just pluck away the leaves at the bottom of the stalk and leave only two to three leaves at the top while you tuck it into the mud pot. Just tuck a considerable portion of stalk into the mud. Likewise tuck two or more stalks as all stalks may not survive. The stalk has to form some roots to grow further. Forget not to water them daily, allow enough sunlight and you can nourish them with some fertilizers. If you take good care you can see the stalks growing otherwise you might see them withering out. You can reap your effort within a month or so.

Coriander

Coriander Plant

Coriander conveniently grows both indoor and outdoor. It has a nice fragrance and serves as a flavoring ingredient in south indian, north indian and even in various other western cuisines. You can sow the coriander seeds from your kitchen container in your herb garden. A minimum of one inch hole is required to sow a seed. You can leave about 3 inches of gap in between sown seeds. Sprinkle water and keep the pot in a half-shade. Allow the seeds to germinate. All you need to have a bunch of lush coriander leaves is patience. It might germinate within three days or even weeks to germinate. The germination totally depends on your soil conditions as well as the climatic conditions. Once you observe the germination allow enough sunlight for the plants to grow fast. It requires at least 4 to 8 hours of sunlight. Do not allow too much of water to stagnate around your coriander plants. Enjoy growing coriander in your herb garden which add enticing flavor to your garden as well as your dishes.

More would come in the subsequent blogs.

Mookirattai (Boerhavia diffusa)

Mookirattai – As per its name, this invaluable herb even differs in its medicinal qualities. Its botanical name is Boerhavia diffusa. This herbal plant spreads as a creeper widely on the ground. This herb is also called as Mookurattai, Moocharaicharanai and Sattaranai. Its roots have the medicinal quality, which you can clean, dry and grind them to powder. This powder (chooranam) is used for treating certain medical conditions. The powder obtained from its roots and dry flakes of the root can be used for treating various medical ailments independently.

Mookirattai is believed to offer longevity. One can also retain his or her youth having this herb regularly.  The herb is capable of enhancing your eyesight. It set rights your urinary system. Diuretics that you might take for your urinal problems are not good for the kidneys in the long run. They also greatly reduce your potassium level in the blood. Mookirattai is the natural diuretics, which doesn’t yield any adverse effects on your system and generates essential potassium.

Mookirattai is also considered for treating certain skin disorders like leprosy. It improves your digestion to a great extent. Actually it can be used as a mild laxative to facilitate evacuation of the bowels. The leaves of the herbal creeper can be cooked and taken in a curry or chutney form.  It avoids constipation and gives a glow to your body. This herb is widely used in Siddha practice. Let us see some of its common recipes.

Mookirattai

To cure Mugavaadham 

Mookirattai powder from the dry root flakes 20gm, Maavilanga stem flakes 20gm, Vellai Charanai root powder 20gm – Mix all these in 250ml of water and soak it overnight. The next day morning, boil the mixture till it reduces to 50ml, allow it to cool and extract the decoction. If you take this decoction adding 60ml of Nandukal Parpam in empty stomach daily after brushing for about 60 to 90 days, you can get relieved from Mugavadham.

To enhance eyesight

You can have Mookirattai root powder both in the morning and evening mixing it with honey. It strengthens your weakened eyesight and cures night blindness. It was also used for treating glaucoma in ancient times.

To cure jaundice

Take one handful of Mookirattai root, Bermuda grass (Arugampul) and Keezhanelli and add 10 numbers of grounded black pepper. Grind them together and boil the mixture in half a liter of water till it reduces to quarter liter. Allow it to cool and extract the decoction. If you take this decoction both morning and evening, you will get relieved from jaundice, inflammation, anemia and water swelling.

To cure cold, cough and asthma

Take a handful of Mookirattai root and Arugampul and add 10 numbers of grounded black pepper to them. Boil all the ingredients in half a liter of water till it reduces to quarter liter. Allow it to cool and extract the decoction. Take the decoction three times a day. This relieves your cold cough, asthma as well as keezhvaadham and wheezing. It eases your chest from congestion as well as the deficiency in the heart function.

The above are the home remedies, which you can simply practice at home. For chronic ailments you can contact a Siddha practitioner to get the correct form of dosage and cure.

Omam

Omam is an age-old Indian spice called as Carom seeds in English and Ajwain in Hindi. The omam yielding plant is being cultivated all over India.  It gives you a hot spicy taste and good flavor when you put it into your mouth. The seeds have good medicinal values.

Omam is of three types: Omam, Kurosani Omam and Asamda Omam. Omam plays a major role in Siddha and Ayurvedic medicine. The major compositions of Omam are Calcium, Phosphorous, Iron, Carotene, Thiamine, Riboflavin and Niacin.

As per the great Sage Agastiyar’s verse -

சீதசுரங் காசஞ் செரியாமந் தப்பொருமல்

பேதியிரைச் சல்கடுப்பு பேராமம்-ஓதிருமல்

பல்லொடுபல் மூலம் பகமிவைநோ யென்செயுமோ?

