‘My son………… don’t eat ghee…..…your cholesterol will increase, triglycerides will increase, your heart vessels will have cholesterol deposits and there will soon be heart attack….…’
These are the words that we hear today from most of the people. This is what they believe and are made to believe. Consequent to this our generations have not even tasted ghee and we never allow our coming generations to have even the taste or smell of ghee……
INTAKE OF MEDICATED GHEE WILL NOT INCREASE TRIGLYCERIDES
There is a very false belief among people that Ayurvedic medicated ghee will cause increase in cholesterol levels. We at Kerala Ayurveda hospital, monitor the cholesterol levels before and after taking medicated ghee and its has been found that it will decrease the unwanted cholesterol especially when Tiktakam, Mahatiktakam, Guggulu Tiktakam, Aragwadhamahatiktakam ghritam etc is given. Snehapaana is a special procedure where, we give nearly 600 ml or more of medicated ghee to a person in maximum of 7 days. Even after taking this much amount of ghee they never get their cholesterol increased. In majority of cases where snehapaana was done cholesterol level was found to decrease and only in a few it was maintained as such…..
So you can take ghee without fear, but only after prescription from an experienced Ayurveda doctor by assessing the condition of the patient.
WHY CHOLESTROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES INCREASES
All these cholesterol complaints and its complications got on its peak only recently….its after man started abandoning his daily home made simple light easily digestible food….to most easily readily available oily, spicy fried and double fried, the most heavy and which wont even digest after 8 or 9 hrs…..
Initially people after taking heavy foods like oily & fried they have their next food only in little amount only after they get hungry because, body should be allowed to digest this fatty substance completely….
But today people consume oily foods more than 4 or five times. After taking these oily foods even if they don’t feel hungry, they take some other foods……net result is impaired digestion…..resulting in increased cholesterol…..
People avoid ghee and run behind eating fried chips, fried meat and fried chicken, bajjis, samosa, banana fries….everywhere you go……..you have only FRIED and FRIED…..These all may be fried in oils that are 10 or 20 times reheated…..It is very well told in Ayurveda that an oil heated once should not be reheated……if done so there will be production of toxins in the body….these toxins reflect in the form of increased triglycerides & cholesterol….
Nowadays night parties are increasing more and more. There will be butter and cheese fried items, as main dishes, like butter chicken or any north Indian dishes which are excessively oily, some curd items……along with some fried rice or biriyanis………and atl ast one or two scoops of ice-creams………there begins the tragedy to the digestive system…..its just like making a bullock pull a heavily loaded cart…….
No wonder if a person consuming food like this consume ghee his cholestrol & triglycerides will rise….because the consumed ghee itself is not properly digested……
It happened to me once. I asked a boy whom I met…..what did you have in the breakfast today morning ? Dosa or puttu or idli…..i was stunned by the boys reply……I had a cheese Pizza with French fries and a cup of soft drink…..this is the world……….I cannot even imagine……..how the world has changed….
Today Anti-Cholesterol Medication is a good marketing area where they focus by saying that you decrease the cholesterol by taking certain tablets on one hand and on the other hand they encourage the people to have more and more fried food item. Result is simple…the person will be a life long customer of the tablets…..
Ghee is a substance which was regularly used by the ancient people that brought in them many good effects…In the earlier times when there was no prevalance of fast food and fried food, ghee was taken, but people did not have any heart complaints……but the situation has now changed…… that people don’t take ghee and fall victims of heart attack…….how pretty…..
ACTIONS OF GHEE
Ayurveda, Knowledge of Life has, described the numerous effects of ghee…
1. Action On the Brain
Brain is one of the main sites that ghee acts. Only Fat Soluble substances and alcohol soluble substances can cross the blood brain barrier. Ghee is a fat. Hence it can cross the Blood Brain Barrier. Ghee acts on the brain and increases the receptive power, cognitive power, remembering power. Brain development takes place mostly during the childhood. So giving 1 teaspoon of ghee everyday especially during this age, will enhance the intellectual power of brain. The effect is multiplied a 100 times if medicated ghee like Brahmi Ghritam, Saraswata Ghritam etc is used.
Wonderful effects have been seen in children whose mile stones of development was retarded. In Brain development retarded cases ghee like Kalyanaka, Paishachika, Brahmi Ghrita brings good results. If given in normal children, it will enhance the growth of brain, thus making, child sharper, smarter and with good memory.
Ghee also has immense effects on the psychatric complaints. People with psychatric complaints like mood disorders, schizoprenia etc have good results with Kalyanakam, Paishachika, Maha Kalyanakam, Mahapaishachikam Ghritam etc depending on condtion of patient.
2. Action on the metabolic pathways
Ghee is said be Agni Vardhaka. Agni is that factor which does bio-chemical transformations in body. It may be hormones, enzymes or co-factors. Daily taking 1 teaspoon of ghee on empty stomach in normal healthy state will result in proper production of Agni, thereby making the bio-chemical transformations proper.
3. Action on immunity
Ghee is said to be Bala Vardhaka. Bala is the resistance power of a person. When ghee is given to a person, his immune power increases thereby preventing him from common colds and other diseases. This has especially been seen when Indukantham, Amruthaprasham Ghritam etc is given.
4. Action against allergy
Ghee is a best anti-allergic substance. It has been found that people who were given Indukantham Ghritam, Mahatiktakam Ghritam etc where found to have very little allergic reactions of any kind like excess sneezing, itching around the eyes, allergic asthma, allergic dermatitis etc.
