by Sudeep Chitnis

Created on: October 20, 2009

The advancement of Modern medicine was not that easily possible by the sheer fact because of know-how of different herbs and spices in a Typical Indian house. Most of the grandmothers and even mothers and wife had enough knowledge of the basic herbs that they normally use for cooking even for health reason. The internet generation of today due to its speed of life are at a point of losing all of this .With the same aim of spreading the know how of some common and uncommon spice, I write this article with some unknown herbs in the box.

1] Asafoetida:
The most common spice used in typical Indian cooking, though known for its weird odor, has some of the most amazing property .I always felt that sometimes we underestimate properties each spices that we add in our cooking . This spice is normally used in powder form only in small amounts .It has been used more and more while cooking beans. Beans when cooking are known to create gases or flatulence when eaten. To reduce this .. Add some of this spice while cooking it .Problem solve...The use of this spice is known in Ayurveda as a great spice to work on decreasing Vatta dosha or air in the body .Recently in Thailand some research is still going on , but success has been achieved of using this spice on H1N1 virus .But the property of this spice to work against flu , cough , asthma are well known in India from long time back .If you have a small tooth ache .. try this apply some of this spice with oil on the affected tooth .. Results are on your way. Same is the result of this spice with oil on abdominal pain in small kids .This amazing property has been known to reduce gaseous in new born babies too.
2] Coriander seeds:
If Asafoetida is known to work on decreasing vatta , Coriander seeds are known to cool one which means it works on decreasing Pitta . These are small seeds used in cooking in many traditional Indian recipes either in the form of seeds or its powder. Due to its cooling effect this seeds are used an effective way to cooling the body when suffering with high grade fever. Warm water with coriander seed added together is normally advised to be taken at least 1 to 2 litres a day to those who suffer with high grade fever .Coriander in its fresh form as its effects on the Urinary system, the same effects can be seen by its seeds too .The same water that we saw before can be used to drink when one is suffering burning , micturition Urinary tract infection .The diuretic nature of this seeds are known even in the medical field .
3] Mustard seeds:
Another spice that is actually used all over the world in different ways and forms .In India we use seeds while in the west more in the form of paste on burgers and with combination of honey and other stuff. The basic role of Mustard seeds in our diet is of increasing the appetite. Known for its this property traditional herbalist have been using this on clients who have reduced digestive power. The power of giving heat by this small seeds has been used too to give heat to the body by using its oil in certain parts of India. That is more prominently used in winter , by just applying mustard oil all over the body to protect from cold. In Russia and other countries nearby Mustard plaster has been commonly used to work on conditions like pneumonia and pleurisy. Indian history had a mention of using mustard plasters on client who face plague during the multiple attacks of plague that this country faced pre -independence. Because of the nature to give heat this seeds are also used on fever and cough when its known that the person has too much cough in the lungs to relieve it from it .

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