Calendula a flowering herb that not only adds beauty to the garden but medicinal and culinary value to healthy life style as well

Last Updated on Friday, 14 October 2011 09:10 Written by Natural Health Team Friday, 14 October 2011 09:10

Health Information about Calendula a flowering herb that not only adds beauty to the garden but medicinal and culinary value to healthy life style as well

It seems no matter where we go, we are being marketed by products that promise to make us young, beautiful and healthy, whether it is on a billboard, television, radio, or sent to us through the mail.  The scary thing is the majority of these products are not  healthy for us at all.  We live in a world where just about everything is being altered for quicker results and greater quantity, which usually produces poorer quality. When this occurs in the products we consume through our mouths and skin, we really need to question: is it worth it?  These are some of the reasons I have decided to make my own soaps, laundry detergent, household cleaning agents, and have even changed my diet.  Our skin is our body’s largest organ and is permeable, everything we put on our skin will be absorbed into our body.  Natural ingredients such as Calendula are safe and have been around forever.

For as long as medical books have been around, physicians have been writing about this wonderful plant and its amazing benefits for the skin.  Calendula Officinalis also known as Pot Marigold or English Marigold, got the name because the dried flowers of the plant were traditionally used in soups and stews to fight off illness.  The name Calendula comes from the Latin word Calendae, meaning the first day of the month, as this plant can bloom every month of the year in its native climate.  Calendula is known for many health benefits but is most recognized for its effectiveness in healing skin problems, such as wounds, burns, insect bites, eczema, shingles and skin ulcers, to name a few.

Calendula is easy to grow; it is not too picky about soil conditions and can be grown from seed in just about any sunny location.  Once the plant starts to bloom you will constantly find yourself cutting the flower heads as they open; hence the word “calendae”, it does have a very long bloom season, and does reseed easily.  Once you have harvested the Calendula flower, you will need to spread the cut flowers out to dry.  This works best out of sun light and moist areas.  When the flower heads have dried you can store them in jars and use as needed.

Calendula can be taken internally as well as externally.  For internal use, Calendula can be used in salads, and to spice up meats and fish; it also can be made in to a tea.  Externally, Calendula is used in lotion salves, creams, soaps and refined oil.  I use the Calendula that I grow in my garden in my Calendula Orange Bars, and I have refined some Calendula oil which I use in my lip balms and also keep it handy for medicinal purposes.

I do hope you have enjoyed this article and have found the information useful, and that it has inspired you to want to learn of more natural and practical alternatives for healthier living.  As always I do hope you make that Pure-N-Simple choice.

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Mental health and Indian medicinal system siddha

Last Updated on Monday, 3 October 2011 10:21 Written by Natural Health Team Monday, 3 October 2011 10:21

Health Information about Mental health and Indian medicinal system siddha

  ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR AND ITS REMEDIES IN THE VIEW OF SIDDHA  

                                                            MEDICINE                                                                    

                                                   (A RESEARCH VIEW)

INTRODUCTION

               Tamil traditional medicinal siddha medicine is one of the oldest system of medicines. Plants, animals, metals and some chemicals are used to prepare the siddha medicines. Various forms of medicines are using for the therapeutic purpose. Kiyalam, Chooranangal, Pachaivettu, Tablets, Thailam, Kirutham, Nei, Ural, Melugu, Kalimbu, Lekiyam, Parpam, Chenthuram, Chunnam, Kattukal, Rasayanam, Thiri, Cheyaneer, Moorappaham, Karpam, Manapaakku, Vattal and Thuvaiyal are some of the examples for the various forms of medicines. Siddha medicines defined physical diseases as ‘Pinni’ as well as psychological diseases as ‘Noi’. The ‘Kirukai Nol 64′ of Agasthiar is the noteworthy book of Siddha medicine. Kirukai Nool describes about 18 psychiatric diseases. The siddhars totally denies the demonology and accepts the abnormal behaviors of the human beings as the modern psychologists.

