Your food shall be your medicine!

In Ayurveda it is mentioned that ,Every Dravya (Material) present in this world can be used as Medicine, if you know its proper use,if not then it may acts as Poison.This concept is also applicable with our foods.In this article the Medicinal importance of food is described:Your food shall be your medicine,' said Hippocrates, the Father of modern medicine. He knew what he was talking about way back in 424 BC! Choose the food that suits your needs from this guide...


DIABETES:

• Drink the juice of 4-5 bitter gourds on an empty stomach every morning.
• Add a teaspoon of dried and powdered jamun seeds to a cup of milk, and drink it first thing in the morning.
• Swallow dry methi seeds (fenugreek) whole, or soaked overnight in water. Depending on the severity, you can have 25-100gm of the seeds.

MENOPAUSE

Drink beetroot juice regularly. Take it in small quantities (around 30gm), three times a day.

HEART DISEASE:

• Have lots of grapes - they tone up the heart muscles and reduce symptoms such as palpitation.
• Take a spoonful of asparagus juice mixed with honey (in a 2:1 ratio) three times a day if you have an enlarged heart or any other heart ailment.

INSOMNIA:

• Have a glassful of lettuce juice daily before bedtime for sound sleep. Lettuce contains lectucarium, which helps induce sleep.
• Drink a glass of warm milk with honey at bedtime to relax yourself.

CONSTIPATION:

• Soak 4-5 dried figs in half a glass of water before you go to bed, and eat the fruit first thing in the morning to get rid of stomach problems.
• Eat papaya at breakfast - it is a natural laxative.

TOOTHACHE:

• Gently bite into a clove of garlic smeared with salt, letting the juice seep into your tooth.
• Apply clove oil on the affected tooth for instant relief.

DYSENTRY:

• Have half a teaspoon of Isabgol, mixed in a bowl of curd, about three times a day.
• Boil pomegranate rind in about two cups of milk, reduce to half the quantity. Divide it into three parts and have throughout the day.

COUGH:

• Take a teaspoon of onion juice mixed with honey 2-3 times a day.
• Have haldi (turmeric) powder mixed with hot milk (half a teaspoon mixed with half cup milk) three times through the day.
• Mix a tablespoon of haldi (turmeric)powder mixed with three tablespoons of honey and have it thrice through the day.

It's all about substitutesThe next time you are browsing through the items available at the market, make the right choices; go healthy. Here are some handy tips:

• Skip the cream for a hung-curd dip. You can season with herbs of your choice.
• Reach for low-fat (eggless) mayonnaise if you must have it.
• Multigrain bread (Rs.20-60) is a healthier choice than white bread, which may be cheaper. (Choose the light-brown variety.)
• Switch to probiotic curd. While regular curd costs Rs.27 for a 400gm pack, probiotic curd is just about a rupee costlier.
• Always opt for low-fat cheese; it even costs less.
• Toned milk is a better bet than whole milk. It's costlier at Rs.43 a litre, but worth the investment.
• Choose cooking oils that are heart-friendly. You'll get a 5-litre pack for around Rs.550. Rotate oils.
• Go for fruit or vegetable juices instead of aerated drinks, even if they cost a little more. Look for varieties without added sugar. It's best to switch to home-made veggie juices.