health wise

A Typical South Indian Meal …Related to Three Gunas Of Spirituality !!!…An Interesting Read !!!!

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A South Indian Meal…   Explanation BY  Mahaperiavar….an interesting  read !!!
A typical South Indian meal is served in three main courses: sambar sAdam, rasam sAdam and more (buttermilk) sAdam. Sambar is also known as kuzhambu in Tamil, a term that literally translates to ‘get confused’. Paramacharya explains how these three courses are related to the three gunas of spirituality: the confusion of sambar is tamo guna, the clarified and rarified flow of rasam is rajo guna and the all-white buttermilk is satva guna. Our meal reminds us of ourspiritual path from confused inaction to a clear flow of action and finally to the realized bliss of unity.
SAdam
Cooked rice, the main dish of a South Indian meal is called sAdam. That which has sat is sAdam, in the same way we call those who are full of sat, sadhus. We can give another explanation for the term: that which is born out of prasannam is prasAdam. What we offer to Swami (God) as nivedanam is given back to us as prasAdam. Since we should not add the root ‘pra’ to the rice we cook for ourselves, we call it sAdam.
Rasam
Rasam means juice, which is also the name of filtered ruchi. We say ‘it was full of rasa’ when a speech or song was tasteful. Vaishnavas, because of their Tamil abhimAnam, refer to rasam as saatthamudhu. It does not mean the amudhu (amrita) mixed with sAdam. It was actually saatramudhu (saaru or rasam + amudhu), which became saatthamudhu.
Vaishnavas also have a term thirukkann amudhu that refers to our pAyasam. What is that thirukkann? If rudrAksham means Rudra’s eye, does ‘thirukkann’ mean Lakshmi’s eye? Or does the term refer to some vastu (article) added to pAyasam? No such things. Thiru kannal amudhu has become thirukkann amudhu. Kannal means sugercane, the base crop of suger and jaggery used in pAyasam.
I was talking about rasam. If something is an extraction of juice, then would it not be clear, diluted and free of sediments? Such is the nature of our rasam, which is clear and dilute. The other one, served earlier to rasam in a meal, is the kuzhambu. Kuzhambu contains dissolved tamarind and cut vegetable pieces, so it looks unclear, its ingredients not easily seen.
Buttermilk as our dessert
A western meal normally ends with a dessert. In a South Indian meal, desserts such as pAyasam are served after the rasam sAdam. Any sweets that were served at the beginning are also taken at this time. After that we take buttermilk rice as our final course. Paramacharya explains that since sweets are harmful to teeth, our sour and salty buttermilk actually strengthens our teeth, and this has been observed and praised by an American dietician. We gargle warm salt water when we get toothache. The buttermilk is the reason for our having strong teeth until the end of our life, unlike the westerners who resort to dentures quite early in their life.
Vegetable curry
Although cut vegetable pieces are used in sambar, kootoo and pacchadi, in curry they are fried to such an extent that they become dark in color (the term curry also means blackness or darkness in Tamil). May be this is the origin of the name curry.
Uppuma (kitchadi)
If the term uppuma is derived from the fact that we add uppu or salt, then we also add salt to iddly, dosa and pongal! Actually, it is not uppuma but ubbuma! The rava used for this dish expands in size to the full vessel where heated up with water and salt. The action of rava getting expanded is the reason for the term ubbuma.
Iddly
The term iduthal (in Tamil) refers to keeping something set and untouched. We call the cremation ground idukaadu (in Tamil). There we keep the mrita sarira (mortal body) set on the burning pyre and then come away. The term iduthal also refers to refining gold with fire. The (Tamil) term idu marunthu has a similar connotation: a drug given once without any repetition of dosage. In the same way, we keep the iddly wet flour on the oven and do nothing to it until it is cooked by steam.
Idiyaappam
(This is rice noodles cooked in steam). Brahmins call it seva while others call it idiyaappam. But unlike an appam which is a cake, this dish is in strands. The term appam is derived from the Sanskrit ApUpam meaning cake. The flour of that cake is called ApUpayam. This word is the origin of the Tamil word appam.
Appalaam (papad)
The grammatical Tamil term is appalam. This dish is also made by kneading (urad dhal) flour, making globules out of it and then flattening them. So it is also a kind of appam. Because of its taste a ‘la’ is added as a particle of endearment!
laddu
ladanam (in Sanskrit) means to play, to throw. ladakam is the sports goods used to play with. Since the ball games are the most popular, ladakam came to mean a ball. The dish laddu is like a ball, and this term is a shortened form of laddukam, which derived from ladakam.
Laddu is also known as kunjaa laadu. This should actually be gunjaa laadu, because the Sanskrit term gunjA refers to the gunjA-berry, used as a measure of weight, specially for gold. Since a laddu is a packed ball of gunjA like berries cooked out of flour and sugar, it got this name.
The singer of mUka panca sati on Ambal Kamakshi describes her as Matangi and in that description praises her as ‘gunjA bhUsha’, that is, wearing chains and bangles made of gunjA-berries of gold.
Pori vilangaa laddu
Made of jaggery, rice flour and dried ginger without any ghee added to it, this laddu is as hard as a wood apple, though very tasty, and hence got its name from that fruit and the original pori (puffed rice) flour used to make it.
Actually it means Porul adanga urundai–that means you can add anything to this laddu. It is made usually with rice and green moong dhal and vellam.
Indian Dishes of Turkish Origin
Our halwa is a dish that came from the Turkish invasion. bahU kalam (long ago) before that we had a dish called paishtikam, made of flour, ghee and sugar. But then the Arabian term halwa has stuck in usage for such preparation.
sojji
sUji is another name from the Turkish. It has become sojji now. It is mostly referred to these days as kesari. In Sanskrit, kesaram means mane, so kesari is a lion with kesaram. It was a practice to add the title ‘kesari’ to people who are on the top in any field. Thus we have Veera Kesari, Hari Kesari as titles of kings in Tamilnadu. The German Keisar, Roman Caesar and the Russian Czar — all these titles came from only from this term kesari.
What is the color the lion? A sort of brownish red, right? A shade that is not orange nor red. That is the kesar varnam. The powder of that stone is called kesari powder, which became the name of the dish to which it is added for color.
vada
A Tamil pundit told me that the name vada(i) could have originated from the Sanskrit mAshApUpam, which is an appam made of mAsham or the urad dhal. He also said that in ancient Tamilnadu, vada and appam were prepared like chapati, baking the flour cake using dry heat.
Dadhya araadhana
Someone asked me about the meaning of this term. He was under the impression that dadhi was curd, so dadhiyaaradhana( i) was the curd rice offered to Perumal. Actually, the correct term is tadeeya AradhanA, meaning the samaaradhana( i) (grand dinner) hosted to the bhagavatas of Perumal. It got shortened in the habitual Vaishnava way.
Vaishnavas offer the nivedanam of pongal with other things to Perumal in their dhanur mAsa ushad kala puja (early morning puja of the Dhanur month). They call it tiruppakshi. The original term was actually tiruppalli ezhuchi, the term used to wake of Perumal. It became ‘tiruppazhuchi’ , then ‘tiruppazhachi’ and finally ‘tiruppakshi’ today, using the Sanskrit kshakara akshram, in the habitual Vaishnava way. It is only vegetarian offering, nothing to do with pakshi (bird)!
The term dhanur mAsam automatically brings up thoughts of Andaal and her paavai (friends). In the 27th song (of Tiruppaavai) , she describes her wake up puja and nivedanam with milk and sweet pongal to Bhagavan, which culminates in her having a joint dinner with her friends. Vaishnavas celebrate that day as the festival koodaara valli, following the same sampradhAyam (tradition). The name of this festival is from the phrase koodaarai vellum seer Govinda, (Govinda who conquers those who don’t reach Him) which begins the 27th song. It was this ‘koodaarai vellum’ that took on the vichitra vEsham (strange form) of ‘koodaara valli’.
pAyasam
payas (in Sanskrit) means milk. So pAyasam literally means ‘a delicacy made of milk’. This term does not refer to the rice and jaggery used to make pAyasam. They go with the term without saying. Actually pAyasam is to be made by boiling rice in milk (not water) and adding jaggery. These days we have dhal pAyasam, ravA pAyasam, sEmia pAyasam and so on, using other things in the place of rice.
Vaishanavas have a beautiful Tamil term akkaara adisil for pAyasam. The ‘akkaar’ in this term is a corruption of the Sanskrit sharkara. The English term ‘sugar’ is from the Arabian ‘sukkar’, which in turn is from this Sanskrit term. The same term also took the forms ‘saccharine’ and ‘jaggery’. And the name of the dish jangiri is from the term jaggery

