Botanical Description and Habitat: Ginger is a perennial herb with thick, knobby rhizomes used for culinary and medicinal purposes; it is native to Southeast Asia but widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics of the world.

Taste and Energetics: Ginger tastes pungent and has a heating energy; its postdigestive effect is sweet. It mainly balances Vata and Kapha doshas, but its excessive use may aggravate the Pitta dosha.

Medicinal Properties and Uses:

Digestive Aid: Ginger is a well-known digestive stimulant that improves appetite and can also relieve a number of digestive disorders, like indigestion, flatus, bloating, and constipation. It encourages the stomach’s secretion of digestive enzymes and bile, hence promoting the digestion of food for its eventual assimilation of nutrients.

Anti-inflammatory:Ginger has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant components that help reduce inflammation and pain due to several diseases like arthritis, sore muscle, and menstrual pain.

Carminative: Due to the carminative action exerted in the gastrointestinal system by ginger, it enables easy riddance of gas through passage and thus relieves conditions like flatulence and colic.

Respiratory Health: Ginger is administered for cold, cough, bronchitis, asthma, and other respiratory problems. This root aids in expelling mucus from the respiratory tract and thus provides relief from cold and congestion.

Nausea and Vomiting: Ginger is an excellent herb used for decreasing nausea and vomiting. The causes can be anything from sea or air sickness to nausea related to pregnancy or nausea after chemotherapy.

Circulatory Stimulant: Ginger enhances circulation, warms the body, promotes heart health, decreases blood pressure, and reduces cholesterol levels.

Immune Support: The antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of ginger help boost the immune system. It helps in protecting the body against infections and thus aids in increasing overall immunity.

Ayurvedic Formulations: Ginger is consumed in stand-alone forms and in Ayurvedic formulations, including teas, decoctions, churnas, and pastes. As often happens, it is spiced with other herbs that enhance its therapeutic action. One such classic Ayurvedic formulation, Trikatu, combines ginger with black pepper and long pepper as a stimulant of digestion and metabolism.

Traditional Uses: But in classical Ayurveda, ginger is far more extended in its usage, for such purposes as increasing metabolism, detoxification of the body, and promoting general vitality and well-being. There is a difference one derives from the usage between fresh and dried ginger. Fresh ginger is more cooling; and the dried form has a heating effect.

Safety Considerations

Ginger is generally safe to be consumed by most people in moderate quantities. Excessive use may cause heartburn, digestive upset, or aggravate Pitta-related conditions as a result of its heating nature. Those suffering from gallstones, or those using blood-thinning medications, should use large volumes of ginger under medical supervision only. In general, ginger is one of the cardinal herbs in Ayurveda, known for its wide range of health benefits and forms of application. To this effect, with a pungent taste and heating properties, it becomes an invaluable ally to digestive health, reduction of inflammation, respiratory function, and health maintenance. It would be one of those very few substances that achieves health and sustains balance if taken appropriately under Ayurvedic tenets.

As per ayurveda classical book formulation of Trikatu is known for balancing excess Vata (air) and Kapha (water) in the body. The herbs used in Trikatu support respiratory system during weather changes for a healthy throat. Its warming properties can alleviate symptoms of respiratory ailments by reducing mucus and supporting clear breathing. Trikatu is known for its ability to boost overall vitality and strengthen the immune system, making it a valuable remedy for maintaining health during seasonal changes and times of stress. Additionally, this powerful combination is particularly effective in stimulating digestion, enhancing metabolism, and promoting the absorption of nutrients.

Following are the 3 Ayurvedic herbs that are combination of Trikatu classical formulation

Kali Mirch (Piper nigrum) Fruit – It is used to enhance digestion, boost metabolism, and improve the bioavailability of other herbs. It helps in alleviating respiratory issues and expelling mucus. Additionally, it stimulates appetite and supports overall gastrointestinal health.

Pippali (Piper Longum) Fruit – It is used to enhance digestive fire, promote healthy metabolism, and alleviate respiratory issues by reducing mucus and congestion. It synergizes with the other ingredients to boost the bioavailability and efficacy of the formulation. Additionally, Pippali aids in detoxification and supports overall digestive health.

Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) Rhizome – It helps in alleviating nausea, colds, and coughs by promoting the expulsion of mucus. Additionally, ginger improves the bioavailability of other herbs in the formulation, enhancing their therapeutic effects.

These herbs are added in equal ratio as per classical reference. Trikatu literally means “Three Pungents” as it contains the herbs “Ginger”, “Kali Mirch” and “Pippali”. It naturally helps to support Kapha (Water), Dosha (Humour) but may increase the Pitta (Fire) dosha. These three herbs helps to support digestive fire also.

Ayurvedic Lifestyle

• Nutritional diet, Morning walk, Yoga, Peaceful mind, Restful sleep.

Foods to Favor

• Vegetables [beetroot, bottle gourd, bitter melon, cucumber, ginger, parmal]
• Fruits [pomegranate, grapes, apple, papaya, peach, pear]
• Fresh diet
• Lemon
• Avocado
• Cod liver oil
• Oats
• Yogurt
• Blueberries
• Green lentils
• Yellow lentils

Foods to Avoid

• Milk
• Dairy products
• Heavy food that takes too much time for digestion.
• Fried or oily food that obstructs srotas [channels] of the body.
• Food that is hot in nature
• Spicy food
• Food rich in sour taste

Do’s

• Drink lemon water daily.
• Drink plenty of lukewarm water.
• Take honey or ghee [butter] with this product.

Don’ts

• Avoid unnecessary stress, tensions and anger.
• Avoid suppression of natural urges.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol consumption.

It is difficult to eliminate pollutants coming from vehicle exhausts, airflow obstruction due to smoke and toxic contamination due to various industrial sources. Urbanization cannot be stopped. Nor can the pace of industrial growth be brought down.So in order to avoid these ill effects there are natural herbs that can help us intwo-pronged action. First they will help increase the body resistance and then help restore the normal functioning of the body by providing recuperative tonic support. Moreover, these herbs can also be very useful to tackle harmful effects on body due to climate change or place change.

Following are the 9 Ayurvedic herbs recommended for support against pollution and environmental changes

• Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Rhizome: It is helpful in disorders arising due to morbid Vatta (Air), Pitta (Fire) and Kapha (Water), and helps in purifying the blood by destroying the pathogenic organisms. It is also useful in Cough, Cold ,Bronchitis, inflammations  and liver infections.
• Punarnava (Boerhaaviadiffusa) Root: It is used for its detoxifying properties, which may help mitigate the effects of pollution and climate change by supporting the body’s natural cleansing processes and promoting respiratory health.
• Bhumiamla (Phyllanthus niruri) Fruit: It also known as Phyllanthus niruri, is utilized for its hepatoprotective properties, supporting liver health, aiding in digestion, promoting urinary tract health, and exhibiting anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects.
• Yastimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra) Root: Glycyzrrhiza  Glabra (Yasti-madhu) acts as Age-sustainer, Vitalizer, Antidyspepsic, Anti-body ache, cooling, expectorant and gentle laxative. Alleviates vata (air) and pitta(fire). Promotes eyesight (Chakshushya). It cleanses and heals the ulcer (Vrana sbodhanropanam). It is used in China for strengthening muscles and bones, increasing physical strength.
• Pippali (Piper longum) Fruit: It is an important medhyaRasayana (brain tonic) capable of improving intellect and memory power and also of recuperation during diseases. It is reportedly acrid, hot, light, digestive, appetizer, aphrodisiac and tonic. It cures cough, Dysponea, colic, indigestion, anemia and loss of appetite. It rehabilitates vitiated Vatta (Air) and Kapha (Water).
• Jeevanti (Leptadenia reticulata) Root: Age-sustainer, Vitalizer, Antiasthmatic (Jivanti): Balances three Doshas (humors). Charak(Ayurvedic scholar)treats it as an important Rasayana herb (the medicine promoting health and longevity) and Vagbhatta includes it among the ten herb that constitute the Jivaniyagana (the vitalizing group).
• Ashwagandha (Withaniasomnifera) Root: It enhances survival during stress and increases body weight (in terms of health) and hemoglobin, besides retarding the aging process. It is highly esteemed as a Rasayana (rejuvenating) drug by Ayurvedic physicians, which is capable of imparting long life, youthful vigor and good intellectual powers. It is bitter in taste, hot in action and alleviates vatta and kapha.
• Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) Leaf: Tulsi leaf, also known as Holy Basil, is utilized for its numerous health benefits, including supporting respiratory health, boosting immunity, reducing stress, aiding digestion, promoting heart health, and providing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
• Guduchi/Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) stem: It helps to enhance the immunity against various harmful pathogens.It normalizes the pitta in body. Useful in all kind of fevers due to climate change and place change. Also neutralizes acid, so relieve acidity.

