Sunday 16 August 2009

Poolang kilangku


14th AUGUST 09: WHITE TURMERIC (poolan kilangu)
Different culture use white turmeric in different ways.
Chinese tradition boils white turmeric to gargle their mouth. The boiled turmeric water helps remove bacteria, infection and cures teeth related problems.
Malays use white turmeric leaves (cekur in BM) to treat women who are in confinement period.a) Ashes from the dried burnt leave are applied to treat swollen breast.b) Boiled white turmeric leave water is consumed to help i) clean stomach and blood ii) clear remaining dirt from the body
In Indian Tradition, white turmeric is powdered and used a fragrant agent while preparing oilment. The herb also helpsa) promote hair growthb) bring glow to the skin. When grinded together with turmeric, it acts as an antiseptic body scrub.c) cure dandruff. Apply boiled white turmeric powder on scalp for a few minutes before washing the hair.

Skin problem


13th AUGUST 09: SKIN PROBLEM
Not many of us have smooth and clear skin. Some individuals especially teenagers will either have pimples on their face or pimple like/boils all over their upper back.
To help remove any type of skin problems, it is effective if you were to apply turmeric paste over the affected areas. This is because turmeric has antiseptic properties and helps ripen the pimple/boils.
Neem leave are also effective. If your child is suffering from chicken pox, the only remedy to remove the pox is by using neem and turmeric paste. Apply the neem- turmeric paste on the face and body and leave it to dry for 10 minutes before washing off. The paste will help dry, remove and clear the pox and pox marks.
Pimples are normally caused by hormone imbalance, irregular menstruation cycle and constipation. If you are having any of these problems, you must consume medicine to a) have regular bowel motion andb) have regular menstruation cycle. Try to consume one ounce of turmeric juice when you are having your period as it helps remove dirt from the womb.
13th AUGUST 09: SKIN PROBLEM
Not many of us have smooth and clear skin. Some individuals especially teenagers will either have pimples on their face or pimple like/boils all over their upper back.
To help remove any type of skin problems, it is effective if you were to apply turmeric paste over the affected areas. This is because turmeric has antiseptic properties and helps ripen the pimple/boils.
Neem leave are also effective. If your child is suffering from chicken pox, the only remedy to remove the pox is by using neem and turmeric paste. Apply the neem- turmeric paste on the face and body and leave it to dry for 10 minutes before washing off. The paste will help dry, remove and clear the pox and pox marks.
Pimples are normally caused by hormone imbalance, irregular menstruation cycle and constipation. If you are having any of these problems, you must consume medicine to a) have regular bowel motion andb) have regular menstruation cycle. Try to consume one ounce of turmeric juice when you are having your period as it helps remove dirt from the womb.

Pumpkin


12th AUGUST 09: WHITE PUMPKIN
Indian Tradition believes in the concept of evil eye and there are many remedies and rituals to cure and help remove evil eye.
Some of the many methods are:a) by having "black pottu" on baby's cheekb) hanging a white pumpkin outside a new house to ward off evil and bad negative energy into the house.
It is also believed that evil eye could also be the reason for couples or family members to have constant misunderstandings and fights. To help clear the bad eye, white pumpkin should be hung outside the house. When the pumpkin becomes dry and black, replace the pumpkin on an auspicious day and time.
Besides warding off bad negative energy, the vegetable also has many medicinal values. It contains lots of water and the properties in the vegetable help clean and clear dirt from the kidneys. It also aids in regulating the excretion of water through urination

Lemon Grass


10th AUGUST 09: LEMON GRASS
Lemon grass leave is fragrant. Dried lemon grass leave are effective to be burnt together with incense as the smoke acts as an insect repellent.
Smoke produced from lemon grass and holy basil leave have the properties to ward off mosquitoes. Therefore instead of throwing the leaves, dry and store as it acts as an insect and bacteria repellent. Lemon grass leave can also be kept in your cabinet to remove cloths moths
Include lemon grass in your daily cooking either by grinding it to a paste or cutting into thin strips. Lemon grass can also be consumed as tea. The properties from the lemon grass have the ability to reduce pitta and create equilibrium to body. By maintaining a balance, it helps maintain the effectiveness and functionality of the liver. Excess pitta can lead to dizziness, hypertension and mental disorders. Therefore try to include lemon grass in your daily diet to help control the level of pitta in your body.

Custurd apple


7th AUGUST 09: CUSTARD APPLE
To have a healthy body, we need to eat lots of fruits. Custard apple is one fruit that has been forgotten and has many medicinal values.
The black seeds are not to be eaten. However keep the seeds as it is effective in treating boils and rashes. Powder the seeds and apply the powder on the affected areas. The properties from the seeds will help kill bacteria and remove dirt trapped in the boils or wound.
Do not eat the fruit regularly as eating it regularly can increase one's pitta level.The fruit, if consumed, provides antiseptic properties and helps strengthen the colon

Capsicum


6th AUGUST 09: CAPSICUM
Capsicum comes in 4 colors, red, green, yellow and orange and is widely used as a vegetable in western countries. In Malaysia, capsicums are used as a garnish or used in salads. Instead of using chilies in your cooking, you can omit them with capsicum.
Capsicums are good to be consumed regularly by rheumatic arthritis patients. The properties from the capsicum will help reduce the gas trapped in between the bones. Capsicum can be consumed by juicing it, cooked or eaten raw.

