Pomegranate: Lord Ganesha's Sriphala....

Quite often we do see, Lord Ganesha holding a Modak in his hands but quite seldom it is know that he is found of a fruit called Pomegranate which indeed is a divine fruit.

Since this fruit requires dry soil, Pomegranates are drought-tolerant. In wet  areas, they can be prone to root decay from fungal diseases. They are tolerant to cold temperatures as low as -13 deg C.

The flowers, leaves, bark, peel and the seeds of pomegranate are all edible and have potent medicinal qualities.  

Yes indeed it is quite an extra ordinary fruit with some excellent and miraculous health benefits, and can be consumed not only as a fruit but a Health tonic too. It has a very important place in Ayurveda and have recommended this fruit as a prevention to many ills and disease once can come across in their life, hence it is no wonder why Lord Ganesha the God of Prosperity and Auspiciousness hold this fruit in his hands. 

Pomegranate is mainly found in place with a dry climate and do not require much water to survive which is the reason why this fruit is not found in tropical regions the tree grows about 10 to 12 feet in height and usually fruits between march and June. 

Usually found in abundance in the Mediterranean region it has widely spread to Asia, Europe Middle East. This fruit has tiny gems enclosed within a thick covering and is rich in flavonoids and antioxidants. 

The oil derived from its seeds is a common ingredient in beauty and cosmetic products. It is also used in combination with various other oils like olive oil for aromatherapy and has proven beyond doubt to be the best combination required to attain fine and smooth hair. 

Pomegranate Seed Benefits For Your Skin

Serums made from this sour fruits’ seeds have been a favorite among many because of its non greasy texture. It is also, as mentioned above, a very common ingredient in body products like facial creams, scrubbers and massage oils. 

1. Skin Moisturizing Property:

Being rich in punicic acid, the oil derived from these seeds will moisturize your skin.

2. Anti-Aging Agent:

It is also a good anti-aging agent and is sure to give you a wrinkle free skin.

3. Revitalizes Facial Skin:

This emollient will also revitalize your facial skin and is also a great product to heal wounds.

4. Heals Dry Skin & Cracks:

Apply the pomegranate seed oil on a regular basis and you can kiss goodbye to those cracks.

5. Treats Skin Infections:

People suffering from inflammatory and other skin problems like eczema, psoriasis need not worry, Pomegranate seeds have really good anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. This therefore helps in relieving you of the mentioned skin infections.

Let us take a look at how these seeds can give your hair all the health and shine it needs.

Pomegranate Seeds Benefits For Your Hair

6. Adds Shine & Luster to Hair:

One of the major advantages of pomegranate seeds are that the oil derived from this can be used as a carrier oil with other oils like Almond oil or Coconut Oil. So, if you dying for lengthy, soft and shiny locks? here you go.

7. Oil Strengthens the Dull Hair:

Heat pomegranate seed oil till it becomes mildly hot and massage your hair with it. Wrap your hair with a towel and wait for about 30 minutes before you rinse it off with a shampoo or conditioner. Being rich in essential fatty acids and punicic acid, it will strengthen all the dull strands and give your hair a natural gloss.

Pomegranate Seeds Benefits For Your Health

8. Fights Cancers:

If you  be wondering how these little jewels actually prevent the incidences of all types of cancer and heart diseases, The answer is the presence of high amounts of antioxidants and tannins, which can fight free radicals that cause cancer and protect you from it.

9. Treats Fertility Problems:

These seeds have really high estrogenic properties and therefore could be the answer to your fertility problems.

10. Improves your Immune System:

As it is rich in vitamins and minerals and have high anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory activities, it is sure to shower your body with all the immunity it requires.

11. Improves Good Cholesterol Levels:

With an abundant amount of good fatty acids, it helps your body raise it's level of good cholesterol.

