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In childhood whenever we use to fall ill or any member of our family use to fall ill, we use to rush to our home doctor i.e., our ‘Dadi’s’ and ‘Nani’s’. She was the one who know treatments for various kinds of ailments and recommend the home remedies or medicines available in our kitchen or from her medicine pouch called the grandma’s pouch i.e., ‘Aajjibai chaa Batuwa’

We all know the concept of ‘Food as Medicine’ and We all also have heard this proverb, ‘You are what you eat’. So, while eating the food make sure you are eating a Healthy Diet. Unhealthy food not only affects you physically but also shows an adverse impact on your mental and emotional health. So, choose the right food, the right diet in a proportionate and adequate quantity to be healthy, fit, and fine. Along with food you also need to follow regular exercise, good proper sleep, and hygiene.

Our mother nature has bestowed us with so many varieties of plants. These plants are the producers and produce the food for themselves and several life forms on the planet Earth. The Plant produces primary metabolites in the form of sugars or carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and a wide variety of secondary metabolites in the form of alkaloids, tannins, terpenoids, steroids, phenolic compounds, antibiotics, etc. Consuming this plant-based food which is rich in nutrients can not only boost our health but also can prevent us from several diseases or heal from several diseases.

Your kitchen is the place where you have these different plant-based foods rich in several nutrients. There are grains such as cereals and pulses, ghee, edible oils, spices and condiments, fruits and vegetables. These foods have many health benefits. In this article, we will see the health benefits of different food ingredients which have various medicinal properties and can be used as remedies to treat various kinds of ailments and diseases. There is a small pharmacy in our home too and that is our Kitchen.

Below we see different food ingredients for different kinds of ailments and medicines from your pharmacy i.e., your Kitchen which is as follows:

1. Common Cold, Cough & Fever:

  • For this make a half cup of black tea with adding crushed ginger and clove, and black pepper powder, if Tulsi is available add that too. These ingredients are readily available in our kitchen.
  • You can also drink warm milk with turmeric or Ginger extract with honey is also recommended to relieve from cough and fever.
  • So, definitely use these ingredients for treating these ailments, as it contains several medicinal constituents which can kill harmful pathogens entered in our body and also boost Immunity.

2. Indigestion: 

If there is difficulty in digesting food then the condition is called Indigestion.

  • For improving digestion, again opt for black tea including ginger in it, 30 mins after food.
  • Eat carom seeds(ajwain) mix rock salt and swallow it with warm water in case of an indigestion problem.
  • You can also eat fennel seeds daily after the food for proper digestion.
  • Include Hing, garlic, onion, curd, or buttermilk in your diet to improve digestion.
  • Drinking cumin water or Jeera water (cumin seeds boiled in water for 2-3mins) daily on an empty stomach can give immense health benefits and can keep your digestive system healthy.
    Above are any of the remedies you can follow for improving digestion and overcoming Indigestion problems.

3. Flatulence: 

If there is excessive gas in the digestive tract leading to the passage of gas is called Flatulence.

  • It can be treated by drinking Hing with warm water
  • Eating carrom seeds with rock salt and swallowing them with warm water can help improve the condition
  • Chewing Fennel seeds are also beneficial to solve the problem of flatulence.

4. Constipation: 

When there is difficulty in bowel movement or can’t pass stool then the condition is called constipation

  • This can be treated by drinking plenty of water at least 15 glasses of water a day. Drinking warm water early in the morning can show a good result.
  • Eat fiber-rich food such as leafy vegetables such as spinach, fenugreek, cabbage, etc. Carrots, radish, beetroot, cucumber, banana, etc. are beneficial to overcome the constipation problem.
  • Consume carom seeds (ajwain) with rock salt along with warm water. Chew the fennel seeds and cumin seeds.
  • Also include curd or buttermilk in your diet.
  • Constipation can also be treated by consuming the overnight soaked fenugreek seeds along with water in which the seeds are soaked. This should be consumed in the morning.

5. Diarrhoea: 

Frequent loose motion condition is called diarrhea. In diarrhea because of loose motion, there is dehydration in the body in that case Electrolyte solution or ORS(oral rehydration solution) is recommended.

  • For making electrolyte solution in a glass of water add 1 spoon of salt, and 1 spoon of sugar, squeeze a lemon, mix it, and drink.
  • Chewing fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) can help overcome diarrhea as it has fibers and mucilage will swells absorbing water and making the stool bulky curing diarrhoea.

6. Acne & Pimples: 

There are different home remedies and face packs to treat acne and pimples along with that drink plenty of water, exercise, and avoid unhealthy and oily foods.

  • Besan+ Rice flour + Maida + tomato + curd acts like a scrubber reduces dark spots and makes the skin glow, reducing pimples and acne.
  • Gram flour (Besan) + Turmeric (Haldi)+ curd can also reduce pimples, acne, and dark spots.

7. Hair fall, Dandruff, Premature greying: 

In this condition eat nutritious food including vegetables in the diet, do regular exercise to increase the blood flow to your head, and twice a week do head massage with homemade oil which is as follows:

  • Take coconut oil in that add chopped onions, add fenugreek seeds, add curry leaves and if hibiscus flower is available add that too, and boil it for 15-20mins.
  • After that cool it down and strain and apply and massage on your scalp from root to tip of hair. These hair oils will reduce dandruff and prevent hair fall and greying.

8. Anemia: 

It is a condition in which the level of hemoglobin goes down in the blood. For this eat the food rich in iron, folic acid content, and Vitamin B12.

  • Daily eat 7-8 Dates (khajur)
  • Include banana, spinach, beetroot, and Curd in your diet.

9. Detoxification of body: 

For this do fasting once a week, do regular exercise, and drink plenty of water.

  • Drink lemon water in the morning empty stomach
  • Or drink jeera + snauff+ ajwain water (add all 3 ingredient in water and boil for 3-5mins).
  • Black tea along with ginger (ginger tea)
  • These will not only detoxify the body but also boost immunity and aids digestion.

10. Injury, wounds, and cuts: 

If there is inflammation and swelling caused due to injury apply the paste of turmeric and onion on it. If there are cuts or wounds leading to bleeding applying turmeric on it can get a healing effect.

11. Manage Diabetes: 

There are some food ingredients which are Antidiabetic and should consume along with exercise and yoga.

  • Cucumber, Bottle gourd, and Bitter gourd which should include in the diet.
  • Daily in the morning consume the soaked fenugreek seeds along with soaked fenugreek seed water.

12. Prevent cancer: 

There are many food ingredients that are Anticarcinogenic or Anticancerous. We should consume food rich in antioxidants and there is a wide variety of food which are rich in antioxidants but few are mentioned such as fruits like lemon, orange, sweet limes, and all fruits. Vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, etc. Spices like Turmeric, these are the food not only prevent cancer but also fights cancer. Along with that include regular exercise or yoga, practice the breathing exercise ‘Pranayama’ and reduce the sugar intake. This kills the cancerous cells in the body.

Above are the health benefits and medicinal food Ingredients present in your kitchen which you should not ignore or take it lightly instead use it to treat or prevent different kinds of diseases and ailments and lead a happy and healthy life.

So, eat your food as medicine to be healthy and happy!

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