White crysanthemum


5th AUGUST 09: WHITE CRYSANTHEMUM
Take 5 dried white chrysanthemum flowers and soak in hot boiling water. You can add sugar to give good taste and aroma to the drink.
Medicinal values obtained by consuming chrysanthemum tea:a) helps reduce excess weight
Besides using white chrysanthemum flowers, you can omit the flower with dried jasmine flower, dried hibiscus flower or dried drumstick flower.
Tea made from dried flowers has the properties to produce blood and helps removes free radicals from the blood.

3rd AUGUST 09: BRINJAL
Brinjal or eggplant comes in many varieties. Brinjals are low in calorie and rich in potassium, sodium and folic acid. Obese or overweight individuals are advised to eat brinjals to help them lose weight.
However those who suffer from rashes or any type of skin disease are strictly forbidden to eat brinjals. Brinjals has properties to cure stomach cancer. Potassium from the brinjals also helps give nutrition to the brains.
To make a tasty brinjal dish:a) Cut the brinjal into small pieces.b) Fry the cut brinjalsc) Add masala powder and brown sugar and cook the vegetable until the gravy becomes dry.
Besides helping obese individuals to lose weight, brinjals also helps cure measles

Bitter gourd


31st JULY: BITTER GOURD
We have 72,000 nerves and for each nerve to function effectively, we need to consume food which is bitter in taste. This is because the properties in bitter food aids in strengthening the nerves.
Bitter gourd and its leaves have many medicinal values. To kill stomach worms and help clean your stomach, consume 1 tablespoon of bitter gourd leave juice once a month.
Bitter gourd is effective in treating diabetic patients. Instead of cooking the vegetable, try to consume 2 tablespoon of freshly squeezed bitter gourd juice once a week. If you are to practice this habit, nutrients from the bitterness will help strengthen the nerves and helps reduce the severity of diabetes. It also helps reduce sugar level in the body.

30th JULY 09:TURMERIC
To cultivate a turmeric plant, break either a dried turmeric or raw turmeric into half and plant in a pot filled with soil.
Pound and extract the juice of a small piece of raw turmeric.Pound and extract the juice of one clove of garlic.Pound and extract the juice of one small onion or one shallot.Mix all the three juices and prescribe half or one tablespoon of the juice to your child who is suffering from cold and chest phlegm. Excess phlegm in the chest area will be dissolved and removed from the body.
Prescribe one tablespoon of raw turmeric juice to your child. The turmeric juice has the properties to kill and remove stomach worms. Mix a small amount of freshly powdered dried turmeric with honey. The mixture is good in reducing the severity of jaundice.
Lastly, as mentioned in previous article (27th July 09), turmeric is good for liver as it kills and removes bacteria. It also provides nutrition for the liver to function effectively.

burdock root


29th JULY 09:BURDOCK ROOT
Peel the skin off and cut the root into small pieces. You can either make soup or stir fry the root. The root is available in supermarkets and is treated as a vegetable among the Chinese community to treat sickness and diseases.
Benefits of consuming the root:a) effective in melting kidney stonesb) good for cleaning kidney and liver and c) efficient in cleaning the blood
Diabetic patients are advised to consult their physician before consuming this root as the root is sweet. The root is very suitable to be eaten by gout and arthritis patients.Pregnant women are forbidden to eat this vegetable.
In short, those who are suffering from any disease except for diabetic patients are advised to eat once a week to obtain the medicinal values from the root.

28th JULY 09: RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
Rheumatoid Arthritis attacks when vata or gas gets trapped in between the joint areas. When this happens, it will effect the nerves and bones and causes extreme pain and swelling.
Those who suffer from arthritis are
a) strictly forbidden to bathe in cold water. If you are suffering from extreme pain, add salt in hot water and pour the hot salt water over your body and affected joint areas.
b) Avoid constipation When you suffer from constipation or have irregular bowel motion, dirty gas will spread and gets trapped in the joint areas.
c) Make sure you do not have difficulty in urinating. Irregular urination will lead to accumulation of salt in the body which causes harm to the body system.
d) Excess phlegm can also lead to diseases. Therefore make sure your tridosha, i.e vata, kappa and pitta are in balance. To maintain a balance, practice oil bath and consume the necessary medicine to root out the cause of your sickness or disease.

turmeric


JULY 09: RAW TURMERIC
According to Hinduism, taking a human birth is a great privilege. This is because by taking the human body alone can one attain the goal of life. It is also stated in the scriptures that humans can live to more than 100 years. But how many of us are able to live up to this age without any sickness or diseases?
Today many of us are dying at a very young age. Many of us experience many types of sickness and diseases before or after 60 years of age. To maintain a healthy body system, we need to have a healthy liver. To maintain a healthy liver, we must
a) exercise regularly andb) eat proper food to provide nutrition to the liver to function effectively.
Turmeric is one type of food that can help to maintain a healthy liver. Raw turmeric ( ibu kunyit in BM) helps increase blood flow, avoids blood thickening and acts as an antibiotic. Try to use 2 inch of raw turmeric in your cooking everyday. Grind the raw turmeric and treat it as a " masala" paste.
If you are suffering from a disease or sickness, pound raw turmeric and extract the juice. Treat this juice as a medicine and consume once a week.