Health Benefits of Pomegranate Juice:

Pomegranate has been used for medicinal purposes thousands of years. It was used as a tonic to heal ailments like ulcers and diarrhea. The glass of juice of pomegranate contains antioxidants like anthocyanin and ellagic acid, compounds like gallic acids, and flavonoids like quercetin which offer protection from diabetes, heart diseases, osteoarthritis and several kinds of cancer. ( You can eat it with seeds or have it as a Juice)

1. Pomegranate Juice Improves Your Heart Health:

Pomegranate juice can have a great impact on health, particularly on the health of the heart, by keeping the arteries flexible and decreasing the inflammation in the lining of the blood vessels. It is known to reduce atherosclerosis, which is one of the leading causes of heart disease. It lowers the risk of blockage in the arteries which can cause a restriction in the flow of blood to the heart and brain. In other words it has an anti-atherogenic effect on the heart.  It lowers the amount of LDL or bad cholesterol that is retained in the body and increases the amount of good cholesterol or HDL.

2. Pomegranate Juices Maintains Your Blood Sugar Levels:

Although pomegranate juice contains fructose, it does not elevate the blood sugar levels as other fruit juices do. Studies have shown that there was no significant increase in the blood sugar level of diabetic patients who drank this juice daily for a period of 2 weeks.

3. Pomegranate Juice Maintains Your Blood Pressure:

Pomegranates are also known to reduce high blood pressure (4). The juice reduces lesions and the inflammation of blood vessels in heart patients. It is a natural aspirin, which keeps the blood from coagulating and forming blood clots. It even acts as a blood thinner allowing for an unrestricted flow of blood through the body.

4. Pomegranate Juice Reduces Risk Of Cancer:

Pomegranate juice eliminates free radicals from the body and inhibits the growth and development of cancer and other diseases. Its high contents of anti- oxidants stimulate the white blood cells to neutralize toxins in the body thereby promoting a strong and healthy immune system. Pomegranate is believed to induce apoptosis, a process where the cells destroy themselves. Daily intake of a glass of pomegranate juice can slow down the growth of cancerous cells in prostate cancer (5). Moreover it appears to block aromatase, an enzyme that converts androgen to estrogen, a hormone which plays a crucial role in the development of breast cancer.

5. Helps in weight loss:

Flavonoids present in this oil help to reduce cholesterol, thereby reducing the accumulation of bad fat cells and resulting in shedding of extra flab from the body.

6. Protecting against muscle aches and inflammations:

The conjugate fatty acids like punicic acid present in this oil help to make the body resilient against inflammation, ease muscle pain and reduce swellings in the body.

7. Increases immunity and prevents hormonal imbalances:

Phytoestrogens present in this oil are helpful to treat and avoid hormonal imbalances, and the essential Vitamin B, Vitamin C and mineral content of this oil help to develop and strengthen the immunity system of the body.

8. Helps to maintain healthy and flawless skin:

The natural antioxidants present in pomegranate help to protect the skin from the harmful free radicals, aid in regulating the production of sebum and help treat hormonal imbalances in the body which consequently help in treating and preventing acne while the moisturizing effect of this nutrient-rich oil revitalizes and rejuvenates the skin to help it look smooth, soft and flawless.

This plant or tree can easily be grown in our backyard or society garden, as it requires less water it is necessary to plant it where the sold is dry or water can run off easily, better option shall be to plant it in a big pot, in your home by which you are sure that it is off harmful chemicals and you can have a safe healthy pomegranates in your home, it requires lees of fertilizers if all you can feed this plant with earthworm manure or cow dung. Once this fruits it gives abundance of fruits to share with your family by which you can have a daily intake of One every day.

So why wait go plant one of this tree for your health for your family.

May Maa Bharti Shower her Grace on You,

Jayan Divakaran

The Neem Tree: A miracle, A Boon.

In my early post i had mentioned about society farming and its necessity. 

http://jayandivakaran.blogspot.in/2014/10/society-gardening-and-farming.html

   The Neem tree is considered to be of utmost importance in Our culture and tradition not only cause its a holy tree as many temple rituals and worship use the leaves of this tree but also it plays a very important role in preventing many disease and is used in many Ayurvedic Medicine.

   The Ayurveda texts of India, talk extensively about Neem as  early as 5000 BC.  Translated from Sanskrit one para reads--    

QUOTE ‘Neem bark is cool, bitter, astringent, acrid and refrigerant. It is useful in tiredness, cough, fever, loss of appetite, worm infestation. It heals wounds and vitiated conditions of kapha, vomiting, skin diseases, excessive thirst, and diabetes. Neem leaves are reported to be beneficial for eye disorders and insect poisons. It treats Vatik disorder. It is anti-leprotic. It’s fruits are bitter, purgative, anti-hemorrhoids and anthelmintic’  UNQUOTE

    The tree is found in plenty in tropical climates and can be grown easily and the best part of this tree is that it can sustain harsh climates like droughts, hence it is found in all parts of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan too.

