Anekvidha Kalpana
Adusa Vasa-(Malabar nut, Adhatoda vasica)
Sentinels of the fields in the gentle foothills of Himachal, the Vasa shrubs always fascinate the travelers with special affinity for plants. The bitter but richly medicinal leaves hold animals at bay. I would watch the herd of goats looking for leaves to chew but definitely scorning the hedge of vasa. They would pick at leaves from the wayside trees, and the farmer’s vegetable crops remained unencroached.
Early spring, sprinkled trees, wild hedges and hills with snow drops, rich bunches of white flowers, fanning open in the misty mornings, when the warm fingers of the sun seeped through the lacy veils, to caress every tiny bud. The vasa shrubs dot the hills in joyful wilderness, adding to the sharp purity of the air around.
The flower is a microcosm of life itself- Bitter sweet. One wondered how the little globe end attached to the bitter stem could be bursting with sweet nectar, and the petals were bitter too. We would carefully detach the flower sip the nectar and then eat the flower which got tempered with the first sweetness.
Isn’t life just so? The sweet moments tide us over the hard times, and from such experiences blooms wisdom, to teach us to find beauty and joy in adversity.
Years later, during a severe flu attack I had not the strength to make medicine from the leaves or flowers , so just spent the day lying on the grass under the vasa shrub in our garden. Gently, this herb of light though the smell is not attractive, worked its miracle through the very air and aura it purifies around it. The setting sun found me back and well on my feet. Made me ponder why people slept under trees in India. In the temples, trees were a necessity and many a weary traveler who rested under them, was rejuvenated as the tree would transfer its own life force and freshness.
And this unassuming shrub offers this service wherever it grows. For the crops, it purifies the air and acts as natural pesticide and fungus control, besides protecting boundaries. The hills, plains or forests are healthier and richer for its medicinal infusion, the beauty of the flowers and the abundance of the nectar for bees or butterflies.
Vasa is a wild indigenous plan growing all over India. Often farmers cultivate it as a hedge plant and use it for green manure. It is very good for fungus and pests in plants purifies the air. In the Himalayas, we see sadhus plucking and chewing on young tender vasa leaf buds with ginger. In season the flowers are a tonic with the calyx full of sweet nectar. It cleans and clears the respiratory passage maintains lungs and enables them to do strenuous activities with clear breathing. Vasa leaves can be administered in the form of juice, syrup, decoction or dried powder liquefies thickened sputum and facilitates as a powerful expectorant. The alkaloid in vasa has a bronchodilator activity. It is an age-old tribal and traditional medicine for all types of respiratory disorders. Flowers can be made into Gulkand with any natural sweeteners.
Cut branches or dry fallen leaves would raise a pungent smoke driving away the mosquitoes or unhealthy insects besides relieving asthma sufferers or cough and cold. And the kadha, bitter medicine at its most unpleasant! But what a panacea for any respiratory ailment. 'Anekvidha Kalpana' - Vasa works on Kasa, Shvasa and is an ideal multi-functional broad-spectrum medicine and is taken from the Charak Samhita.
How to take:
Take 1 tbsp and boil in 2 glasses of water. Divide and drink 4 times a day.
Or mix 1 tbsp one water and take paste with the water 4 times a day.
To reduce the bitter taste, chew some saunf or peppermint leaves over it or a piece of Jaggery or 1 tsp honey separately afterwards. NO white sugar.
To add- can add Jaggery or pure honey.
It’s an effective expectorant. May not work on running nose but cures congestive symptoms very quickly.
If not diabetic, add 1 tsp of mulethi to mixture to sweeten it.
