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The consumption of milk and milk products is not hazardous until they are
consumed in a limit. But certain wrong myths misguide us and we ignore the
fact that the body is made up of the food we take, and imbalanced food intake
will definitely do harm to the body. There is no magic pill in the world which
can heal everything, irrespective of the cause of the disease. At last we have to
accept the truth and give up the cause, for curing and avoiding the disease.
Here are some interesting facts about milk and milk products which are
mostly ignored in daily life as well as in patient care. So don’t get surprised if
some of the facts are quite different from what you thought.
Cow milk as per Ayurveda has sweet post digestive effect. It enhances
anabolism in body. Cold in potency, galactogogue and pacifies vata and pitta.
Imparts moisture to the body, though heavy in nature it ignites digestive fire.
Regular use of milk since adolescence, increases longevity and youthful life.
Buffalo milk is heavier than cow milk, it induces sleep, sweet post digestive
effect, unctuous and increases kapha, slightly diminishes digestive fire.
Heavy to digest, cold, nourishes body, unctuous and increases kapha. Pacifies
pitta and vata, provides strength and valor.
In the morning
It nourishes the body, helps to gain weight and increases appetite.
In the after noon
It gives strength to the body, pacifies kapha and pitta, increases appetite.
In the night
Salubrious, balances all doshas, beneficial for eyes. But one should not drink
milk just after meals , as it increases kapha. It should be taken after light
meals keeping a gap of 1 & ½ hr after meals and ½ hr before sleep. It can be
even taken without eating anything as much as desired at night.
Milk at night is most beneficial for person with good appetite and digestion.
It is recommended for those who are thin, anorexic and want to gain weight.
Milk instantly increases shukra(semen quantity and quality) . It is beneficial
for persons of Vata constitution and old age people to have milk with butter
oil(cow ghee) 1 cup at night, it provides sound sleep. It is also good for
children. (Reference- Bhavaprakasha Nighantu- Dugdhavarga).
Contra-indications of milk-
In conditions of newly acquired fevers and initial stages of every disease, i.e.
Aama*
(Aama is toxin released by undigested food juice or undigested food juice
remaining in the body for a long time) . In persons suffering from indigestion,
fullness and persons who have taken heavy meals.
Curd
Curd is prepared directly from milk by fermentation at home. It is of five
types depending on taste and stages of fermentation. It is usually taken as a
dessert in meals. It is not flavored and is less acidic than yoghurt.
It is preferable to have curd prepared from cow milk over buffalo milk. If
available, curd prepared form goat milk is best.
Curd should not be taken at the night, it is said to be abhishyandi i.e. it blocks
the channels in the body. In Ayurveda , the biological channels or strotas in
the body are like lotus which blooms in the morning and closes in the
evening and night. Hence consuming curd may occlude the channels and
increase kapha and fat in the body.
Contra-indications of Curd
Curd should be avoided in newly acquired fever, Aama conditions skin
diseases, bleeding disorders, in the night and spring season.
It is the water part separated from the curd. It provides strength in fevers,
appetizer, cleanser of biological channels, satisfies thirst and pacifies kapha
and vata. It is a mild laxative
Yoghurt
It is prepared by culture method using 1 or 2 bacteria species, by fermenting
milk lactose into lactic acid. It gives extra tang and sourness to it. It is gel or
liquid, may contain added flavors. It is more acidic in taste than curd.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk forms an inevitable part of food in India. Ayurveda promotes use
of buttermilk in many grave diseases of digestive system like chronic gastro-
intestinal diseases, non bleeding chronic hemorrhoids, ascites etc. Buttermilk
is said to be nectar for humans in Charaka Samhita. It maintains intestinal
flora and promotes the active digestion of food by stomach and intestines.
Contra-indications of Buttermilk
In pitta aggravation, bleeding disorders, summer season and autumn season.
Chhach can be taken in summers.
Butter-
Cow’s ghee
Ghee is simply clarified butter — butter with all the milk-solids removed.
Ghee is a time-honored alternative to hydrogenated oils that clog arteries and
promote free-radical damage. Daily intake of ghee in diet promotes vigor and
vitality.
Ayurveda considers ghee the ultimate cooking oil, with diverse mind/body
benefits listed in the ancient texts.
Researches on cow ghee have shown that, ghee prepared from churning
process of curd of cow milk, called “Bilona ghee” can be successfully used
even in patients of Hyperlipedemia. It balances HDL levels and reduces LDL
and triglycerides (By Dr. Sharada Tank and Dr. Maheshchandra Sharma,
National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur).
Contra-indications of Ghee
Person with less or diminished digestive capacity, recent and acute infections,
very obese, very weak, diarrhea, diseases of digestive system, diseases of
Aama, diseases of kapha and throat, alcoholic disorders.