Corn


24th JULY 09: CORN
Corn has many medicinal values. Some babies will not have any teeth even after they are 1 to 1 � years old. To cure this problem, boil the kernels of young corn or blend the kernels and feed your baby continuously for 2 - 3 days. You will see amazing results! Teeth will start to form out and starts growing.
Corn kernels are fibrous and helps ease bowel motion. If your pituitary glands are not functioning properly, consume corn kernels once a week. Glands will start to function properly and you will mot feel tired anymore.

sundakai vathal


23rd JULY 09:DRIED PEA AUBERGINES ( sundakai vathal)
Pea aubergine is rich in vitamin C and calcium. Slightly dry the pea aubergines and soak in buttermilk "mooru" and salt. Dry the soaked pea aubergines again under the sun for a few days until it is completely dried. InTamil the dried pea aubergines are called sundakai vathal.
The dried pea aubergines can also be bought in any Indian grocery shops and very tasty to be made as "Vathal Kulambu".
Dried aubergines are effective in curing stomach bloatness. Most men have big stomach due to stomach bloatness. When this happens, the lungs and heart will be pressed down. They will not be able to breathe properly and the heart will not be able to pump blood effectively.Dried aubergine cures piles related problems and helps releases stomach gas.
To release excess stomach gas, grind dried curry leaves, dried pea aubergines and ajwain (omam) into powder form. Every time you suffer from gas problems, take 1 tablespoon of the powder, mix with ghee and rice and consume as your first course during your meal. This will prevent gastric formation and helps release the gas from the body.

epilepsy


22nd JULY 09:EPILEPSY
Toddlers when they start to walk, they tend to fall and have bruises. If they fall on their head, it can cause internal damage to the head. The fall or internal injury can lead to epilepsy.
Epilepsy can also be caused by a) Severe constipation b) Excess phlegm c) High feverd) Lack of iron
Epilepsy is related to nerves. Nutrition has to be given to nerves which are related to brains. Epilepsy patients need to be massaged from head to toe using various types of oilment to strengthen the muscles.
Young children who have bowel movement once in every four to five days will suffer from excess heat in the body. This will lead to high fever and can end up with epilepsy. Therefore it is advised to get treatment in curing constipation. When the feaces are released, excess phlegm will also be removed and this will reduce and cures the occurrence of epilepsy attacks.

dried avaram poo


21st JULY: DRIED AVARAM FLOWERS
Dried Avaram Senna flowers are best to be prescribed as tea. When boiling the tea, add dried ginger, coriander leaves and cardamom pods. This beverage is a good substitute for tea and coffee.
Dried Avaram Senna flowers are good in producing blood and increases blood flow.Avaram flowers, leaves, root, bark and gum have its own medicinal values and very beneficial if you can plant this tree in your home. The leaves are effective in warding off any insects and can also be used to create smoke while burning incense.
Dried avaram flowers are effective to cure bad body odour. Grind turmeric ( Kasturi Manjal), white turmeric ( poolan kilangu), dried avaram flowers, dried mung beans and chana dal into powder form.Make a paste and apply on your body and leave it to soak for 10 minutes. Apply regularly and you will notice your skin color will brighten slightly and bad body odour will be cured. In conclusion, avaram flower is the medicine to remove bad body odour.

nochi


20th JULY 09:NOCHI LEAVES
There are three types of nochi leaves, one leaf nochi, three leaved nochi and five leaved nochi. Nochi leaves are effective in curing 'vata' related problems, i.e. body pain, muscle pull and back pain.
To remove excess vata or gas from the body, either a) boil the leaves and inhale the steam b) or boil the leaves and bathe with the hot nochi water.
If you have joint pains, grind 7 young tender nochi leaves with 7 black peppers into a fine paste and shape into round balls and consume.
You will purge after consuming the nochi paste. Prescribe this herbal medicine 2 to 3 times and joint pain will disappear.

Lemon


17th JULY 09: LEMON
There are different varieties of lime. All types of lime are rich in vitamin C.
Lime juice is effective in curing morning sickness among pregnant women.Morning sickness among pregnant women happens when pitta predominates in the body. To normalize the level, lime juice is normally consumed.
Lemons are good to be made pickles. Cut lemon into small pieces and marinate with salt. Do not use vinegar to marinate lemon pieces as vinegar is very acidic and will damage the stomach and intestines if consumed regularly
Marinating lemon pieces with salt is a healthy way of preparing pickles The pickle can be a bit bitter but is very tasty if eaten with rice and other vegetable dishes. Above all pickle plays an important role in increasing ones digestive power.

