WHAT IS ALSI? FLAX / LINUM USITATISSMUM: BENEFITS AND USE OF ALSI: HOW TO MAKE ALSI PINNI RECIPE

FLAX, LINUM USITATISSMUM, ALSI

Flax seeds were eaten by hunter-gatherers more than 8,500 years ago and grow all over the world. Because they have become naturalized almost everywhere it is very difficult, if not impossible to say where they originated. Flax seeds are known as linseed too, and flax was woven into cloth from early times. Cloth made of flax has been found in the tombs of the pharaohs, and the ‘fine linen’ mentioned so often in the Bible was woven from flax.

alsi wool

   The flax seed containers are called bolls (like cotton bolls) and when ripe the flax was pulled and tied into bundles then placed in water for a few weeks to separate the fibre from the stalks. It was then spread out to dry. In Teutonic mythology the plant was associated with the goddess Hulda, who first taught mortals how to grow, spin and weave flax into cloth.

 Its cloth made the “white sails” Homer describes in the Odyssey and Pliny wrote: - “What department is there to be found in active life in which flax is not employed?” He goes on (he is always a little verbose) “What audacity in man! What criminal perverseness! Thus to sow a thing in the ground for the purpose of catching the winds and tempests, it being not enough for him, forsooth, to be borne upon the waves alone.”

   In Mediaeval times flax was used for a multitude of purposes: - To make clothes, sails, fishing nets, thread, strong rope, strings for bows, sheets, sacks, bags and purses among other items. During these times it was believed that flax could protect people from witchcraft and sorcery. Bohemians believed that if seven-year-old children danced in flax fields, they would grow up to be beautiful.

   The ancient Greeks and Romans mixed the seeds with corn to make bread, but when people tried to make this in recent years the taste left much to be desired, and caused flatulence, and was not easy to digest.

    The oil-cake left after extracting the oil from the seeds used to be used for fattening up cattle and it also made good compost. If you grind this cake it is good for making poultices to be placed on the chest for respiratory problems. The crushed seeds or linseed meal as they are called can be mixed with mustard seeds too in hot poultices. These can be used to treat inflammation and ulceration and were commonly used for abscesses and other skin disorders.

   Linseed is a common ingredient in cough medicines and has been used to treat coughs in traditional medicine since ancient times in many parts of the world including Europe and Asia.

  To make linseed tisane, you need an ounce of ground or whole seeds to 1 pint of boiling water. Boil the seeds for best results and allow the tisane to stand for at least two hours then strain before drinking. In India they add lemon grass and licorice root powder to this when it is boiling. Then add a few drops of lemon juice and honey to make it tastier. Take it by the wineglass full. It’s good for coughs and colds and infections of the urinary tract such as cystitis.

   Linseed oil mixed with an equal amount of lime water is called Carron oil and in India it is called Chuna Pani You can also eat boiled seeds with honey for respiratory problems or use roasted seeds ground to a powder. These are traditional remedies for the subcontinent.

 The oil is a laxative and can disperse stones and gravel from the kidneys etc. As a cosmetic preparation, linseed oil mixed with honey can remove facial spots.

   Flax seeds’ powder is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and the alpha linolenic acid present in the seeds is beneficial for the general inflammation present in the morbidly obese, and can possibly improve atherosclerosis according to recent clinical trials. They also contain omega-6 fatty acids.

   There have been many claims for the efficacy of flax seed on a number of diseases, but they have not really been proved, because the body is not as efficient in converting ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) from flax, into eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as it is in converting it from fish oils. So basically, although flax seed oil contains omega-3 and -6, the body may not be able to utilize it as well as it can those omega-3 and -6 fatty acids found in oily fish such as salmon and mackerel. Therefore it may not be as effective against chronic diseases such as heart disease and arthritis as has been claimed, in comparison with oily fish. However, the good news is that flax seed (but not the oil), contains lignons (a group of chemicals) which may play a role in preventing cancer.

   It is believed that diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids including ALA may lower blood pressure. There is 6 % mucilage (a slimy substance) in the seeds and traces linamarin (a cyanogenic glycoside) which has a sedative effect on the respiratory system, so you can take 5 – 10 grams of seeds whole or crushed, and soaked in water 3 times a day for bronchial problems. Do this for 3 days maximum. Children under 6 should not take flax seeds. Alternatively you can put crushed seeds on your breakfast muesli, but drink a lot more water than usual.

