Qualities and Benefits of Bamboo According to Ayurveda;

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School children are generally taught a couplet, which means that it is

always good to keep a stick nearby as it has many qualities. The stick,

which has been mentioned, is nothing but bamboo. We know that bamboo

has several uses but we are unaware of its medicinal uses.Bamboo

is available in all parts of India, but it is mainly found in southern

India and the states of Orissa, Assam, lower Himalayas, the plains of

Ganges and Indus. It grows naturally in the forests, but is cultivated

in the cities. There are 550 different kinds of bamboo, here two or

three types of bamboo are being described.Dendro Calamus Atrictmus: It is straight, thin and solid. It belongs to the male species.Dendrocalamus

Giganteous: This also belongs to the male species. It is 20 to 120 feet

long. When old, this bamboo turns green or yellow in color. This type

of bamboo is very strong.Bamboo Manma - these bamboos are of

female species and are popular in the hilly areas as fat, hollow and

catarrh bamboos. The white fluid inside the bamboos dries up and forms

into a solid substance and is therefore known as Banshlochan (manna

obtained from bamboo, manna is a sugary substance). The real

banshlochan (manna) is white in color or has bluish stripes, opaque,

irregular in shape and small to large big pieces found between each

node. It is very hard and does not break easily. It is not easily

soluble in water. When water is poured on this manna it becomes

transparent. The real manna is very expensive and can also be

manufactured through a chemical process.External form:

Bamboos are absolutely straight in groups having fixed thorns. This

type of bamboo generally grows up to a height of 20 to 50 feet in

shrubs. The stem is round with a thickness of 6 to 7 feet, having

several hollow and solid barks at a distance of 20 inches with

different shapes of clear nodes. The tree has no branches but

three-fourths of the tree have more spines between each node. The

leaves grow in bunches and are around 7 inches long with a sharp front

edges and rounded towards the end.Flowers:

The long branches have whitish red colored flowers bearing fruits,

which are 1/3 inch in size and barley shaped. They are also called

vanshyava, because of their shape, and a rice like grain grows in

these fruits, which are called bamboo rice.Chemical composition:Banshlochan

(Manna) contains silica, mandoor, Potash, lime, alumina and some

vegetable substances like colin carbohydrates and several other

substances. Qualities: It

is rough, slightly hot, sweet essence, astringent taste, ripe, oily,

buddy leaves, belongs to the barley species and hot in strength.Banshlochan (Manna): It

has a sweet astringent taste, sweet when ripe and cold in strength. It

is healthy for the different humors of the body, and increases the

sperm. It is beneficial in thirst, cough, fever, respiratory disorders,

bile due to tuberculosis, blood impurities, leprosy with jaundice,

wounds, ulcers, jaundice, vata dosha and painful discharge of urine.

Besides it has other uses in pregnancy and post delivery.Offshoots of bamboo: Spicy, sour, pungent, bitter, slightly cold and beneficial in bleeding piles, for burning sensations and gonorrhea.Rice: The

bamboo rice is pungent, sweet, strong, and nutritious. It cures kapha,

pitta dosha, removes toxic substances from the body and cures the

disease in which the vital humors of the body are excreted through

urine.Function: Bamboo

and bamboo with a hole are beneficial in curing painful discharge of

urine, excretion of vital humors from the body, and burning sensation

of piles. The bamboo containing hole increases the fire in the stomach,

cures indigestion, helps in digestion of food, relieves pain and

enlargement of the heart and improves appetite.Useful parts of Bamboo:Roots, leaves, offshoots, fruits, manna.Medicinal Uses of Bamboo:Baldness:1.

Burn the skin and roots of bamboo and mix it in vinegar. Apply this lep

(pack) on the head. Hair will begin to grow on a bald head.2. Take the ash of the roots of bamboo and mix it in chameli (Jasmine flower) oil. This is very beneficial to cure baldness.3.

Burn the roots and skin of bamboo and mix equal quantity of turmeric

powder in their bhasma (ash) and make a fine powder. Apply this on the

scalp, it makes the hair strong and prevents hair loss.4. Grind the roots of bamboo and apply on the face and small-pox marks. The skin becomes beautiful.Itching:Burn the bamboo leaves and apply the ash on the area, where it is itching. This is a very effective medicine to stop itching.Bleeding Wounds:1.

