WHAT IS ASHWAGANDHA? WINTER CHERRY ( INDIAN), WITHANIA SOMNIFERUM

ASHWAGANDHA, (INDIAN) WINTER CHERRY, WITHANIA SOMNIFERUM


Ashwagandha or Indian Winter Cherry or simply Winter cherry is also known by the name Indian Ginseng. Its Latin name is Withania somniferum. It’s a shrub which grows prolifically in Pakistan and India to a height of 170 cms. To the ancient Arabs it was a narcotic, health tonic and the root is used as an aphrodisiac, rather similar to that other root, safed musli but it has many more health benefits, rather like Brahmi.

Withania somniferum has yellow flowers and a red fruit which is berry-like in size and shape. It is an amazing plant which may in the future be used as an anti carcinogenic as it has shown able to restrict the growth of cancer cells in animals and cell cultures.

The Japanese have a patent application on it as a skin ointment and also use it to promote fertility. In the US the New England Deaconess Hospital has a patent for using it for the treatment of arthritis, which is one of the traditional uses of this shrub. It is an adaptogen and helps with stress related diseases.

The root is mainly used in traditional medicine on the subcontinent, and the berries can be substituted for rennet in making cheese. The leaves can be bruised, crushed and smeared onto arthritic joints as they are in Ethiopia. In Pakistan the cortex of the root is ground into a powder and mixed with water then kneaded into a paste which is smeared onto wounds to disinfect them and to promote rapid healing. In Africa the root is given as a sedative to children and to soothe teething pains. The ancient Assyrians used to burn the root and channel the smoke onto a painful tooth to cure the pain of toothache. In Yemen it is still used for this purpose.

A paste can be made from the ground leaves; they are ground to a pulp and sometimes the berries are also added to this to treat swelling, rheumatism and external inflammation. In India the leaves are smoked to soothe coughs and asthma.

However its primary use in folk medicine is as an aphrodisiac and it has been used as a love potion too for centuries. Folk healers still prepare love potions from the root of Ashwagandha.

The name Ashwagandha means ‘sweat of a horse’ and it is thought that this refers to the strength and sexual vigour of the horse. It is used to cure impotency, fatigue and waning memory, and it is now known that it boosts the immune system, relieves various types of stress, revitalizes muscles, and bones, and is good for a restful sleep, diabetes, general debility, and a stimulant. It also helps restore neurotransmitters and so is used for mental disorders associated with aging.

Winter Cherry helps support the reproductive systems and adrenals and is a diuretic. It can cure gastric ulcers according to recent medical research, and can help to stop a fever.

Apart from boosting the male semen count and helping with erectile dysfunctions, it also stabilizes the foetus and later boosts a nursing mother’s supply of breast milk.

The recommended dose is 3-5 grams of powder from the root taken daily in milk. Twice a day is more than sufficient for male sexual disorders and results are seen after a week in most cases, although it may take longer to work in some cases.

Like Gotu Kola and Brahmi this is another wonder herb, and an aphrodisiac that has been working for many centuries.

ROCKET or ARUGULA or ERUCA SATIVA: ROCKET SALAD WITH PARMESAN CHEESE RECIPE:TARA MERA OIL

ROCKET, ARUGULA, ERUCA SATIVA

Rocket or Arugula in American English is known as a salad vegetable which can be used as a substitute for lettuce. It has a nutty flavour, if you use young leaves, and they are good with a dressing of walnut oil. If the older mature leaves are used, they have a slightly bitter flavour and go well with a traditional vinaigrette dressing (white wine vinegar, olive oil and a mixture of herbs or just the herb of your choice). Rocket is usually used in Caesar Salads, and is great with all kinds of cheeses especially goats' cheese and gorgonzola. You can also steam rocket like spinach and use as a vegetable with others. The Italians love rocket and put it in meat sauces and with meats. A simple recipe is to spread rocket leaves with cream cheese and slivers of smoked salmon, roll them up and serve on a bed of rocket leaves. Its seeds can be used in cookery as a substitute for mustard seeds.

flower of rocket

It is native to the Mediterranean area and Central Europe and is naturalized in the US. The name ‘eruca’ is Latin for cabbage and it is related to the Brassica family.