16th JULY 09: SWEET TURNIP (sengkuang)
In Siddha Medicine, sweet turnip juice is used to prepare medicines for post natal women. Sweet turnip is good to be consumed by women who are breast feeding as it helps to secrete more milk.
Sweet turnip juice is also a good combination to be added with carrot juice as it not only gives a good taste but helps to dilute the thickness of the carrot juice. Sweet turnip is a cooling food. Those who have a heaty body should consume this root vegetable as much as possible. It can be consumed either by juicing it or eating it raw.

sweet beverage


15th JULY 09: SWEET BEVERAGES
Children love to drink sweet beverages. Instead of buying cordials from supermarkets which has high sugar content and chemicals, try making your own sweet beverages at home.
a) Boil Pandan leaves with sugar until it turns into thick syrup. Bottle it This beverage cools the body and helps burn fat.
b) Extract one glass of ginger juice. Keep aside for at least 20 minutes. A layer of residue will form at the bottom of the glass. Take the clear juice only and boil with honey.
c) Boil mango flesh until it melts. Strain and extract the juice. Mix with sugar and bottle it.
All the above beverages are very cooling and are thirst quenching drinks. You can even juice mint, cucumber and other cooling vegetables. Unlike the above said beverages, mint, cucumber and other vegetable juices cannot be kept for a long time It has to be consumed immediately.
You can also consume basil seeds (biji selasih) and add it in any sweet beverages. The seeds are very cooling and should be eaten regularly. You can even add the seeds in coconut water to give more cooling effect to the body.

Elephat Yam


14th JULY 09: ELEPHANT YAM (senai kilangu)
Elephant Yam is good in treating piles patients. Patients who are suffering from asthma, sinus, cold or running nose are strictly forbidden to eat elephant yam. This is because elephant yam is a cooling food and it will aggravate the condition even more.
This vegetable is only suitable for heaty bodies and hypertension patients.
To consume the yam, first boil the vegetable with its skin intact in salted water.Peel of the skin and eat the flesh. Instead of consuming high GI food for breakfast, i.e nasi lemak and fried noodles, try having elephant yam for breakfast.
Mash the boiled yam and mix with grated coconut and sugar. Shape into round balls and serve. This type of food is not only nutritious but also is very filling as yam has carbohydrate in it.

vegetables


13th JULY 09: ROOT VEGETABLE
In previous episodes, many types of leaf and root vegetables have been discussed. Potatoes are considered a root vegetable and are regarded as a gassy food. It has high carbohydrate content and should not be eaten regularly.
Elephant Foot Yam is the total opposite. It is regarded as a cooling food and effective in treating piles patients. It also aids in removing and curing colon related problems and increases digestive power.
To cook the yam:a) remove the skinb) cut the yam into small pieces andc) boil in salted water.d) throw the boiled water away and cook the boiled yam in any way you like.
Elephant Foot Yam is best to be cooked as "Puli Kari"

Sensitive Plant


9th JUNE 09:SENSITIVE PLANT (thottal sinugi)
This plant has many medicinal properties and is highly spoken by siddhas of yester years. This plant is very sensitive whereby the leaves closes by itself when it is touched.
The roots have the capability of melting kidney stones. Stones are naturally formed when there is excess accumulation of toxins in the body. To melt the stones, boil the roots and consume the boiled root water. Those who are facing obesity are also advised to drink the boiled root water as the herbal water helps burn fat. The roots are effective in treating hypertension patients.
The leaves can also be used. Grid or pound the leaves and apply on small wounds. The leaves heals wounds effectively.

sun flower seeds


8th JUNE 09: SUNFLOWER SEEDS
Sunflower oil is extracted from the seeds and is rich in vitamin E. There are many types of oil. Tamils regards gingerly oil and coconut oil as good oil while other cultures and traditions regards sunflower oil and date seed oil as good oil. In general any oil which is extracted from any seed is considered as good oil.
Sunflower seeds are normally dried and sold as "kuaci". The kernels are good to be eaten by all walks of life. Elderly people who are toothless, the kernel can be pounded and consumed.
Today, the seeds are roasted and treated as coffee. You can also apply sunflower oil on your body. Pour 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil on top when serving soups to your family members.

kovai keerai


7th July 09: KOVAI LEAVES
Young kovai leaves are good to be used in soups. It is not only nutritious but also gives good taste to the soup. Kovai plant produces small cucumber shaped fruits and is suitable to be cooked as "kutu" or included in "Sambar". The fruit can also be consumed raw with a pinch of salt.
Kovai leaf is a cooling food and is effective in curing piles patients. Treat this leave as any other green leaf vegetable and cook in any way you prefer.To treat piles, steam the leaves for a minute or two and place the leaves on your anus. The leaves have the properties to heal itchiness and prickling pain.

cashew nut


6th July 09: CASHEW NUTS
Cashew tree is very rare to be found and is mostly found around Kelantan , Trengganu, and sea coast areas. In India, cashew trees are cultivated in Kerala and are one of the main exporters of cashew nuts.
Cashew nuts are seeds taken from the fruit. Much is said about the seeds but very little is known about its fruit.Cashew fruit or also known as cashew apple is rich in vitamin c and iron. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the apple before eating it as it gives taste to the fruit.
The young tender cashew leaves can also be consumed. The young leaves are suitable to be made chutney or "thuvaiyal". The young shoots have properties to secrete milk, hormones and produce semen.
Pregnant women who have early morning sickness are advised to boil the tender leaves and consume the boiled water. The leaves are able to reduce pitta level in the body.

