Spice up your life/ Health ka tadka

Indian food without a doubt is delectable but besides satiating the taste buds Indian food has a soothing effect on all your senses as well. It’s the spices that we Indians use unsparingly that create the magic. Not only do these spices add flavour, aroma, colour and texture; spices can actually help improve your health!
Many must have heard the phrase “You are what you eat”. In reality it is not the food that makes us what we are but the ingredients we use to cook the food. Your mom’s kitchen is actually a place where you can find solution to all your health problems. The body is bound to function flawlessly if right spices are had in right proportions. The herbs and spices contained in the steel jars can help in stimulation, digestion, circulation and release of toxins. All you need to have is a little knowledge on how to spice things up.
So here is a list of herbs and spices which you are sure to find in your kitchen and are probably using most of them in your daily diet. Black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, carom seeds, garlic, ginger, turmeric, mustard and the list is endless; all rich with medicinal values and each with a flavour of its own.
Inspite of India being the ‘spice village’ of the world our people have distanced themselves from the home remedies. So all those who have a running nose, been sneezing all day, have a sore throat, severe headache or any other pains, run to your kitchen and find the cure to your problem.
For cold, turmeric is one of nature’s most powerful healers. It can be added to almost every food item. Ginger, black pepper and cinnamon can also cure common cold. A gram of cinnamon powder mixed with a teaspoon of honey is sure to kill your cold.

For blocked nose or to relieve congestion take 2 table spoons of carom seeds (ajwaine) and roast them on a pan while inhaling the steam coming from it.
Suffering from sore throat and finding it difficult to swallow food? Turmeric can reduce inflammation and with its cleansing properties can help sooth your throat. A gram of turmeric with a teaspoon of honey is your remedy. If it’s too bad a; take a tea spoon of cumin seeds (jeera) with a few pieces of dry ginger and allow to boil. Strain the mixture, let it cool and drink twice daily.

For your back pains and knee pains Ginger is the answer. Rubbing ginger paste on the affected area helps reduce discomfort internally. Besides pain, ginger can help preventing digestive disorders and also helps keep blood pressure under control.
For those who are hyperactive and need to calm down a bit, do so by adding lemon grass, nutmeg, bay leaves and saffron to your diet.
Those who fall sick regularly, give your immune system a boost by increasing the amount of turmeric, basil, cinnamon, thyme, saffron and ginger.
Every time you flavour your meals with herbs or spices you are literally “upgrading” your food without adding a single calorie. You are taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary by adding a dose of ‘health’ to your food.
Eat healthy. Live healthy and keep it spicy! After all what’s there in a bland life?

Chetna Nagpal

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