The Romans used rocket mixed with other herbs they considered had aphrodisiacal qualities, such as lavender and dill, and put them in special sauces. They served the leaves as a salad with chicory and lettuce. It was believed that rocket increased sexual potency. The ancient Egyptians would give it to bridegrooms on their wedding night. The seeds and their oil have been used as an aphrodisiac at least since the first century AD.


Rocket is a great source of iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, beta-carotene, sodium, dietary fibre and vitamins A, B, C and E. Modern medical research has shown that the constituents of Eruca sativa can cure gastric ulcers, and this is one of the many complaints it has been treating for millennia in the subcontinent. It is also known to reduce the secretion of stomach acids and it also mediates the activity of hormones. The volatile oil distilled from the seeds contains nitrogen and sulphur. It has anti microbial properties and is an antiscorbutic. A strong dose of the oil will induce vomiting.

In traditional medicine on the Indian subcontinent is used to cure erectile dysfunctions and is said to decrease stress, so is given to women too to increase their libido. It is also believed to help in the treatment of liver disorders and diabetes. It can also stop a cough apparently. It is a diuretic, and also a laxative, so don’t take too much oil! A teaspoon or two a day won’t hurt though.

In Pakistan and India the oil known as Tara Mera and used to kill head lice, and mixed with water is massaged into the scalp to get rid of dandruff, to strengthen the hair and to prevent hair loss. It is suggested that as well as using the oil externally you should take a teaspoon a day to help with hair problems and as a general tonic. You can use it as a salad dressing too, as it stimulates the digestive system.

The flower is white or purple, and is a symbol of deceit in the Language of Flowers because it has no scent by day, but at night gives off a perfume. The ancients called it the Vesper flower or Hesperis.





ROCKET SALAD WITH PARMESAN CHEESE

Ingredients

1 bunch of well-washed rocket, torn

1 tbsp capers

200 gr Parmesan, thinly sliced

300 gr tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 cucumber, roughly chopped
green and black olives, or stuffed green olives with pimento
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and toss well before serving

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS SAFED MUSLI? CHLOROPHYTUM BORIVILIANUM: A AMAZING MEDICAL HERB

SAFED MUSLI, CHLOROPHYTUM BORIVILIANUM, ASPARAGUS ADSCENDENS

Safed Musli or to give it its official name, Chlorophytum borivilianum has been used in Ayurvedic medicine on the Indian subcontinent for centuries. Its roots are used as a demulcent, a stimulant, diaphoretic, and to help milk production in breast-feeding mothers. They are given balls of the root to chew before and after the birth, so that their milk production will increase. It’s also given to cows for the same purpose.

It is used to cure general debility, in the treatment for diarrhoea and dysentery and as a vitalizer for the whole body. The root powder is fried in ghee (clarified butter) and chewed to get rid of mouth and throat infections. It is also used as a remedy for arthritis and diabetes. It is often an ingredient in paan in India and Pakistan.

It is used as an Allopathic, which means that a disease is treated with remedies which produce effects differing from those produced by the disease, for example antibiotics do this. The word come from the Greek, allos meaning different or other, and pathos, meaning suffering. The term allopathic or allopath was first used by the man who is regarded as the founding father of homeopathic medicine, Samuel Hahnemann.

