An Amrit called Giloy

Samudra Manthan or Churning of the Ocean of Milk is one of the most popular episodes from Ancient India. The story appears in the Bhagavata Purana, the Mahabharata and the Vishnu Purana.

Once there was a battle between the Devas ( gods) and Asuras (demons), in which the Devas were defeated. The Asuras,led by king Bali gained control of the universe. Devas sought help from the god Vishnu. On his advise, the Devas formed an alliance with asuras to jointly churn the ocean for the nectar of immortality and to share it among them. However, Vishnu told Devas that, He would arrange that they alone obtain the nectar.

The churning of the Ocean of Milk was an elaborate process. Mount Mandar was used as the churning rod, and Vasuki, the king of serpents, who abides on Shiva's neck, became the churning rope. The demons demanded to hold the head of the snake, while the gods taking advice from Vishnu, agreed to hold its tail. As a result the demons were poisoned by fumes emitted by Vasuki. Despite this, the gods and demons pulled back and forth on the snake's body alternately, causing the mountain to rotate, which in turn churned the ocean. However, once the mountain was placed on the ocean, it began to sink. Vishnu, in the form of a turtle Kurma, came to their rescue and supported the mountain on his back.

During the Samudra Manthan, several herbs came out of the ocean and also 14 Rantans (jewels). One such herb was the Amrita. This herb is also called Giloy or Guduchi. It has great health benefits and has been used in India since the ancient times. The modern medicine is just discovering the secrets of the divine herb. Recently, there have been several outbreaks of Dengue, Malaria, Chronic fevers, Swine flu, Bird flu and several other fevers of unknown origins. Giloy is one herb, which has been effective in fighting these fevers where modern medicine is still struggling to find cures.

Giloy has a long list of medicinal properties- it is anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-pyretic, anti-arthritic, diuretic and detoxifying in nature. Some of the health benefits of this wonderful herb are :

For treating arthritis and gout: The anti-inflammatory action of giloy makes it beneficial for treating inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and gout.

Boosts immunity: Giloy acts as a rasayana (rejuvenating agent) on account of its anti-oxidant properties. It is known to boost immunity (by enhancing the efficiency of white blood cells) and aids the removal of toxins from the liver and kidneys and protects from damage caused by free radicals. It also provides protection against disease causing bacteria. Giloy can be used to combat a large number of ailments such as liver diseases, urinary tract infections.

Treating chronic fever: Being an anti-pyretic in nature, giloy can be used to treat chronic fever effectively. It is beneficial for increasing blood platelet count, which makes it useful for alleviating dengue fever. Giloy extract taken daily can help relieve chronic fever. It can be combined with honey and used as a home remedy for malaria.

Digestive health: This herb is an effective means to get rid of digestion related ailments. It can be taken along with amla (Indian Gooseberry) for diabetics. Giloy juice taken along with buttermilk is a classic remedy for indigestion. The same remedy is effective for piles as well.

Diabetes support: Studies have established that Giloy is an effective hypoglycemic agent, with the ability to reduce blood sugar and lipid levels considerably.This makes it very useful for treatment of type2 diabetes. Diabetics can consume Giloy juice daily to lower blood sugar levels.

Adaptogenic herb: Giloy is used as an adaptogenic herb, that is, it has the ability to relieve mental stress and anxiety. It is also known for its ability to promote memory and longevity by reducing oxidative damage to cells and clearing away brain toxins. Thus, it can also be considered as an anti-aging herb.

Other benefits: Giloy has been found useful in fighting various other health problems. It is known to help in decongestion of lungs, making it useful for respiratory problems such as asthma and chronic cough.It is also used to treat skin disorders such as acne, eczema and psoriasis. The juice can be applied on eyes for healing conjunctivitis. It can also be used for cardiac debility, anemia, jaundice and leprosy.

Following are the links to scientific studies to support the medicinal claims of Giloy:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3644751/

http://interscience.org.uk/v2-i3/21%20ijahm.pdf

http://www.openaccessscience.com/pdf-files/vol2_2_jun2012/IJMAP_2_2_17_Tinosporacordifolia.pdf

http://www.ajbpr.com/issues/volume1/issue4/FINAL%2039.pdf

http://www.jofamericanscience.org/journals/am-sci/am0610/86_3706am0610_736_743.pdf

Sometimes the most difficult problems have the simplest of solutions.Like most chronic fevers can be cured by an unassuming creeper in the garden. So lets simplify, uncomplicate life.

