The
mango is well-known for its medicinal properties both
in unripe and ripe states. The unripe fruit is acidic,
astringent and antiscorbutic. The skin of the unripe
fruit is astringent and stimulant tonic. The bark is
also astringent and has a marked action on mucous membranes.
Mango pickles preserved in oil and salted solution is
used throughout India. However, these pickles, if extremely
sour, spicy and oily, are not good for health and should
be specially avoided by those suffering from arthritis,
rheumatism,sinusitis, sore throat and hyperacidity.
The ripe mango is antiscorbutic, diuretic, laxative,
invigorating, fattening and astringent. It tones up
the heart muscle, improves complexion and stimulates
appetite. It increases the seven body nutrients, called
'dhatus' in Ayurveda. They are food juice, blood, flesh,
fat, bone marrow and semen. The fruit is beneficial
in liver disorders, loss of weight and other physical
disturbances.
The unripe mango protects men from the adverse effects
of hot, scorching winds. A drink, prepared from the
unripe mango by cooking it in hot ashes and mixing the
pith with sugar and water, is an effective remedy for
heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Eating raw mango with
salt quenches thirst and prevents the excessive loss
of sodium chloride and iron during summer due to excessive
sweating.
Gastro-Intestinal Disorders
Unripe green mangoes are beneficial in the
treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders. Eating one
or two small tender mangoes in which the seed is not
fully formed with salt and honey is found to be very
effective medicine for summer diarrhea, dysentery, piles,
morning sickness, chronic dyspepsia, indigestion and
constipation.
Bilious Disorders
Unripe mangoes are an excellent fruit remedy for bilious
disorders. The acids contained in the green mango increase
the secretion of bile and act as intestinal antiseptic.
Therefore, eating green mango daily with honey and pepper
cures biliousness, food putrefaction i.e. when bacteria;
urticaria and jaundice decompose proteins. It tones
up the liver and keeps it healthy.
Blood Disorders
The green mango is valuable in blood disorders because
of its high vitamin C content. It increases the elasticity
of the blood vessels and helps the formation of new
blood cells. It aids the absorption of food,iron and
prevents bleeding tendencies. It increases body resistance
against tuberculosis, anemia, cholera and dysentery.
|
|
Night blindness
Ripe mangoes are highly beneficial in the treatment
of night blindness in which one cannot see properly
in dim light. This disease is caused by vitamin A deficiency.
It is very common among children who are victim of malnutrition
due to poverty. Liberal use of mangoes during the season
will be very effective in such conditions. It will also
prevent many other eye diseases that may ultimately
cause total blindness. Eating mangoes liberally will
also prevent development of refractive errors, drynessof
the eyes, softening of the cornea, itching and burning
in the eyes.
Common infections
All bacterial invasions are due to poor epithelium the
tissue that covers the external surface of the body.
Liberal use of mangoes during the season contributes
towards formation of healthy epithelium, thereby preventing
frequent attacks of common infections such as colds
rhinitis and sinusitis. This is attributable to high
concentration of vitamin A in mangoes.
To gain weight
The mango-milk cure is an ideal treatment for weight
gaining. For this mode of treatment, ripe and sweet
mangoes should always be selected. They should be taken
thrice a day-morning, noon and evening. The mangoes
should be taken first and then followed by milk. The
mango is rich in sugar but deficient in protein. On
the other hand, milk is rich in protein but deficient
in sugar. The other makes up the deficiency of the one.
Mango thus combines very well with milk and exclusive
mango milk diet taken for at least one month, will lead
to improvement in health, vigor and gain in weight.
The quantity of milk and of the mangoes to be consumed
in this mode of treatment should be carefully regulated
according to the condition of the patient. For rapid
gain in weight about 4 to 5 liters of milk should be
consumed with 3 to 4 kg. of mangoes.
|