Mengkudu


3rd JULY 09:NONA (Mengkudu)
Nona trees grow in tropical countries. Nona leaves and fruit have many medicinal values and is used widely by Australian aborigines from years of yore.
Grind or pound Nona leaves and apply on small or big wounds. The leaves have the properties to heal and dry the wounds.
Grind or pound unripe nona fruit with salt. This paste is effective in
a) healing broken bones. b) healing big boils or wounds which has inflamed into pus. The paste removes the pain and dirty blood.
Ripe nona fruit is very smelly. If you can't stand the smell, take semi ripe nona fruits, cut into four and boil in water. Consume the boiled fruit. By consuming the fruit, blood flow will increase and helps clear any blocks in the blood vessel.

Senna


1st JULY 09:DRIED SENNA LEAVES
Some Tamil families still practices giving their young children a tablespoon of castor oil once a month to help clear and flush dirt out from their body system.By drinking the oil, worms will be killed and toxins will be flushed out.
The flushing of waste and toxins from the body will help clean the child's stomach, increases digestion. The child will also be free from any sickness and diseases.
When worms start to live in a child's stomach/intestines, it will absorb all nutrients. Gas will start to develop in the stomach causing gastric and increases acidity in the body. To cure this problem naturally, you need to clear or prevent the worms from living or growing in the stomach.
Senna leaves are natural remedy, effective in removing body waste from the body. Boil the leaves and consume the water to help loosen the stools and ease bowel motion. If waste is not removed for a period of time, it will get stuck in the colon which can cause colon cancer. To prevent this, you need to remove the waste through bowel motion everyday.
Make sure you and your child opt for this natural treatment and consume the boiled senna leaves once a week or once a month to remove any dirt from the body through bowel motion.

Daun setawar padang


30th JUNE 09:DAUN SETAWAR PADANG (Rana kali)
Children to adults of all ages are prone to suffer from boils which can develop in any part of the external body. Boils are normally formed when one's glands or enzyme are not functioning properly. When this happens, toxins will start to accumulate and leads to formation of boils. Boils can also be formed when the blood is dirty.
Women normally develop boils on their breast. To cure this problem easily, cover 5 to 6 leaves over the boil and support the leaves by wearing a bra before you go to sleep. The leaves have the property to absorb the itchiness and pain caused by the boil. Use the leaves continuously for 3 days to see noticeable effect.
If your legs are painful or swollen, wrap the swollen area with the leaves. Dirty blood trapped inside the swollen area will be absorbed out and the pain will disappear.
If your child is suffering from a fever due to extreme heat, pound and boil the leaves.Serve the boiled herbal water to your child. The water not only cools the body but also reduces fever.

henna


29th JUNE 09: HENNA LEAVES
When pitta predominates in the body, palms will be itchy and soles will have a burning sensation. To cure the itchiness and burning sensation, pound henna leaves with either slaked lime (sunambu) or lime juice. Apply on your finger tips, palms and soles.
The root of henna tree are said to have properties to cure cancer. Pound the roots, boil and consume the concoction. It helps to clear/clean dirty blood. The roots have antiseptic properties whereby it kills and clears free radicals in the blood.
If your throat is painful, swollen or have developed a wound in the mouth, boil the leaves and gargle the concoction. You can also consume the boiled concoction. Since it has antiseptic properties, it cures mouth wounds very easily.
Damaged nails are difficult to be healed or cured. New nails will never grow until the damaged nails are healed. Henna leaves are the only cure to heal damaged nails Grind the leaves into a paste and apply on the damaged nails until you see noticeable effect.

basil holy basil


26th JUNE 09: HOLY BASIL (Tulasi)
Holy basil is regarded as a holy plant and plants which come under the holy plant category are said to have properties to cure any types of sickness or disease.
Take 10 holy basil leaves and soak in a glass of water. You can eithera) soak the leaves in the morning and consume the water in the evening ORb) soak the leaves at night and consume the water in the morning.Dried holy basil leaves are good to be burnt together with incense powder. Combine dried henna seeds and dried holy basil leaves with the incense powder. According to Indian tradition, smoke from the incense powder mix will ward off bad spirits and negative vibrations and bring prosperity to the house.
Dried holy basil leaves can also be consumed as tea. Boil the leaves and add rock sugar for extra taste. Individuals from all ages can consume this hot beverage.Holy basil tea is very effective and provides temporary relief to patients who are suffering from high fever and cold.
Holy basil leaves also has the properties to remove toxins through urination. The leaves also serve as an antiseptic. Blend the leaves into a paste and apply the paste on external wounds. The paste will dry and heal the wound.

white lotus


25th JUNE 09: WHITE LOTUS FLOWER
Lotus plant grows in water and produces flowers of 4 different colours, i.e. red, yellow, blue and white.
If you intend to grow lotus in your home, all you need to do is make a shallow pond and place a plant in the water. Soon you will notice new growth will begin to sprout out. The flowers, roots, seeds, young flower stalk and young leaves are all edible. Compared to all parts of the lotus, the seeds has the most nutritional and medicinal value (see artcile 12th March 09: Lotus Flower for more details)
a) Break the flower petals and boil them in water. Consume the boiled water. b) Dry the petals and grind into powder form. Add one tablespoon of the lotus powder when consuming any type of beverage.
By consuming the petals either in dried or liquid form will help improve and increase brain functionality. According to Indian Medicine, white lotus flowers are effective in improving brain functionality while red lotus flower are effective in healing heart related problems.

