Political fervour

There is another kind of fever, which plants can’t do much about. The acquisitive fever. Excess of kapha, according to ayurveda. Our times are excessively afflicted with this malaise. Combined with the pittic ambition to get ahead of everyone no matter what, this fever completely consumes. I know it is unfashionable for aspirants to sound cynical, but I do think being concerned about corruption is as green as it can get.

We were invited by ITC Maurya Sheraton to participate in an exhibition marking the environment day. We were thrilled that there were no stall charges, struggling as we are to get the Grasroutes business on its feet. There was a generous five star breakfast laid out for everyone too. With good reason we realised. We had a five-minute crowd that breezed in with Sheila Dixit, the Delhi chief minister, and after gorging on the food, disappeared soon after her. It became obvious that ITC MS wanted something of the chief minister and this ‘event’ was organised only to get her attention and approval. Her escort stopped at length at the ITC sponsored table displaying recycled plastic woven bags (they were pretty good, too). There was applause and camera. Our payoff was the ‘free stall’ for five minutes of attention, air-conditioned insides to cool off in the 43 degree outdoors: sufficient, they reckoned, for the week of dizzy preparation it took to be a ‘major’ environmental event. What about spreading awareness on environmental issues? They did serve organic fruit for ‘breakfast’ to a whole crowd of school children.

We were sad to see old hands like CSR, Developmental Alternatives, and TERI given the same treatment। Or maybe sadness is wasted… who knows what politics brew in these valueless times. On a bright note, there were a couple of people who came up and wanted to know about the weeds we’d displayed. There were a handful that stopped at the stalls to know and understand.

And that should count.

Feverish? Cool...

The last post was many leaves ago… was hibernating, and here I am.

Roots, leaves, flowers, and their names (how I relish the sound of each one of them!) have finally taken over my soul. I awaken with the sound of my latest plant friend on my lips, and when I retire, a vision of colours, smells, leaf shapes accompanies me to sleep world.

I’ve either finally lost it, or found myself.

Till I figure out… I can at last dare be satisfied with all my months of hard work and research - my all-herb hair colour looks like a success. All the people who’ve used it till now are happy with it…medium brown blending with their natural brown-black. And only one hour fifteen minutes of keeping it on the head, opposed to the 3-6 hours for henna (that gives those shiny, orangey, brassy tones). Two applications for first time more-than-20%-grey-heads is not such a big deal after all. Especially since it takes care of dandruff, falling hair and all such hairy issues.

Just finished making a skin saver for a friend’s son. This is the first time I am giving a full-fledged medicated oil and essential oil combination for anything. He has peeling skin… could be eczematous. I am still light headed from working with the EOs. Are they lowering my already low BP? I have to take a break before my next formulation.

What can I share with you today? Here’s a simple fever-pain-cold-sore-throat formulation. It works every single time. A friend who is HIV+ with tuberculosis also swears by it for bringing down fevers and body pain rapidly …and he should know; he gets fevers regularly because of the TB.

This is based on Fenugreek (Botanical- Trigonella foenum graecum; Hindi-methi) seeds, usually available in every Indian kitchen (or Indian store, if you live elsewhere. This is popularly used in Eastern Europe and Ethiopia too, I have read). Fenugreek (methi) is an excellent demulcent (helps dissolve and expectorate phlegm accumulation), which you can make out from the signature of the wet seeds… they are pretty mucilaginous. The recipe then, for a methi fever decoction:

Ingredients:
Fenugreek seeds: 2 tsps
Lime (use this sparingly if you have an extremely irritated throat or have high stomach acidity)
Honey (you can do away with this if you are allergic to honey… I have an asthmatic friend who is)
A pinch of salt (this much should be OK even if you have high BP)

Method:
Soak fenugreek seeds in two cups warm water for at least an hour (if you haven’t the time, you can keep it on the fire for longer). Then place pan on fire and bring it to a boil. Reduce flame and let it simmer for a good 10-15 minutes. The water would have reduced to almost half. Remove from fire, strain (I often re-soak the same seeds for another dose).

Add half a lime to the infusion, a teaspoon of honey, and a pinch of salt. (The last two help the throat too). Drink on an empty stomach (food interferes with action of herbs). You can have this three times a day or SOS. You can make it all at one time for the whole day. I have found that this tea will often prevent a bug or fever from setting in if you have it early when you can feel an oncoming sore throat or have the first mild fever.

Wellness and cheer to you.

A leaf added

This is the truth then: wherever anybody is going, this is the place they land up. Somewhere on the internet.

Since this is my first blog, I can be forgiven for being a little wide-eyed, as I brush off sundry leaves, sticks and seeds from my hands and soak in the screen glare.

Ok, so I'm on this route too with you all. Hi there!

My interest in herbs and plants that heal is from what I've culled from books, internet, and people (not necessarily in that order). I'd love to hear from anyone who's interested in any sort of healing any dimension of existence.

Other green subjects: ecology, yoga, and social concerns, etc. may also figure here। Let's see where we go.

Putting my first foot forward, here's a wish for a long, merry journey with many merry co-travellers to meet.