ALL ABOUT NATURAL WAY TO GOOD HEALTH

The onion, a pungent edible of the lily family, is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables. It is considered a food of exceptional value for flavoring and seasoning. Compared with other fresh vegetables, it is relatively high in food value, moderate in protein content and is rich in calcium and riboflavin. There is considerable variation in composition between different varieties and it also varies with the stage of maturity and the length of storage. The odour in onion is due to organic sulphur compounds, and is produced only when the tissues are cut or injured, by enzyme action on a water-soluble amino acid. Heating, freezing and drying prevent the enzyme action. The seeds of onion increase semen and relieve dental worms and urinary diseases. The stalks of onion are a source of vitamin A, thiamin and ascorbic acid. They are used in both tender and mature stages.

Mint is much valued as a carminative which relieves gastric discomforts, stimulant, antispasmodic which relieves muscle strain and stomachic for improving appetite. It forms an ingredient of most drugs prescribed for stomach ailments because of its digestive properties. It is good for the liver and helps dissolve gravel in the kidneys and bladder. Mint juice is a good appetizer. Fresh leaf juice of mint mixed with a teaspoonful of lime juice and honey is given thrice daily with excellent results in the treatment of indigestion, biliousness, flatulent colic, thread worms, morning sickness and summer diarrhea. The seeds of mint are also beneficial in relieving severe abdominal pain due to indigestion in other children. The child may be given a quarter teaspoonfuls of seeds to chew and swallow with water in such conditions.

Lettuce is regarded as the king of salad plants. It is a live food with its rich vitamin content, especially the anti-scorbutic vitamin C. it is bulky, low in food value but high in health value. It is rich in mineral salts with the alkaline elements greatly predominating. So it helps to keep the blood clean, the mind alert and body in good health. The loose-leaf lettuce is considered a better food. It has the advantage of being more exposed to sunlight, thus providing it with a richer supply of vitamins than the head-lettuce in which the leaves are closed. Whatever quality of lettuce is selected for use, it should be ensured that it is fresh, crisp and green-leaved. It is very good for brain, nervous system and the lungs. The raw juice of lettuce is cool and refreshing. The high content of magnesium in the juice has exceptional power to vitalize the muscular tissues, the nerves and the brain.

Ginger is available in two forms, fresh and dried. Both the forms contain effective food value. As the taste of ginger is not very palatable, subtle means are adopted to use it in certain ways. It is put in vegetables. The dried ginger is esteemed for its flavor, pungency, aroma and medicinal value. It is a valuable drug for disorders of the digestive system. It is extremely useful in dyspepsia, flatulence, colic, vomiting, spasms and other painful affections of the stomach and the bowels. Half a teaspoon of fresh ginger juice, mixed with one teaspoonful of each of fresh lime juice and fresh mint juice and a tablespoonful of honey, constitutes an effective medicine for dyspepsia, nausea and vomiting due to a biliousness, indigestion caused by intake of heavy non-vegetarian and fried fatty food, morning sickness, jaundice and piles.

Garlic has been held in high esteem for its health building qualities for centuries all over the world. An analysis of garlic shows it to contain high percentage of minerals and vitamins. It also contains traces of iodine, sulphur and chlorine. In herbal medicine, garlic has been traditionally used for such ailments as asthma, deafness, leprosy, bronchial congestion, arteriosclerosis, fevers, worms and liver and gall bladder troubles. The unpleasant odour in garlic, which constitutes its unpleasant feature and a serious social handicap, has been traced to its sulphur content. This mineral is contained to a greater degree in its volatile oil, which has marvelous therapeutic value.

Fenugreek is a well-known leafy vegetable. It has excellent medicinal virtues. Fenugreek leaves are highly beneficial in the treatment of indigestion, flatulence and sluggish liver. They help in the healing of mouth ulcers. An infusion of the leaves is used as a gargle for recurrent ulcers. Boiled and fried in butter, they are valuable in biliousness. The seeds are also useful in the treatment of colic, flatulence, dysentery, diarrhea, and dyspepsia. Its leaves help in blood formation. The cooked leaves are extremely useful for adolescent girls to prevent anemia and run down condition which is generally associated with the onset of puberty and sudden spurt of growth. The seeds of fenugreek are also valuable in anemia, being rich in iron.

The drumstick is valued mainly for the tender pod. It is antibacterial and a wonderful cleanser. The drumstick tree is perennial, erect, slender, and medium sized with many arching branches. Nutritionally, drumstick pods and leaves are of great value as sources of carotene, calcium,, phosphorus and vitamin C. The leaves, flowers and fruits of drumstick which are used as vegetable have great nutritional value. Almost all parts of the drumstick tree have therapeutic value. The leaves are especially beneficial in the treatment of many ailments due to their various medicinal properties and their rich iron content. They are used as food also. Its juice becomes an excellent tonic for healthy and strong bones and for purifying bloodstream.

The cabbage is one of the most highly rated leafy-vegetables and a marvelous food item. It is grown for its enlarged edible, terminal buds and is eaten all over the world. It is excellent as a muscle builder and cleanser. This vegetable is chiefly valuable for its high mineral and vitamin content and alkaline salts. This vegetable can be used raw in the form of salad. It can also be steamed, boiled or cooked. It should be eaten raw for better results as in cooking its valuable nutrients are largely lost. The raw is also more easily digested than the cooked one. The longer the cabbage is cooked the less digestible it becomes. The cabbage with green leaves is especially valuable because of its high vitamin A content.

The bitter gourd has excellent medicinal virtues. It is antidotal, antipyretic tonic, appetizing, stomachic, anti-bilious and laxative. It is specifically used as a folk medicine for diabetes. Recent researches have established that it contains a hypoglycemic or insulin-like principle, designated as ‘plant-insulin’, which has been found highly beneficial in lowering the blood and urine sugar levels. It should, therefore, be included liberally in the diet of the diabetic. For better results, the diabetic should take the juice of about four or five fruits every morning on an empty stomach. The seeds of bitter gourd can be added to food in the powdered form. Bitter gourd being rich in all the essential vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A, B1, B2, C and Iron, its regular use prevents many complications such as hypertension, eye complications, neuritis and defective metabolism of carbohydrates. It increases body’s resistance against infection.

This vegetable is a good tonic food for health. It contains carbohydrates, mainly in the form of sugar, and it has a little protein and fat. Beet is taken in variety of ways. They are widely used in salads and in the preparation of pickles and chutney. They are also baked like potatoes or boiled, steamed or cooked. They should be thoroughly washed before boiling and the skin should be removed before use. The leaves, like all green vegetables, should be cooked with a small amount of water and for only a short time. The fresher the beets, the better the flavor and the quicker they cook. The beet juice is considered as one of the best vegetable juice. It is a rich source of natural sugar. It contains sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, chlorine, iodine, iron, and copper. This juice is rich in easily digestible carbohydrates, but the calorie content is low.