Holy tulsi basil plant....

http://hinduism.about.com/od/ayurveda/a/tulsibenefits.htm

Tulsi or Tulasi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) or Holy basil is a sacred plant in Hindu belief. Hindus regard it as an earthly manifestation of the goddess Tulsi, a consort of the god Vishnu. The offering of its leaves is mandatory in ritualistic worship of Vishnu and his forms like Krishna and Vithoba.
Many Hindus have tulsi plants growing in front of or near their home, often in special pots or special small masonry structures. Traditionally, Tulsi is planted in the center of the central courtyard of Hindu houses.
The plant is cultivated for religious and medicinal purposes, and for its essential oil. It is widely known across the Indian Subcontinent as a medicinal plant and a herbal tea, commonly used in Ayurveda.--Source:Wikipedia

 

Gymnema Sylvestre... ayurvedic herb....

Gymnema sylvestre (Sinhala: මස්බැද්ද / Masbadda)(Malayalam:ചക്കരക്കൊല്ലി ,Tamil:சிறுகுறிஞ்சா) is a herb native to the tropical forests of southern and central India and Sri Lanka. Chewing the leaves suppresses the sensation of sweet. This effect is attributed to the eponymous gymnemic acids. G. sylvestre has been used in herbal medicine as a treatment for diabetes for nearly two millennia,^] and though there is insufficient scientific evidence to draw definitive conclusions about its efficacy two small clinical trials have shown gymnema to reduce glycosylated hemoglobin levels. Common names include gymnema,  cowplant, Australian cowplant, gurmari, gurmarbooti, gurmar, periploca of the woods, meshasringa (मेषशृंग), Bedki cha pala (बेडकीचा पाला) and miracle fruit (also a common name for two unrelated plants). [source: Wikipedia]

Ayuvedic tips for fighting allergies...

Allergy attacks are quite common in the Spring when your body naturally starts to shed the fat and toxins that built up over the winter. As your immune system is weakened by the overload of impurities, it struggles to fight off the surge of allergens that spring forth.
[PHOTO: ancient Ayurvedic herbs]

Tips for fighting Allergies:Spring is when the weather warms up and thaws the winter, this is the ideal time to warm yourself up too by adding spices like ginger, chili, cloves and pepper to your food.
Avoid cold foods & drinks... no cold milk, only boiled milk.
Avoid dairy and other heavy foods at night.
Most importantly, get to bed on time to give your immune system the rest it needs to be strong.  -- [source: The Raj, Ayurvedic spa, Vedic City, Iowa]http://www.theraj.com

Journey to wholeness...

Whole foods... now the rage here in usa... health foods..raw foods... how interesting that this is the basis of ancient Vedic ayurved...

Tamarind...

Tamarind has an enormous number of health benefits.http://herbs.ygoy.com/top-15-health-benefits-of-tamarind/one reason I am posting about tamarind is the wonderful tamarind sauce at Indian Delights restaurant here in Ames... I had this tamarind sauce on my veggie chaat today at the Ames downtown farmer's market... it has so many incredible health benefits too...

Tamarind has multiple benefits as cathartic, febrifuge, antiseptic and refrigent.

Tamarind is used as an Ayurvedic medicine for gastric problem, digestion problems and cardio protective activity.

Tamarind can be used as a mild laxative. The pulp which comes from the pods of the tamarind tree is a gentle laxative that improves general sluggishness of the bowels. One to two tablespoons of the pulp in evening can improve bowel movements.

Tamarind is very useful to treat bilious disorders. Being acidic it excites the bile and other juices in the body.

Tamarind leaves are used in herbal tea for reducing malaria fever.

Tamarind lowers cholesterol level in the body and helps in promoting healthy heart.

Sore throat is treated when gargled with dilute tamarind pulp.

Decoction of tamarind leaves is useful in treating jaundice and ulcers.

Dilute tamarind decoction can help in destroying the stomach worms in children.

Tamarind protects from Vitamin C deficiency.

Tamarind heals the inflammation of the skin to great extent.

Tamarind seeds are used in preparations of eye drops that treat dry eye syndrome.

Being a good source of antioxidants, tamarind helps fight against cancer.

Juice extracted from tamarind flowers are used for treating piles

Tamarind is used as blood purifier

 

Jackfruit... healthy staple...

Jackfruit is a healthy staple of Indian diet.  In season,  it is everywhere cooked.  Tonight we have it with tomatos, garlic, onion, green chilis and ginger.  Very nice!!

Pongal... South Indian dish ....

Today I was out at the Hindu temple and cultural center in Madrid, Iowa with my Indian student Bharat Mp from Tamil Nadu.  He told me we were eating some pongal that is a south Indian dish.  I found it very tasty and want to try it.  Here is the recipe: Sweet Pongal
Relish a sweet dish during the harvest festival of South India - ’Pongal’, and add delight to the festival. Ingredients:

1 cup raw rice
1/2 cup green gram dhal
1 cup milk
2 1/2 cups water
3 cups jaggery powdered
4 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp cashewnuts
2 tbsp raisins
5 cardamoms powdered
2 cloves powdered
1 small piece nutmeg grated or powdered
A pinch of saffron