.
kanji (porridge)
Before we become satiated with madhuram (sweetness), let us turn our attention to a food that is sour. As an alternative to sweetness, our Acharyal (Adi Sankara) has spoken about sourness in his Soundarya Lahiri.
Poets describe a bird called cakora pakshi that feeds on moon-beams. Sankara says in Soundarya Lahiri that the cakora pakshi were originally feeding on the kArunya lAvaNyAmruta (the nectar of compassion and beauty) flowing from Ambal’s mukha chanran (moon like face). They got satiated with that nectar and were looking for somthing sour, and spotted the full moon, which being only a reflection, issued only sour beams!
Acharyal has used the term kAnjika diya, which gives an evidence of his origin in the Malayala Desam. He said that since the cakora pakshis were convinced that the nectar from the moon was only sour kanji, they chose to feed on it as an alternative.
The term kAnjika means relating to kanji, but the word kanji is not found in Sanskrit. It is a word current only in the Dakshinam (south). There too, kanji is special in Malayala Desam where even the rich lords used to drink kanji in the morning. This was the variety came to be known as the ‘Mayalayam Kanji’.
Kanji is good for deham as well as chittam. And less expensive. You just add a handful of cooked rice rava (broken rice), add buttermilk, salt and dry ginger, which would be enough for four people.
The buttermilk added must be a bit more sour. The salt too must be a bit more in quantity. With the slight burning taste of dry ginger, the combination would be tasty and healthy.
tAmbUlam
It is customary to have tAmbUlam at the end of a South Indian dinner. In the North, tAambUlam is popularly known as paan, which is usually a wrap of betel nut and other allied items in a calcium-laced pair of betel leaves. In the South, tAmbUlam is usually an elaborate and leisurely after-dinner activity. People sit around a plate of tAmbUlam items, drop a few cut or sliced betel nut pieces in their month, take the betel leaves one by one leisurely, draw a daub of pasty calcium on their back and then stuff them in their month, chatting happily all the while.
The betel leaf is known by the name vetrilai in Tamil, literally an empty leaf. Paramacharya once asked the people sitting around him the reason for calling it an empty leaf. When none could give the answer, he said that the usually edible plants don’t just stop with leaf; they proceed to blossom, and bear fruits or vegetables. Even in the case of spinach or lettuce, we have to cook them before we can take them. Only in the case of the betel leaf, we take it raw, and this plant just stops with its leaves, hence the name vetrilai or empty leaf.