   Linseed oil is good for skin problems such as eczema and for menstrual disorders; take 1-2 teaspoons of crushed seeds or 2 teaspoons of freshly pressed oil a day for rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis, also for disorders associated with the menopause, including hot flushes, and candida caused by vaginal dryness. An infusion of the whole plant, (bruised and boiled for at least half an hour) taken daily is good for constipation, liver congestion and rheumatic pain. It is also good for PMT symptoms.

   In traditional medicine on the Indian subcontinent the healers differentiate between oil from fresh seeds and that from roasted seeds. The oil from fresh seeds is used as a purgative and is said to be good for piles. Chuna Pani is made into a paste and applied to burns, and a few drops of the oil is put inside the penis for diseases such as gonorrhoea. To cure insomnia, alsi oil is mixed with an equal amount of castor oil and rubbed on the soles of the feet. The leaves and the bark are burnt and applied to all kinds of wounds, fresh or old. A sex tonic is made with 2 parts of alsi, 1 part safed musli, 1 part kali musli (Curculigo orchioidea) and 1 part semal musli (Bombax ceiba) taken in water and if you take it all through the winter its effects will last until the end of autumn. It is drunk in milk.

   The recipe below is given to pregnant women in Pakistan and to breast-feeding mothers, although medical trials and the evidence from these suggest pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers should not take flax at all. Be warned. However this is a nutritious, tasty sweet so here is the traditional recipe.

ALSI PINNI

Ingredients

250 gr flax seeds, dry fried then ground

250 gr wholemeal flour (atta) dry fried until brown

250 gr ghee (clarified butter)

200 gr jaggery or gur, pounded to a powder

100 gr mixed almonds, pistachios and cashew nuts, roughly pounded

40 gr raisins

Method

Heat the ghee in a frying pan and add the powdered gur; then when it is bubbling, add the flour and flax seeds. Stir over a low heat for 5 minutes.

Add the nuts and raisins and stir well to mix and fry for five minutes more. Then remove from the heat.

Allow to cool and then roll the mixture into small balls. Eat when you like.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

  

JASMINE: JASMINE FLOWERS: JASMINE AND LEMON BALM TISANE RECIPE

JASMINE

There are more than 150 types of jasmine, and they all smell wonderful. Jasmine is native to the Indian subcontinent and Iran. It has been cultivated in Grasse for centuries for perfume making and was introduced into Europe in the 16^th century. Its name comes from the Farsi, yasemin which means a gift from god.

   In India and Pakistan there is a night flowering variety known as Queen of the Night and jati in Ayurvedic medicine. Legend has it that a princess was enamoured of the sun god, Surya-Deva, who spurned her. She committed suicide and her ashes were scattered on the ground from whence jasmine began to grow. Because she had been spurned by the sun god, the flower would not give him the pleasure of its perfume so it only blooms at night.

  The European variety flowers during the day and evening, perfuming the air with its heady scent. Jasmine is a women’s plant as it helps as an aphrodisiac it is claimed, along with patchouli. As you would imagine as a “women’s plant” jasmine has been used to treat PMT, tension headaches, and to heal the female reproductive system. It has anti- spasmodic properties so can help relax the uterus and so helps with the labour pains of childbirth.

yellow jasmine

   In China jasmine is a symbol of feminine sweetness and beauty and symbolizes deep affection, happiness and elegance. In the European Language of flowers different types of jasmine symbolize different things: yellow jasmine is for modesty, grace and elegance; white is for amiability and Pakistani Jasmine means attachment while Spanish jasmine as it is called stands for sensuality.

   Of course everyone has probably drunk jasmine tea and eaten jasmine rice, so you know what it tastes like. In China it is thought to have cooling properties and so is used to reduce fevers and cool the blood. It has antibacterial properties and can produce feelings of optimism, confidence and even euphoria.

