Honey & ayurveda
Honey is widely used food products all over the world. 8 types of naturally produced honey (Depending on the type of bee which collects It.) were described in the ayurvedic texts. They are Pouttika , Bhramara, Kshoudra, Makshika , Chatra , Arghya ,Oudalaka ,Dala (This all names is in SANSKRIT Language)
Amongst all the above type "Makshika" Honey (Honey collected by small honey bees) is considered as the best type with immense medicinal properties and useful for weight loss and KAPHA DOSHA.
Name in different Language
· English - Honey
· Sanskrit – Madhu ( मधु), Makshik (माक्षिक), Kshodra (क्षोद्र)
· Hindi – Shahad ( शहद)
· Gujarati – Madh (मध)
HONEY is the only food that doesn't spoil.
Guideline for honey usage
- To be used only after storing for one year
- Not to be used in excessive quantities.
- Honey should not be heated, or mixed with hot foods.
- Honey should not be consumed when you are working in hot environment where you are exposed to more heat or during summer.
- Not to be mixed with equal quantities of water, ghee etc. (for internal use), also never be mixed with whisky, rum brandy etc.
- If taken in excessive quantity, produced a condition called MADHVAJIRNA(A situation called indigestion of honey in AYURVEDA)
Therapeutic uses of Honey:
- Honey could be used as instant energizer.
- Honey is best antioxidant and helps to restores the damaged skin and gives soft, young looks, also useful in wounds, for faster healing.
- Regular use of honey strengthens the WBC which fights bacteria and other viral diseases.
- Honey is very good for eyesight.
- It is very useful in UTI, Asthma, Cough & Common Cold and for hiccups.
- Initiates growth of healthy granulation tissue.
- New Honey (newly collected from bee hive) is increases body weight so always use old honey (stores for at least 1 year).
When honey is used with other herbs or any other herbal preparations it enhances the medicinal qualities of those preparations and also helps them to reach the deeper tissues. This quality is called as “YOGVAHI” –Sanskrit word- in AYURVEDA.
Honey known as “MADHU”-Sanskrit word- in AYURVEDA; Honey is widely used for the treatment of eye diseases, cough, thirst, hiccups, diabetes, obesity, worm infestation, vomiting, asthma, diarrhea, for healing wounds, for increasing brain power, for increasing libido, ulcers in mouth, in many beauty treatments and many other diseases
Few Home remedies -Honey
Eye: To improve eye-sight take daily 5-10gm honey with carrot juice.
Cough & Cold: mix 5-10gm honey with ginger juice and Tulsi- Ocimum tenuiflorum; it also helps in sore throat.
Hypertension: Honey with garlic can help to control high blood pressure.
Weight Loss: Honey helps speed up metabolism, which helps the body to burn more fat.
Use honey instead of sugar for food and drinks.
Drink 2 tsp. of honey in Lukewarm water in early morning. You can add lemon also.
TOOTHACHE: Use Honey and Cloves oil or powder, make paste and apply on the aching tooth. This may be applied 2-3 times a day till the tooth stops aching.
Consuming 1 to 2 spoon of honey daily help us to lead a healthy long life.
NOTE: The Honey you are using it should be REAL RAW UNPASTEURIZED HONEY.
How to check purity of honey?
Honey should be tested before buying because adulteration in honey is very easy. Here I am going to show some AYURVEDA Tests to check the purity of Honey.
- Take a glass of water and drop Honey drops, pure honey forms lump at the bottom. When you try to stir it, it will not dissolve immediately. But impure honey dissolves immediately as soon as stirred.
- Another good test to check purity is putting little honey on white cotton cloth. Pure honey never leaves a stain, but impure honey leaves stain on cloth.
- Third one is interesting; dog doesn’t eat pure honey, so try it, if honey is impure mixed with sugar syrup dog will eat it.