Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Nagalinga Pushpa or Canon Ball Tree Flower Did you know that Nagalinga Pushpa or Canon Ball Tree Flower, though of Amazon Valley origin, is widely grown in India and offered in Hindu worship of Shiva as its five leafed petals resemble Naga, sacred snake, protecting a Shiva Lingam?  Nagalinga Pushpa or Canon Ball Tree Flower with the botanical name Couroupita guianensis (credited to the French botanist Jean Baptiste Christophore Fusée Aublet in 1775) in the flowering plant family of Lecythidaceae, known as harbinger of wealth and prosperity in Hindu beliefs, is native to the Amazon Valley in South America and to the west Indies. The migration of this species to South Asia, particularly to India, where it has attained spiritual significance as a special offering to the Hindu God Lord Shiva, is not clear but historians opine that there is clear evidence of the transfer of this species from Latin America to South Asia as far back as the pre-Columbian period (before 15th ...

Magaliberu (Decalepis hamiltonii) Did you know that Makali Beru (Decalepis hamiltonii), a root vegetable with its commanding flavour and aroma is in great demand in the pickle making, and is a powerhouse of medicinal properties? Magaliberu (ಮಾಗಳಿಬೇರು) species with botanical name Decalepis hamiltonii and with English name of swallow root, belongs to Asclepiadaceae family, a root vegetable with its commanding flavour and aroma. It is a monogeneric climbing shrub native to the Indian Deccan peninsula and forest areas of Western Ghats of India, and particularly in the forests of the parent old Mysore State (Karnataka now). It is known as Sariba and Svetasariva in Sanskrit, Magali beru and Makali beru in Kannada, Mahali kizhangu or Perum-nannari in Tamil, Nannari in Malayalam, Maredu kommulu in Telugu, it grows as a shrub or undershrub, the aromatic rhizome (root) of which is used in Ayurvedic medicines and for use in pickles and to make sharbat.  Its high va...

In  Ayurveda, a lot of importance is given to Agni (fire). ⁠ ⁠ The Agni is responsible for all #digestive and metabolic processes in the human body. Our Agni determines which substances enter our cells and tissues and which substances get removed as waste. ⁠ ⁠ When our Agni's are impaired, imbalance and disease will likely follow over time. Agni is so important that, without it, death soon follows. ⁠ ⁠ Ayurveda #cooking teaches us how to use turmeric, cumin, black pepper, ginger, and other spices to not only aid in digestion but add taste and aroma to our food. it can also help in the elimination of toxins in our body.

There was a time in this world when a Krishna was required and he was sent;         A time when a Christ was required and he was sent; a time when a Mahatma was required and he was sent;          There came a time when you were required on this planet and hence you were sent. Let us be the best we can be. In the history of the universe, there has been nobody like you and to the infinity of time to come, there will be no one like you.            Existence should have loved you so much that it broke the mould after making you, so that another of your kind will never get repeated.           You are original. You are rare. You are unique. You are a wonder. You are a masterpiece. .. Your Master’s piece. Celebrate your Uniqueness.. - Gurudev Sri Sri..

How many times have you waited for someone to reply to the message you wrote but never received it ?  How many times have you dressed up for someone, waiting to hear from them that you’re beautiful ?   How many times have you waited for someone’s call, so that they make you feel happy ?  How many times have you waited for someone to appreciate the work you’re doing, so it’s easier for you to continue doing it ?  With the reply that never came, the compliment you didn’t hear, the phone call that wasn’t intended and the appreciation that was held back – you and I, we lost our self-worth.  Since kindergarten, we began to associate our self-worth with the golden stars our teachers gave us.  By middle school, this turned into how popular people thought we were and by college, we were living on the compliments we received and the number of people who praised us.   - Gurudev Sri Sri..

