Ayurvedic Home Remedies: Medicinal Uses of 'Touch Me Not' Plant - Part 1



Medicinal Uses of 'Touch Me Not Plant'
Medicinal Uses of 'Touch Me Not' Plant

The ‘Sensitive Plant’ (Touch-me-not) ‘thotta chinungi’ in Tamil and ‘thotta vaadi’ in Malayalam has been the subject of extensive studies over the recent years for its medicinal properties.

This plant is effective in treating a wide range of disease conditions ranging from allergy, asthma, menstrual problems, hemorrhoids, premature ejaculation, to hypertension, cholesterol, snake bite and more. Research has shown the plant to be effective in treating cancer, especially of the mouth and lungs. One of its compound mimocin is found to inhibit DNA replication in cancer cells.

The botanical name of ‘touch-me-not’ is Mimosa pudica. Though native to South and Central America, this plant is found in the tropical regions the world over. It is also called ‘humble plant’, ‘shameful plant’ because of the tendency of the leaves to fold inward when touched or shaken.

The thotta vaadi plant is an Ayurvedic home remedy for diabetes and hypertension. People suffering from diabetes can take 30 ml juice of thotaa vaadi plant in the mornings and evenings to bring down elevated glucose to normal levels. This remedy can also be used to keep diabetes at bay.

For those suffering from hypertension the remedy would be to take 15 ml of juice obtained from the leaves of this plant. This can be taken in the mornings and evenings to the keep blood pressure levels normal.

One Ayurvedic home remedy for arsas (hemorrhoids) is taking 8 gm of the dried and powdered root of thotta vaadi. This powder is added to warm milk and taken at nights for a period of two to three months. This is found to cure hemorrhoids or piles.

Some of the chemical compounds found in thotta vaadi are mimocin, galactose, mannose etc. These are more potent than the tricyclic anti-depressants and hence can be used in treating depression and other related disorders.

The plant has a tendency to bring down swellings and vata pain in the joints. The thick paste obtained from grinding the whole plant is taken in a piece of cloth and placed over the painful joint swellings and tied with a piece of cloth to hold it in place. This is done a couple of times. This relieves and pain and reduces the swelling. Similarly the paste can be used to treat delayed wound healing. The paste is applied over the wound to help in rapid healing.

The plant is a herbal natural remedy for asthma and asthmatic conditions. For this purpose 15 ml juice from thotta vaadi leaves is collected. Hot water is added to this juice and taken every two hours for quick relief from asthmatic troubles.

One of the problems of old age is insomnia. One excellent natural remedy for insomnia is the thotta vaadi plant. For this 5 gm of leaves is taken and boiled in a glass of water and taken at night before going to bed. Repeating this for a couple of days will help in curing insomnia.

Wheat congee made with thottavaadi juice, guava leaf, curry leaf and horse gram broth is a well known preparation for lowering elevated cholesterol levels.


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Ayurvedic Home Remedies: Medicinal Uses of Curry Leaves

The curry tree (Murraya Koenigii) is native to India. The curry leaves are used extensively in South Indian and Sri Lankan cooking, especially in curries. Although thrown out later, the curry leaves are essential in providing the rich aroma to the curries. Recent studies have shown these leaves to possess anti-diabetic, antioxidant, hepatoprotective properties. They are also good for hair.

Curry leaves have plenty of Vitamin A and calcium. It also contains good amounts of amino acids. The leaves tend to excite the taste buds. They also help in quick digestion. Curry leaves take care of indigestion, stomach ulcers due to excessive acid secretion in stomach, diarrhea and other similar problems. It also prevents deposition of fat in various parts of the body.

One way to control blood sugar levels in a diabetic patient is to chew and eat a couple of curry leaves along with a few pepper corns first thing in the morning on empty stomach. The effectiveness of this remedy has led to studies on anti-diabetic property of curry leaves.

Take a handful of curry leaves, a dry red chilli and sauté them in ghee. Add a pinch of salt and pinch of tamarind to this and grind all of these to a fine paste adding water as necessary. This paste is mixed in hot rice and taken as a remedy for nausea, vomiting, digestive problems, diarrhea, bloated stomach etc.

Boils and similar eruptions appear on skin during summer. Most of the boils tend to subside over time, but some may persist and remain painful. Curry leaves come handy in treating such conditions. A paste made of curry leaves is applied on these persistent boils for quick relief.

Curry leaves are known to be effective in treating premature graying. Eating the leaves helps in strengthening hair roots. Add a handful of curry leaves to a litre of coconut oil and boil it for a few minutes. This hair oil is applied to the scalp. This is found to prevent premature graying as well as curing the condition.

Along with mint leaves and coriander leaves, curry leaves can be used in treating excessive pitta conditions. Some of the symptoms of excessive pitta include nausea and vomiting in the mornings. There may be even vomiting of bile. To treat this condition, make a paste of curry leaves with ginger, fried black gram, and salt. This paste is taken with food for a couple of days. This is very effective in treating nausea and vomiting due to excessive pitta.

The calcium content in curry leaves help in strengthening the bones. This can be had as a complementary treatment for people with osteoporosis and other similar conditions of the bone.

Thus curry leaves should be taken regularly for good health. Instead of throwing the leaves away from the curry, it would do a lot of good if we eat them. Thus curry leaves taken internally can strengthen the bones, improve digestion, and strengthen hair roots. External application helps hair growth. One of my earlier posts on Ayurvedic hair care details ways to make hair oil using curry leaves for premature grey hair.