Burn the bamboo wood coals and make a powder. Sprinkle this powder on

the wounds to stop bleeding and for fast healing. It also reduces

swelling.2. Pour the juice of tender shoots of bamboo to kill

worms. Tie a poultice of tender shoots of bamboo to heal the wound

quickly.Eye Problems:1.

Banshlochan (manna) -1.250 mg, 1 small cardamom seed (powdered) - 10

gm, avala (mylobaran) - 750 mg, black pepperâ€"500 mg, small pippali -

250 mg. Mix all the ingredients and add pure surma (collyrium, black

substance applied as eye-liner) equal to half of the sum total of all

the ingredients. Sieve with a thin cloth and apply in the eyes. This

prevents all types of eye problems.2. Apply the oily substance

accumulated on the stem and leaves of bamboo in the eyes. This is an

effective medicine to cure cataract.Dental Problems:1. Burn the roots of bamboo and massage the teeth with the ash. The teeth become clean and shining.2.

Take equal proportions of banshlochan (manna), small cardamom seeds

and samamstangi. Grind all the ingredients together and store in a safe

place. Massage the teeth with this powder twice daily. It cleans plaque

and dirt on the teeth and makes the teeth sparkling white.Disease of the Umbilical Tube:Tie the poultice of the bamboo shoots on the umbilical tube. The disease will be cured.Hip Pain:1. Rub the fresh shoots of bamboo leaves in vinegar and apply on the back and hips. This reduces the pain.2. Burn the roots of bamboo and mix the bhasma (ash) in water. Apply this on the hip bones to relieve pain.Expulsion of the Placenta: It

is necessary to clean the uterus properly post delivery. Boil 10 bamboo

leaves in 200 gm of water and make a thick decoction till it reduces to

50 gm. Sieve it and add 10 gm of jaggery and drink it hot (as per

convenience). This eases the process of childbirth and expulsion of

placenta. It reduces the pain in the uterus and prevents excessive loss

of blood.Mild Menstruation:1.

If the female does not get proper menses or if the cycle is irregular,

decoction of fresh bamboo leaves is highly beneficial.2. The same medicine is good for cleaning the uterus.Painful and Mild Menstruation:Make

a coarse powder of the bamboo knot. Take 20 gm of this powder and 40 gm

of soy seeds. Boil both the ingredients in one litre of water and

reduce it to one-eighth of the quantity. Add 25 gm of jaggery and give

it to the patient. This is beneficial in curing painful and mild

menstruation.Urinary problem:1. Decoction of fresh bamboo leaves is beneficial in reducing the burning sensation and pain in the bladder.2.

Boil 25 gm of bamboo leaves in 200 ml of water. Reduce it to 40 ml.

Give this medicine to the patient with 5 gm of honey. This is

beneficial to cure urinary problems.Gonorrhea:Bamboo

leaves are extremely beneficial to cure Gonorrhea. Dry the bamboo

leaves in the shade, take 6 gm of the dried leaves and mix it with 6 gm

of Anantmool powder. Boil both the ingredients in 400 ml of water till

it reduces to 100 ml. Add 3 to 4 grams of sugar candy in this decoction

and give to the patient regularly for one or two weeks.Increasing the fire in the stomach:Bamboo

shoots are used as food in various ways. Boil the fresh leaves or

shoots and prepare pickle, vegetable or soup and include it in your

diet. This is very beneficial in curing indigestion and the digestive

system will function properly.Poison Antidote:Extract the juice of bamboo leaves and add jaggery powder. Give one dose of this medicine to reduce the effect of poison.Dog Bite:1

..When a dog bites someone, its poison (bacteria) enters-the body. Grind

the roots of bamboo in milk and give it to the person, the poison will

be removed.2. Grind bamboo shoots and roots in cow milk and

give to the person every morning for 15 days. This will remove the

effect of poison in the body.Dry Cough:Soak the bamboo knot in water and heat it lukewarm. Give this to children suffering with dry cough.Jointpain:Grind the knots of bamboo, heat them a little and tie a poultice on the painful area.Injury:1. In case of any type of injury, grind the bamboo skin and make a fine powder. Give one dose with grounded jaggery.2.

