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February 08, 2008

Chyawanprash

"Long, long ago, there was a sage in India named Chyawan who lived in a forest. His hair was matted and he was covered with tree growth after years of meditating in the same place. A young princess was blindfolded and dancing in the forest when her hands touched the hair of the sage. Her father, the king, explained to the sage that it was the custom in his country that a woman could only touch one man in her lifetime. He thus requested the sage to marry his daughter. Chyawan asked if he could have two months to prepare for the wedding for he wished to be young again so as to afford his wife conjugal bliss. Thereupon, he developed the recipe for longevity that has remained India's most popular remedy"

Like most Indian words, Chyawanprash can be spelled any number of ways. I'm going for this way simply because it's the most phonetic. Chyawanprash is a rasayana, meaning it is a tonic for strengthening and revitalising the body. It is particularly used after Panch Karma, for the elderly and for convalescence.

Unlike many herbal medicines, Chyawanprash is absolutely delicious. It comes in the form of a thick black jam. It tastes sweet and sour, and sometimes a bit spicy too. Choose a spicier brand for Kapha and less spicy one for Pita.

Originally it was recorded by Charaka as having 48 ingredients, but now it is the most common Ayurvedic formula around and different manufacturing companies use anywhere between 13 and 80 ingredients. The primary ingredient is always amla, one of the highest sources of Vitamin C known.

Follow the directions on the packet, or your doctors advice, though generally somewhere between 1 and 2 tspns are taken with warm milk. Since it is very high in sugar I would suggest taking it in the morning or during the day, but not at night.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi! Love your blog. Did ayurveda actually cure Hepatitis A (jaundice ?). If yes, then could you please let me know how. I had jaundice when I was kid and had to be in bed rest for months. But a cousin got cured in 5 days with Ayurvedic medicines. The old person who knew the secret medicine has passed away.

Julia said...

Yes, I was sick for 15 months from Hepatitis A before finding an Ayurvedic Doctor. By that stage I was so run down I had Giardia, chronic fatigue, low blood pressure, anemia...Western Doctors just kept telling me to rest, but Ayurveda fixed me up to better than before in a couple of months. Email me if you have any specific questions. I'm not a doctor but I have learned a few simple things along the way.

A-kay said...

Thanks to you, I have started taking chyawamprash. Question for you - is there an recommendation on when to eat this like better to eat in the morn on an early stomach or night?

Julia said...

I am not entirely sure. I don't think it matters too much when you take chyawanprash. But since it is quite sweet it is better earlier in the day. It should be taken with milk which is also better digestion earlier in the day. Too much sweet or heavy food in the evening can cause slow or sluggish digestion and raise Kapha. I tend to take it with my mid morning chai. Anyone got any suggestions?

Anonymous said...

Hi Julia, i think u should take chyawanprash with warm milk earlier in the day that is before breakfast and leave all those caffeinated drinks for utmost benefit. Then only u will realise the true power of Chyawanprash.