Triphala has recently been making the news, with more and more western doctors catching on to this ancient herb’s potency. Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary, Ayurvedic expert and neurologist, who appeared on the Dr. Oz Show, once stated,
“Triphala is the herb that every American should be on.”
Fact: 70,000,000 people everyday suffer from some form of digestive issues, (according to American Nutrition Association).
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Thousands of years ago, an herbal formula was used where people did not need to suffer from the modern ailments many of us have such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and more. According to Eastern science, all of these conditions stem from the gut. Triphala churna targets the gut and is considered to be what’s called tridoshic, since it pacifies all three doshas of Ayurvedic science: Vata, (air), Pitta, (fire), and Kapha, (earth). These doshas translate to different body types. The tonic is made up of the three Indian fruits known as Haritaki, Amalaki and Bibhitaki, (it’s direct translation from ancient Sanskrit is 3 fruits).
- Amalaki (emblica officinalis) – This powder comes from the dried Indian Gooseberry is known for its many health benefits. Dr. Chaudhary said “Amalaki is an anti-oxidant that is wonderful at getting rid of inflammation in your body and increasing lean muscle mass as well as helping control your blood sugar.” The Amalaki berry has one of the highest concentrations of Vitamin C of any fruit, and has been found to increase energy, increase immunity, and purify the blood.
- Haritaki (terminalia chebula) – This fruit grows on the “terminalia chebula” tree that grows primarily in Southern Asia. Dr. Chaudhary explained, “Haritaki is a wonderful berry for getting rid of toxins in the colon, which is one of the most important organs for preventing toxins or Ama.” Ama, in Ayurveda is the residue of undigested or partially digested food, which is usually caused by a poor digestive fire. This residue can accumulate, stagnate, ferment and cause disease, being the earliest form of disease manifestation in the body. This fruit also has been shown to improve digestion, used as an anti-inflammatory, improve heart functions, and has antifungal and antibacterial benefits.
- Bibhitaki (terminalia belerica)– Dr. Chaudhary said, “is an herb that just gets rid of all the extra water and fat in your cells.” This fruit comes from a large tree called “terminalia bellirica” that grows in the hills of Southeast Asia and has shown high amounts of linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid that has the ability to reduce fat in your bloodstream, and increases your HDL (good) cholesterol/reduces your LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Besides being a powerful detoxifier for the colon and GI tract from it’s laxative properties and allowing bowels to be regular so new toxins cannot build up again, it aids in metabolism, absoprtion and it also flushes out toxins from the liver and blood, helping to strengthen the liver and promote healthy circulation. Plus, it reduces serum cholesterol and hypertension by aiding in weight control and toning the body on a cellular level.
Not too shabby for 3 little fruits, right?
Triphala may just be modern day’s curing ‘apple’ that fell from an ancient tree.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triphala
http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/new-ayurvedic-fat-fighters
http://americannutritionassociation.org/newsletter/digestive-issues
http://healing.about.com/od/ayurvedic_diet/a/Ayurvedadiet.htm
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