Ayurvedic Healing: The Amazing Amla Berry
Date Posted:10 July 2012
The amazing amla berry, which is also known as amalaki and in English referred to as the Indian gooseberry, is revered as the best rejuvenating herb by the Charaka Samhita. All parts of the plant can be used for Ayurvedic healing, including the flowers, bark, roots, leaves, seeds, and fruit and consists of five out of the six tastes: pungent, bitter, sweet, sour, and astringent.
While the fresh fruit is often used in relishes and chutneys in India, the supplement offered by Maharishi Ayurveda is a great way of including it in your daily diet in a convenient tablet form. The supplement is incredible and only contains one ingredient, amalaki. It requires a meticulous process to not only maintain the integrity of its biological intelligence, but its potency level as well. By following the twenty one step process, the Organic Premium Amla Berry tablets from Maharishi Ayurveda are more powerful than eating the fruit itself. Ayurveda processing takes extreme care to not disturb or destroy the life-giving and enhancing properties of the fruit.
The nutritional properties of amalaki include carotenoids, polyphenols, flavones, and bioflavonoids. However, what makes amalaki truly unique is the tenacity of its ascorbic acid, which has proven virtually indestructible, as it is not destroyed even when the fruit is dried or even burned. The berry is known as a rasayana herb; rasayana is anything that lends to enhancing youth and vitality and essentially means 'to make young again'. Amalaki restores and enhances the process of resurgence, transformation, and conservation of the life-force.
The Ayurvedic Healing Properties of Amalaki
Vitamin C
The amalaki fruit contains one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C found in any fruit or other natural substance, and the vitamin C found in the fresh fruit is easily assimilated by the body. In fact, it is absorbed twelve times more effectively than any synthetic vitamin C. The amount of vitamin C present in just a medium-sized Indian gooseberry is eight times higher than what is found in a tomato and four times higher than what is found in a medium-sized orange.
Antioxidant
Amalaki tablets are a powerhouse of antioxidants. Antioxidants scavenge and destroy free-radicals, ultimately preventing the formation of cancerous cells, preventing disease, and increasing longevity.
Improves the Tone of Muscles
Indian gooseberry is perfect for athletes or for anyone who wants a more toned and leaner appearance. Amalaki makes protein synthesis more effective, which is why it is ideal for improving the mass of lean muscle and increasing overall muscle strength.
Excellent for Eyes
In ancient Ayurvedic healing, amalaki is known as chakshushya, which translates ‘to strengthen the eyes'. Amalaki supports eye health by enhancing Alochaka Pitta and Ranjaka Pitta, which are both subdoshas of Pitta. Both subdoshas of Pitta help strengthen the eyes through their unique function in the body. Ranjaka Pittta supports blood plasma and liver function, while Alochaka Pitta supports the eyes and vision.
Enhances the Body's Ability to Handle Stress
The rich source of vitamin C is readily absorbed by the body and is sent straight to the adrenal glands for support. The adrenal gland must be operating at its optimal best in order for you to be able to deal with stress in a healthy manner, maintain energy and vitality, and optimize physical and mental ability. The adrenal glands also house the body's vital reserves, so they must be supported, nourished, and care for in order to avoid adrenal exhaustion. Stress drains the vital reserves and decreases the body's ability to respond to life difficulties. By supporting the adrenals with a supplement like Maharishi Ayurveda's, you reverse and prevent the damage caused by stress.
Balances and Stabilizes Emotions
Every person consists of a magnetic energy field. If the energy cannot flow through the body freely, the mind, body, and spirit quickly become disharmonious. This creates a disruption in the body and not only affects physical health, but mental health as well. Amalaki, on the other hand, has a stabilizing and balancing effect on the subtle energy field and on the emotions. People who have taken amla berry supplements on a regular basis claim that their body is easier to control in a crisis or high-stress situation and their emotions are not so over-reactive.
Protects against Electromagnetic Pollution
Just as amalaki has an effect on the emotions through the magnetic energy field, it protects the same energy field from harmful electromagnetic (EM) pollution as well. In today's high-tech world, people are surrounded by things that put off toxic electromagnetic energy that is highly disruptive to the body's delicate energy field. This amazing berry strengthens the body's energy field against man-made pollution from computers, cell phones, electric towers and lines, radio waves, micro waves, TV waves, and any other form of EM radiation prevalent in today's time.
Nurses back to Health
Amalaki is affectionately called 'the nurse', as its high vitamin content and other properties have the ability to nurse the sick and support healing of injuries. While modern science still does not understand the full make-up and healing elements of the Amla berry, this fruit has long been recognized and favoured by Ayurvedic healing and its experts in the field.
Rejuvenates Vitality
Amalaki is rare in that it contains five out of the six tastes found in Ayurvedic nutrition. The six tastes are identified as astringent, pungent, bitter, salty, sour, and sweet.
According to Ayurvedic healing and nutrition, the taste of food unlocks its nutrition and kick starts the digestive process. Each meal taken should include at least one of each taste and as amla berry consists of five of the tastes, it makes it the ideal supplement when you cannot include all six. Having such a nutritious supplement allows the body to cleanse the blood and the micro-channels, so toxins can be eliminated properly, as well as support the doshas, which rejuvenates vitality and energy.
Enhances and Improves Elimination
Proper and complete elimination is a cornerstone of Ayurvedic nutrition and absolutely essential if you want the best health possible. Without optimal removal of toxins, the body soon becomes overloaded with ama, the toxic and sticky residue that accumulates in the body as a by-product of waste that has not been eliminated. Amalaki flushes toxins out of the liver and the blood, which allows the body to remove them, leaving behind healthy cells and the life-force flowing freely.
Amalaki also:
- Improves liver function.
- Cleanses and moisturises the skin.
- Improves the absorption of nutrients such as calcium.
- Supports the sensory and nervous systems.
- Enhances intellectual and physical prowess.
- Strengthens hair follicles.
- Prevents grey hair.
- Enhances hair beauty, shine, and lustre.
- Resists bacterial infection.
- Purifies the lymph fluid and blood.
- Balances the acid within the stomach.
- Prevents hyper-acidity.
- Supports the urinary tract and system.
- Helps to manage rheumatism.
- Feeds and nourishes the vital functions of the brain.
- Enhances the digestive fire.
- Enhances, supports, and improves proper digestion.
- Relieves mild to moderate abdominal pain and discomfort.
Whether you take amla berry as a supplement or eat the fresh fruit, this berry is certainly a gift of nature and supports and improves nearly every function of the body, as well as being an overall boost for the immune system.