Source..Inputs from a friend of mine.

Natarajan

Meet Hussain Momin ….A Man who Used His Life Savings For Building a Hospital For Poor …

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He made his life on his own. But when it came to giving back to the society, 48-year-old Hussain Momin did not think twice. The illiterate car mechanic has built a hospital for the needy on a plot of land that belonged to his forefathers.
Befittingly named Adarsh Hospital, the multi-specialty facility at Telav village near Sanand on the outskirts of Ahmedabad has a unique payment option.
“The patients can pay whatever they can afford, but the treatment would not stop for money,” says Dr Kartik Shukla, a leading orthopaedic surgeon from Ahmedabad, who heads the hospital.

 

A few good men: Hussain Momin (right) built a hospital for the needy with the help of Dr Kartik Shukla (left)

A few good men: Hussain Momin (right) built a hospital for the needy with the help of Dr Kartik Shukla (left)


Shukla is the person who helped Momin materialise his dream of opening a hospital in his village.

Momin was 20 when he left the village to earn bread for his family. A few weeks floating around saw him settling in a garage in Chiloda, near Gandhinagar, where he learned the nuances of vehicle repairing. After fifteen years, Momin decided to head back home.

With over Rs 7 lakh in his pocket, he continued to work as a mechanic near his village, and his good work soon got him business. But despite his business doing great, something was still bothering Momin, and that was the wish to construct a hospital in his village.

The shy garage mechanic refuses to talk much, but Shukla tells how Momin got the hospital constructed in the 1200 sq yard plot that was a family property.
Adarsh Hospital was opened on Momin's ancestral land near Ahmedabad a couple of years ago

Adarsh Hospital was opened on Momin’s ancestral land near Ahmedabad a couple of years ago


“The location of the plot made it a prime property and Hussain bhai had many offers to sell it off with some offers even going up to Rs 10 crore,” Shukla says. But Momin stuck to his guns, used the money he had saved all these years and finally launched his dream hospital a couple of years ago.

“Unlike urban patients, the rural people rarely plan a treatment and hence seldom have ready cash for it,” Shukla says. While the lack of cash leads to compromise in treatment, he says, many patients are later forced to seek further procedures which often turn complicated.

Explaining the fee structure, Shukla says that while Momin was initially opposed to charging fees, it was decided that though the treatment in the hospital will be chargeable to cover the running cost of the hospital, the patients will be explained the cost of treatment and asked to pay whatever they can.

When Momin asked Shukla to take over the hospital, he had a latent altruistic desire and Shukla decided to take charge of the hospital. Following Shukla, a team of four gynaecologists also agreed to work in the hospital.

“We have three orthopaedic surgeons, four gynaecologists, an ENT surgeon, a dental surgeon, an orthodontist, and an ophthalmologist apart from a general physician and we will soon have a physiotherapist as well. The best part of it is that no doctor has come to this hospital with any terms and conditions,” he says.
source::::D.P.Bhattacharya  in mail online india.com

Natarajan

 

Breast Feed is The Best Feed !!!

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  • Babies only fed breast milk have 30% extra growth in key parts of the brain
  • They have better development in areas which control language and emotion
  • Those fed breast milk have more white matter which is used for learning
  • Those only fed formula milk have the least white matter

By EMMA INNES   in Mailonline.com….

 

Breast milk boosts brain development in babies by up to 30 per cent, according to a new study.

Children exclusively fed breast milk for at least three months have up to 30 per cent extra growth in the key parts of the brain which control language, emotion, and understanding, say scientists.

The study of under-fours showed children who have breast milk as part of their diet have a clear advantage when it comes to brain development.

Children exclusively fed breast milk for at least three months have up to 30 per cent extra growth in the key parts of the brain. Image shows how white matter develops with age

 

Children exclusively fed breast milk for at least three months have up to 30 per cent extra growth in the key parts of the brain. Image shows how white matter develops with age.


Research carried out at Brown University, in the U.S., found that by the time the babies had reached their second birthday a discernible difference could be seen in their brain structure.

Dr Sean Deoni, an engineering professor and lead author, said: ‘We’re finding the difference [in white matter growth] is in the order of 20 to 30 per cent, comparing the breastfed and the non-breastfed kids.’

Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) brain scans were taken of the babies who had been fed a diet of breast milk in the earliest stages of their development, and of those who had been fed formula milk.

