Ghee – A Wonder Ayurvedic Remedy

No other substance is as widely used to prepare Ayurvedic medicines as Ghee. Ghee is also cited as the best substance for preparing the body for Ayurveda’s internal detoxification (Panchakarma). One reason for this is that Ghee is given as the best remedy for diseases due to aggravated Pitta and Vata doshas. Ghee alleviates Pitta dosha by its cold, sweet properties and Vata by its oiliness. Ghee is hence recommended in autumn when Pitta’s hot nature can get aggravated after summer.

|| Dhee kaanthismruthikaarakam balakarm medhokaram shuddhikrudvataghnam

shramanaashanam swarakaram pittapaham pushtidam ||

Cow’s Ghee has following main properties

• It increases intelligence.
• Helps in enhancing memory power.
• Rejuvenates the skin from inside and increases its glow.
• Boosts body energy
• Detoxifies body
• Normalizes vata. (Imbalance of vata causes diseases)
• Increases clarity of voice.
• Normalises pitta
• Nourishes the body
• Improves digestion and increases body fire.
• Increases quality and quantity of semen.
• It is very effective in disorders of eye.
• Acts as a good Rasayana
• It is the best form of fat.

and many more…

But there is more to Ghee than its dosha balancing properties. Here we enumarate Ghee’s role in working alongside Ayurvedic herbs, as well as its own inherent healing abilities not found in other fats.

• Ghee is ideal for massage and detoxification.

Ayurveda recommends External massage with Ghee to balance Vata dosha by countering its rough, dry properties. As such, massage

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with Ayur Ghee can be very effective in Vata problems such as osteoarthritis, stress, insomnia and paralysis. However, Ghee is more often used internally than for external massage. In Ayurvedic detoxification (Panchakarma) increasing doses of Ghee are given each morning to eliminate the toxins with different techniques such as emesis (vomiting), purgatives, enemas and nasal therapy to cleanse the body.

Maharishi Ayurveda research has shown that Panchakarma greatly reduces 14 important fat soluble toxic and carcinogenic chemicals. These would otherwise remain in the body for a long time as the body usually excretes only water soluble chemicals. The daily doses of Ghee have the capacity to dissolve the lipid soluble toxins and bring them to the alimentary tract for elimination by purification procedures.

Use of Ghee in rejuvenation and aphrodisiac therapy.

“A person who takes Ghee and milk, is free from fear, complexion and diseases, is youthful, and who has determination, gets sex vigour with women” (Charaka Chikitsasthana 2/20).

Ayurveda is famed for its rejuvenation treatments. The combination of Ghee and milk is one of the best rejuvenation tonic as its increases the body’s life force (ojas). The Ayurvedic concept of ojas covers all factors involved in the prevention of degeneration and natural immunity. It is considered the essence of all the body’s tissues, and without it we get old and die untimely. Ghee has physical similarities to ojas in being white, yellowish, tasting like honey and smelling like fried rice (Charaka Sutrasthana 17).

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The Ayurvedic concept of like increasing like helps to explain “why Ghee increases ojas?” Indeed, an aversion to milk and Ghee is given as one of the reasons leading to foetal malnutrition in pregnancy. Phala Ghee, mixed with medicinal fruits is also prescribed in pregnancy to strengthen the uterus and nourish the fetus. Such Ghee and herb formulations act by increasing ojas, without which there can be no life.

• Ghee as potent Aphrodisiac ( Enhancer of ‘SHUKRA DHATU’)

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As well as being similar to ojas, Ghee is also similar to the reproductive fluids (known as shukra in Ayurveda). For this reason, Ghee is widely used in Ayurvedic aphrodisiacs of which there are many!

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• Ghee the memory and mind rejuvenator

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The Cow’s Ghee of Desi breed is a key ingredient of Ayurvedic medicines which deal with memory and mental ailments as its sweet taste nourishes the nerve tissue and brain. Brahmi Ghee is prescribed in the fifth month of pregnancy for mental development of the foetus as both Brahmi and Ghee aid the development of consciousness and intellect. The newborn is also fed honey and Ghee to stimulate intellect and ojas (the essence of all tissues) in an important ritual.