If injury causes acute pain and burning sensation in the blood and on

the skin. In this case make a decoction with bamboo skin. Let it cool,

add honey and give it to the person twice or thrice daily. This is very

beneficial to reduce dehydration due to consumption of excess liquor

and burning sensation due to the effect of toxic substances.Uses of Banshlochan (Manna):1. 1.250 to 2.500 mg of banshlochan with honey cures dry cough.2.

One gm banshlochan powder, 395 mg of Pippali powder. Add both these

ingredients in honey and give two to three doses daily to cure

breathing and cough problem.Fever due to indigestion:500

gm banshlochan, 500 gm of Giloy satva (extract), 250 gm of pippali

powder. Add all these ingredients with honey and give three doses

daily. This medicine cures fever due to indigestion.Wounds:Take 500 gm of banshlochan with ghee or honey thrice daily. This will heal all wounds.Secretion of vital humors from the body: Banshlochan

rasa (essence), pure nagkesar and seeds of cardamom. Take equal

proportion of these things, grind them and sieve it with a thin cloth.

Grease it with sandal oil and make small pills. Give one pill each in

the morning and evening with 50 ml water mixed with 6 gm of grounded

jaggery. This dose reduces the burning sensation in case of Gonorrhea

and completely cures the disease within seven days. This pill is

beneficial in all types of secretions of the vital humors.Burning Sensation in Urine:1.

In the above mentioned pill do not grease it with sandal oil and give

only one and a half or three gm of powder with sugar candy and milk.2. A dose of banshlochan with Gokharu drops with swarasa (essence) of Gokharu reduces the burning sensation of the urine.3.

Make curds with raw milk, add banshlochan powder, Gokharu and sugar

candy. This medicine cures burning sensation in the stomach.Bleeding piles:Take 2 gm of banshlochan powder and 10 gm of bamboo rasa and mix it with sugar candy.Mouth ulcers:Mix

banshlochan, small cardamom, white catechu (katha) and geru in equal

quantities and make a powder. Put a small quantity of this powder in

the mouth at small intervals. Take 40 gm of rose petals and make

Gulkand, add 2 to 3 gm of banshlochan and give twice or thrice daily.Mix banshlochan with honey and apply the lep (pack) on the mouth ulcers.Increasing sperm:Consume one gm of banshlochan everyday or take it with praval pishti, abhrak bhasma (ash of mica), shilajit and other medicines.Miscarriage:If

there is a chance of miscarriage, take one gm of banshlochan, add 125

mg of Kalbul Haj. Grind both these ingredients separately and then mix

them. Take this medicine twice or thrice to prevent miscarriage.Other Uses:1.

Take out the green portion of the lotus stem, which lies in the middle

of the stem, and add equal quantity of banshlochan. Make a fine powder

with both the ingredients and add sugar candy in double proportion.

Take this medicine twice or thrice daily with cow milk to be blessed

with a baby.2. The children have the habit of eating sand. Give them a cake of banshlochan to get rid of this habit.Sitopaladi Churna:Dalchini 10 gmSmall cardamom seeds: 20 gmSmall Pipal : 40 gmBanshlochan: 80 gmSugar candy: 160 gmGrind

all these ingredients separately, sieve it with a cloth and store it

safely. Give two to four gm of this powder with honey to cure phlegm

related diseases.In case of wind and bile related problems, consume banshlochan first with ghee and then half quantity of honey.This

powder cures dry cough, respiratory disorders, bleeding from the mouth,

burning sensation in the hands and legs, pain in the ribs, fever due to

indigestion and humors, weakness in children, burning sensation in the

eyes, throat etc.A pregnant lady should take this powder for 4

to 6 months to give birth to a healthy baby. The same preparation can

be used in the last month of pregnancy to induce labor.10 gm of sitopaladi churna10 gm of pure ghee made out of buffalo milkKeep

both the things in glass or mud vessel and pour the freshly extracted

buffalo milk and consume it twice daily for two months.Harm:Excess

consumption of banshlochan is harmful for the lungs. Honey, Mastangi (a

kind of gum), saffron, Unnav (jejube fruit used in medicine) and eluva

(wormwood) have the capacity to remove the harmful effects. Representative Medicines:Kulpha and Raitang.