Fresh Adusa formula for flu, cold, cough, asthma, bronchitis, sinus:
Take 5-7 adusa leaves,
4 fresh paan (betel) leaves
7 tulsi leaves
1 finger piece ginger and fresh Haldi
Optional:
1 finger stem Giloy (guduchi)
2 green or red nirgundi leaves
3 Ajwain leaves
Dry ingredients:
3 cloves
If fresh Haldi/ ginger is not available, can add 1 dry haldi, 1 tsp dry ginger
1 tsp Ajwain
Optional:
1 tsp Giloy powder
1 finger stick/ 1tsp cinnamon
1 finger stick / 1 tsp licorice/mulethi
Method:
Take 1 tsp Ajwain, cloves, stick of cinnamon, licorice and piece of crushed Giloy.
Boil in 2-3 glasses of water. Grind fresh ingredients with little of the water.
Option 1:The paste can be directly had by 1 tsp along with half a glass of above water.
Option 2:Strain the paste while adding the boiled water. Should make 2 -3 glasses .
Can take steam with the strained paste, bath or re-boil it, strain and drink.
How to take:
Divide the 2 or 3 glasses of juice into 5 parts. Drink 5 times a day.
Or take 1 tsp paste with the water 4 times a day.
To reduce the bitter taste chew some saunf or peppermint leaves over it or a piece of Jaggery or 1 tsp honey separately afterwards. NO white sugar.
To add- can add Jaggery or pure honey
Health Benefits: Therapeutic, Balancing, Energising, Cleansing Immunity builder. Antioxidant, Antibiotic, Anti-allergic. Blood purifier and circulatory, Tonic. Helps digestion. Quick and long term relief, Prevention & Immunity from cough, cold, flu, viral infections and chronic ailments.
It’s an effective expectorant. May not work on running nose but cures congestive symptoms very quickly.
If not diabetic, add 1 tsp of mulethi to mixture. It will sweeten.
Cold , cough, asthma powder:
Also Useful for-Pneumonia, lung tonic, asthma, expectorant, blood purifier, digestion, viral infections.
Ingredients-
Leaves of Vasa/Adulsa/Adhatoda
If dried, powder paste or 6-7 chopped leaves
Dried Tulsi paste/6-10 fresh leaves
3 Fresh paan/betel leaves or dried powder (not soaked)
Pure Haldi powder
Ajwain
Dried Ginger/Saunth
Options-
Cinnamon/Daalchini
Cloves/lavang
Long pepper/pippali
Method-grind, mix & store at room temperature. If fresh paste or fresh juice or decoction refrigerate, consume within 2-3 days.
Storage-Store in fridge in glass, steel, earthenware, porcelain(not plastic) or bone china.
Complements/Accompaniments-honey(only pure), warm or hot water,, jaggery, honey should not be put in hot water it undergoes a chemical change & COMPLETELY LOSES BENEFITS. Lukewarm, room temperature & cool is fine.
For hot water jaggery-Old jaggery is better than new jaggery for respiratory ailments & digestion
Health Benefits: Therapeutic, Balancing, Energising, Cleansing Immunity builder. Antioxidant, Antibiotic, Anti-allergic. Blood purifier and circulatory, Tonic. Helps digestion. Quick and long term relief, Prevention & Immunity from cough, cold, flu, viral infections and chronic ailments.
Consumption-1 tsp first thing in morning/evening/1 tbsp thrice a day/ ½-1 tsp every 2-3 hours depending on severity. Then reduce to twice & then once.
Take with or dissolve in hot water. Make decoction/kadha. If fresh, grind with water & strain the juice.For juice 1/4th -1/2 cup 3-4 times a day.
Option II-
Ingredients to be added or additionally taken in case of - fever, viral fever, stomach heat, acidity, indigestion, amoebiasis, infection, arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
1.Fever/viral fever-add giloy/guduchi/tinospora cordifolia-powder of stem or crushed fresh stem or decoction of 1 finger length stem.
2. Acidity-1 tbsp Giloy, licorice.
3. Stomach heat/indigestion/digestion –add or consume 1 tbsp Giloy,1 tbsp amla, saunf, 1 tsp Jeera, dhania, rose powder
4. Infections , Arthritis or rheumatoid, add Black jeera, 4 leaves of nirgundi or powder.
5. Ameobiasis- add vaividing powder, amaltas/senna leaves