It is also given to boost the immune system and modern medical research has borne out this use of it. Chlorophytum borivilianum has immuno-stimulating properties and it has been proved that increases rats’ sperm count after 60 days of being given regular doses of it. The researchers end their discussion with these words “roots of Chlorophytum borivilianum can be useful in the treatment of certain forms of sexual inadequacies, such as premature ejaculation and oligosperma” (R. Kenjale et al 2008 in Phytotherapy Research Vol 22(6)). In other words, rats have benefited from this plant and shown increased sexual activity and increased libido as well as having a “significantly” higher sperm increase. It is believed that this is the Natural Viagra and is now being cultivated on a much larger scale than before so that it can be exported for the benefit of men all around the world. It has been used as a tonic for sexual health by Indians or centuries and they believe it is an aphrodisiac for both sexes.

This plant also has antimicrobial properties, although these are not as efficient as those of the kikar tree, according to other research carried out by Rajesh Dabur et al.

The plant is a rich source of minerals, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, steroids and polysaccharides.

It clearly has amazing medical properties and modern medical research is showing once again that the old herbalists knew a thing or two about health giving plants.

WHAT IS PATCHOULI? KHOSHBODAR PUDINA IN URDU: PATCHOULI USES

PATCHOULI (KHOSHBODAR PUDINA, URDU) POGOSTEMON CABLIN

Patchouli is a plant that grows to about a metre and has white through to purple flowers, depending on the species. It originated in South East Asia but now grows in the Caribbean where it is cultivated and in the Indian subcontinent, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and South America. It is cultivated for its heady, musky, earthy oil which is used in perfumes and essential oils. It was very popular in the 1960s and 70s when it was associated with the hippie movement, protesting against the Vietnam War and having the common desire to make love not war. Patchouli, being an aphrodisiac would certainly have helped achieve the first of their aims.

The name comes from Tamil-patch=green and ilai=leaf. Personally I like the Urdu name for patchouli, Khoshbodar pudina which means ‘smelly mint’. Patchouli is a member of the mint family.

Patchouli oil has been used in traditional Indian medicine for thousands of years and was applied to parts of the body in Tantric ceremonies according to a 12th century Indian text by Somershvara. It has narcotic properties that liberate you from repressed sexual feelings, heighten the senses and sexual desire. It also encourages sensuality so it can certainly help your sex life if it needs spicing up. It cures frigidity, erectile dysfunctions and loss of libido. You can get patchouli scented candles and incense (joss) sticks to help too. You can combine the fragrance with rose, jasmine or lavender (a distant relative) if you add the oil to bath water.

There are different kinds of patchouli oil, and the older it is the better. It should be dark amber in colour, and be very viscous. You should think in terms of drops-don’t overdo it as it can make you nauseous it’s so pungent.

Apart from its benefits for your sex life it does the body good too as it is antifungal, so can get rid of skin problems such as athlete’s foot, and the Romans used it to heal wounds. Modern medical research has shown that it does this because it has astringent qualities. It has been used as a cure for digestive problems, and is a remedy for skin disorders such as eczema, and can make scars from acne, chicken pox and other diseases fade. It also used as a remedy for colds and the infection that starts a fever. It has antibacterial qualities and is a painkiller too. It helps lift people out of depression as it is an anti depressant. It helps remove feelings of anxiety and relieves stress. In Hindu temples it is burned as incense and gives grounding prior to meditation, so astral travelers can return to their body and not get lost in the Cosmos.

It is also used in beauty treatments as it helps tone dry skin, and prevents wrinkles. It is also an effective deodorant and astringent. If you rub diluted oil onto your hair and scalp it will get rid of dandruff and give body and shine to your hair.

In Victorian times it was wrapped in cashmere shawls on their voyages from India to the British markets, to keep moths and other bugs away. Women wouldn’t buy the shawls unless they had the smell of patchouli on them, as that way they knew they were genuine. It is also one of the ingredients of Indian ink, which gives it a distinctive smell. The Victorians may have gone down in history as prudes, but those shawls, the smell of patchouli and the number of children per family as well as the ‘naughty’ humour, tend to disprove the stereotype.

I’ve read that the leaves can be used as a vegetable, but I haven’t tried them. I suppose they can be as the oil is extracted from the leaves. No recipe though!