Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Sesame  Did you know that Sesame, one of India's oldest and most precious plant in Hinduism, is considered to be the oldest known crop to humanity in the form of oil seed (Ellu)? Sesame, with botanical name Sesamum indicuma, a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum, also called benne in English since 1769, is one of India's oldest and most precious crops considered a Divine gift given by God, growing for more than 5000 years and it now accounts for about a quarter of sesame production worldwide.  Sesame plant is a variable, erect, annual plant that can grow from 1 - 3 metres tall. Plants can be branched or unbranched. The root system has a strongly tapering taproot up to 90cm long. Its Leaf arrangement is Alternate-spiral. Its bell shaped flowers, white to pale-rose in colour, ffowering from April to September develop in the leaf axils 6 to 8 weeks after planting and this continues for several weeks. Its fruitrs in the form of deeply goved c...

Money Plant (Epipremnum aureum) Did you know that Money Plant, as a succulent, acts as an anti radiator, is both an indoor and outdoor plant that according to Vastu and Feng Shui, kept anywhere (except in the north-east direction) will fill the house with prosperity and wealth? Money Plant, with the botanical name Epipremnum aureum of the araceous family, a tropical vining (creeper) plant, is succulent and can be propagated and grown easily from stem cuttings in water, in a pot or soil provided it is properly cared for. It is also known by many other names such as golden pothos, silver vine, devil's vine, devil's ivy, Solomon Islands ivy, hunter's robe, ivy arum, taro vine, feng shui money plant, etc. It is grown extensively not only in India but also in Northern Australia through Southeast Asia into China, Japan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. As the plant flourishes exceedingly well in those houses where people have ample money, it is a st...

Spider plant (Chlorophytum Comosum) Did you know that Spider plant (Chlorophytum Comosum), a member of the large lily family (Liliaceae) is one of popular hanging plants, and a joy to grow if it produces the spiderlike “ babies ” that give it its name? The spider plant with the botanical name Chlorophytum comosum, also known as airplane plant or ribbon plant, spider ivy, and hen and chickens, a member of the large lily family (Liliaceae), is native to tropical and southern Africa and naturalized in other parts of the world. It is easily grown as a house plant, and its variegated forms are the most popular. Its most popular two variegated cultivars are  Chlorophytum comosum 'Vittatum' and Chlorophytum comosum 'Variegatum'. The Indian Spider Plant is known in Hindi as Biskandri, Safed Musli, Sans Musali, Sweta-musli in Sanskrit, and is distributed in Eastern Himalaya, Assam, and Bihar. It is not known how the spider plant got its common name b...

Gerbera/Jarbera  Did you know that Gerbera/Jarbera daisy, a type of flowery plant is planted and cultivated mainly for their attractive, colorful flowers and overall pleasant aesthetics, and fill up pots for its colorful statement? Gerbera/Jarbera daisy plants or simply Gerberas with about 30 varieties of flowers, frequently self-grown flowers across the tropical and temperate zones, originated from Africa and Asian continents and belongs to “Compositae” family. It is named in honour of German botanist and medical doctor Traugott Gerber (1710-1743). They are members of the vast the Asteraceae (daisy family), which includes sunflowers, chrysanthemums, and asters, They are also known as Transvaal daisy or Bar berton daisy or African daisy. In the Indian continent, Gerbera is well distributed from Kashmir to Nepal at altitudes from 1200 meters to 3000 meters. They grow as one of the well-known commercial crop in states such as Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Mah...

Agarwood (Agar) Did you know that Agarwood derived from the infected heartwood of a family of evergreen aquilaria trees, indigenous to Southeast Asia including India, called as "Diamond in the forest" and even "The Wood of God", is the source of the world's most expensive incense? Agarwood (or just Agar) is a dark resinous heartwood that forms in Aquilaria trees (large evergreens native to southeast Asia and India, particularly Northeast India) when they become infected with a type of mold. Also referred to as "The Black Gold" as it is the source of the world's most expensive incense, a value more expensive than gold. Agarwood is called as "Diamond in the forest" and, some call it as "The Wood of God".  Agarwood was discovered in Ancient Egypt and also finds mention in Vedic texts of India for the use of incense and perfume. It is also stated, Agarwood is highly revered in the seminal texts of Hinduism, ...

Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata)    Did you know that Snake Plant, aka Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, is one of the most oxygen-producing houseplants and absorbs cancer-causing toxic air pollutants such as O2, benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene?  Snake Plants with botanical name Dracaena trifasciata, also known as Sansevieria trifasciata, Saint George's sword, viper's bowstring hemp, etc., has an amusing epithet called "Mother-in-Law’s Tongue" as its leaves - sharp , pointed, or severe - is comparable to the sharp tone of the mother-in- law when she retorts to her son-in- law who illtreats her daughter. Its name as "viper's bowstring hemp", is due to the reason that it is one of the sources for plant fibers used to make bowstrings. The snake Plant has tremedous positive qualties to be kept as house plants as it is one of the most oxygen-producing houseplants and absorbs cancer-causing toxic air pollutants such...

Centella asiatica - Mandooka Parni Did you know that Mandooka Parni (Centella asiatica), a herbal plant, native to the wetlands in India, with a vernacular name Brahmi soppu (ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಿ ಸೊಪ್ಪು), is used in decoction form as a brain tonic and its tender leaves used to treat leprosy? Mandooka Parni with the botanical name Centella asiatica, also known as Indian pennywort, is a common herbal plant which grows widely in wetlands (aquatic) of India, Asia. and also in temperate and tropical swampy areas in many regions of the world. It is a small, herbaceous, frost-tender perennial flowering plant in the family of Apiaceae. It is a creeping herb with shovel shaped leaves emerging alternately in clusters at the stem nodes. It is not only a medicinal herb but its aerial part is used as a a vegetable in many Asian countries.  The Plant, indigenous to the Indian subcontinet, has many Indian vernacular language names such as: Mandooka parni, Bhandiri in Sa...

Madhumalti or Rangoon Creeper Did you know that the Madhumalti or Rangoon Creeper, an ornamental plant, also grown in houses, with flowers blooming in eye-catching colours from white to pink to red in that order, have an appealing aroma? The Madhumalti or Rangoon Creeper is an ornamental plant, with the botanical name Combretum Indicum in the family of Combretfaceae (Rangoon creeper family); Combretum Indicum is derived from the name of its genus and its synonyms are Quisqualis indica, Quisqualis grandiflora, Quisqualis sinensis. The plant is creeper in nature, a ligneous vine growing upwards through the canopy to heights of 2 m and up to 8m. Plant's stems twine to the left. Its flowers in clusters, mystically fragrant, changes its colour as its blooms with white at dusk on the first day then to pink to red and finaly fading with darker maroon after three days. Its fragrance features notes of natural Tuberose and Jasmine. The white colored flowers attrac...

WHEAT GRASS JUICE :  The wheat grass juice is the nature's finest to improve the overall condition of the body. It is the most powerful anti oxidant, detoxifier filled with vitamins,minerals and phyto nutrients.  It contains chlorophyll which carries more oxygen to the cells thus very helpful in the cases of anaemia. BY Dr Meghana S