 ABNORMAL BEHAVIORS IN THE VIEW OF SIDDHARS

                  According to Kirusa Nithanam 50 the symptoms for the psychological disorders as follows: standing with upperlimbs, restlessness, singing meaning lessly, dancing, laughing, changing postures, sleeplessness, embracing others, loose talking, murmuring, spitting on others, wandering, sexual aggression, rolling on the floors, standing naked, removal of clothes.

 ABNORMAL BEHAVIORS:

Saint Agasthiyar describes about 18 disorders in the name of ‘Kirukai’ as follows:

                    1. Anal Kirukai

                    2. Pitha kirukai

                    3.Echi kirukai

                    4.Vatha kirukai

                    5.Chilerpana kirukai

                    6.Natha vinthu kirukai

                    7.Boothak kirukai

                    8.Chalak kirukai

                    9.Mohini kirukai

                  10.Kalleri kirukai

                  11.Kumbidu kirukai

                  12.Mananka kirukai

                  13.Alar kirukai

                  14.Maruttu kirukai

                  15.Moodu kirukai

                  16.Vali kirukai

                  17.Neer kirukai

                  18.Mayana kirukai

         Moreover, Siddhars also described several sexual disorders like male impotency, female frigidity and sexual dysfunction. Siddhars describes the evils of Alcoholism and drug abuse.

 REASONS FOR THE ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR:

 The Agasthiar in his book Kirukai Nool 64 completely denies the demonology

                             Siddhars believed that the root cause of the abnormal behaviors are evil desire, disordered thoughts, passions, morbid imaginations, excessive fear, envy, anger, and immoral activities. ‘The Karma’ or off-shoots or chronic disease are mainly caused by the Man’s previous actions. The Law of Karma’ describes that a man’s sin actions. Sin actions of man are the root cause of the present life. Present life is guided by  our karma. Siddhars believed that the mental abnormalities are caused by the evil karmas of the man or his/her ancestor’s karma. Another important reason is ‘;Thrithosam’.  If the Pitham increased, the mental abnormalities occurred. Siddhars also believed that the abnormalities may occured due to sleeplessness and breaking of Varma points, for example, due to the damages of Uchikala Varmam, Suliyadivarmam and Thudi Narambu ( Lada Soothram 1200) traumatic disorders may occur.

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 REMEDIES RECOMMENDED BY THE SIDDHARS FOR ABNORMALITIES:

                             Siddhars recommended several medicines for mental abnormalities . They prescribed  Aviztham (Medicines) as well as Manthiram (Psychotherapy). Some of the medicines have been listed here:

                  1) Thuvalai – Anointing-external application:

                                          Paruthi leaves   ( Cossipium Herbaceum)

                                           Karunochi leaves

                                           Sirusundai leaves (Solanum Torvum

                                           Kattu mullai flowers

         Take equal proportion and mixed with honey and Sarvangam (incense powder). Then, give Thuvalai – annointing- external application.

                 2)  Vedhu (Steam bath):

                                          Meni leaves (Acalypha Indica)

                                          Kilukiluppai leaves

                                          Thumbai leaves (Leucas aspera)

          Take equal proportion. Make smoke with coconut shell in fireplace.

          3) Ullukku koduthal (Oral route):

                                         Meni leaves (Acalypha Indica)

                                          Kilukiluppai leaves

                                          Thumbai leaves (Leucas aspera)

                                          Thippilli (Piper Longum)

         Take each equal to a coin-weight (12gram). Make all the leaves into powder. Give this orally mixing this powder with water.

                 4) Nasium – Nasal application

                                          Karunochi leaves

                                          Thumbai leaves ( Leucas aspera)

                                          Garlic (Allium Sativum Linn)

                          Take each equal to a coin-weight (12 gram). Grind all with Sesame oil. Give Nasal application in the right nasal path.

                5) Kallikam – Ocular application:

                                          Vasambu (Acorus Calamus Linn)

                                          Sandal (Santalum Album Linn)

                                          Pepper (Piper Nigrum L.)

