UseNature: Ayurveda & Ghee

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Misty L. Trepke

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Ayurveda - Ghee

 

http://www.usenature.com/article_ayurveda_ghee.htm

 

Clinical application of Ghee in Ayurveda Practice

 

The Ghee was commonly known as ghritam in vedic period. In ancient

period, people were using ghee for various purposes - as food

product and also as therapeutic aspect, unfortunately today people

are not having this therapeutic knowledge of this gift of nature and

on the other hand due to improper knowledge people are having fear

and myths for its consumption.

 

Ghee is a yellowish white fatty substance, obtained from the milk

of mammals. Ayurveda considers Milk of eight kind of mammals safe

for human beings, viz, cow, buffalo, goat, sheep, camel, elephant,

mare and woman. Ghee can be prepared from this eight kind of milk

are also safe for human. In normal condition, cow's milk ghee is

considered to be the best for human consumption.

 

Ayurveda considers ghee as madhur rasa with Vata and Pitta dosha

pacifying qualities. It is good for growth of the all seven dhatus

in the body (body fluids, blood, flesh, fat, bones, marrow and

semen). It is best suited to people of every age, children, young

and old alike. Ghee makes all sensory organs more efficient. It also

enhance the growth of hair, formation of bones (rejoins broken

bonesin injury), growth of hair and improves skin complexion. It is

made of all five elements - pruthvi, jala, agni, vayu and aakash,

which are basic elements of the life.

 

Different scholars of Ayurveda has described various uses and

benefits from the Ghee.

 

Maharshi Charak says ghee is stimulates appetite. It balances Vata

and Pitta dosha, reduces poison in the body, increases memory and

intelligence. Ghee is considered as the best among all fat

substances and thousands of formulas for medicated ghee are

described in Charak Samhita for the treatment of various illness.

 

Acharya Sushruta says ghee is sweet, soft, gentle and beneficial to

the body in general. It increases jatharagni in the body, but it is

also heavy to digest. In addition to Charaka's comments, he suggest

ghee for complexion, beauty and glow. Acharya Vagbhatta describes

its healing properties and special benefits in the cases of burns

and weapon wounds.

 

There are four kinds of fat described in Ayurveda; Ghee, oil, Vasa

(fat from animals) and bone marrow. Ghee is considered as the best

among all fats, due to its characteristics to absorb all the

medicinal properties of the herbs with which it is fortified,

without loosing its own qualities. It is heard that only cow's milk

ghee can increase HDL (that is harmless to the body), all other

types of fat normally increase LDL more.

 

Ayurveda describes Ghee as antiseptic, antibiotic and best

preservative. There is no need for any other preservative for Ghee.

 

In Panchkarma treatments - a specialized branch of treatment in

Ayurveda, there is one 'Snehana' therapy. Under this therapy fats

are normally used for therapeutic aspects. External applications and

internal uses of different kind of fat are described here. Medicated

or plain (pure) ghee is used here according to disease or the

condition of the person.

 

Ghee is used here to support - the treatments of diseases, the

rejuvenative treatments (rasayana) or the aphrodisiac treatments

(vajikaran).

 

Ghee can be used for treatments like - abhyang - massage,

Akshitarpan (treatment for eys), Gandush (Gargle - full mouth filled

with ghee), Pichu - ghee swab application etc. Internally it can be

recommended for 3 to 7 days in increasing doses. The dose can be up

to 10 ml to 150 ml per day, according to disease or person's

condition of the body.

 

Ghee in therapeutic uses:

 

In treatment of Headache :

 

Several cases of non-specific headaches or migraine were asked to

consume 50 to 70 gram lukewarm ghee, early morning either plain -

with milk or as 'Shira' - a sweet preparation for 7 days.

 

Clinically after one week majority of the patients were noted

significant benefits.

 

Headaches due to Pitta and Vata dosha can be controlled with ghee.

Particularly in summer, Pittaj shirahshul and Suryavart headache

this simple experiment shows very good results.

 

Article provided by:

Ayurve Beauty,Health & Skin Care

Level 7, 99 York Street, Sydney City

02 9262 3466