5. Action on GIT – Gastro-Intestinal Tract
Ghee smoothes and nourishes the mucosa thereby preventing the formation of gastric ulcer. It also heals the ulcer in stomach. This also reduces hyperacidity and prevents the burning sensation in chest. Ghee is also good for people who have constant gas formation due to the persistent gastritis. It also makes the digestion normal and increases the quality and functions of the gastric and pancreatic juices thereby providing complete digestion and thus prevents disorders of digestion.
6. Action on Male Reproductive System
Ghee acts on the reproductive system, especially on male reproductive system. Only Fat soluble substances can pass the blood testis barrier. Ghee increases the sperm count, increases the seminal fluid amount and increases the active motility of sperms. In many infertility cases where the reasons is due to the defects in male part treatment with medicated ghee like Phala Sarpis, Kalyanakam Ghritam, Dadimadi Ghritam etc have brought good results.
7. Action on Female Reproductive System
Ghee also has immense action on the female reproductive system. It is usually the medicine of choice in common gynecological conditions like menstrual abnormalities, infections of uterine tract, inferltility, repeated abortions, uterine prolapse and hormonal imbalance induced uterine and vaginal complaints etc. Usually used medication are Phala Sarpis, Dadimadi Ghritam, Satavaryadi Ghritam, Kalyanakam Ghritam depending upon the condition..…..
Ghee is also of special importance during pregnancy i.e ante-natal care. Vaginal deliveries are in decreasing trend and ceserean sections are increasing. Ghee medicated with certain medicinal plants are to be used in the three trimesters of pregnancy for a full term normal vaginal delivery.
8. Action on eyes
Another important site of action of ghee is the eyes. Daily intake of 1 teaspoon Triphala Churnam + 1 Teapsoon Ghee + ½ Teapsoon Honey will prevent all the eye diseases especially the refractive errors like myopia, hypermetropia, ambylopia. Usually in cases with eye complaints, Ayurveda advises to do Netra Tarpana i.e. making the ghee stand on eyes for some times with Jeevantyadi Ghritam, Triphala Ghritam, Satahwadi Tarpana Ghritam etc depending upon the condition of the patient. This has brought good result in a lot of people helping them to improve their vision.
9. Action on throat
Ghee is good for the throat. It is especially good for making the swara i.e. voice good smooth and tuned. It is especially indicated for singers. It also prevents fatigness of throat especially for those who talk for a long time.
10. Action on cuts and burns
It was in earlier times a practice that when ever there is a fresh burn people would immediately apply ghee. The results were very fantastic….they wouldn’t even get a single boil or scar…..the burning sensation and the scar was also absent……similarly in a small cut ghee with honey are applied to the cut area. It would heal the area very fast. In long standing ulcers like venous ulcers application of Jatyadi Ghritam + Honey has proven results..This Jatyadi Ghrita is also an anti-microbial. It prevents the secondary bacterial attack……….It is also used in fissures and fistulas for healing of the wound.
11. Action on the toxins that enters the body
Man is now a constant eater of a lots of toxins and poisons that are harmful to the body….the fruits and vegetables that we get today are covered with lots of insecticides and pesticides…..all the food that we eat are now adultered…..in meats especially there are lots of hormones in high quantity that causes hormonal imbalance to the body…These all may be compared with gara visha in Ayurveda and ghee is one of the best remover of visha. It will detoxify the body. Tiktakam, Maha Tiktakam, Kalyanakam Ghrita are best among them.
12. Action on Fevers
Each and every day, newer types of fevers are emerging. There are many people with getting attacks of fever repeatedly every month. Main reason for the increased susceptibility to fever is decreased body resistance. Ghee has a very special and important role…Ghee enhances the immune power, increases the body strength and prevents the person from getting recurrent fever. In this context, Indukantham Ghritam is very special.
13. Makes very thin people healthy
Ghee has a special property of increasing the Mamsa dhatus in body. So this is especially good in people who are very thin and weak….Ajamamsa Ghritam, Indukantham Ghritam, Amrithaprasham Ghritam can be used accordingly with milk to increase health.
14. Action on Joints
Ghee lubricates the joints and makes them functionally good. In treatment of osteo-arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis ghee is important. It strenghthens the back bone, knee joint etc thereby reducing pain and other complaints….
15. Actions as an anti aging agent
Ghee is a good anti-aging agent…a person who consumes ghee daily will have all aging changes very late and that too in decreased rate….It is good when applied to face along with pure Tumeric Powder. It brings brightness to the face. But should not be used by persons who have oily skin.
16. Action on preventing hair fall and premature greying
Ghee also helps in strengthening the hair roots, thus preventing the excess hair fall….Ghee also prevents and reduces the pre-mature greying of hairs….Indukantham Ghritam, Amrutaprasham Ghritam, Ajamamsa Ghritam, Kalyanakam Ghritam etc can be used according to the condition.
17. Action for making the respiratory system healthy
Ghee especially acts on the respiratory system and prevents the chances of lung disorders like asthma and other diseases. Indukantham Ghritam, Maha Tiktakam Ghritam, Amrutha Prasham Ghritam, Kalyanakam Ghritam etccan be done based on the condition of the patient.
WHEN TO TAKE GHEE AND WHEN NOT TO
Many people come to us and say that we have taken medicated ghees for many months but there has not been any result….
Ghee should be only taken after the digestive process of our body is good and our Kapha in the body has been decreased….if ghee is taken in this condition, it will get digested well and will act like a Nectar or Amrut.
In Contrast…..
If ghee is taken during the acute infections or when there is high temperature or when there is no or less appetite with increased Kapha, it will not get digested and will act like a poison…..Either there will be aggravation of the condition or there will not be any affect on the system…..
This has been very well mentioned in Ayurveda….
All the medicines prescribed above should be taken only after an expert medical advice from an Ayurvedic Doctor.