Potatoes


24th JUNE 09: POTATOES
Potatoes have high content of starch and are grown extensively in China. It is used widely in Indian cooking and we should try to avoid eating potatoes as much as possible.
Most of us normally boil or cook potatoes with its skin removed. This cooking method is wrong and we must boil or cook potatoes with its skin intact. This is because when you peel of the skin after cooking, you will notice a yellow layer on the outer flesh. This yellow layer is said to have protein in it. Many of us are unaware of this and tend to peel and throw the skins away when cleaning the potatoes and end up consuming the starch only.
Eating a potato is equivalent to eating a plate of rice. For westerners, potatoes are regarded as their staple food. However for Indians, potatoes are eaten together with their staple food, i.e. rice. By eating this way, you not only consume a high content of carbohydrate but also have a high tendency to gain weight.
Individuals who are fat or obese should forbid themselves from eating potatoes. Potato is not only starchy but also is a gassy food which makes one to bloat. Therefore try to avoid potatoes as much as possible.

Sweet flag


23rd JUNE 09: SWEET FLAG ( vasambu)
Sweet Flag plant requires wet soil to grow. Sweet Flag is effective to treat gassiness and stomach aches in infants. Burn the root until it blackens. Crush or pound the burnt root into powder form and mix with castor or coconut oil. Apply on infant's stomach.
If your child is suffering from diarrhoea, prescribe them a small amount of burnt sweet flag. It provides a temporary relief before consulting a doctor. As for adults, mix 1 tablespoon of honey with the burnt sweet flag. Purging will also stop.
Pound sweet flag into powder form and boil with milk and consume. Sweet flag is effective in improving memory power. In Indian Tradition, Sweet flag is tied around an infant's wrist on the 16th day as it is believed that the smell will help build good memory power. By giving a minute paste of sweet flag to the infant will also help build good digestion system

snake plant marul


22nd JUNE 09: SNAKE PLANT
Snake plants grow in dry areas and do not need much water to grow. This plant only requires sun light and moisture from the wind to live. The leaves are generally used for medicinal purposes.
In Indian Traditional Medicine,the juice is normally squeezed out by heating the leaves under a flame. The extracted juice is poured into the ears to treat ear related problems.The juice has the properties to flush out dirty water and excess phlegm from the ears.Do this continuously for 3 days, at least 2to 3 times a day to notice the amazing results.
For children who are suffering from cough and cold, heat the juice before consuming.It works wonderfully in curing cough and cold. This plant also bears fruit and is used to prepare leyham to treat piles patients. Individuals who are suffering from piles due to excess heat in the body are advised to eat leyham made by snake plant fruit.This is because the fruit is a cooling food and piles patients are required to eat cooling food

cloves


19th JUNE 09: CLOVES
Cloves are one of the many spices used in Indian Cooking. Cloves not only give taste and fragrance to the food but also aids in digestion.
Grind 5-6 cloves with luke warm water and apply the paste on your forehead, nose and below the eyes, around your cheekbone area. The grinded cloves will help remove and heal sinus pain around the face area.
For temporary relief of tooth pain, bite the clove with your problem tooth. Cloves are known for its antiseptic and anesthetic properties. The juice from the clove will help kill bacteria and create numbness to the problem area. You can also apply clove oil on your cheeks to help release the pain. Just like the clove, the oil will help create numbness and remove the tooth pain temporarily.
Pregnant women tend to have vomiting problems due to indigestion and increase of pitta in the body. To stop the vomiting, boil 2-3 cloves and drink 2 ounces of the boiled herbal water as the clove helps digest food faster.

Red amranth


17th JUNE 09: RED AMARANTH (Sigappu Tandu Keerai)
Green leaf vegetables are good for our body as it has many nutritional and medicinal values. Besides green leaves, leaves which are red in colour are good to be consumed as it has high level of carotene and helps produce red blood cells.

There are many types of green leaf vegetables, i.e. tandu keerai, manali keerai, parathai keerai, kuppa keerai, manathakali keerai, agathi keerai and many more. Tandu keerai or amaranth leaf comes in various types.

On of the many types are the red amaranth leaves. Red amaranth leaves helps in producing red blood cells. Before cooking, wash the leaves at least three times to remove any dirt or stones. Add a pinch of black pepper powder, salt, 2-3 cloves of garlic and 1 green chilli or dried chilli (optional) when boiling the leaves. Make sure the pan is covered with a lid when boiling the vegetable. Smash the boiled leaves and serve.

Red amaranth leaves also aids digestion and ease bowel motion. Children or adults who consume red amaranth leaves continuously for 48days will experience an increase in memory power!

COMMON RUE (Aravatham Pacchai)


16th JUNE 09: COMMON RUE (Aravatham Pacchai)
The leaves have strong fragrance and in Tamil tradition, the leaves are used to tie around infant's wrist. The strong fragrance, when inhaled by the infant, will increase and helps build good digestion system.