   You can make a tisane of it with 2-3 ounces of flowers to 1 pint of boiling water and this is good to help sore throats and coughs. This is also good to heal wounds which the Greeks and Romans used jasmine for. It has antiseptic qualities.

red jasmine

   In Hinduism the flowers are sacred to Vishnu and Shiva and given to honored guest as garlands to be worn around the neck. The flowers are also used as votive offerings in religious ceremonies. Nycanthus arbortristis (Night flowering jasmine) is used in traditional Indian medicine to treat rheumatism, sciatica and bilious fevers. It is also believed to boost the immune system. In Ayurvedic medicine jasmine is used to treat gingivitis and other oral problems, as well as heatstroke. Compresses of the flowers are applied to the temples for headaches, heatstroke and to relieve anxiety and stress. The flower buds are used for eye problems like rose, boils and other skin disorders. The flowers are also given to cancer patients especially useful it is said for breast cancer.

  

    Recent medical trials have supported the use of jasmine oil in aromatherapy, as when mice smelled the fragrance both natural and a chemical substitute, they remained quietly in a corner of their cage. Brain scans showed that a chemical, GABA was acting as a sedative on the mice, relieving anxiety and promoting sleep. The British newspaper The Telegraph, hailed it as “calming as valium” (10^th July, 2010).

JASMINE AND LEMON BALM TISANE

Ingredients

2 oz jasmine flowers

2 oz lemon balm leaves, slightly torn

honey to taste

2 pints water

Method

Boil jasmine flowers and lemon balm leaves in the water. When it has boiled, leave it to steep for 10 minutes and then strain. You can add honey at this stage or boil with honey.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS BHANG? WILD MARIJUANA: BENEFITS AND USE OF BHANG

BHANG, WILD MARIJUANA, CANNABIS SATIVA, HEMP

Cannabis sativa or marijuana is widely known and much has been written about it. It grows wild in Iran, Pakistan, Northern India and Southern Siberia, and probably in other countries too. In Pakistan and India a drink is made from it called Bhang; this is also the name of the weed that can be seen on any piece of waste ground, even in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad. At the end of September through to the middle of October the air is pungent with the smell of the flowers of bhang and there’s a particularly good crop on some waste land that has not yet been developed in the Diplomatic Enclave close to the British High Commission and The Iranian Embassy (which are opposite each other).

   Hemp as it was known in Britain used to grow wild, and I remember a good story reported in the press in the early seventies of an elderly lady in Swansea, South Wales, who was worried about her hedge. The hedge was very old and well trimmed, but had begun to look a little threadbare in places, she informed the court. She said that she had no idea what it was, but unfortunately for her, the police knew what cannabis sativa was when they saw it. Luckily for her she was merely fined and the hedge ordered to be destroyed.

   Marijuana is used as a pain reliever for sufferers of arthritis among other ailments and it has been suggested that it should be legalized for people who smoke it for medicinal purposes. In traditional medicine in the subcontinent it is thought to be useful for people who suffer from gout, neuralgia, rheumatism, delirium tremens, insanity, infants’ convulsions and insomnia too. A traditional remedy for gonorrhea was to take equal parts of the male and female flowering tops, bruise them in a mortar to remove the juice and add equal amounts of alcohol. One to three drops were taken every 2 -3 hours. It can produce exhilaration, but also hallucinations and is known in the East as the ‘leaf of delusion’, ‘increaser of pleasure,’ ‘cementer of friendship’ and by many other epithets.

   In Ayurvedic treatments it is used to reduce pain, stop nausea and vomiting and weight loss caused by debilitating diseases. It is also used to help sufferers of neurologically induced motor problems, as it relaxes muscles and stops twitches and spasms. In appropriate quantities it is used to cure fever, dysentery and sunstroke, to clear phlegm, aid digestion and increase appetite. It is frequently combined with other herbs to treat different diseases. Application of a paste made from the leaves can help rough or chapped skin. It is believed to help cure deafness caused by noise pollution in cities and the juice extracted from the leaves and stems is used to destroy head lice and cure dandruff problems.

   Preparations of bhang are sacred to the Hindu gods in mythology and it is believed that Lord Shiva was particularly fond of this plant because he discovered its transcendental qualities. He is sometimes referred to as the Lord of Bhang. Of course the Beatles, famously, also discovered its transcendental qualities in the 1960s (listen to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album again! They were probably also influenced by other hallucogens).

   In 1,000 BC bhang was used in India as an intoxicant according to the Athar Veda where it is described as a herb that “releases anxiety.” Saddhus use it to achieve transcendental states and it is also said to aid Sufis in their bid to find spiritual ecstasy.

  You can soak the leaves in water and grind them to a fine paste and mix well with spices of your choice. Then blend this with milk and drink it. But beware. They say that if you are depressed you will become even more so and stay that way for some time. If you are happy though, you will be on a high for 24 hours.