சொல்லொடுபோம் ஓமமெனச் சொல்

Omam

 

Omam is capable of curing fever due to cold, cough, indigestion, stomach gasping, diarrhea, problems in the intestine, tooth diseases, Astma and anal diseases. Even today in our Indian villages children are fed with Omam water when they cry out of stomach pain. Omam water is extracted from Omam by boiling it. This water can cure indigestion in infants.

Omam for body

Some do not grow fat in spite of eating more. Some look really huge but they immediately get tired if they climb steps or lift heavy items. Omam commonly work well for these types of people. When Omam is boiled in water and had in the morning along with palm jaggery, the body will gradually attain strength.

Stomach gasping

Again the boiled Omam water is good for curing stomach gasping in both aged people and children. The Omam seeds have to be boiled in water and separated when they are in half boiled condition. Grind Omam along with 35gm of black pepper and add 35gm of palm jaggery to the mixture. You can have 5 gm of this mixture both morning and evening to get relieved from stomach gasping, diarrhea and pain in the stomach.

Irritating throat

Some people are often influenced with irritation in the throat and cough due to it. Take the powder of Omam, Kadukkai skin, Mukkadugu, Sitharathai, Akkirakaram, Thippili root in equal quantities. Add half the measurement of palm jaggery of the whole mixture and have it morning and evening. This can effectively get rid of irritation in the throat as well as the cough. The above ingredients are available in "Naattu Marundhu Kadai" or Country Herbal Shops.

Maandham

Maandham happens only in children. The influenced children look tired and often suffer from indigestion. To treat this take Omam, Sukku (Dry ginger) and Sithiramoola root strips in equal quantities and grind them together. Add small amount of Kadukkai powder to the mixture. A small quantity of this mixture should be mixed with buttermilk and given to the children, which effectively cures Maandham. Again all the above ingredients can be obtained from Country Herbal Shops.

Omam to stimulate hunger

A good sleep and hunger is the identity of healthy human beings. If these two are not found, the bodies become the tent for all diseases and ultimately affect the mental abilities in man. To stimulate hunger, indigestion and other stomach related problems you can drink the decoction extracted from Omam.

Breathing disorders and cough

Humans’ survival is possible only if the breathed air and consumed water is fresh and clean. But this environmental condition has become a big question mark because of today’s pollution. Most of the people suffer from many breathing disorders and cough due to the polluted air and water. Omam can regularize these disorders in humans.

Omam – 252gm
Aadathodai juice – 136gm
Ginger juice – 136gm
Fruit juice (any desired fruit) – 136gm
Mint leaves extract (Pudhina) – 136gm
Indhuppu – 34gm

The above ingredients have to be soaked in water and dried under shade. Powder the ingredients and take 650mg of the mixture both morning and evening. This is capable of curing cough, breathing disorders and indigestion. Omam is also a good medicine for intestinal problems, Astma and tooth diseases. Omam water is available in all medical shops and super markets. This has been an age-old medicine for stomach pain and indigestion in Indian families. This can be consumed by people of all ages and live free of stomach problems.

When you rub the powdered Omam on the centre of the head, you will get relieved from cold. Your nose blocks will be cleared if the powdered Omam is inhaled tying it in a piece of cloth. Do not hesitate to use the invaluable medicine Omam and keep yourselves, your children and family members healthy.

Rambutan - A tropical fuit

Fruits offer the required vitamins and minerals directly to the human body when consumed. They have got many medicinal values. But people today consume drinks that are prepared adding chemicals and avoid the natural products that the earth offers us. These drinks are not good for health in anyway. It is essential for people to have fruits that provide plenty of vitamins and minerals to the body.

Rambutan is a fruit that grows in Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. It also grows in some parts of Srilanka. In India, it grows in the Kodaikanal hills. The botanical name of the fruit is Nephelium lappaceum. The skin covering the Rambutan fruits has a natural red color and has many tubular outgrowths resembling the hair. When you cut open the fruit, you can see the eatable edible part appearing in white color. The seed inside the fruit is observed in elliptical shape. Rambutan fruits are available on all seasons.

A 100g of Rambutan fruit has:

Water – 82.3g

Protein – 0.46g

Carbohydrate – 16.02g

Sugar – 2.9g

Dietary Fiber – 0.24g

Calcium – 10.6mg

Phosphorus – 12.9mg

Ascorbic acid – 30mg

Let us see the medicinal values of the fruit.

Kidney

It is important that you eliminate all wastes present in your body and they are sent out in the form of urine. The urine has to be properly separated from the blood. Otherwise the wastes get deposited in your kidneys creating blockages. This leads you to experience an irritating sensation while passing out urine. Having Rambutan fruits regularly can save you from this problem.

Body heat

Due to the body heat, the bile increases creating more diseases. Rambutan is capable of reducing body heat.

It is advised that you have this fruit in the afternoons as eating during the night hours causes cold.

Rambutan

Eliminates sweat

Sweating is very essential to the human body. A body that does not sweat properly is prone to many diseases caused through infections. Rambutan serves as an excellent fruit for eliminating sweat from your body. Human skin is built with many tiny pores that expel the sweat from the body. Rambutan is good for preventing sweat blockages in these pores.

Diarrhea

Rambutan is believed to stop diarrhea when had during the problematic days.