The scans showed that babies fed breast milk alone had the fastest growth in myelinated white matter – tissue packed full of long nerve fibres that link different parts of the brain that are used for learning.

The babies who were weaned on a diet of formula were found to have the least white matter.

Dr Deoni’s team carried out the study to see how early the changes in brain development took place.

‘We show that they’re there almost right off the bat,’ he said.

Researchers looked at the brains of 133 babies who were born on time and came from similar families.

By comparing the myelin in older and younger children they were able to calculate how breast milk influenced the development of white matter.

The researchers backed up the results of the scans with a set of basic cognitive tests that showed language performance, visual reception and motor control were all better in the breastfed children.

The team found that the longer the babies were fed with breast milk the more developed their brains were, especially in the areas of the brain associated with movement and coordination.

While the Brown study published in the journal NeuroImage is not the first to link breastfeeding with improved development in the young, Dr Deoni claimed it is the first time MRI scans have been used to compare the brains in breastfed and non-breastfed children.

Dr Deoni said: ‘I think it’s astounding that you could have that much difference so early. I think I would argue that combined with all the other evidence, it seems like breastfeeding is absolutely beneficial.

source:::::mailonline.com
Natarajan

 

 

சுண்டக்காயில் இத்தனை மருத்துவ குணமா !!!..

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நீரிழிவு நோய்க்கு மருந்தாகும் சுண்டைக்காய் !!!!

நாம் அன்றாடம் உணவில் சேர்க்கும் சுண்டைக்காய் ஏராளமான மருத்துவ குணங்களை கொண்டுள்ளது.
இந்த காய் கசப்பு சுவை கொண்டிருந்தாலும் உடலுக்கு ஊட்டச்சத்தாக மாறி உடலை ஆரோக்கியமாகவும், நீண்ட ஆயுளையும் கொடுக்கிறது.

சுண்டைக்காயின் இலைகள், வேர், கனி, முழுத்தாவரமும் மருத்துவ குணம் உடையது. இலைகள் ரத்தக் கசிவினை தடுக்கக் கூடியவை.

கனிகள் கல்லீரல் மற்றும் கணையம் தொடர்பான நோய்களுக்கு மருந்தாகின்றன.

முழுத்தாவரமும் ஜீரணத் தன்மை கொண்டது.

செயல்திறன் மிக்க வேதிப்பொருட்கள்: இத்தாவரத்தில் உள்ள வைட்டமின்கள், குளுக்கோசைடுகள் போன்ற பல வேதிப்பொருட்கள் பிரித்தெடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. டார்வோனின் ஏ, டார்வோனின் பி, பேனிகுனோஜெனின், டார்வோஜெனின் போன்றவை காணப்படுகின்றன.

சுண்டைக்காயில் புரதம், கால்சியம், இரும்புச்சத்து அதிகம் நிறைந்துள்ளன. இதனால் உடல் வளர்ச்சியில் முக்கிய பங்கு வகிக்கிறது. இதை வாரம் இருமுறை சமைத்து சாப்பிட்டால் இரத்தம் சுத்தமடையும். உடற்சோர்வு நீங்கும்.இதனை பச்சையாக பறித்து தொக்கு செய்தோ, கூட்டு செய்தோ சாப்பிடலாம்.

சுவாசம் சம்பந்தப்பட்ட நோய்களின் தாக்குதலுக்கு இலக்கானவர்கள் அடிக்கடி சுண்டைக்காயை உணவில் சேர்த்துக் கொள்ள வேண்டும். வயிற்றுக் கிருமிகள் உள்ளவர்கள் வாரம் மூன்று முறை சுண்டைக்காய் சாப்பிட்டு வந்தால் வயிற்றுக் கிருமி, மூலக் கிருமி போன்றவை அகலும். வயிற்றுப்புண் ஆறும். வயிற்றின் உட்புறச் சுவர்கள் பலமடையும்.

சுண்டைக்காயில் காட்டுச் சுண்டை, நாட்டுச் சுண்டை என இருவகை உண்டு. மலைக்காடுகளில் தானாக வளர்ந்து அதிகம் காணப்படுவது மலைச்சுண்டை. இவை பெரும்பாலும் வற்றல் செய்யப் பயன்படுகிறது.

வீட்டுத் தோட்டங்களிலும் கொல்லைப் புறங்களிலும் வளர்க்கப்படும் நாட்டுச் சுண்டைக் காயை பச்சையாக சமைத்து உண்ணலாம். நுண்புழுவால் உண்டான நோய்கள், வலி நோய்கள் இவற்றை போக்கும். மலச்சிக்கலைப் போக்கி அஜீரணக் கோளாறுகளை நீக்கும். வயிற்றுப் புழுக்களை வெளியேற்றும். குடற்புண்களை ஆற்றும்.

சுண்டைக்காயை உலர்த்தி பொடியாக்கி சூரணம் செய்து நீரில் கரைத்து சாப்பிட்டு வந்தால் ஆசனவாய் அரிப்பு நீங்கும். மலக்கிருமிகள் மற்றும் மூலக்கிருமிகள் அகலும். சுண்டைக்காயுடன், மிளகு, கறிவேப்பிலை சேர்த்து கஷாயம் செய்து சிறு குழந்தைகளுக்குக் கொடுத்து வருவது நல்லது.