These herbs are a natural defense against environmental pollution & changes, bacteriocidal, epidemic changes, change of weather, change of place, unhealthy effects of travelling, change of water etc. Also these are total support to immune system.

Ayurvedic Lifestyle

• Nutritional diet, Morning walk, Yoga, Peaceful mind, Restful sleep.
• Too much cold and too much hot (in touch and potency) food should be avoided; one should stay away from preservatives, refrigerated foods and also re-warming of foods.

Foods to Favor

• Green Vegetables (Bottle Gourd, Snake Gourd, Ridge Gourd, Bitter Gourd), Green Gram, Fenugreek, Carrot, Reddish, Milk and milk products should be favored.

Foods to Avoid

• All heavy meats, All sea foods, Canned food, Junk food, Preservatives (Cold Drinks / Soft Drinks), Alcohol, Smoking, All Pickles.

Do’s

• Take some purgatives and foods that promote regularity, and a fiber rich diet which conserves your bowel habits. Use with the recommendation of your health care practitioner.
• Live a life with positive thinking and free of daily life stress.

Don’ts

• Do not take up heavy duty work and excess exertion.
• Avoid spicy food.

Due to Vata (Air): Pimples are dry, rough, and painful, with or without discharge. Due to Pitta (Fire): Pimples are soft, inflamed and contain thin discharge like pus with burning sensation. Due to Kapha (Water): Pimples are hard, containing thick discharge, edematous and painless.

Accordingly, acne is caused due to eating very oily, spicy and sweet foods frequently, insomnia, stress or indigestion and improper metabolism. due to various factors such as bacterial infections, hormonal imbalance, excess oil secretions, junk diet, mental stress, often leaves behind prominent scars on the skin, with redness, dry regions, peeling and flaking etc. However, for Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine that originated thousands of years ago, not only elucidates the causes of acne, but also presents wonderful herbal remedies to rectify the persistent and embarrassing skin problem of bulging pimples and unsightly scars.