Fertility

Rambutan is very good for improving fertility in men. It can strengthen the sperms and the related nerves in the body.

Rambutan is available in all super markets that sell fruits imported from various countries. Have Rambutan and achieve lot of health benefits.

Manathakkali

Manathakkali

One of the herbs that offer various health benefits to the human body is "Manathakkali" or Black Nightshade.

Manathakkali is said to offer coldness to the body but it can grow even on dry lands. It can be one of your kitchen garden plants. It is available on all seasons. It is named Manathakkali since it yields fruits in the bead form. As it resembles the look of pepper, it is also called as "Milagu Thakkali".

Each part of the plant has medicinal values. The parts like leaves, stem, fruit and root are used for preparing various medicines. People mostly dislike it since it tastes bitter. But it can offer you a long life when consumed periodically.

All the edible parts of this plant is worth eating and source protein, fiber, minerals and salts. It can be had along with cereals, as gravy and as soup. Let us see some of its medicinal values.

Mouth Sour

It is the best medicine for mouth sour and stomach ulcer. People, who are suffering from mouth ulcer, can keep the juice extracted from Manathakkali leaves for a while in their mouth and spit after some time. Doing this twice a day, will heal the sour quickly. The juice is also ideal for sours in stomach and intestine.

The sufferers are suggested to reduce the hot, salty and spicy foodstuffs in their meals.

Heart

Manathakkali leaves are good for strengthening the heart. The leaves have to be cooked adding ginger, garlic, cumin seeds, pepper and should be had regularly for supplying enough strength to the heart.

Skin sour and White patches

It is also ideal for healing the skin sour. When the leaves are consumed continuously for more than a week, the skin gets a new and shining look.

Many people suffer from white patches. When they appear in visible areas like face and hands, they get depressed with their self-image.  Rub the Manathakkali juice against the white patches seen on the skin when you take bath everyday; you might observe the patches disappear slowly.

Common Medicinal Values of Manathakkali leaf

1) Reduces fever

2) Drives fatigue

3) Reduces the intensity of fits

4) Cures prolonged headache

5) Heals boils and reduces inflammation

6) Cures constipation and ulcer

7) Balances the body heat

8) Ideal medicine for jaundice sufferers

9) Kills germs in the intestine

10) Increases the memory power

11) Reduces tummy fat when had regularly

12) Reduces inflammation due to piles

13) Cures liver diseases

14) Purifies blood and provides good sleep

15) Ideal medicine for mouth ulcer, stomach ulcer, sour throat and sours in intestine

Benefits of Manathakkali raw fruit

1) Removes body pain

2) Removes fatigue and keeps the body brisk

3) Expels the poisonous liquid present in the body

4) Drives away the vomiting sensation

Benefits of Manathakkali fruit

1) Removes pain in the ear

2) Reduces fever

3) Cures gasping in the stomach

4) Offers strength to the uterus

5) Supports pregnancy

Benefits of Manathakkali root

1) There is no natural medicine that can replace Manathakkali root for curing constipation.

2) The root is used for preparing various siddha and ayurvedic medicines

Mineral contents of Manathakkali (in 100g leaves)

1) Calcium - 400mg

2) Phosphorous - 70mg

2) Iron - 20 mg

4) Vitamin C - 10mg

Besides the above, it also contains required cholesterol and fiber. Consume this precious herbal leaves and attain good health.

Indian Herbs in Siddha Medicine

In this modern world due to the influence of western culture and the changing lifestyle of people in India, we have lost something that is valuable. Yes, what I am mentioning here is about "Siddha Medicine" which inherits ageless Indian herbs.

In olden days, South Indian kitchens used to have "Anjarai Petti" holding the basic ingredients which are not only meant for the mouth watering south Indian dishes but also for health of the inmates of the house. The middle section of the box always had turmeric that has antiseptic properties. The next medicinal ingredient is the "Jeera" (Cumin seeds). People of today consume it as sugar coated sweet balls.

People eat Pizza just to show some attitude and disregard the healthy Indian foods that are prepared involving many ageless Indian herbs. Keep it in mind, Pizza does not contain the basic ingredient involved in any kind of Indian dishes - the turmeric which is a valuable herb especially grown in India. We neglect the honey and palm jaggery and consume crystalline sugar inviting diabetes.

Those who drink Coke are not aware of the values of "Paanagam" (Drink made at home using jaggery, dry ginger). Saints say that have your basic food in the form of medicine and keep away all the diseases away from you. Medicine practiced abroad does not eradicate the diseases but our Indian medicines analyze the root cause of the disease and eradicate them.

For example, you generally get cold when you eat ice creams. But this should not happen even if you have 4 to 5 ice creams at the same time. Siddha and Ayurveda completely prepare your body for this condition. Your body is fertilized to prevent the attacks of these diseases.

Indian medicines do not cause any side effects. There are certain medicines in Siddha practice that totally destroy the traces of diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes etc. The herbs like Terminalia Arjuna (the seed of Marudha tree), Hibiscus leaves and Withania Somnifera (Aswagandha) are capable of destroying the heart diseases.

More such Indian herbs will be discussed later.