முற்றின சுண்டைக்காயை நசுக்கி மோரில் போட்டு ஊறவைத்து வெயிலில் காயவைத்து எடுத்து பத்திரப்படுத்திக் கொண்டு தினமும் எண்ணெயில் வறுத்து சாப்பிடலாம் அல்லது வற்றல் குழம்பாக்கி சாப்பிடலாம். இது மார்புச்சளியைப் போக்கும். குடலில் உள்ள அசடுகளை நீக்கும்.

சுண்டை வற்றலை நெய்யில் வறுத்து பொடியாக்கி சோற்றுடன் சேர்த்து பிசைந்து சாப்பிட்டு வந்தால் நீரிழிவு நோயினால் உண்டாகும் கை கால் நடுக்கம், மயக்கம், உடற்சோர்வு, வயிற்றுப் பொருமல் முதலியவை நீங்கும்.

சுண்டைக்காயை இரண்டாக நறுக்கி அதனுடன் பூண்டு, சின்ன வெங்காயம், மிளகு, சீரகம், கறிவேப்பிலை, கொத்தமல்லி இலை சேர்த்து நன்கு கொதிக்க வைத்து சூப் செய்து அருந்தி வந்தால் கபக்கட்டு, ஈளை, இருமல், மூலச்சூடு, மூலக்கடுப்பு, மூலத்தில் ரத்தம் வெளியேறுதல் போன்றவை நீங்கும்.

இரத்தத்தை சுத்தப்படுத்தி சிறுநீரைப் பெருக்கும். உடல் சோர்வை நீக்கும். தலைச்சுற்றல், வாந்தி, மயக்கம் நீங்கும். மேலும் மார்புச்சளி, தொண்டைக்கட்டு போன்றவற்றிற்கு சிறந்த நிவாரணியாகும். ஆஸ்துமா, காசநோயாளிகள் இதனை அருந்திவந்தால் பாதிப்பு குறையும்.

source::::input from a friend of mine

Natarajan

Black Pepper…”King of Spices” !!!!!

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20 Great Uses for Black Pepper
There’s good reason why black pepper is considered the ‘king of spices’. With its aromatic appeal, a culinary selection and a large variety of medicinal advantages, the black pepper has gained a place of honor in any kitchen or spice rack, and even in the medicine cabinet.

Since ancient times, the pepper appeared in many medicinal arts, for its ability to calm stomach ache, reduce liver problems, lung diseases and digestion problems, as well as improve blood flow, acting as an anti-depressant and reduce the risk of Colorectal Cancer.

Here, we’ve collected 20 more great uses you can get out of your black pepper!

1. To keep your cholesterol low – Add a 1/4 spoon of black pepper to a glass of buttermilk. Mix in some finely cut onion and drink.

2. Dealing with cold feet – Put black pepper grains, a few pieces of garlic and mustard grains in a cloth bag and hang around your neck.

3. To lose weight – Add a 1/4 spoon of ground black pepper to a glass of water and add 2 spoons of lemon juice and a spoon of honey. Mix well and drink daily.

4. To reduce fever – Take 7-8 leaves of basil and 3-4 grains of black pepper and chew them together.

5. To treat a cold – Make some tea and add 2-3 grains of ground black pepper, a piece of ginger and basil leaves.

6. To relieve a dry cough – Grind 5-6 seeds of black pepper and mix with natural honey. Swallow a spoon of this mix daily until relief is achieved.

7. To relieve asthma attacks – Boil 8-10 grains of pepper, add 2 clove buds and 10-15 basil leaves to the water. Let the brew sit for about 15 minutes, strain it and add 2 spoons of honey. Tip: Drink with milk!

8. Treating a sore throat – Squeeze some lemon juice, add a bit of salt and ground black pepper – and gurgle.

9. To treat a chronic cold – Consume ground black pepper with some dates.

10. To open a blocked up nose – Mix equal amounts of black pepper, cinnamon, Cumin and cardamom seeds. Grind to a thin powder and smell or inhale the mixture. This will cause healthy sneezing and will open the nose ducts.

11. To relieve any kind of cough – Grind some black pepper and add sugar. Consume the mix with clarified butter.

12. To ease a heavy cough – add 2-3 grains of black pepper to a glass of boiling hot milk, wait for it to cool a bit and then drink.

13. Treating toothache – Mix ground black pepper with clove oil. Smear the ointment on the afflicted area.

14. To treat indigestion – Mix some black pepper with ginger juice and sip after every meal.

15. Relieve nausea – Mix black pepper and water in a glass, add some fresh lemon juice, mix and drink slowly.

16. Treating skin conditions – Prepare an ointment from ground black pepper and refined butter. Apply to skin conditions such as allergy rash, Eczema and scabies.

17. To fight baldness – Make a thick mix from black pepper and lemon seeds.Apply it daily to the balding areas about 10 minutes before showering. The solution should help revitalize hair growth.
18. To deal with hemorrhoids – Grind and mix 20 grams of black pepper, 10 grams of cumin and 15 grams of sugar. Mix in water and drink morning and evening, each day.