God Of New Beginnings

वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा

O Lord Ganesh, of curved trunk, large body, and with the brilliance of a million suns, please make all the tasks that I undertake, free of obstacles, always.

Before he began creation, Lord Brahma, was unable to command unruly ‘ganas’ ( attendants of Lord Shiva), so he invoked Lord Ganesh to contain them. And hence the name - Ganesh ( Lord of the ganas ). He helped Brahma to create out of innumerable, unfathomable, unending, and imperishable a world that was numbered, spanned, born to die. Lord Vishnu is said to have invoked Ganesh, before he vanquished Bali, Lord Shiva,before he destroyed Tripura, the three cities of demons, Goddess Durga, before she killed Mahishasura, the great serpent Shesh, before he lifted the earth on his head, and the love god Kamadeva, before he conquered the universe with his arrows of passions.He was invoked by the great sage Vyas before he began composing his great epic the Mahabharata. Brahaspati, the teacher of gods in said to have invoked Lord Ganesh before he delivered his ever first lesson to gods.

Lord Ganesh is the god of new beginnings. He is invoked before every prayer or ritual. Nothing auspicious can take place without him. A child begins his education with a prayer to Lord Ganesh; every marriage ceremony starts with a prayer to him. Whether one is laying the foundation stone of the building or starting an industry or inaugurating something, He is always invoked to remove all obstacles on one’s path. He is recognized by his elephant head, symbolic of auspiciousness, strength and intellectual prowess. The largest and strongest animal of India, the elephant is gentle, affectionate and loyal; These are also the qualities of Ganesh. Although he is a powerful god, he is known as a loving, forgiving deity. Lord Ganesh’s large head is symbolic of the wisdom. His large ears allow him to hear everything yet able to separate good from bad, reality from the unreal.

Lord Ganesh is not only a popular god in India, but also in several other parts of the world. An essentially cool, soft, calm, simple and benevolent being, he does inflicts pain, harm or punishment. A mild smile, mischievously blinking eyes greedily looking at ‘laddus’ and a carefree relaxed mood, and an as mischievous mouse with a flag-like raised tail attending on, define people’s image of Ganesa. Whatever his form, he is essentially and fundamentally the god of good, ephemeral or transcendental. Except in Sri Lanka, here,he is perceived as a fierce personality inflicting severe punishment on those who dare ignore him, as also, as the fierce captain of wild elephants. Japan’s Kengiten or Sho-ten, a god exactly identical to Ganesh or just his yet another form, is venerated as the god of good fortune and the harbinger of happiness, prosperity and good. Japan has more than 200 temples of Kengiten. The Ganesh-like elephant faced Orenus, a Greek god, and Chinese Kuan-chi-Tien, are alike the gods of good fortune,riches and prosperity. Exactly, like lord Ganesh in India, Romans’ elephant-headed god is invoked before a work is begun for its auspicious and trouble-free beginning and completion.

So let us all begin this wonderful year with the blessing of Lord Ganesh. May he bestow us all with wisdom, good luck and remove the obstacles from our path towards righteousness and success.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiLkqPOTWP8

A TIME TO RISE

Once upon a time, there was a little boy.His father was an extremely wise, learned and a principled man. Apart from being a kind,loving and gentle father, he was also his son's guru. He taught him everything to ensure, that the little boy would grow up to be an intelligent, strong, brave individual who always walked on the path of truth and righteousness.His father taught him yoga and pranayam so that he remains strong and healthy all his life. His mother was a very loving, caring and nurturing woman. She loved her son to no end ! She took care of him in every possible way. She cooked delicious food for him, told him wonderful stories of brave men and women and made every effort, that he was brought up as a warm, caring, humble person with good values.They were very wealthy as well and lived a beautiful live of love, happiness and prosperity. It was an ideal family, looked up and respected by one and all.

One day, a gang of robbers came to the town, where the family lived.The eyed the boy's house. The robbers pretended to be good people and entered the house as guests. The father and mother believed in the values of ' Atithi devo Bhava', that is, our guests are equivalent to god. They treated them with love, care and utmost respect. But, one night, while the family was asleep, the robbers robbed the house ! They took every valuable item with them. The family was left penniless and broke. From the huge mansion that they lived in earlier, they now moved to a small, dilapidated hut. In spite of all the misfortune, the father and mother did not change. They were as virtuous as ever. Nobody could take away their wealth of knowledge and purity of their hearts. People from nearby towns still came to learn from the father. They were still very respected people.

