By Dr Kasturi Desai
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is one very handy household item for different common ailments. An interesting drink to restore the digestive system is ginger juice, honey and limejuice.

Ginger with salt helps to check nausea and griping pain. If taken before meals it helps to cure flatulence. Chewing ginger helps in stimulating the flow of saliva and hence improves appetite. While travelling in high altitudes one often suffers from cold bites and nausea. A piece of ginger kept in mouth solves the problem.
For chronic rheumatism, cold and catarrhal affection, hot infusion of a quarter cup of ginger juice is very effective. In fact, one of the best grandmother’s medicines to treat rheumatism is to make small pea-size balls with powdered ginger and castor oil. The dosage is one ball at bedtime.
Ginger tea is excellent to treat cold, influenza. Local application of ginger paste helps treat headache and toothache. Ginger powder rubbed at the extremities of the limbs checks cold perspiration and improves blood circulation.
The fresh leaves of Bel (Aegle marmelos) are very easily available for Hindu rituals. This trifoliate leaf has many medicinal uses. The leaf juice with honey is a mild laxative safe to be used in fevers. The juice given with black pepper is used to treat dropsy (a condition when the tissues and cavities of the body are filled with fluid). It is effective in treating jaundice in the initial stages. It is also a good expectorant. A hot poultice of the leaves is applied to the head in case of delirium of fevers, for acute bronchitis, the poultice is put on the chest and for opthalmia (conjunctivitis - infection of eyes) it is placed on the eyes.  The fruit though not commonly available in Goa has medicinal properties. The unripe or half-ripe fruit is cooling, stomachic, and digestive. It is best given in sub-acute and chronic cases of diarrhoea, dysentery.
Another plant good for stomach troubles is Aloe vera Barbedensis, locally called Kante kuar or Ghrita kumari. Today this plant is widely used. Aloe Vera is a plant that has biblical references and was used in the Indian home from time immemorial.
Major essential nutrients of proteins, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, fibre and water must not only be ingested in a daily diet but also digested and absorbed into the blood stream through a healthy digestive tract. When poor digestion is present, meaning a lack of digestive juices like hydrochloric, pancreatic enzymes and bile from liver, then the molecules are not broken down and the nutrients in our foods is not absorbed. The consumption of the juice of the leaves of the Aloe vera helps to correct disorders of nutrition and restores the normal functions of the digestive organs. It is effective in treating enlarged liver, spleen and gall bladder. It is very good laxative and hence used for treating piles.
The most important use of Aloe vera is in the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) wherein there are irritations of the digestive tract. It has cooling and soothing benefits. The juice works as a detoxifying agent. It works to cleanse the colon and detoxifies the blood. The anti-inflammatory fatty acids in aloe alkalise the digestive juices and prevent acidity - a common cause of indigestion thus helping to treat ulcers. The juice has properties of being anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-bacterial. It also facilitates and encourages the secretion of the protein digesting enzyme pepsin in the stomach thus facilitating active digestion of proteins.
Aloe vera has been known to increase the blood and lymphatic circulation. Generally, one to two tablespoons of the juice is taken on an empty stomach. Since the taste of the juice is bitter and not very pleasant, additives like a little sugar and cardamom can be added to it. A spoon of Aloe vera juice can be added to any fruit juice and a health beverage can be served to guests. The juice should not be taken by children below five and pregnant women.