Ayurvedic Churnas For Various Ailments

Churnas were first used as a medicine many thousands of years ago in Ayurveda, the most ancient of all medical practices. Ayurveda that originated in India translates into Ayur – Life and Veda – Science. It was understood to be the science of life that treated almost all ailments known to man.

What are  Ayurvedic Churnas?

Churnas are Ayurvedic drugs in a fine powdery form. A churna preparation may be of one single substance or it may be a mixture of several ingredients. Used to treat a wide range of health disorders, churnas were prevalent only in India earlier. Now, however, ayurvedic treatment and hence the use of churnas has spread all over the world. The therapeutic value of churna is believed to be highly effective because of the ingredients being made available in their smallest possible state of subdivision.

Related: Ayurveda Prakriti Self Body Test

Churnas are believed to act as effective antacids, preventive therapeutic use and as substances to fight common ailments like cough and cold. One significant advantage of churnas is that children find it easier to intake than pills or capsules of conventional medical interventions.

The basic ingredients of churnas are derived from completely dried roots, leaves, fruits, seeds and stems of herbs and plants. How effective a churna is completely dependent on the authenticity of the herbs used, their freshness and the optimal measures in which they are needed to make the preparation.

Churnas maybe prescribed both of internal and external usage and are also available both in amorphous and crystalline forms. Churnas are prescribed by Ayurvedic doctors to treat almost every ailment, right from the common cold, to kidney ailments to lung infections to skin disorders. There are several hundred churnas that have become popular with the public and here below two most popular among them are discussed.

Triphala Churna

This is one of the most widely used and popular churnas in Ayurveda believed to be effective against a wide spectrum of ailments. Three Indian fruits amla, harada and baheda are the main constituents of the Triphala churna (Triphala translates to ‘three fruits”). Amla is a rich source of Vitamin C, harada has a beneficial effect while treating brain and heart ailments while bahada is a rich source of Vitamin A.

The churna is believed to be the most effective against hemorrhaging, digestion problems, bowel irregularity, anemia, hyperacidity, stress, blood circulation, and liver ailments.   According to Ayurveda this churna is believed to help balance the three elements of life named as kapha, pittha, and vata. The first balances the physiological structure, the second is responsible for a well-maintained metabolism and the third helps maintain the nervous system. Triphala Churna is also believed to protect the body against allergies, harmful bacteria, and viruses.

Ashwagandha Churna

Another popular churna that treats a wide variety of ailments is the Ashwagandha Churna. Created from the dried root of a plant known as Ashwagandha (winter cherry or Indian ginseng), the Churna is believed to effectively help a

• Treating infertility and impotency problems
•  Enhancing memory
•  Sedative and tonic
• An anti-inflammatory and analgesic medicine
• An antioxidant
• An aphrodisiac

Ashwagandha Churna is also prescribed to help prevent symptoms of arthritis, aging, and cardio problems.

In latest National Health Interview Survey in the US determined that there were more than two hundred thousand adults who used Ayurvedic medicine in the past year. The popularity of this alternative medicine may be attributed to the fact that it claims to effectively create holistic well-being and good health. Churnas are fine powdery Ayurvedic preparations that are generally prescribed for a huge spectrum of ailments. The article speaks about Ayurvedic Churnas in general and the Triphala and Ashwagandha Churnas (the two most popular among them) in particular.