All you know is the meaning of “Jadi Booti (जड़ी बूटी )”. Of course, you do, you’ve been coming across this term a lot of times while growing up. But do you know the significance of this word? Jadi Booti, or Indian Herbs, are of great importance in our history and our culture and made a specific impact on some of the epic events that took place in our History.
Remember the story where Lord Laxman was saved by a herb called Sanjeevani Booti (संजीवनी बूटी) brought from Dronagiri Mountain by Lord Hanuman in Ramayana? Yes, that is how impactful herbs have been in our history, and our culture, and have been mentioned in ancient texts such as Vedas and Puranas.
Now one such herb is Giloy. Do you want to know, What is Giloy? Giloy is Sanjeevini booti for humans. It is Amrit (अमृत ) for us. That’s why it is also known as Amruta (अमृता) in Sanskrit.
Giloy has many anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This herb is very beneficial if someone suffering from dengue fever, diabetes, cancer, etc.
Hindi Name of Giloy: गिलोय/गुलवेल/गुडुची
Giloy in English: Heart-leaved Moonseed
Sanskrit Name: Amruta/Amritavalli/Tantrika/Kundalini/Chakralakshini
Botanical Name: Tinospora cordifolia
Parts Used: Leaves, Stem
Table of Contents
Nutritional Value
Giloy has a complex structure due to which chemical research conducted on it has been limited, and the fixed nutritional value of Giloy has not been identified. Although, few compounds consisting of Giloy can be named, and they are – Alkaloids, Phytosterols, Glycosides, etc.
Also Read: Uses of Mustard Oil: Nutrition, Side Effects
What are the Health Benefits of Giloy?
Giloy has many health benefits, some are described below:
Also Read: Amla Benefits
Giloy Benefits For Diabetes
This problem is common nowadays and a lot of people are suffering from it. Diabetes can often be deadly because it helps in the accumulation of a lot of other diseases. So for Diabetic people, and also to prevent Diabetes, Giloy is a really good herb. Giloy decreases the blood sugar level in the body because it acts as a Hypoglycaemic Agent.
Giloy Benefits For Stress
Today’s world is busier than ever, with people running to their work and barely having any time to devote to their hobbies or their family. The exercise routine is almost non-existent for most people, and their diet is also messed up. This leads to numerous problems, and stress is one of them. Now whatever the reason for stress may be, there are plenty of solutions to bring it down. It helps in getting rid of toxins present in the blood and cools down the mind, providing you with relaxation and a stress-free mind.
The Benefit of Giloy For Eyes
Yes, One of the many incredible health benefits of Giloy is that it treats the vision and makes the eyes healthier. Our eyes are precious, and we are at times care less about that which leads to problems like troubled vision and irritation in the eyes. Giloy helps in treating all this and makes the ciliary muscles stronger.
Is Giloy Good For Arthritis?
Most middle-aged to old people in today’s world are suffering from problems like Arthritis which render them unable to walk properly and gives them constant pain in their joints. This can be due to a lot of factors that we are not going to discuss now. What you all do need to know is that Giloy can be helpful in treating Arthritis as it contains Anti-inflammatory and Anti-Arthritic properties.
Giloy For Constipation
Spicy food, Alcohol, Coffee, etc. causes digestive system breakdown. Giloy helps to solve digestive and gastric problems. Whatever the reasons for these problems may be, Giloy will help you fight them with its rich properties.
Giloy For Fever
Diseases like Malaria, Dengue, Swine Flu, etc. are deadly and take a lot of lives every year. They need to be treated properly and on time to cure the patient. Giloy’s antipyretic nature can be a blessing for patients suffering from diseases like these and will help in treating them.
Benefits of Giloy for Skin
Yes, you heard it right. Giloy is also a natural helper for the skin and beautifies it. You can have flawless skin without those annoying dark heads, pimples, and acne. It also helps in slowing down the aging signs visible on your face in the form of wrinkles. So you see? Giloy is a great herb.
Respiratory Problems
Another Giloy benefit is that it treats respiratory problems and is extremely good for our respiratory system. This includes all problems related to breathing such as Asthma.
Is Giloy Good For Immunity
Giloy works wonders when it comes to boosting immunity. It is rich in numerous antioxidants that help fight several diseases.
Another important job done by Giloy is blood purification which removes toxins from the blood, while its anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties help in preventing infections. So consuming Giloy can work wonders for you and you’ll see that you won’t be prone to diseases as much as you used to be.
During Menopause
Menopause is when the menstrual cycle and the reproductive phase of a woman come to an end. Although it is a natural process, it still comes with a lot of pain and irritating symptoms.
Women generally feel a lot of pain and weakness while they’re going through Menopause. Menopause renders women more prone to diseases by decreasing their immunity for the rest of their lives. But as we discussed the above Giloy benefits, it can be a really good immunity booster and can slow down the severe changes faced by a woman during Menopause.
Giloy For Dengue fever
Drinking Giloy juice during Dengue is recommended. Because Giloy increases the platelets fall by a drastic number and can be fatal. So Drinking Giloy juice can be good for the body as it increases the platelet level fast, causing the recovery process to speed up.
Giloy Maintain Cholesterol Level
Free fatty acids and low-density fats contribute to raising the level of Cholesterol in the blood. This can be tackled by the use of Giloy as it brings down the blood cholesterol level and keeps it in check.
Does Giloy Help in Weight Loss?
Want to shed some weight but do not know where to start? Well changing your eating habits would be a good start. Cut out all the junk and start eating healthy vegetables. And also, start consuming some Giloy every once in a while. Giloy juice helps in burning fats and calories and keeps your weight in check.
Health Benefits of Giloy For Asthma
The problem of Asthma can be controlled by the use of Giloy (By chewing on it or drinking its juice).
Is Giloy Harmful For the Liver?
Giloy helps in preventing the liver from facing any issues by keeping it healthy by carrying out the process of detoxification. It also boosts the sexual health of a person by dealing with the problems of impotence and abnormal ejaculation.
Giloy Side Effects
Giloy should be used in limited quantities because of its numerous benefits. It also has a lot of side effects.
Too much of the use of Giloy can cause problems like Constipation and irritation in the stomach.
Diabetes patient is advised to use Giloy only with the advice of a doctor.
Hyperactivity is also one problem that can happen due to too much consumption of Giloy.
We do not know what is the effect of Giloy in pregnancy, but we would advise that you use it with the advice of an Ayurvedic acharya.
How to Use Giloy?
So you’ve seen the numerous Giloy uses. Now let us take a look at the ways to consume it:
- You can drink Giloy in the form of juice, and it is usually the most common way to consume Giloy. You can consume Giloy in diseases like dengue and malaria.
- Apply a paste of Giloy leaves to your skin.
- You can eat Giloy in the form of powder.
- Giloy can be mixed with other herbs to make tonics.
- You can chew Giloy in its raw form directly.
What is Neem Giloy?
Giloy is a creeper. So giloy needs support to grow. And it is said that any tree which supports Giloy, the qualities of that tree also come in Giloy. If neem tree supports giloy to grow, then Giloy also gets neem properties. So, Giloy is also known as Neem Giloy.
How to Make Giloy Juice/Kadha?
Giloy’s brew is made from Giloy’s stem. Peel the stem of Giloy and cut it into small pieces. Now grind it for a minute. Boil in 4 cups of water on medium flame until the water remains one cup. Turn off the gas. Your brew is ready.
So this article guided you on the numerous Giloy benefits and how to consume Giloy. So hopefully, now you might have understood the power of Ayurveda. It’s high time you start taking care of your health and yourself. Adios!