Boil two leaves with water and consume the herbal drink. The herbal drink will cure constipation and aids in removing bad bacteria and dirt from the body. You can even dry the leaves and smoke it to prevent small insects, like ants, flies and flees from infesting your home. The leaves are also good to be eaten raw. Serve the leaves as garnish when preparing salads of your choice.

Pound the leaves and extract the juice. By giving one teaspoon of the extracted juice to your baby, it will help control kappa in their body. Therefore to treat infants and small children, you should have 3 types of plants, i.e. Holy Basil (Thulasi), Coleus aromaticus (Karpooravalli) and Common rue (Aravatham Pacchai). These plants are regarded as holy plants (thevigai muhligai) and considered pure. If you were to grow these plants in a pot, make sure you have them placed in a special and clean place. It is said that when woman with menstruation were to touch common rue (aravatham pacchai leaves, the plant will become dull.

The leaves can also prevent excess phlegm from developing and also kills bacteria and small tiny insects. Common rue leaves can also be grinded and used as a body scrub while bathing

Sunflower


15th JUNE 09: SUNFLOWER
Sunflower plant is native to Mexico and during the 14th century, the sunflower production was brought out of Mexico and became famous in many countries due to its usage.The roots of the plants to its flower are used for various purposes. The head of the sunflower tend to follow the predominate direction of the sun. The head normally faces to the east when the sun rises and changes it position to the west in the evening when the sun sets.
In Russia, oil is extracted from the sunflower seeds and exports more than 180, 000 tons of sun flower oil. In China, fibres from the plant's stem are used to produce china silk. The leaves are used to feed farm animals and the roots are used for medicinal purposes whereby it is boiled and consumed. The roots are used to treat malaria patients

Banana flower


11th JUNE: BANANA FLOWER ( Jantung Pisang)
Banana Flower has many medicinal values and rich in astringent properties. Foods which are rich in astringent properties are good in producing blood and works as a blood thickening agent.The astringent taste can be reduced significantly by adding the flower in "sambar".The over powering taste can also be reduced by making "kootu". Try to eat the flower once a week as the properties from the flower helpsa) Prevent urinary track problems and ease urinationb) Helps prevent kidney problemsc) Avoids failure or malfunction of prostrate veins andd) Increases appetite.Like banana, the flower is also rich in potassium.

Red sorrel


10th JUNE: RED SORREL ( Pulicha Keerai)Red Sorrel leaves are very sour. We should eat this vegetable as sourness is one of the six types of nutrients we need to consume to maintain a healthy body.Some cook the vegetable by boiling the leaves and throwing the excess water away. This is a wrong way of cooking as all the nutritional values in the water will be lost. . Before cooking the leaves, remove the core vein from the leaves and cut the cleaned leaves into small pieces. Add garlic, onion, 1 small brinjal, 1 tomato, 2-3 chillies and boil all the ingredients and mash the leaves. If you are suffering from piles, omit chillies with black pepper.The sourness property promotes salivation and effective in removing stones from the body. Stones are formed in kidneys, throat, mouth and gall bladder. The more saliver the body produces, the easier it will be for the saliver to flush out the remaining small tiny stones out from the system. Even specialist prescribes this vegetable to patients suffering from various types of stone problems.Therefore try to eat red sorrel once a week. This vegetable is not only tasty but also aids digestion

Ubi kayu tapioca


9th JUNE 09:TAPIOCA (Ubi Kayu)
Tapioca is rich in carbohydrate. During the Japanese occupation in our country, tapioca became the staple food. This was because rice was very expensive during the time. Tapioca was suitable as it was a cheap alternative and grown very easily in gardens.

Do not boil tapioca with its skin intact as boiling with its skin will cause the flesh to taste bitter. To consume tapioca the healthy way, you can either

a) boil the root and eat it with sugar and grated coconut OR
b) boil the tapioca and mix with chilli paste.
To prepare the chilli paste or "sambal", pound together 1 onion, 1 garlic clove, 2
dried chillies, and a small piece of ginger. Add salt and tamarind juice and mix well
with the boiled tapioca.

Do not fry the tapioca as it is oily and has no nutritional value. Try to add tapioca in your daily diet once a week as it helps provide energy.

Jambu air


8th JUNE 09:WATER APPLE ( Jambu Air)
Water Apple not only tastes good but also has high water content and a great source of vitamin C. 70 % of our body consists of water and due to its high percentage of water content, water apple has the capability of quenching your thirst if you are not in favour of drinking plain water or any other types of quench thirsting drinks.Water apple is good in curing mouth blisters. By eating and chewing the fruit slowly, the blister/s can be cured within 2 days. Children from the age of two can be given water apple juice to cure mouth blisters.Water apple juice is very effective in diluting the thickness of carrot juice. The mixture is a good nutritional food and provides a marvellous flavour combination. Water apple can also be added in salads. Try to consume water apple once a week as this fruit has high content of vitamin C.

Raja ulam


5th JUNE 09: RAJA ULAM
Ulam Raja leaves are eaten raw and are used in Malay cuisine. The leaves are used for ulam, a type of Malay salad.