And till today, we think that our worth is determined by the way others perceive us. Thus, we want our friends to give joy to us, we want our partners to constantly praise us, we want to be noticed, and we want to be appreciated.  Slowly and gradually, this will harm us. Seeking approval and validation from others will change into a permanent, life-long struggle if we don’t start believing in ourselves.  Stand in front of the mirror and look at yourself – carefully. Speak to your reflection.  Tell your reflection you are beautiful, you are strong. Tell your reflection that you appreciate yourself, that you love yourself, that you want to make yourself happy. Tell your reflection that you’ll be there for yourself. Because, sooner or later, you will realize that there is no one who will always be there for you, *there is no one.* - Gurudev Sri Sri..

When we were in Cuba, this is what I said to the rebels. I told them, "All that you want is prosperity for your people and it is not going to come to you through violence. For 50 years you have been exercising violence. You bombed the railway stations, the water sources, telephone towers and you just got more misery. If you work with non-violence as your principle, the whole world is with you".           First they said, "No, this is not possible because it will be hypocritical to adopt the Gandhian non-violent principle". It took them three days to understand, digest and look from this angle and on the last day they announced on their own that they will adopt non-violence as the means to achieve their ends. *50 years of war came to an end !*          The South American newspapers and media asked me, "What did you say to them that they agreed to be non-violent? They didn’t agree to the Americans, to the Norwegians and th...

CUCUMBER : The lowest calorie veggie that has 95 % of water and also has few vitamins and minerals. Cucumber is a good cleanser and has eliminative properties.Thus it can be consumed raw as in salads,juices etc. It has only 16 kilo calories. It aids in weight loss,reduces cholesterol, promotes good digestion due to its alkaline property. And also acts as a beauty aid and is good for silky hair. By Dr. Meghana S

Remedy for Hyper Pigmentation of skin : ALOE VERA jelly acts as the cleanser and has a deep impact on some skin disorders too.  Extract aloevera gel from the plant and apply to the pigmented areas of the skin.Then wash off after 30 min. OLIVE OIL is another remedy to reduce pigmentation.Just apply Olive oil and massage for few minutes and wash your face with 1 tbsp gram flour mixed in water in a cold water. BY Dr. Meghana S

Acupuncture : Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese method of healing diseases in which fine needles are inserted in the skin at specific points along what are considered to be lines of energy (meridians), used specially in the treatment of various physical and mental conditions like headache, migraine, sinusitis, low back pain,sciatica,frozen shoulder etc. By Dr Meghana S

Healthy Eating : Hippocrates said "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" and in Naturopathy, diet therapy is our main source to heal the body naturally, thus providing good health and vibrant energy.

Ayurvedic Tips for Good Sleep. We all know sleep is crucial to our health - during sleep we consolidate memory, generate muscle tissue and strengthen our immune system, amongst many other things. To facilitate a good night's sleep, turn your bedroom into a temple of sleep! Here's how, according to Ayurveda: 🌙 Cut out your caffeine and sugar consumption after 3pm. Your body will have a tough time closing up shop for the night if you have sugary, caffeinated substances running through your system. 🌙 Avoid exercise right before bed, but move your body during the day - take the stairs, go for a walk, do yoga, and get active! Your body is designed to be in motion during the day and at rest at night. 🌙 Drink hot spiced milk before bed. Try a hot cup with a pinch of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg. The spices are cleansing for your body, and the nutmeg is calming. 🌙 Give yourself some screen-free quiet time for at least an hour before bed by turning off your ph...