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Ayurvedic Home Remedies: Medicinal Uses of Coriander Leaves and Seeds

Coriander seeds and leaves have been used as home remedies to cure various ailments from time immemorial. Known as cilantro in America and Europe, coriander leaves are also called Chinese parsley. These leaves find their place in South Asian, Chinese, European, American, Russian and Mexican dishes as well. The roots are also used in Asian, Thai dishes.

Coriander leaves when digested turn sweet and alleviate irritations in the intestines. They stimulate appetite and help in easy digestion too. They have magnesium, potassium and fiber in plenty. So regular consumption boosts immunity and purifies blood. They stimulate insulin production and hence help prevent diabetes.

Just as mint leaves, coriander leaves too help in dealing with headaches. A paste made of coriander leaves is smeared on the forehead and temples for a quick relief from headaches. This should be followed by thorough rest. Coriander leaves also cure mouth ulcers. For this a handful of coriander leaves are ground to a not so fine paste and then masticated thoroughly for a few minutes. This is done two to three times a day for a few days. This is a time tested home remedy for mouth ulcers.

People suffering from pitta aggravation due to excessive consumption of tea or coffee have an excellent remedy in coriander to pacify the aggravated pitta. It also helps in breaking the addiction to coffee and tea. It is an excellent alternative to tea and coffee. A handful of coriander seeds are fried and then powdered to a nice consistency. A spoonful of this powder is then added to a glass of milk with sugar and then taken instead of tea or coffee. Regular consumption can help break addiction to tea and coffee.

Half a teaspoon of coriander seed powder (prepared as mentioned above), a pinch of sandalwood powder, and four or five dried gooseberry pieces are added to a glass of water, boiled and reduced to half a glass. This is then taken at lukewarm temperature. This kashayam is a time tested home remedy for aggravated pitta due to excessive consumption of tea and coffee.

For relief from menstrual pain, women can take around twenty five thoroughly cleaned coriander seeds and boil them in a glass of water. This is reduced to half and allowed to cool to a lukewarm temperature. Sugar can be added as needed. This kashayam helps in relieving menstrual pain.

For painful urination in summer, coriander seeds offer an excellent cure. A teaspoon full of coriander seeds is added to four glasses of water, boiled and then allowed to cool to room temperature. Taking this water throughout the summer often will help in combating the summer heat as well as painful urination. This also keeps one fresh all through the day.

Coriander leaves are found to be effective in alleviating digestive problems. The leaves are washed thoroughly, ground to a paste and then pressed to obtain a tablespoon of juice. One teaspoon of cumin seeds are powdered thoroughly. Both are added to a glass of water along with a pinch of salt. This is an excellent home remedy for indigestion. This is found to cure indigestion as well as induce appetite within minutes.



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Ayurvedic Home Remedies: Medicinal Uses of Mint Leaves

Mint has been used as an herbal remedy for ages all over the world for treating various ailments ranging from halitosis (bad breath), headache, indigestion, to toothache and more. It induces appetite and cures bloated stomach. It contains menthol and is used in aromatherapy for its essential oils. According to Wikipedia there are 13 to 18 varieties of mentha or mint found all over the world. This is an invasive herb that can grow and spread very rapidly. It grows to a height of 30 to 100 cm. Both fresh and dried mints are used in preparing herbal remedies.

People suffering from phlegm in chest, bronchial infections etc can turn to mint leaves for strengthening their lungs. Once cured of these problems, they should strengthen the lungs to prevent recurrence of infections. This can be done by taking a spoonful of juice obtained from mint leaves along with carrot juice and honey of same quantity. For best results this mixture should be taken in the mornings on empty stomach. This is found to strengthen the lungs.

Mint is an excellent remedy for pitta aggravation. Some of the symptoms of excessive pitha are nausea in the mornings, headache, vomiting of bile etc. For those suffering from excess pitha one time tested remedy is to take a spoon of mint juice, one half lemon juice, and one spoon of honey and mix them together. This mixture is then taken for a few days to pacify the aggravated pitta.

Mint is also useful in treating halitosis. For this dried mint leaves are used. Thoroughly dried mint leaves are ground to a fine powder and this powder is used in cleaning the teeth. Regular application is found to be effective in curing halitosis. This also strengthens the gums and roots of the teeth.

Some are prone to nausea while travelling on a bus or car etc. This is a very embarrassing social problem which can cause undue stress in these individuals. Mint is a handy remedy for this annoying condition. You need to take a handful of fresh mint leaves and curry leaves and sauté them in sesame oil. Add a little bit of tamarind and fried Black gram to these leaves and grind them to fine paste adding water as needed. This paste known as thuvaiyal in Tamil is taken before travel. This is a general remedy for nausea and vomiting.

Mint is rich in protein, vitamin A and C etc. Water content in this herb makes it an excellent remedy for urinary retention. It is used to treat urinary tract problems. Mint is also a time-tested remedy for headaches due to stress and heat. A paste made from fresh mint leaves is smeared on the forehead and temples for a quick relief from these types of headaches. This paste is also very effective in removing dark circles under the eyes. For this purpose the paste can be applied as a thin layer in the affected area before going to bed. This is then cleaned with cold water the next day morning. Regular application for a week or two will help get back the lost complexion in these areas.




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