The leaves have properties in
a) increasing digestion
b) removing excess gas from the body and
c) help increase body strength

The leaves cannot be cooked or juiced up. It has to be eaten raw. Our body is dominated by vata, pitta and kappa.
a) If pitta predominates, consume boiled cumin and coriander leaves water to stabilize the condition.
b) If vata predominates, consume raja ulam leaves to release the excess gas.
c) If kappa predominates, consume "thuthuvalai" leaves or "karpooravalli" leaves to remove the excess phlegm from the body

To have a healthy body and free of any sickness and diseases, we need to keep the three dosa's in balance

Saturday 15 August 2009


4th JUNE 09: BEETROOT
Blood is very important for our body. Individuals who have less blood count will tend to put on weight. To prevent this problem and to produce more blood, we normally opt to taking pills.

Instead of consuming pills, it is better to consume fresh food which can act as a medicine. This method is much safer and healthier. Beet Root is one type of vegetable that helps in blood production. It also helps to support proper spleen and liver function.

You can consume beet root by cooking or by juicing it. Make sure when juicing beet root, only a small piece of the vegetable is used. Blend the fruit together with a small piece of carrot as it helps provide a sweet taste. Drink the juice daily.

You can even grate the root vegetable and serve it raw as a salad. Add chopped onions, chilies and a pinch of sugar for extra taste

thuthuvalai


1st JUNE 09: PURPLE FRUITED PEA EGGPLANT (Thuthuvalai)
This plant is a thorny creeper that bears small sized fruits and effective in balancing the function of tridosha i.e. vata, pitta and kappa. The leaves are also effective in neutralizing the excess heat and gas trapped or formed in the womb.

Take 7 leaves and 7 black peppers. Pound or grind the leaves and peppers together into a thick paste. Shape the paste into small round balls and consume daily for 3 days. Stomach pain caused by extreme heat and excessive gas will disappear.

The leaves are best to be used to prepare "rasam". Pound the leaves and other dried spices in mortar and boil. "Thuthuvalai Rasam" is good in balancing the body tridosha system.

Siddha's of yore have declared Thuthuvalai leaves as a kaya kalpam (long life elixir). The leaves have the medicinal values of
a) producing blood,
b) increasing blood flow and
c) prevent blood thickening which causes many types of sickness

Friday 14 August 2009

foot yam,சேம கிழங்கு


29th MAY 09: ELEPHANT FOOT YAM To consume the yam, remove the skin and wash the peeled yam. Cut the yam into small pieces and boil with a pinch of salt. Throw the boiled water away as the water cannot be consumed. Treat the cooked yam as potato.The difference between potatoes and yam is potatoes have high content of carbohydrate and yam has only 0.01 mg of fat in it.Benefits of consuming elephant foot yam are:
a) cleans urinary bladder
b) strengthen urinary bladder linings
c) ease bowel motion
d) cures all types of piles problemElephant Foot Yam relieves constipation problem and is rich in potassium, nitrogen and amino acid. Since the yam has many medicinal values, try to consume this vegetable at least once a week to gain the nutrients and help treat your body to prevent any major sickness or diseases

karisalangkani,karisalai


27th MAY 09: FALSE DAISY (Karsilangkani)
Pound and extract the juice from the leaves. Add this juice while preparing hair oilment. The juice has the properties to blacken grey or white hair effectively.

In siddha medicine, false daisy leaves are used to treat damaged spleen.Some individuals may suffer from wounds or damage due to

a) excessive alcohol consumption
b) excessive smoking
c) virus infection
d) a fall or an accident
e) or any other serious problems that has affected the spleen.

There are many plants that look similar to False Daisy. To determine whether the leaves are false daisy leaves, rub the leaves on your palm. If your palm blackens, the leaves are indeed false daisy leaves.

The blackening effect helps to treat graying problems and when consumed internally, it becomes a long life elixir (kaya kalpa).

Benefits of false daisy leaves
a) Helps cure all types of spleen problems
b) Helps spleen function efficiently
c) Helps spleen produce more blood which leads to a good body system.
d) Helps cure anemic patients by producing blood.

You can consume the leaves by juicing it or by eating it raw or cooked together with other green vegetables, Indian style.

செலரி,celery


26th MAY 09: CELERYCeleries are rich in nutrients and it has soluble salt properties which includes sodium, needed by our body. You can either stir fry or eat it raw as a salad. Blend 2 celery sticks and consume the juice. This will help reduce high blood pressure. If you feel your pressure is going up, feeling dizzy or heavy headed, blend star fruit and celery together and consume half glass of the juice. You will notice a big difference after 1 week or 10 days. Consuming celery regularly can help control your blood pressure. Make sure you also apply oil on your head to reduce heatiness which can be one of the causes of hypertension. Celeries are good in controlling body weight, removing excess water and ease bowel movement. When you are eating meat, chicken or any types of seafood, make sure you add celery in your meal as it provides a good combination and balances the body's yin and yang. When consuming celery, try not to cook it as it will lead to nutrition loss. Celery has great nutritional values, therefore try to add this vegetable in your diet. Celery is best to be consumed once in every fortnight and should be consumed raw. To live a healthy live and maintain a healthy body, eat more vegetables in raw form.