Beyond maintaining a healthy mind, Ghee is also prescribed for anxiety, depression, dementia, insanity, epilepsy and other disorders of consciousness. Ghee older than one year is especially good for healing the mind. It has more warm and bitter properties which enable it to remove blockages in the mind’s subtle channels. It is also considered auspicious and is given in mental disorders with no clear physical cause, along with Sanskrit mantras. The Ayurvedic masters of ancient India believed old Ghee could regenerate brain cells, and this is an area worthy of further study with the rise of Alzheimer’s today.

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Panchagavya Ghee is also useful as, like old Ghee, it is sharp in nature. This foul smelling, but powerful, medicine is made by adding cow dung juice, yoghurt, milk and cow’s urine to Ghee.

The effectiveness of such Ghee formulations in mental disorders has been researched and shown to be effective (Chandre, 2004; Girish 2004; Shekha 1999).

One study does look at Ghee’s inherent properties for treating Alzheimer’s via its insertion in the nose (Madhavikutty 2000). Such Nasya therapy is part of Panchakarma, and is a natural route for delivering rejuvenating substances to the brain.

Beyond treating serious mental disorders Ghee can be used to pacify mild anxiety (due to aggravated Vata). This is done by dipping a clean finger in Ghee and inserting into each nostril, lubricating the nasal passage with gentle massage.

• Ghee is useful in wound healing-healing of burns and ulcers

Ghee’s regenerative properties are also useful for healing wounds and promoting the growth of healthy cells. This wound healing ability has also been clinically proven (Prasad and Dorle, 2006). Ghee formulations, containing bees wax, honey and herbs are also referenced in regards to treating all degrees of burns, due to it pacifying excessively deranged Pitta dosha.

Shatadhouta Ghee is described as the best medicine with which to dress burns and scalds. This Ghee is softer and colder than normal Ghee due to it being washed in water a hundred times. Even more cooling is Sahastradhouta Ghee, washed 1000 times but it is rather time consuming to make and hence more expensive!

Ghee’s ability to pacify the burning nature of aggravated Pitta is also beneficial in treating gastro intestinal inflammation and ulcers.

AyurGhee’s cold, oily qualities help protect the body’s mucous membranes and ensure its usefulness in any condition with burning sensations.

• Ghee is highly beneficial for the eyes

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AyurGhee is especially good for the eyes and helps the functioning of the extraocular muscles, eyelids and tear. Internal and external use of Mahatriphala Ghee has been shown to play a significant role in the treatment of eye disorders, such as glaucoma. This formulation is made up of Ghee, milk and thirteen herbs, all predominantly sweet in taste and cold in nature and beneficial to the eyes.

“Ghee is the most important substance because of its power to assimilate effectively the properties of other substances… it increases, thousand times in potency and develops manifold qualities” (Charaka Su trasthana 13/13).

Ghee is widely used in medicinal formulations due to its unusual ability to assimilate the properties of herbs it is mixed with, without losing its own qualities. For example, if Ghee is mixed with a drying, heating herb, it doesn’t sacrifice its own oily, cold nature.

Cow’s Ghee is no mere inert ‘filler’ for formulations. Its own therapeutic powers work to help cure disease, as well as increasing the effect of other herbs. For example, Ghee’s effect of increasing the digestive fire (agni) allows other herbs to be more easily absorbed. More fundamentally, impaired digestion is also a cause, symptom and part of the pathogenesis of many chronic degenerative diseases. Ghee is invaluable as it not only increases digestive capacity, but simultaneously nourishes a weakened body. This is especially true when Ghee is given with milk. Ghee also brings many other healing powers to a medicine.

Thats why Ghee – A Wonder Ayurvedic Remedy