19. To stop bleeding – Cover the bleeding wound with
ground black pepper. Bandage with a paper towel and tighten with cello-tape. Wait 10 minutes and the bleeding will stop.

20. To stop hiccups – Hold a small plate with black pepper to your nose, exhale strongly a few times and the hiccups will cease.

source:::: babamailnet

Natarajan

Pain Killers Available in Your Kitchen !!!!!….Do You Know ?

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A GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO TAKING MEDICATION!!!!

20 Painkillers in Your Kitchen

Make muscle pain a memory with ginger

When Danish researchers asked achy people to jazz up their diets with ginger, it eased muscle and joint pain, swelling and stiffness for up to 63 percent of them within two months. Experts credit ginger’s potent compounds called gingerols, which prevent the production of pain-triggering hormones. The study-recommended dose: Add at least 1 teaspoon of dried ginger or 2 teaspoons of chopped ginger to meals daily.

Cure a toothache with cloves

Got a toothache and can’t get to the dentist? Gently chewing on a clove can ease tooth pain and gum inflammation for two hours straight, say UCLA researchers. Experts point to a natural compound in cloves called eugenol, a powerful, natural anesthetic. Bonus: Sprinkling a ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves on meals daily may also protect your ticker. Scientists say this simple action helps stabilize blood sugar, plus dampen production of artery-clogging cholesterol in as little as three weeks.

Heal heartburn with cider vinegar
Sip 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with 8 ounces of water before every meal, and experts say you could shut down painful bouts of heartburn in as little as 24 hours. “Cider vinegar is rich in malic and tartaric acids, powerful digestive aids that speed the breakdown of fats and proteins so your stomach can empty quickly, before food washes up into the esophagus, triggering heartburn pain,” explains Joseph Brasco, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the Center for Colon and Digestive Diseases in Huntsville, AL.

Erase earaches with garlic

Painful ear infections drive millions of Americans to doctors’ offices every year. To cure one fast, just place two drops of warm garlic oil into your aching ear twice daily for five days. This simple treatment can clear up ear infections faster than prescription meds, say experts at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. Scientists say garlic’s active ingredients (germanium, selenium, and sulfur compounds) are naturally toxic to dozens of different pain-causing bacteria. To whip up your own garlic oil gently simmer three cloves of crushed garlic in a half a cup of extra virgin olive oil for two minutes, strain, then refrigerate for up to two weeks, suggests Teresa Graedon, Ph.D., co-author of the book, Best Choices From The People’s Pharmacy. For an optimal experience, warm this mix slightly before using so the liquid will feel soothing in your ear canal.

Chase away joint and headache pain with cherries

Latest studies show that at least one in four women is struggling with arthritis, gout or chronic headaches. If you’re one of them, a daily bowl of cherries could ease your ache, without the stomach upset so often triggered by today’s painkillers, say researchers at East Lansing ’s Michigan State University . Their research reveals that anthocyanins, the compounds that give cherries their brilliant red color, are anti-inflammatories 10 times stronger than ibuprofen and aspirin. “Anthocyanins help shut down the powerful enzymes that kick-start tissue inflammation, so they can prevent, as well as treat, many different kinds of pain,” explains Muraleedharan Nair, Ph.D., professor of food science at Michigan State University . His advice: Enjoy 20 cherries (fresh, frozen or dried) daily, then continue until your pain disappears.

Fight tummy troubles with fish

Indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases…if your belly always seems to be in an uproar, try munching 18 ounces of fish weekly to ease your misery. Repeated studies show that the fatty acids in fish, called EPA and DHA, can significantly reduce intestinal inflammation, cramping and belly pain and, in some cases, provide as much relief as corticosteroids and other prescription meds. “EPA and DHA are powerful, natural, side effect-free anti-inflammatories, that can dramatically improve the function of the entire gastrointestinal tract,” explains biological chemist Barry Sears, Ph.D., president of the Inflammation Research Foundation in Marblehead , MA . For best results, look for oily fish like salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, trout and herring.

Prevent PMS with yogurt

Up to 80 percent of women will struggle with premenstrual syndrome and its uncomfortable symptoms, report Yale researchers. The reason: Their nervous systems are sensitive to the ups and downs in estrogen and progesterone that occur naturally every month. But snacking on 2 cups of yogurt a day can slash these symptoms by 48 percent, say researchers at New York ’s Columbia University . “Yogurt is rich in calcium, a mineral that naturally calms the nervous system, preventing painful symptoms even when hormones are in flux,” explains Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a professor of gynecology at Yale University

Tame chronic pain with turmeric

Studies show turmeric, a popular East Indian spice, is actually three times more effective at easing pain than aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen, plus it can help relieve chronic pain for 50 percent of people struggling with arthritis and even fibromyalgia, according to Cornell researchers. That’s because turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, naturally shuts down cyclooxygenase 2, an enzyme that churns out a stream of pain-producing hormones, explains nutrition researcher Julian Whitaker, M.D. and author of the book, Reversing Diabetes. The study-recommended dose: Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of this spice daily onto any rice, poultry, meat or vegetable dish.

