Okra or bhindi is recommended for diabetes, weight loss, erectile dysfunction, constipation, piles, cystitis, and UTI. It cools the body and eliminates body heat.
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About Okra
Okra or ladyfinger is a vegetable that is elongated, slender, and green in color. It belongs to the mallow family. This vegetable has various medicinal uses. It has a botanical name Abelmoschus esculentus. It is a perennial plant that grows up to a height of 6 ft. It bears pentagonal long fruits which resemble a lady’s finger. The fruit contains numerous small round seeds. This is used as a vegetable in Southeast Asia.
Fruits of this plant are rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D. It is also a storehouse of amino acids, proteins, folic acid, and flavonoids.
Okra is known by various names in India. It is ladies finger in English, bhindi in hindi, bhindo in gujarati, bendekai in kannada, ventaykka in Malayalam, dhenras in Bengali, vendai in tamil, Benda Kai in telagu, Bhendi in Marathi .
Ayurveda medicinal properties of Okra
Based on principles of Ayurveda okra is sweet to taste (madhura rasa) ( Ayurveda Sweet Taste – Madhura Rasa ) and the same taste remains even after digestion (vipaka). This vegetable is heavy to digest (guru) and acts as a body coolant (sheeta veerya).
Effect on doshas
Okra or bhindi balances pitta dosha and Vata dosha. Increases kapha dosha.
Eases constipation
Bhendi has high fiber content and mucilage. It reduces incidences of constipation through its bulk-increasing qualities. It improves bowel movement and eases constipation. Hence it is recommended in piles (hemorrhoids) and fissures. For a natural ayurvedic remedy for constipation, drink a glass of Okra juice after lunch to ease bowel movements.
Okra increases intestinal flora or friendly bacteria. Intestinal flora aids in the synthesis of Vitamin B Complex. Lady Finger has a very good medicinal property for healing ulcers. It neutralizes acid and forms a protective coat in the digestive tract. The insoluble fibers help to keep the intestines healthy and may reduce the risk of colon cancer. It also helps to protect the heart.
Helps with Urinary Tract Problems.
This vegetable cools and soothes the inner layers of the bladder and urinary tract. This is very helpful in cystitis and UTI (urinary tract infection) ( Cystitis and UTI in Ayurveda ). Drinking okra water twice daily helps to get rid of the burning sensation during urination.
Helps in the management of type 2 diabetes
It helps to stabilize blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, by reducing the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract. It can be added to the Ayurveda diabetes diet.
Take 2 fresh medium-sized mature okra. Cut this into pieces of 1-inch length. Add this to a cup of water and leave it overnight. The next day morning, squeeze this well and drink it on an empty stomach. Many patients have reported a significant decrease in blood sugar levels using this remedy. The seeds and peels of this vegetable are very effective in lowering blood sugar levels. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6337517/
The high beta carotene component in this vegetable lowers the risks of cataracts.
Helps in the management of obesity
Since this vegetable contains plenty of dietary fibers it helps in slowing down sugar absorption and fills the stomach. Including steam-cooked okra in your diet helps in weight loss and can be used in the management of obesity. The mucilage of the ladyfinger helps to bind cholesterol and reduce its level in the blood. It also helps to reduce toxin levels in the liver and acts as the best ayurvedic liver detox. This may help with blood
Okra and Okra Water for Erectile Dysfunction
This vegetable is rich in magnesium, iron, folate, zinc, and vitamin B. All these minerals help to keep sexual energy up. Based on principles of Ayurveda, bhindi which is madhura rasa ( sweet to taste) and sheeta veerya (body coolant) helps to eliminate body heat and strengthen shukra dhatu . Strong shukra dhatu improves sperm count, motility, erectile dysfunction, and premature ejaculation. Hence this vegetable can be used as an ayurvedic remedy for klaibya or erectile dysfunction.
Since it helps to control blood sugar levels, this can be used by diabetic men as an ayurvedic remedy for erectile dysfunction due to diabetes.
This is very helpful in ayurvedic treatment of erectile dysfunction due to obesity and erectile dysfunction due to cholesterol.
This vegetable is considered a remedy for spermatorrhea in men and leucorrhoea in women.
Okra seed oil for head lice and dandruff
Take 50 to 60 dried okra seeds. Soak these overnight in 100 ml of sesame oil or coconut oil. Next day heat this oil on low flame till the oil boils. Allow it to cool down and this can be used on the scalp to prevent lice and dandruff. This oil is the best ayurvedic oil for dandruff, flaky scalp, and hair growth.
Precautions to use Bhendi or Okra
Since it cools the body (sheeta veerya), do not use this vegetable when you have cough, cold, bronchitis, and indigestion.
(WhatsApp Dr.Savitha Suri @+ 91 6360108663/ to know more about ayurvedic treatments and remedies )
Author – Dr.Savitha Suri. Consultant ayurvedic physician.
Resource https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6337517/
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