The Spiritual Health

Are you suffering from a sore throat or other problems like acne, hair fall, stomach ache etc? If you are, then check the medicines you are taking for them. Most of the modern day medicines are made from the plant extracts or are the identical chemical molecules of the chemicals extracted from the herbal plants. The herbs are very useful in various diseases treatments and are also effective for increasing resistance power of the body.

Since the prehistoric times, humans have been using plants and their products for shelter, clothing food and also as medicines. In the early 5^th century BC, Hippocrates a Greek doctor had listed about 400 important medicinal herbs that were used very commonly in the regular life.

Amongst the other countries, the use of herbs to cure diseases was a common practice in the countries like ancient China and ancient India. India has always been renowned as a storehouse of herbal plants and Ayurvedic remedies used to treat a series of diseases and illnesses. Nearly 4,500 years ago the Rig Veda an oral tradition was practiced by the people and books on the medicinal herbs was written along with the prayers and the description of the surgeries and prescriptions for the various diseases created from 67 different Indian herbs.

Herbs are generally related with their six tastes which are- sweet, bitter, sour, pungent, salty and astringent.

• Sweet: Wild asparagus or shatavari, ashvagandha etc. have a cooling taste.
• Bitter: Jeera, neem, coriander seeds etc. are mainly bitter in taste but help to reduce the accumulation of toxins in the body.
• Sour: Herbs like tamarind, gooseberry, lemon etc. are sour in taste and are heat producing herbs.
• Pungent: asafetida or hing, garlic/ lasan are very pungent in taste but act as an antidote for obesity and also help in weight gain.
• Salty: The rock salt is recommended by the experts as a cooling agent which also benefits the eyes.
• Astringent: various other herbs like the turmeric etc. are astringents which are used often as cooling herbs.

A number of various combinations made from these different herbs categorized by their taste are used to for the treatment of a number of diseases and illnesses. Some of the herbs that are used on daily basis include basil, aloe vera, ginger, garlic, turmeric, castor oil etc. Each of these herbs has a wide range of uses and beneficial effects on our body’s system.

Herbs maybe any parts of the plant such as leaves, barks, roots, flowers or seeds. The herbal extracts from any part of the plant are usually used in small quantities.  Large quantities or extracts of these herbs may affect or poisoned the body and results into various side effects. Thus it is very important to make a research before using any herbs as a medicine or home remedies for any type of disease. Utmost caution is very necessary for using any type of herb.

The herbs were always overwhelmed in the ancient science of ayurveda and have been seen to have a very gentle, soothing yet powerful effect thus improving the health and the beauty of humans.