End endometrial pain with oats

The ticket to soothing endometriosis pain could be a daily bowl of oatmeal. Endometriosis occurs when little bits of the uterine lining detach and grow outside of the uterus. Experts say these migrating cells can turn menstruation into a misery, causing so much inflammation that they trigger severe cramping during your period, plus a heavy ache that drags on all month long. Fortunately, scientists say opting for a diet rich in oats can help reduce endometrial pain for up to 60 percent of women within six months. That’s because oats don’t contain gluten, a trouble-making protein that triggers inflammation in many women, making endometriosis difficult to bear, explains Peter Green, M.D., professor of medicine at Colombia University .

Soothe foot pain with salt

Experts say at least six million Americans develop painful ingrown toenails each year. But regularly soaking ingrown nails in warm salt water baths can cure these painful infections within four days, say scientists at California ’s Stanford University . The salt in the mix naturally nixes inflammation, plus it’s anti-bacterial, so it quickly destroys the germs that cause swelling and pain. Just mix 1 teaspoon of salt into each cup of water, heat to the warmest temperature that you can comfortably stand, and then soak the affected foot area for 20 minutes twice daily, until your infection subsides.

Prevent digestive upsets with pineapple

Got gas? One cup of fresh pineapple daily can cut painful bloating within 72 hours, say researchers at California ’s Stanford University . That’s because pineapple is natually packed with proteolytic enzymes, digestive aids that help speed the breakdown of pain-causing proteins in the stomach and small intestine, say USDA researchers

Relax painful muscles with peppermint

Suffering from tight, sore muscles? Stubborn knots can hang around for months if they aren’t properly treated, says naturopath Mark Stengler, N.D., author of the book, The Natural Physician’s Healing Therapies. His advice: Three times each week, soak in a warm tub scented with 10 drops of peppermint oil. The warm water will relax your muscles, while the peppermint oil will naturally soothe your nerves — a combo that can ease muscle cramping 25 percent more effectively than over-the-counter painkillers, and cut the frequency of future flare-ups in half, says Stengler.

Give your back some TLC with grapes

Got an achy back? Grapes could be the ticket to a speedy recovery. Recent studies at Ohio State University suggest eating a heaping cup of grapes daily can relax tight blood vessels, significantly improving blood flow to damaged back tissues (and often within three hours of enjoying the first bowl). That’s great news because your back’s vertebrae and shock-absorbing discs are completely dependent on nearby blood vessels to bring them healing nutrients and oxygen, so improving blood flow is essential for healing damaged back tissue, says Stengle

Wash away pain injuries with water

Whether it’s your feet, your knees or your shoulders that are throbbing, experts at New York ’s Manhattan College , say you could kick-start your recovery in one week just by drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. Why? Experts say water dilutes, and then helps flush out, histamine, a pain-triggering compound produced by injured tissues. “Plus water is a key building block of the cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones, your joints’ lubricating fluid, and the soft discs in your spine,” adds Susan M. Kleiner, Ph.D., author of the book, The Good Mood Diet. “And when these tissues are well-hydrated, they can move and glide over each other without causing pain.” One caveat: Be sure to measure your drinking glasses to find out how large they really are before you start sipping, she says. Today’s juice glasses often hold more than 12 ounces, which means five servings could be enough to meet your daily goal.

Heal sinus problems with horseradish

Latest studies show sinusitis is the nation’s number one chronic health problem. And this condition doesn’t just spur congestion and facial pain, it also makes sufferers six times more likely to feel achy all-over. Horseradish to the rescue! According to German researchers, this eye-watering condiment naturally revs up blood flow to the sinus cavities, helping to open and drain clogged sinuses and heal sinus infections more quickly than decongestant sprays do. The study-recommended dose: One teaspoon twice daily (either on its own, or used as a sandwich or meat topping) until symptoms clear.

Beat bladder infections with blueberries

Eating 1 cup of blueberries daily, whether you opt for them fresh, frozen or in juice form, can cut your risk of a urinary tract infection (UTIs) by 60 percent, according to researchers at New Jersey’s Rutgers University. That’s because blueberries are loaded with tannins, plant compounds that wrap around problem-causing bacteria in the bladder, so they can’t get a toehold and create an infection, explains Amy Howell, Ph.D. a scientist at Rutgers University .

Heal mouth sores with honey

Dab painful canker and cold sores with unpasteurized honey four times daily until these skin woes disappear, and they’ll heal 43 percent faster than if you use a prescription cream, say researchers at the Dubai Specialized Medical Center in the United Arab Emirates . Raw honey’s natural enzymes zap inflammation, destroy invading viruses and speed the healing of damaged tissues, say the study authors.

Fight breast pain with flax

In one recent study, adding 3 tablespoons of ground flax to their daily diet eased breast soreness for one in three women within 12 weeks. Scientists credit flax’s phytoestrogens, natural plant compounds that prevent the estrogen spikes that can trigger breast pain. More good news: You don’t have to be a master baker to sneak this healthy seed into your diet. Just sprinkle ground flax on oatmeal, yogurt, applesauce or add it to smoothies and veggie dips.

Cure migraines with coffee

Prone to migraines? Try muscling-up your painkiller with a coffee chaser. Whatever over-the-counter pain med you prefer, researchers at the National Headache Foundation say washing it down with a strong 12- ounce cup of coffee will boost the effectiveness of your medication by 40 percent or more. Experts say caffeine stimulates the stomach lining to absorb painkillers more quickly and more effectively.