                                          Mahilam Flower virai  (Mimosops Elengi)

                                          Garlic (Allium Sativum Linn)

                                          Turmeric (Curcuma Longa)

          Take each equal toa coin -weight (12 gram). Grind all with cow milk and make it like a pepper size balls ( Kullikai). Then, dry all balls in sunlight .  Dissolve a kulikai in mother-milk and give ocular application. Take bath using plenty of water.

 Common medicine for 18 Kirukai:

                                          Chavukkaram

                                          Vediyuppu (Potasium Nitrate)

                                          Rasam  (Mercury)

                                          Navacharam  (Ammonium Chloride)

                                          Seenthil thandu  (Cocculus Cordifolius)

                                          Adathodai root  (Adathoda Vasica)

                                          Mandai Odu  (Human Skull)

                                          Athi Mathuram  (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

                                          Grampu  (Eugenia Caryophyllata)

           Take 4.1 grams each and dry it in sunlight. Then, make it powder. Take a kummati Fruit, after removing the seed, insert the powder in it. Dry the fruit under sunlight. Give a spoon level with the Goat milk in the morning

 Another method

                                          Kostam 100gm

                                          Amukra 20gm  (Withania Somifera

                                          Sathipathri 20gm

                                          Chukku 10gm  (Zingiber Officinale Rose)

          Grind with lemon (Citrus aurantifolia) juice and dry it like small tablets. Give 2 or 3 tablets per day for 120 days with any one of the anubanam (vehicles) Ginger juice, honey, milk, sugarcane juice or heat water.

Psychotherapy ( Manthiram)

            Giving spiritual healing is enhancing the speed of recovery. Using manthiram (Spritual words) may cure the diseases, particularly for Karma diseases.

 CONCLUSIONS:

           The modern psychiatrical theory has been developed only in the last two centuries. But, our siddha medicine system is the one of the oldest system of medicine. Siddhars clearly noted the modern classification of mental diseases are correlated with Siddhars classifications. Siddha books explained the mental diseases in the names of Amirtha choodu, Piramai, Pitham, Manapramai, Payithiyam, Vattu, Very Noi and Marul noi. The Saint Agasthiar describes 18 varieties of mental diseases. He classified mental diseases according to the symptoms as the modern classification of Psychiatry.

 References:

             1. Manidar Kirukai Nool 64, Saint Agasthiar

             2. Heritage of the Tamils Siddha Medicine, S.V.Subramonian and V.R.Madhavan,

                 International Institute of Tamil Studies, Chennai.

             3. Thamilar Thai Maruthuvam, Dr S.Chidamparathanu Pillai

             4. Introduction to Siddha Medicine, T.V.Sambasivam PIllai, Directorate of Indian Medicine

                 and Homeopathy, Chennai

             5. Abnormal Psychology, Dr R.N.Sharma, Surjeet Publication, Delhi.

             6. Psychology applied to Modern life, Wayne Weten, Margaret A.Lioyd, and Robin L

                 Lashley, Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, California.

             7. Lada Soothram 1200

             8. Varma Kalaium Vaithiyamum, Dr.Seetharam Subramoniam.

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A Modern Herbal : The Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic and Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folk-Lore of Herbs, Grasses, Fungi, Shrubs & Trees with Their Modern Scientific Uses

Last Updated on Saturday, 24 April 2010 10:46 Written by Natural Health Team Saturday, 24 April 2010 10:46

$9.54
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Product Description
Volume 1 of the fullest, most exact, most useful compilation of herbal material. Gigantic alphabetical encyclopedia, from aconite to zedoary, gives botanical information, medical properties, folklore, economic uses, much else. Indispensable to serious reader. Total in set: 161 illustrations…. More >>

herbal
A Modern Herbal : The Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic and Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folk-Lore of Herbs, Grasses, Fungi, Shrubs & Trees with Their Modern Scientific Uses