MILK AN ESSENTIAL DIET
Milk is considered as an ideal and complete food and it contains proximate principles of a well balanced diet. Milk in Sanskrit called as ‘Ksheera’. Ayurveda – an authentic system of Science has described varieties of milk and its importance in diet. There are varieties of milk from different animals like cow, buffalo, goat, horse, camel, elephant etc. Among all cows milk seems to have greater medicinal properties. Human milk I also essential diet for infants for their growth and gain immunity through out their life.
Cow’s Milk: Cow’s milk is Sanskrit is ‘Goksheera’. It considered being the best among all.
Properties:
Cows milk, which is sweet in taste; cold in potency, promotes digestion, strength, and longevity, good for eyes and suitable for all age groups. It is indicated in most of the diseases like Sopha, Udara, Pandu, Daaha, Amlapitta, Unmade, Mada, Brama, Murcha, Garbhasrava, Yoni roga, Sukra vikara etc. In spite of its indications in various diseases it is also used for purification of some Dravyas to remove their visha properties and make the fit to be used for various external treatments in Ayurveda like Ksheera dhara, ksheera vasti etc.
Buffalo’s Milk: Buffalo’s milk is heavier than Cow’s milk. Hence it is advised to persons those who have strong digestive power.
Goat’s Milk: Goat’s Milk has the same properties like that of Cow’s milk, still lighter to digest than cow’s milk. Goat’s Milk is lighter to digest as goat eats lots of plant food that has different tastes, does lots of physical exercises like walking and drinks very little quantity of water. It can be used as a substitute in the place of cow’s milk.
Human milk: Human milk is essential for infants. Human milk is sweet and slightly astringent in taste, cold in potency and light to digest. It promotes strength, helps in promoting the growth of the tissues of the body, good for eyes. It is used for treatments like Tarpana, Aschyotana and Nasyam.
Dharoshna ksheeram: The milk that is obtained directly from the cows udder will be warm, is said to be dharoshna ksheeram. It is equal to nectar in qualities, promotes digestion and tridoshaharam in nature. When it becomes cold it becomes unfit for use.
How to boil milk?
To 1 part of the quantity of milk, ½ part of water should be added and then boiled till the water gets evaporated.
Un-boiled milk: The milk, which is un-boiled, is heavy to digest, reduces one’s digestive power. All types of milk should be taken only after boiling except human milk, as boiling of human milk is not good. If the milk is kept un-boiled for about 5 hours the original quality of milk changes, if it is kept for about 10 hours it becomes unfit to use.
Effects of intake of milk depending upon time
Morning: Intake of milk is usually not advised in the morning hours, as it is heavy to digest.
Afternoon: Intake of milk in the afternoon promotes strength in old people, improves agni in children, removes urinary calculi (krichra Asmari chedanam) and also alleviates kapha and pitta.
Evening: Drinking of milk in the evening hours is good for eyes and alleviates vata and pitta.
Night: Drinking of milk at night is ideal. In daytime people happen to exert much and vidahi annam hence drinking of milk after food is essential at night to reduce tiredness and also good for eyes.
Age factor
Baalyavastha (childhood)- promotes growth and development of tissues
Yuvavastha (youth)- promotes strength
Vruddhavastha (old age)- provides strength and prevents ageing.
Qualities depending upon storage
Qualities of milk differ depending upon the vessel in which it is stored.
Taamra (copper) – Vatahara
Suvarna (gold) – Pittahara
Roupya (silver) – Kaphahara
Kamsya (brass) – Rakta prasadhanam
In pregnancy:
Habitual intake of cow’s milk is indicated from the first month pregnancy in ayurvedic samhitas. Because of the valuable properties, milk is advised to take every day solely or mixed with other food.
Milk that should be avoided:
Milk other than Sweet taste like sour, salt should be avoided. Milk with bad smell, abnormal colour should also be avoided. Milk of cow that is pregnant aggravates all the tridosas, hence should be avoided. Milk of cow that is pregnant aggravates all the tridosas, hence should be avoided. After intake of taamboola (betel leaves) for about 2 hours milk should be avoided.Milk is considered almost complete food, as it contains vitamin A, thiamine, nicotinic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin K, minerals like calcium, phosphorus, sodium and potassium according to modern concepts. In Ayurveda milk has so many properties like rasayan and considered to have the qualities of ojas – essence of all dhatus, hence equal to nectar. Now-a-days people go for pasteurized milk, slim milk, skimmed milk etc which is not going to give the actual benefits of milk rather it may lead to some other problem in the future. Cow’s milkis the best among all. What is the need for us to go in search of substitutes when we have nectar in our hands?