Tame leg cramps with tomato juice

At least one in five people regularly struggle with leg cramps. The culprit? Potassium deficiencies, which occur when this mineral is flushed out by diuretics, caffeinated beverages or heavy perspiration during exercise. But sip 10 ounces of potassium-rich tomato juice daily and you’ll not only speed your recovery, you’ll reduce your risk of painful cramp flare-ups in as little as 10 days, say UCLA researchers.

 

source>>>>input from a friend of mine…

Natarajan

Do You Know ?…Costus Igneus ?…Insulin Plant !!!

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Costus igneus a medicinal plant is a Magic Cure for Diabetes. Its leaves helps to build up insulin in the human body so it is commonly known as insulin plant in India This plant was grown in America and is becoming popular in India because of its medicinal chemicals. It is now accepted and used widely as an Ayurvedic medicinal herb. Consumption of the leaves are believed to lower blood glucose levels, and diabetics who consumed the leaves of this plant did report a fall in their blood glucose levels.

Costus igneus plant leaves Costus igneus plant flowers

 

Costus igneus plant leaves        Costus igneus plant flowers

 

Insulin Plant
Insulin plant (Costus igneus) is native to Southeast Asia, especially on the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is a relatively new entrant to Kerala and India. The plant is characterized by large fleshy looking leaves. The undersides of these large, smooth, dark green leaves have light purple shade. The leaves are spirally arranged around the stem, forming attractive, arching clumps arising from underground rootstocks.
The maximum height of these plants is about two feet. The flowers are orange in color and are beautiful, 1.5-inch diameter. Flowering occurs during the warm months. And they appear to be cone-like heads at the tips of branches. The flower petals are quite sweet and nutritious. It’s a lower grower and makes a great ground cover. The long red flower spikes of Costus pulverulentus are unique to the family.
Costus igneus plant grows very quickly. Propagation of this plant is by stem cutting. It needs sunshine but it also grows in slightly shady areas. Costus does not have a problem with pests and diseases. Outdoor plants might be chewed by caterpillars, and in indoors plants might be affected by red spider mite.
Common name
Botanical name: – Costus igneus. Costus igneus common name is *Fiery Costus* or *Spiral Flag*, is a species of herbaceous plant in the Costaceae family. Insulin plant (Costus igneus) common name in Hindi is keukand and in Gujarati – pakarmula. In Marathi, Malayalam and Sanskrit is – pushkarmula and in Tamil is kostam
Medicinal use
In Ayurvedic treatment diabetes patients are advised to chew down the Insulin plants leaves for a month. The patient has to take two leaves per day in the morning and evening for one week. The leaves must be chewed well before swallowing. After one week the patient should take one leaf each in the morning and evening. This dosage should be continued for 30 days. Allopathic doctors too recommend it and it is found to be effective in bringing blood sugar levels under completely under control. There is also dried and ground powder of the leaves now available in the market.
In Traditional Medicine it is also used to Promotes longevity, Treats rash, Reduces fever, Treats asthma , Treats bronchitis and  Eliminates intestinal worms.

 

Research::::
According to International Journal of Ayurveda Research a new study on Insulin plant (Costus igneus) was pblished recently. The leaves of insulin plant (Costus igneus) reduced the fasting and postprandial blood sugar levels, bringing them down towards normal, in dexamethasone-induced hyperglycemia in rats. Reduction in the fasting and the postprandial blood sugar levels with leaves of insulin plant was comparable with that obtained with Glibenclamide 500 µg/kg at 250 mg/kg/day and 500 mg/kg/day of powdered leaves of the insulin plant(Costus igneus).
References
1. Devi VD, Urooj A (August 2008). “Hypoglycemic potential of Morus indica.. L and Costus igneus./ Nak.—A preliminary study”
2. Arun N, Udhaya A & Rajaguru P (December 2011). “In vitro root induction and studies on antibacterial activity of root 3 extract of Costus igneus on clinically important human pathogens.”
3. Babu V, Gangadevi T, Subramonium A. Antidiabetic activity of ethanol extract of Cassia “Kleinii” leaf in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats and isolation of an active fraction and toxicity evaluation of the extract. Indian J Pharmacol. 2003
4. Sathyaprakash R, Henry RR. Preventing diabetes by treating aspects ofthe metabolic syndrome.

 

source:::::Gits 4you.com

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Message For The Day…A dose of Dhyanam and Japam as Breakfast !!!!!

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I know how systematic you all are in eating and drinking. You take pretty good care of the body. I do not condemn it; I only want that you should take equally good care of the needs of the spirit also. Take a dose of Dhyanam (meditation) and Japam(repetition of holy Names) as the morning breakfast; Puja andArchana (prayer and worship) as lunch at noon; someSathsang (holy company) or Sathchinthana (holy thoughts) or reading of holy books or Nama likhitha (writing of holy Names) as afternoon tea and snacks; an hour of bhajan as dinner; and a small ten-minute manana (reflection) as the cup of milk before going to bed. This diet is enough to keep your inner being happy and healthy. That is My advice to you today.

 

Sathya Sai Baba