Give me 2 A’s for Ayurveda and Aamla!
Words: Lakshmi Harilela
Used in the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, Aamla, also known as the Indian gooseberry, is revered as an important ingredient possessing many medicinal properties, especially pertaining to beauty. Ayurvedic medicine dates back over 5,000 years and is known to be a gatekeeper of many ancient beauty secrets. It is a holistic Indian system of traditional medicine; ayur, meaning life and veda meaning knowledge, directly translating to the knowledge of life.
Indian gooseberries have an extremely high vitamin C count; an ultra essential vitamin for health and wellbeing, not to mention the copious amounts of calcium, iron, fiber, phosphorous, proteins and carbohydrates. Whether taken internally or rubbed onto the skin externally, the benefits are rewarding. This is only just the beginning of what Aamla is all about. Ayurvedic practitioners and beauty therapists alike have discovered that this magical fruit and/or herb works from the inside out just as effectively as it does from the outside in. It creates balance in one’s internal system as well as treating symptoms associated with the external system.
Aamla can be used fresh (as fruits) or dried (as herbs). The seeds are useful in many exfoliating scrubs for the face, as they are naturally antibacterial and do not contain many of the harsh chemicals that over-the-counter creams and products do. The seeds in aamla, with the addition of vitamin C act to break through the top layer of dead skin cells revealing a totally healthy ‘skin glow’; the kind of glow women are paying thousands of dollars to achieve from unnecessary chemical peels. The Ayurvedic system indicates that all humans function in a direct balance with nature and if this balance is upset or disrupted, ‘dis-ease’ starts to form in the system. This is the reason why using more natural and organic products such as aamla is proving to be more beneficial as it is more cost effective and is in line with nature herself.
Although prevention is better than cure, an individual will sometimes experience an off-balance state or a dis-ease of the body, mind, or emotions at any given point in their lives. An off-balance or dis-eased state can be assessed by an Ayurvedic practitioner, who than administers specific treatments or herbs to correct this imbalance. This is where aamla comes in handy as it is one of the major ingredients that exist within a vital Ayurvedic treatment known as triphala, a remedy used to treat a range of health imbalances such as acne, constipation, diabetes, fever, heart disease, liver disorders and even cancer; the list goes on.
Dried aamla can be kept longer as fresh fruits are more perishable. They have a vibrant green color and this is interesting because Traditional Chinese Medicine relates the color green with the liver, and aamla is used as a liver tonic, interesting eh? The dried form comes in powders and is usually obtained by drying the fresh fruits in the sun, this conserves and preserves the power of the Indian gooseberry. A great tip for ultra smooth and shiny hair is to take dried aamla and soak it in water overnight, then use the liquid to rinse your hair in the shower the next day. This works for both men and women as it promotes hair growth, encouraging the hair follicles to withstand environmental damage. It has also been noted to turn grey hair back into black hair, now if that’s not miraculous, I honestly don’t know what is.
According to Ayurvedic principles, we all are unique, some of us have more fire, air or water in the system. Aamla is known to be tri-doshic, meaning that it can help all manners of unique constitutions. It works for fire signs just as well as it works for air signs. Generally, it has a cooling effect on the body, so in cases where a patient has excess heat or excess cold in their systems, aamla can be used to treat both. So yes, it treats skin rashes and acne as well as eczema. With this in mind, aamla has been gaining more recognition worldwide as a mystical and very essential beauty treatment. This is because it’s unique blend of essential nutrients seem to nourish a wide range of imbalances.
Now if that’s not enough let me tell you one more thing about this magnificent ingredient. Aamla helps metabolism and weight loss. It does this by alkalizing the already acidic body condition. Our modern diets are loaded with acid forming foods, and this is why it is so important to introduce more alkalizing ingredients. So when looking for an additional supplement, look no further than aamla.
For your very own Ayurvedic assessment or more information on aamla, please visit www.lovetruefood.com .
Aamla has been used for centuries by women as a supplement for lubricating the joints and moisturizing the skin. According to Ayurveda, it is the unique combination of nutrients that has a positive effect on all of the seven body tissues, known as the dhatus; the reproductive system being one of them. In particular, aamla berry can be used by men and women for enhancing fertility, as it nurtures both sperm and ovaries alike. Specifically for women it strengthens the uterus and supports reproductive health. Taking it in the fresh form is usually recommended, as the maximum benefits can be derived.