Astonishing Science Behind Indian Traditions

Did you know that the traditions that we follow every day have scientific reasons behind them? Most of these traditions have merged into Indian culture through religious and ancestral ways. However, there are very detailed scientific explanations regarding their benefits that a lot of people are unaware of. You don’t have to follow something blindly because everyone else is following it- do it because you know its actual benefit.

Joining Palms In Namaste

We join our hands in namaste to greet people. This age-old tradition helps you from spreading germs that we often forget about when we shake hands with someone. Especially, if you shake hands with a sick person, you may be at risk of catching whatever infection he/she has (1). A lot of contagious diseases like flu can spread rapidly due to handshakes. When the sick person sneezes or coughs, he/she covers the mouth with his/her hands. And, if the hands are not washed thoroughly thereafter, disease-causing germs can get easily spread.

Use Of Turmeric

Turmeric is an essential spice in most of the Indian kitchens. We use turmeric not only for cooking but also for cuts, scrapes, and skincare. Even though turmeric recipes and skin care tricks are known to most of us from someone like our mother or grandmother, there are scientific explanations that support the use of turmeric. Turmeric is used for cold, headache, fever, menstrual problems, hay fever, fatigue, skin inflammation, itchy skin, acne, and many other issues because of it’s medicinal properties (2).

Use Of Tulsi

Tulsi/holy basil is the holiest plant for Hindus and it is a very common plant in India. We use tulsi for insect bites, acne, cold, and in drinking water. Tulsi is thought to have beneficial compounds that help in healing inflammation and pain (3). Also, the oil extracted from the seeds of Tulsi is said to have various medicinal benefits associated with cancer (4). Holy basil is often confused with basil which is used for culinary purposes than for its medicinal properties, unlike the former.

Dahi Shakkar

Dahi shakkar is given to people when they are going out for the day or when they are going to attend something important. Dahi shakkar is nothing but yogurt mixed with sugar. Yogurt is one of the healthiest food items you can ever think of. It is rich in calcium and probiotic bacteria that are healthy for your body (5).

Extensive Use Of Cow Dung

You may have seen cow dung cakes stuck to the walls of many houses in Indian villages. Cowdung cakes are dried and used as fuel which is a renewable and sustainable energy resource. It is also used to make biogas- yet another sustainable energy resource. In other words, it helps us become less dependent on non-renewable energy resources like fossil fuel and firewood (6). Cowdung is used as a natural fertilizer by farmers and it prevents bacterial and fungal invasions (7).

Henna

We use henna as a natural hair conditioner and also to make temporary tattoos. Applying henna is very good for your skin and it is used to treat issues like eczema, dandruff, scabies, and fungal infections (8). Henna is also used for medicinal purposes as it is believed to have a positive effect on jaundice, enlarged spleen, headache, and stomach and intestinal ulcers (9).

Yoga

Last but not least, yoga has to be mentioned in this list! Yoga is something that our country is very popular for and yes, it’s for a reason. Yoga is found to have many health benefits considering both physical and mental aspects. It is also said to have a significantly positive effect on our spirituality. Yoga improves your strength, flexibility, and mind-body awareness (10). It is going to be of great use if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease (11).

Getting in tune with nature and our traditions will help us in many ways. These are just a few examples among a big list of traditions that are actually beneficial to us. Nonetheless, you need to know that there are a lot of traditions that we follow blindly and some of them can be harmful. Make sure you separate the good ones from the ones that can get you sick.

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