18 Marvellous Ayurvedic Herbs to Remedy Acne

• Haldi (Curcuma Longa) Rhizome: Historically used to improve the skin texture & color and also in various skin disorders. It is a best anti-allergic and improves blood circulation.
• Neem (Azadirachta indica) Leaf: It is a blood purifier due to its bitter taste and used in diseases caused by vitiated Blood. It is beneficial in skin associated with itching and burning sensations.
• Manjistha (Rubia Cordifolia) Root
  It is a blood purifier used in skin disorders with inflammatory conditions and disorders due to Rakta (Blood).
• Guduchi (Tinospora Cordifolia) Stem
  It is a Rasayana (Rejuvenating) and is used in various disorders of Vata & Rakta (Blood) and beneficial in skin disorders, acts as a painkiller and decreases the burning sensation. It purifies the blood and helps in maintaining haemostasis.
• Anantmul (Hemidesmus indicus) Root
  It is widely used externally as well as internally for the treatment and management of a host of skin problems like psoriasis, eczema, ringworm, thrush, and bacterial-related skin disease.
• Haritaki (Terminalia Chebula) Fruit
  It decreases the inflammation by its mild laxative action, clears bowel and detoxifies the gut so that pure nutrition is available to the body.
• Lodhra (Symplocus Cratagoides) Stem
  It reduces wrinkles and gives firmness to the skin.
• Bahera (Terminalia Bellerica) Fruit
  Bahera fruit possesses antibacterial properties, which can help in fighting acne-causing bacteria on the skin.
• Amla (Emblica Officinalis) Fruit
  It is utilized for its antioxidant-rich nature, promoting digestion and boosting immunity.
• Vijaysar (Pterocarpus Marsupium) stem
  It has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and antioxidant qualities that may cleanse the blood.
• Pipali (Piper Longum) Fruit
  Piperine, a key compound found in Pipali fruit, has been shown to improve blood circulation. Enhanced circulation can promote the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the skin cells, contributing to a healthier complexion and potentially aiding in the healing of wounds and blemishes.
• Aloe (Aloe Vera) sap
  It is widely used for its soothing and healing properties, beneficial for skin conditions, wound healing, and promoting digestive health.
• Beet (Beta Vulgaris)
  It has blood-purifying properties, supporting liver function, enhancing digestion, and promoting cardiovascular health.
• Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) Root
  It reduces inflammation, boost collagen, hydrate the skin, and shield against oxidative stress.
• Rose (Rosa Indica) leaves
  In addition to vitamins C, E, and K, rose contain calcium, citric acid, iron, niacin, phosphorus, tannin, vitamin A, B1, B2, and P. It is rich in bioflavonoids. Bioflavonoids are important to build and strengthen body tissue, helps to strengthen the vascular system. Rose effectively cleanses toxins and heat from the body.
• Fennel Powder (Seeds)
  Its antiseptic side keeps germs and bacteria at bay while its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce acne swelling.
• Moti Pishti
  It is a preparation made from pearl powder, is utilized to promote cooling and calming effects in the body, support digestive health and balance acidity.
• Basil (Ocimum Basilium) Leaves
  It is utilized for its anti-inflammatory properties, aiding digestion and reducing stress.

The benefits of these herbs have historically been used to improve the skin texture & color and also in various skin disorders like Acne, blemishes, itching and burning sensation of skin, discoloration of skin, Urticaria, Acne vulgaris. They have anti-allergic properties and improve blood circulation. They purify the blood due to their bitter taste and are used in problems caused by vitiated blood. They are known to be beneficial in skin problems associated with itching and burning sensations. They have Rasayana (Rejuvenating) properties and are used in various disorders of Vata (air) & Rakta (blood). They help in maintaining homeostasis, decrease the inflammation and by their mild laxative action, clear bowel and detoxify the intestines so that pure nutrition is available to the body. They soothe the irritated skin and help reduce fat in the blood.

As per Ayurveda

• Acne occurs because sebaceous glands secrete more amount of sebum. Then this causes blockage of hair follicles & causes pimples. It is more common in young ones. Genetics play a major role in this i.e. parents may have skin problems. It may occur due to continuous contact with an oily & dirty environment. It may occur due to being overweight, seasonal changes, restlessness.

Ayurvedic Lifestyle

• Nutritional diet, Morning walk, Yoga, Peaceful mind, Restful sleep.
• Normally, Acne is a young age problem. At this age when the acne starts to erupt one should be very conscious about the diet.

Foods to Favor

• Light diet containing Rice, green gram (lentil) soup, bitter gourd, green leafy vegetables, papaya, pomegranate, Amla, cucumber. Food which can be easily digested, moong dal (yellow beans), parval, less amount of salt, should be used.

Foods to Avoid

• Strictly avoid fried and spicy food.
• Avoid egg, seafood, and excess use of non-vegetarian foods.
• Long exposure to sunlight should be avoided.
• Use of cosmetics should be limited.
• So, with the use of this supplement do not take in excess of sugar, trans-hydrogenated fats, cookies, ice-creams, chips, pastries etc.

Do’s

• Take some purgatives and foods that promote regularity, and a fiber rich diet which conserves your bowel habits. Use with the recommendation of your health care practitioner.
• Live a life with positive thinking and free of daily life stress.

Don’ts

• Do not take up heavy duty work and excess exertion.
• Avoid spicy food.