Cow’s Milk: Cow’s milk is Sanskrit is ‘Goksheera’. It considered being the best among all.
Properties:
Cows milk, which is sweet in taste; cold in potency, promotes digestion, strength, and longevity, good for eyes and suitable for all age groups. It is indicated in most of the diseases like Sopha, Udara, Pandu, Daaha, Amlapitta, Unmade, Mada, Brama, Murcha, Garbhasrava, Yoni roga, Sukra vikara etc. In spite of its indications in various diseases it is also used for purification of some Dravyas to remove their visha properties and make the fit to be used for various external treatments in Ayurveda like Ksheera dhara, ksheera vasti etc.
Buffalo’s Milk: Buffalo’s milk is heavier than Cow’s milk. Hence it is advised to persons those who have strong digestive power.
Goat’s Milk: Goat’s Milk has the same properties like that of Cow’s milk, still lighter to digest than cow’s milk. Goat’s Milk is lighter to digest as goat eats lots of plant food that has different tastes, does lots of physical exercises like walking and drinks very little quantity of water. It can be used as a substitute in the place of cow’s milk.
Human milk: Human milk is essential for infants. Human milk is sweet and slightly astringent in taste, cold in potency and light to digest. It promotes strength, helps in promoting the growth of the tissues of the body, good for eyes. It is used for treatments like Tarpana, Aschyotana and Nasyam.
Dharoshna ksheeram: The milk that is obtained directly from the cows udder will be warm, is said to be dharoshna ksheeram. It is equal to nectar in qualities, promotes digestion and tridoshaharam in nature. When it becomes cold it becomes unfit for use.
How to boil milk?
To 1 part of the quantity of milk, ½ part of water should be added and then boiled till the water gets evaporated.
Un-boiled milk: The milk, which is un-boiled, is heavy to digest, reduces one’s digestive power. All types of milk should be taken only after boiling except human milk, as boiling of human milk is not good. If the milk is kept un-boiled for about 5 hours the original quality of milk changes, if it is kept for about 10 hours it becomes unfit to use.
Effects of intake of milk depending upon time
Morning: Intake of milk is usually not advised in the morning hours, as it is heavy to digest.
Afternoon: Intake of milk in the afternoon promotes strength in old people, improves agni in children, removes urinary calculi (krichra Asmari chedanam) and also alleviates kapha and pitta.
Evening: Drinking of milk in the evening hours is good for eyes and alleviates vata and pitta.
Night: Drinking of milk at night is ideal. In daytime people happen to exert much and vidahi annam hence drinking of milk after food is essential at night to reduce tiredness and also good for eyes.
Age factor
Baalyavastha (childhood)- promotes growth and development of tissues
Yuvavastha (youth)- promotes strength
Vruddhavastha (old age)- provides strength and prevents ageing.
Qualities depending upon storage
Qualities of milk differ depending upon the vessel in which it is stored.
Taamra (copper) – Vatahara
Suvarna (gold) – Pittahara
Roupya (silver) – Kaphahara
Kamsya (brass) – Rakta prasadhanam
In pregnancy:
Habitual intake of cow’s milk is indicated from the first month pregnancy in ayurvedic samhitas. Because of the valuable properties, milk is advised to take every day solely or mixed with other food.
Milk that should be avoided:
Milk other than Sweet taste like sour, salt should be avoided. Milk with bad smell, abnormal colour should also be avoided. Milk of cow that is pregnant aggravates all the tridosas, hence should be avoided. Milk of cow that is pregnant aggravates all the tridosas, hence should be avoided. After intake of taamboola (betel leaves) for about 2 hours milk should be avoided.Milk is considered almost complete food, as it contains vitamin A, thiamine, nicotinic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin K, minerals like calcium, phosphorus, sodium and potassium according to modern concepts. In Ayurveda milk has so many properties like rasayan and considered to have the qualities of ojas – essence of all dhatus, hence equal to nectar. Now-a-days people go for pasteurized milk, slim milk, skimmed milk etc which is not going to give the actual benefits of milk rather it may lead to some other problem in the future. Cow’s milkis the best among all. What is the need for us to go in search of substitutes when we have nectar in our hands?
posted by ANHC Saligao, Goa, India at
12:25 AM
1 Comments:
1) will the qualities of milk change according to the cows external appearance?
By
Unknown, at 10:30 PM
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