Herbs

Benefits of Brahmi and how to use it

Brahmi or Water Hyssop a native to India and Australia is a creeping perennial with small oblong leaves and purple flowers.Named after  Brahma the god of creation. Brahmi literally means the energy.The herb has been mentioned in several Ayurvedic texts including Charaka and Sushruta Samhita. It has a long history of use in Ayurveda for improving learning and memory.

But that is not how I know it.. In my time,as a student it was considered the magic ingredient that was part of Saraswatarishtam or the famous Brahmi Ghritam (Medicated ghee).

The Arishtam was usually made in a gold vessel or an earthen one with gold in it. It had a whole lot of other herbs too in it. But Brahmi was the major chunk.

Parents of students who couldn’t score well in school most certainly gave this a go.As Brahmi is a wonderful brain tonic
I only knew of brahmi as the special concoction of medicines that would perhaps help me score.
Imagine my surprise at seeing the real Brahmi right in front of my eyes.
Here was a simple succulent creeping herb. The best friend of even the worst gardener. It would never let you down as long as there is water.
Back in my home town the village elders would go herb hunting when a child was to be born and within a couple of hours would be back with hundreds of herbs which included Brahmi.

In India Brahmi leaves  have been used for thousands of years for mental health
English – Water hyssop, thyme leaved gratiola                 
Tamil – Neer brahmi                          Hindi – Jalanima
 
In Ayurveda Brahmi is used to make
Brahmi Ghrita
Ratnagiri Rasa
Brahmi Vati,
Sarasvataristha,,
Sarasvata Choorna
Smrtisagara Rasa

The benefits of brahmi are too many to ignore. Here is how to use Brahmi in different ways.

Sarasvataristha 
This is a fermented beverage in which Brahmi is the major constituent used in the treatment of infertility, epilepsy and mental disorders 
 
Medicated oil
Brahmi oil relieve joint pain, headache and to clear the mind.When massaged on the head, it encourages hair growth 
 
Topical use
Brahmi paste applied to the neck is very useful in cough especially in children 
Also treats diaper rash in infants 
 
Ointment 
Brahmi lepa helps to reduce swellings. 
A poultice made of boiled brahmi is placed on the chest in acute bronchitis and other coughs in children.Its leaves fried in ghee and had can relieve hoarseness. 
Juice of leaves relieve diarrhoea in children.
 
As Tea
A cup of fresh Brahmi tea taken with honey before meditation is also calming to the mind
When combined with ghee or milk, Brahmi has a tonifying, nerve nourishing and pitta cooling effect 
 
Medicated Ghee
Brahmi Ghrita recipe is described by Charaka as one part old cow’s ghee cooked with four parts Brahmi juice and 1/4th part in total of the paste of vacha, kustha and shankupushpi.  
Brahmi Ghrita prepared with sesame or coconut oil can be massaged on the feet,  joints and ears before sleep in the treatment of anxiety and depression 
 
A remedy for acne 
Combine Brahmi and turmeric in equal amounts, add 1 tsp  of warm cow milk and ½ tsp. of ghee and taken twice a day for several months. This remedy reduces Bhrajaka pitta on the skin (acne) .
When used with neem, manjishtha or Madder and turmeric, it helps in skin conditions with pitta imbalance.
In Ashtanga Hridayam, Brahmi Ghrta is mentioned with other herbs for the treatment of insanity, leprosy and epilepsy as well as to improve speech, memory, intelligence 
 
Taken with basil and a little black pepper helps in reducing fever in adults
 
 Brahmi Rasayana, with ten parts Brahmi, forty parts sugar, two parts clove and one part each of cardamom and pippali, works  as an anti-inflammatory and nerve tonic agent.
 

Recipes with Brahmi

 

A traditional recipe of a herbal drink 

Ingredients to make this Brahmi Tea:
 
Brahmi leaves – 1 cup                                     
Roasted Cumin seeds powder – 1 tsp
Honey – 2 tsp
Black pepper powder – As needed
Black salt – 1 pinch
Blend Brahmi leaves with cumin, pepper and black salt to a fine paste.
Add around 2 to 2 1/2 cups water to this, mix in the honey and serve
 

How to grow Brahmi

Of all herbs to grow Brahmi is the easiest. It can grow at the edges of ponds, in containers or even a shady spot in your garden. Although they can grow from seed, they are far easier to propagate from cuttings and root easily in water.

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