   The tree grows very fast and more over and spreads in all directions quickly gives a lot of shade and have a vast medicinal properties which is why our ancestors planted this Miracle tree on the streets, roads, temple and in their backyard so that this tree can wards of harmful insects, worms and bacteria's that are harmful to our health and environment.

    Neem tree is the best when it comes to warding off mosquito from your house. I have planted two such tree on the left and right side on my house in my native place in Kerala, where mosquito problem is a big menace with Dengue and Chikunguniya on the rise in Kerala my Home is protected all through out the year and thanks to this Miracle tree. 

   It is even said that a fully grown Neem tree can guard a surrounding of about 20 meter in radius. So what ever comes in its zone is a safe and healthy zone. It was due to this reason why our ancestors planted this tree on the periphery of the agricultural land to prevent harmful insect from attacking their yield, but now much of this knowledge has eroded form in modern times as Under the British Rule we have lost all the ancient knowledge of Agriculture.

    The situation of our farmers is such that before British rule Indian farmers were the richest in the World now they are so poor that they have either left the occupation else have committed suicide. India at the moment has the highest rate of Farmer Suicide on the planet and our useless government do not even bother to look at this increasing Suicide cases turning a blind eye it seems they are happy that farmers are committing suicide.

    The Neem tree has always been a part of life of every Hindu homes, it is found in plenty in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and it's advantages are mentioned as below:-

    The neem tree has dense leaves. In spring small white flowers blossom. Later in June small fruits appear changing from green to yellow. There is a single seed inside which gives neem oil.

   Neem contains certain complex organic chemical compounds like azadirachitin,  triterpenes, limonoids, nonterpenoids, hexanortriterpenoids, pentattriterpenoids etc. Nothing is wasted –every part of the plant is used like leaf, flower,  bark sap neera , seed, oil etc.

     Neem is  Anti Bacterial, Anti Fungal, Anti Viral, Anti Parasitic, Anti Inflammatory and Anti Pyretic

     The paste of Neem leaves is a very good remedy and cure for It combats acne, rash allergy, Ringworms, lice, dandruff, hair fall, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Gout, Constipation, Worms , Malaria, Sinus, Cough, STD, Ulcers, Foot Fungi.

Neem tree bark, leaves, and seeds are used to make medicine. Less frequently, the root, flower, and fruit are also used.

Neem leaf is used for leprosy, eye disorders, bloody nose, intestinal worms, stomach upset, loss of appetite, skin ulcers, diseases of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease), fever, diabetes, gum disease (gingivitis), and liver problems. The leaf is also used for birth control and to cause abortions.

The bark is used for malaria, stomach and intestinal ulcers, skin diseases, pain, and fever.

The flower is used for reducing bile, controlling phlegm, and treating intestinal worms.

The fruit is used for hemorrhoids, intestinal worms, urinary tract disorders, bloody nose, phlegm, eye disorders, diabetes, wounds, and leprosy.

Neem twigs are used for cough, asthma, hemorrhoids, intestinal worms, low sperm levels, urinary disorders, and diabetes. People in the tropics sometimes chew neem twigs instead of using toothbrushes, but this can cause illness; neem twigs are often contaminated with fungi within 2 weeks of harvest and should be avoided.

The seed and seed oil are used for leprosy and intestinal worms. They are also used for birth control and to cause abortions.

The stem, root bark, and fruit are used as a tonic and astringent.

Some people apply neem directly to the skin to treat head lice, skin diseases, wounds, and skin ulcers; as a mosquito repellent; and as a skin softener.

Inside the vagina, neem is used for birth control.

Neem is also used as an insecticide.

Neem contains chemicals that might help reduce blood sugar levels, heal ulcers in the digestive tract, prevent conception, kill bacteria and prevent plaque formation in the mouth.

May Maa Bharti Shower Her grace on You,

Jayan Divakaran