  As you can see from the picture, bhang is perfectly legal in India and Pakistan, with street sellers dispensing the drink. It is also one of the ingredients on offer for paan, the tobacco variety. Unlike the nutmeg it is halal, although the nutmeg is only haram and banned in Saudi Arabia.

  In Pakistan there are tales of pakora sellers spiking their wares with bhang, especially to sell to women who have complained about the price or quality of pakoras being sold. Typically they are sold during the morning when only the women are at home, they eat a few and become more talkative then usual then sleep, which will annoy their husbands when they get home as food will not be cooked etc. You can put fresh pounded leaves or dried into pakoras too in the recipe we have given you.

   However, beware as this drink and bhang generally will increase your heart rate, and blood pressure, and you may suffer from psychosis and paranoia. It not only helps relieve anxiety but also lowers your inhibitions, so can be used as an aphrodisiac, as it heightens sexual pleasure.

    You can use it in our Serdai recipe and add leaves that have been pounded to a paste and blend them with fruit, water or milk; add ice and drink – but remember it’s very potent and can be dangerous to your health.

COMFREY SYMPHYTUM OFFICINALIS

COMFREY SYMPHYTUM OFFICINALIS

Comfrey is a common wild flower in watery places in Britain and has been cultivated since 400 BC. It was used by the Greeks and Romans to heal wounds and staunch heavy bleeding; it was also used to treat bronchial problems. English immigrants took comfrey with them to America. It is native to Europe and temperate parts of Asia. The word comfrey comes from the Latin con firma meaning with firmness, a reference to the belief that it helped knit broken bones. Symphytum comes from the Greek, meaning to unite.

   Historically it was used as a treatment for gastrointestinal illnesses, but modern research has shown that comfrey so beloved of herbalists is potentially fatal. Despite its being used for centuries to heal sprains and reduce swelling, applied as a poultice, it is now viewed as being unsafe to use. It was banned in oral products in July 2001 by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USDFA) and Britain, Australia, Canada and Germany have also banned oral products containing comfrey.

    Ointments made with it are applied to heal bruises, pulled muscles, ligaments, fractures, sprains, and osteoarthritis. The roots and leaves contain allantoin, a substance which helps new cells grow and they also contain other substances which reduce inflammation and keep skin healthy. It has rosemarinic acid and tannins, along with allantoins and these regenerate skin tissue.

   Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine, alkaloids that are highly toxic to the liver and can be fatal, hence the ban on oral products. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids can be absorbed through the skin and harmful amounts can build up in the body. Don’t apply comfrey or any product containing it on broken skin! New leaves have more pyrrolizidine alkaloids in them than older ones, so if you gather leaves to make a poultice, pick the older ones.

   Never use comfrey ointments or creams on children and the elderly and women who are pregnant should also avoid this herb. If you use a cream containing comfrey only apply it for 10 days at a time. You should only use it for a total of 4-6 weeks in a year.

   It’s interesting that in the 1920s comfrey was grown in Britain for animal fodder, but no animals really liked it, which should tell us something. It’s related to the Forget-Me-Not and borage and is a pretty ornamental garden plant which gives a dense cover and grows quickly. It is now grown by some gardeners for its compost value.

    In less sophisticated times, chicory, comfrey and dandelion roots were sometimes used ground as a coffee substitute, and in some countries including parts of Britain the roots were boiled and used as a vegetable, and the leaves, after blanching were eaten as salad greens.

   In times gone by, comfrey was used to treat dysentery and diarrhoea in the Asian subcontinent and British herbalists recommended a tisane made by boiling ½ -1 ounce of the crushed root in 2 pints of milk or water, to be taken in wineglass full doses. The roots were used in this way to treat coughs, pulmonary complaints, and for internal haemorrhages. A tisane was made with 1 ounce of leaves to a pint of boiling water then left to steep for 10 minutes before straining and drinking.

   The whole plant can be picked and pulverized, then boiled in a little water and well wrapped up in cloth to be used as a poultice to reduce swellings, especially on the joints. Culpeper wrote, “The root boiled in water or wine and the decoction drank, heals inward hurts… ulcers of the lungs and causes phlegm that oppresses him to be easily spit out…”

   It’s a shame it is now considered a potential carcinogen.