An onion a day keeps the doctor at bay!

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. So do onions. Onions are one of the most widely used medicinal vegetable and it dates back to the Mughal Empire in India and the Puranas. The pungent smell of onions are because of all the medicinal contents that it has.
Onions help in keeping the body tones when used with various spices like cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon etc. the oil extracted from onions is very strong and volatile and serves as a medicine for a variety of illnesses. Onions are especially helpful in terrible cold and winters where cold and cough is a common occurrence. Onion oil can help remove the phlegm. The juice extracted from onion can also be rubbed over various body parts or simply the entire body when the temperature gets too cold and the feet and hands get very cold. This juice can also be orally consumed. Ear aches due to extreme cold and exposure to chilly winds can also be healed by putting a couple of drops of onion juice into the ears. On the other hand, in extreme heat during summers where sun strokes are a common occurrence, onions reduces thirst and reduces the harsh effects of the sun on the individual.
The pungent odor of onions also helps in getting an unconscious person back to consciousness when the person is exposed to the fumes. Onion and jaggery with water will help increase the stamina and reduce fatigue due to overworking. It also helps women with painful menstrual cycles by mitigating the pain caused due to the cramps.
Onions thus seem like an all rounder when it comes to treating various ailments.  It is a pity that the prices have drastically shot up these days for the vegetable. But the price you pay for this might just save you the price you may have to pay for your medicines!


Source:www.ayurvednews.com

Karkkidakam - Month of Ayurveda

Karkidakam is the last month of the Malayalam calendar (followed in Kerala), which falls during the month of July or August. With the coming of Karkidakam the monsoon rainfall enters its final phase in Kerala. Traditionally in Kerala, this period of the year is considered most ideal for undergoing Ayurveda based body rejuvenation therapies. The body is considered highly receptive to Ayurveda treatments during this period. There are various types of Ayurveda therapies that people undergo during the Malayalam month ofKarkidakam. And these therapies help an individual to go through the rest of the year by having a recharged and energized body and mind.

Ayurveda, a holistic system that rejuvenates not only the body but also the mind and soul, recommends Rithu Charya. It is the specific observance of diet and lifestyle suitable for each season to defend the body from the lashes of changing seasons. By following a strict routine, we can cancel the effect of the sudden transition from the scorching summer to the cool monsoons.

A vegetarian diet is recommended for this season by Ayurveda practitioners. Ayurveda tackles monsoon-related problems by administering a medicated gruel called karkidaka kanji or oushada kanji (medicinal gruel). Karkkidaka kanji consists of boiled cereals and medicinal plants. Along with njavara rice, 12 to 24 types of medicinal herbs are used in preparing the gruel.

Karkidakam is also the best time for rejuvenation therapies. During the rainy season, the body’s receptivity to medication is at its peak and hence therapies aimed at strengthening the body would be more effective. Karkidaka therapies can not only neutralize many diseases caused by the change in climatic conditions, but also can avoid health problems that spring from the modern way of life and faulty eating habits. Ayurvedic oil therapies and those prescribed under thePanchakarma treatment are recommended during this season for cleansing the body system. The traditional system of Ayurvedic medicines helps us to live in perfect harmony with the nature.


Source: www.keralatourism.org