A few years passed, the little boy was a young man now. He left his house in search of work and went to a big city. He was dazzled by the bright lights and glamours lifestyle. Soon he forgot all about his parents, their teachings and everything else from his old life. He never bothered to meet his parents or see how they were doing. One day, the old couple decided to go meet their son. When they entered his new house, there was a party going on with all his new friends. On seeing his simple folks, the boy was extremely embarrassed. Some of his friends made fun and laughed at the couple. He pretended not to hear and ignored it all. He was ashamed of his parents and did not want them around.Having understood this,they went away.

Some more years passed and now the boy was fat and unhealthy, because of his lifestyle. He had several ailments. His friends and live-in partner had all left him. And the fun and glamour disappeared from his life. He was sad, lonely and depressed. He thought of his parents and missed them a lot. One day he decided to visit him. But to his shock and disappointment, his old house was nowhere to be found ! No one had any idea where his parents were. Sick, tired, lost and frustrated, he looked for his parents like mad man. What happened next, is something we all can imagine.

The boy in the story is each one of us. The father is our Sanatan Dharma and the mother is our Bharatvarsh.

Our Dharma has taught us the way to live. It has given us the gift of great wisdom, knowledge, spirituality, values,righteousness and every good thing in life. Our mother land is the most fertile land. It has given us food, shelter, clothing,and everything we can imagine. Our country is rich in natural resources, we have almost every herb and spice available in the world. It is home to a large number and variety of animals,birds and plants.Right from the majestic lions and tigers to the beautiful peacock. We have all kinds of landscapes from snow covered mountains, to deserts, plains and sandy beaches. We have the great Himalayas and also the Indian ocean. We are from the holy land of Sages and great Rishis. We have the Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, Bhagvat Geeta, Yoga, Ayurveda, to guide us and help us in every possible way. Indians are amongst the most intelligent, learned, wealthy and spiritually advanced people of the world.Recent surveys have shown, that we are also amongst the happiest people in the world with strong social and family value systems. We owe everything that we are today to our Dharma and Desh ( nation ). People from all over the world look up to our ancient knowledge and are now adopting the ways of yoga, Ayurveda and Hinduism.

In spite of all this, we as a nation have absolutely no pride in our Dharma or Desh. In fact, we are ashamed of it. When people mock our country and religion, we look away, pretending not to hear. We ignore all the good things that we have and are completely blinded by the West. Most of us believe that, anything that comes from the East is superstition and everything from the West is science !

The time has come for each one of us to take pride in ourselves, our land, our ancestors, our Sanatan Dharm and bring back its lost glory.Let us introduce our children to the Vedas, Bhagvat Geeta, Yoga and everything else that we stand for. Because if we don't do it now, one day we will lose everything that we have and be homeless, orphaned and lost.

The Power of Gayatri

ॐ भूर्भुव: स्व: तत्सवितुर्वरेन्यं ।
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि, धीयो यो न: प्रचोदयात् ।।

In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna said to Arjun,
- "Among all the mantras, I am the Gayatri".

The Gayatri mantra is one of the most powerful Vedic mantras. It is the essence of all seventy million supreme mantras. Just as all the rivers merge in the oceans, all mantras unite in the Gayatri mantra. The Vedas are the source of all true knowledge. Goddess Gayatri is also called 'Veda-Mata ' or the Mother of the Vedas - Rig, Yajur, Saam and Atharva - because it is the very basis of the Vedas. The most interesting aspect of the mantra is that the mantra is considered to be not different from the divine entity that forms the content of the mantra. Thus the name of the divine entity contained in the mantra is also Gayatri. In other words, the Gayatri mantra is not just a means of worship but is an object of worship in itself.

The arrangement of the twenty-four seed syllables in the Gayatri mantra is the most wondrous and mysterious. The chanting of this mantra develops nada, a regular subtle vibration in the nerves of the subtle body. The repetition of this mantra with right understanding of its sacred meaning has the power to dispel all the negative tendencies in the human mind and thereby unfold the Supreme Self within. The word ' ' Gayatri ' itself explains the reason for the existence of this mantra. It has its origin in the Sanskrit phrase ' Gayantam Triyate iti ', and refers to that mantra which rescues the chanter from all adverse situations that may lead to mortality.