🔱 *Learn to chant Rudram!* 🔱 1️⃣ *Rudram Chanting Phase 1 (Online on Zoom)* 🗓️ 20-29 Dec 🕖 7-9 PM Learn to chant Ganesh Atharva Shirsham & Namakam. Eligibility: - This program is only for Indian National males - Regular practice of Sandhyavandanam is mandatory 2️⃣ *Rudram Chanting Phase 2 (Online on Zoom)* 🗓️ 1-10 Dec 🕖 7-9 PM Learn to chant Chamakam & Durga Suktam. Eligibility: - Must have completed Rudram Chanting Phase 1 - Regular practice of Sandhyavandanam is mandatory  *Register:* https://linktr.ee/vdst 📞 9739999768 📧 trainings@vaidicpujas.org - Vaidic Dharma Sansthan

Vishnu Krantha (Evolvulus alsinoides)  Did you know that Vishnu Krantha (Evolvulus alsinoides) plant, seen with it’s beautiful small blue or purple flowers on the road sides and waste lands throughout India, is mainly used as a home remedy for improving memory, reducing stress, to treat fevers, for hair growth and to treat wounds? Vishnu Krantha with the scientific name Evolvulus alsinoides, is also known as Shankhpushpi (Blue pea flowers), Vishnukarandhi, Vishnu-kranta, Vishukarandi, Sankaholi, Morning-glory, dwarf Morning-glory, and slender dwarf Morning-glory, and Blue Daze flower. It has a natural pantropical distribution encompassing tropical and warm-temperate regions. This plant with it’s beautiful small purple flowers on the road sides and waste lands is seen throughout India (though originated in Americas and spread widely in Africa), upto an altitude of 1300 m, and is prostrate, much branched herb with small woody rootstock. The genus name comes from the La...

Sorghum or Jowar or Jola  Did you know that Sorghum, termed as God's Crop", is the fourth major cereal in terms of production and fifth in acreage following wheat, rice, maize and barley, in 95 countries of the world including India? Did you know that Sorghum (Jowar or Jola) has many health benefits as it is gluten free, high in protein, good source of iron and fibre, cholesterol free, nutritious and rich in antioxidants, enhances digestive health, energy and improves blood pressure and circulation? Sorghum or Jowar or Jola ಜೋಲಾ, hailed as the "God's Crop", belongs to genus of about 25 species of flowering plants, the grass family Poaceae (grass) and subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Andropogonaeae (the same as big bluestem and sugarcane), and is charachterised by dorsally compressed spikeletts. It is a unique drought resistant food crop produced for domestic and export markets with multiple uses as food, feed, fodder. and fibre.  ...

Mulberry Tree  Did you know that the Mulberry Tree hailed as “the tree of life” with unique healing properties dating back to over 5,000 years, belongs to the genus of Morus, flowering plants in the family Moraceae, with its foliage being the only food for the silkworm (Bombyx mori)? Mulberry Tree, synonymous with silk production, originated near the lower slopes of the Himalayas, is in the Morus genus flowering plants in the family Moraceae, consisting of diverse species of deciduous trees. Said to be more than 5,000 years old, it is more known as the food source of silk worms and also an herb used not only in India but also in China, and in fact was central to life in ancient times, both in the East and West.  Hailed by Emperors, poets, artists and depicted in various literary compilations, throughout India, Asia, Europe, and Middle East not only as a healing food ingredient and as a traditional medicine to restore health, but mostly for its derive...

Suvrnagedde (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius) Did you know that Suvrnagedde (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius), Annual soft tuberous herbal tropical crop, known by numerous synonyms, also popular as Elephant foot yam, is an odd looking aroid in the Araceae family of plants, and is an anti malarial and anti diarrhoea folk medicine? Suvrnagedde, also spelled Suvarnagadde (ಸುವರ್ಣಗಡ್ಡೆ) in Kannada language, with scientific name Amorphophallus paeoniifolius with several synonyms is popularly called Elephant foot yam is a topical tuber crop, an odd looking aroid in the Araceae family of plants widely grown throughout India. Its origin though said to be in India is contested and claimed to be from Islands of Southeast Asia, which spread to Thailand and Pacific Islands and then to India and Sri Lanka. It is a giant yam popular for culinary purposes and in folk medicine, and is raised as a cash crop.  In vernacular languages of India, it is called Suvrnagedde or Suvan...