According to the Vedas, there are seven spheres or planes of existence around us, each more spiritually advanced than the previous one. Trough many personal transformations and spiritual development through daily Gayatri mantra chant, we are able to move gradually through these spheres and ultimately reach our ultimate goal – merge with the energies of the universe, or the Supreme Being. These are the most profound benefits of chanting of the Gayatri mantra

Chanting of the mantra has a cumulative effect on our body, mind and spirit. The mind is sharper,the immune system is stronger, and the heart opens up as never before. The vibrations of the Gayatri mantra activate the energy centers including the main chakras, and purify the prana (energy). This enables us to sense the positive and healing effect on our mind and body. It has the power to make our intellect shine, improve our power of speech, and dispel the darkness of ignorance.

Ancient Vedic scriptures describe how many of the sages accumulated tremendous psychic powers (referred to as siddhis) through years of deep meditation and daily chanting of the Gayatri mantra. Scientists,meta-physicists,and various spiritual practitioners are now studying these secret ancient Indian approaches towards

self-realization.

Its time for each one of us, to bring the power of Gayatri in our lives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgjpAO3CJTY

ANIDRA

In Ramayan, when Shri Ram was exiled to the forest for 14 years, he was accompanied by his wife. goddess Sita and his brother, Laxman. During their stay in the forest, Laxman was completely devoted to Shri Ram and Sita. So much so, that during the first night in the forest, Laxman prayed to Goddess of sleep, Nidra, to leave him alone for 14 years, so that he could guard his brother and sister-in-law, day and night. Impressed by his devotion, the goddress agreed, but she told him, as per the law of the nature, someone has to bear the burden of sleep on his behalf. So, his wife, Urmila slept for fourteen years, night and day, while her husband stayed awake in the service of Shri Ram and Sita. As a result,during the war, Laxman was able defeat Ravan's son Meghnaath, as he had a boon, that only the one who has conquered sleep, will be able to defeat him.

But unlike Laxman, we do not have the boon of anidra !

When the mind and the body get fatigued, state of dullness arrives. Due to this, the sense organs stop functioning for the time being,

hence mind ceases to operate and an individual's interaction with the surrounding comes to a halt. This sleep is known as nidra or "sushupti" in Ayurveda. Sound sleep is one of the pillars of good health according to Ayurveda. It is also the most overlooked one.

The ancient Indians knew the importance of sleep for our system and have been telling us - " Early to bed and early to rise ". But this advice is mostly ignored, because in this day and age, we have every temptation to stay up late and little motivation to get up early.

Sleep is a way to nourish our bodies, minds and spirits. It is an essential component of good health and peace of mind. This quiet state gives us a chance to renew, refresh and restore ourselves. Getting sound sleep each night imparts physical and mental balance to prepare for the next day. In Patanjali yogasutra the physiology and importance of nidra was described as : A state of deliberate absence of thought waves or knowledge. Dreamless sleep is an inert state of consciousness in which the sense of existence is not felt. In sleep, the senses of perception rest in the mind, the mind in the consciousness and the consciousness in the being in deep sleep. The senses of perception cease of function because their supreme, the mind is at rest. This is Abhava, a state of void or a feeling of emptiness.Lord Krishna has explained the importance of proper sleep for adhyana yogi in Bhagavatgeeta. He also mentions to Arjun that the excessive sleep or awaking is not good.

Though most of us are aware of the health conditions that can arise due to insufficient sleep, here is a re-look at them :

Obesity :

Insufficient sleep has been linked to a high probability for weight gain.Several studies have linked insufficient sleep and weight gain. For example, studies have shown that people who habitually sleep less than six hours per night are much more likely to have a higher than average body mass index (BMI) and that people who sleep eight hours have the lowest BMI. Sleep is now being seen as a potential risk factor for obesity along with the two most commonly identified risk factors: lack of exercise and overeating.

Diabetes :

Researchers have found that insufficient sleep may lead to type 2 diabetes by influencing the way the body processes glucose, the high-energy carbohydrate that cells use for fuel. One short-term sleep restriction study found that a group of healthy subjects who had their sleep cut back from 8 to 4 hours per night processed glucose more slowly than they did when they were permitted to sleep 12 hours. Numerous epidemiological studies also have revealed that adults who usually slept less than five hours per night have a greatly increased risk of having or developing diabetes.

Heart Disease and Hypertension :

Even minor periods of inadequate sleep can cause an elevation in blood pressure. Studies have found that a single night of inadequate sleep in people who have existing hypertension can cause elevated blood pressure throughout the following day. This effect may begin to explain the correlation between poor sleep and cardiovascular disease and stroke. For example, one study found that sleeping too little (less than six hours) or too much (more than nine hours) increased the risk of coronary heart disease in women.

Mood Disorders / Depression :

Given that a single sleepless night can cause people to be irritable and moody the following day, it is conceivable that chronic insufficient sleep may lead to long-term mood disorders. Chronic sleep issues have been correlated with depression, anxiety, and mental distress. In one study, subjects who slept four and a half

hours per night reported feeling more stressed, sad, angry, and mentally exhausted. In another study, subjects who slept four hours per night showed declining levels of optimism and sociability as a function of days of inadequate sleep. All of these self-reported symptoms improved dramatically when subjects returned to a normal sleep schedule.

Immune Function :

It is natural for people to go to bed when they are sick. Substances produced by the immune system to help fight infection also cause fatigue. One theory proposes that the immune system evolved "sleepiness inducing factors" because inactivity and sleep provided an advantage: those who slept more when faced with an infection were better able to fight that infection than those who slept less. In fact, research in animals suggests that those animals who obtain more deep sleep following experimental challenge by microbial infection have a better chance of survival.

There are many other diseases that are caused due to improper/insufficient sleep. The list is too long for this post.

http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/consequences/sleep-and-disease-risk

This new year, lets resolve to nourish our mind, body and soul, with the adequate amount of rest it needs.

Om shanti, shanti, shanti. 

DASHAVATAR

'Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya
Glanirva Bhavathi Bharatha,
Abhyuthanam Adharmaysya
Tadatmanam Srijami Aham'.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter IV, Verse 7.

Lord Krishna says to Arjun, "It is Dharma, which teaches renunciation and is responsible for the elevation and well-being of human beings. Whenever in the passage of time, Dharma is weakened or is under attack, and whenever adharma spreads without control,it is then that I re-incarnate myself with all my powers to restore Dharma.Whenever there is a decline of righteousness, and the rise of unrighteousness, then I re-incarnate myself to teach dharma"

Lord Vishnu is said to have taken human form on earth on ten different occasions to preserve the world. During each incarnation,he has a specific task to perform. The stories of these incarnations, the ten Vishnu avatars or Dashavatar are told in the Vishnu Puran and depict the theory of evolution represented through a story Of the ten avatars.

Matsya, the fish, from the Satya Yug. Lord Vishnu takes the form of a fish to save Manu from apocalypse, after which he takes his boat to the new world along with one of every species of plant and animal, gathered in a massive cyclone.

Kurma, the tortoise, from the Satya Yug. When the devas and asuras were churning the Ocean of milk in order to get amrit, the nectar of immortality, the mount Mandar they were using as the churning staff started to sink and Vishnu took the form of a tortoise to bear the weight of the mountain.

Varaha, the boar, from the Satya Yug. He appeared to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had taken the Earth, and carried it to the bottom of what is described as the cosmic ocean in the story. The battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksha is believed to have lasted for a thousand years, which the former finally won. Varaha carried the Earth out of the ocean between his tusks and restored it to its place in the universe.

Narasimha, the half-man/half-lion, from the Satya Yuga. The rakshas Hiranyakashipu, the elder brother of Hiranyaksha, was granted a powerful boon from Brahma, not allowing him to be killed by man or animal, inside or out, day or night, on earth or the stars, with a weapon either living or inanimate. Vishnu descended as an anthropomorphic incarnation, with the body of a man and head and claws of a lion. He then disembowels the rakshas at the courtyard threshold of his house, at dusk, with his claws, while he lay on his thighs.

Vaman, the dwarf, from the Treta Yug. The fourth descendant of Hiranyakashyap, Bali, with devotion and penance was able to defeat Indra, the god of firmament. This humbled the other deities and extended his authority over the three worlds. The gods appealed to Vishnu for protection and he descended as the dwarf Vaman. During a yajna of the king, Vaman approached him and Bali promised him for whatever he asked. Vaman asked for three paces of land. Bali agreed, and the dwarf then changed his size to that of a giant. He stepped over heaven in his first stride, and the netherworld with the second. Bali realized that Vaman was Vishnu incarnate. In deference, the king offered his head as the third place for Vamana to place his foot. The avatar did so and thus granted Bali immortality. Then in appreciation to Bali and his grandfather Prahlad, Vaman made him ruler of Pathaal, the netherworld.

Parashuram, warrior with the axe, from the Treta Yug. He is son of Jamadagni and Renuka and received an axe after a penance to Shiva. He is the first Brahmin-Kshatriya, or warrior-saint, with duties between a Brahman and a Kshatriya. King Kartavirya Arjun and his army visited the father of Parashuram at his ashram, and the saint was able to feed them with the divine cow Kamadhenu. The king demanded the animal, Jamadagni refused, and the king took it by force and destroyed the ashram. Parashuram then killed the king at his palace and destroyed his army. In revenge, the sons of Kartavirya killed Jamadagni. Parashurama took a vow to kill every Kshatriya on earth twenty-one times over, and filled five lakes with their blood. Ultimately, his grandfather, Rishi Rucheeka, appeared and made him halt. He is a Chiranjivi (immortal), and believed to be alive today in penance at Mahendragiri.

Lord Ram, the prince and king of Ayodhya, from the Treta Yug. He is thought of as the ideal heroic man. His story is recounted in one of the most widely read scriptures of ancient India, the Ramayan. While in exile from his own kingdom with his brother Lakshman and the monkey king Hanuman, his wife Sita was abducted by the demon king of Lanka, Ravan. He travelled to Ashoka Vatika in Lanka, killed the demon king and saved Sita.

Krishna was the eighth son of Devaki and Vasudev, from the Dwapara Yug. He appeared alongside his elder brother Balaram. Balaram is regarded generally as an avatar of Shesh Naag.

Gautam Buddha, is generally included as an avatar of Vishnu. Buddha may be depicted in Hindu scriptures as a preacher who deludes and leads demons and heretics away from the path of the Vedic scriptures. Another view praises him as a compassionate teacher who preached the path of ahimsa (non-violence).

Kalki, will be the final incarnation of Lord Vishnu, foretold to appear at the end of Kali Yug.He will be atop a white horse and his sword will be drawn, blazing like a comet. He is the harbinger of end time in Hindu eschatology, and will destroy all unrighteousness and evil at the end of Kali Yug.

Keshara

Saffron has always held a very special place in our Indian rituals,ceremonies and food. It is applied as tilak on the forehead. It has also been documented to have been used as a versatile medicine since ancient times. In 2004 researchers studying 3,500 year old frescoes at Thera, a Greek island in the Aegean, found depictions of a goddess presiding over the collection of saffron. Perhaps even more amazing is the fact that 50,000 year-old depictions of prehistoric places in northwest Iran contained saffron-based pigments, indicating the human relationship with saffron is as old as time itself. It is called Keshara in Sanskrit. 

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. One gram of pure saffron can cost between Rs 350 to Rs 550 ! So what makes it so expensive ?

Well, saffron is derived from a flower called Crocus Sativas. It has been estimated that when approximately one acek of purple crocuse are harvested, it will yield approximately one kilogram of saffron. This is because each crocus flower only produces 3 threads of saffron. About 14,000 threads (actually the dried stigmas of the crocus flower) equals to about 28 grams of saffron.So you can imagine the labor intensive process that goes into harvesting saffron threads. In India,saffron is mainly grown in Kashmir. Though saffron is produced in many countries of the world like Iran,Greece,Spain etc but the saffron grown in Kashmir, India is the most superior and expensive.

The skin benefits of saffron are well known for ages. But it has several other health benefits as well :

Improves Memory: Crocin and crocetin are powerful antioxidants found in saffron which help in improving memory of a person. Diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s can be kept away by its intake. 

Saffron acts as an Antidepressant: Saffron contains 5-hydroxytryptophan which helps in the production of serotonin which helps in elevating the mood. It helps in receiving blood into the brain and helps in reducing depression and apprehension.

Saffron Prevents Cancer: Crocin and Safranal in saffron inhibit the growth of tumor in the body. The Carotenoids in saffron possess chemo preventive properties. It has been found to help protect against colon, liver and ovarian cancer. 

Skin Benefits: Saffron has anti-bacterial properties and can is very beneficial in reducing acne. it can be directly applied on the affected area. It acts as a natural scrub and aids in removing dead cells. Saffron can also be applied along with milk to lighten the skin and remove pigments.

Optimum health: The overall mineral content including calcium, vitamins, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-C, proteins etc present in Saffron ensure the maintenance of optimum health.

Cold remedy: Saffron has been found to be beneficial against flu and cold. Glass of warm milk along with saffron is recommended

while sick.

Healthy Kidneys: It helps in protecting kidney related diseases and reduces kidney stress. 

New studies are being conducted worldwide to understand the true potencial of saffron in medicine.It is found to be helpful in preventing and fighting cancer.

So lets add a little bit of saffron spice to our life !

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110822091617.htm
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/saffron-takes-cancer

Poonam Patil Kalra