HEALTH

Asgandh: nature’s tonic for the nerves

Asgandh, also known as ashwagandha and withania somnifera is a well-known ayurvedic medicine. Its a one to two feet high branching plant which grows wildly in the drier parts of the Indian sub-continent. It is also cultivated in Rajasthan and parts of Madhya Pradesh from where comes most of the commercial and medicinal supply. Roots of the plant, from where the drug is extracted, spread like human fingers into the ground. As a market drug, asgandh coming the from the Nagore area of Rajasthan is considered to be the best.

Asgandh is slightly bitter in taste, light in weight and hot in effect. According to Ayurveda, asgandh while controlling vata and kapha, stimulates pitta. The chemical composition of asgandh depicts a volatile oil and two alkloids known as withoniol and somniferin. The water soluble extract of leaves and stem also contains the same constituents in addition to a considerable quantity of potassium nitrate.

Asgandh is a highly-acclaimed herb for the tonic effect that it has on the brain and the nervous system. Detailed investigations, both clinical and experimental, show that asgandh acts as an anti-stress and adaptogenic medicine. It is also known to improve the quality of the immune functions acting as an anabolic during convalescence. Ayurvedic texts have described it as possessing stimulant, aphrodisiac, diuretic, anti-inflammatory and also mildly sedative and hypnotic properties.

Bhavaprakash, one of the oldest ayurvedic books on herbs, describe asgandh as balya (tonic), rasayana (rejuvenating) and atishukral (potent spermatogenic). It is used to cure a number of ailments like nervous disorders, arthritis, hypertension and insomnia . Asgandh improves general alertness and prevents all type of weaknesses and promotes strength and stamina. By virtue of these uses it is often referred to as the ‘Indian ginseng’ and is a medicine for all people whether young but tired or old and retired.

Today’s competitive and fast life style subjects us to tremendous physical and mental stress. Two gram of asgandh powder, daily at bed time with warm milk, acts as an anti-stress agent and strengthens the nervous system. It also allays anxiety neurosis and induces sound sleep without any hangover. Asgandh is a drug of choice in premature old age syndrome, general weakness, condition of chronic fatigue and also in cases of senile nervous debility.

In arthritic conditions, asgandh helps to remove pain and swelling and also relieves non-specific chronic backache. Given for a few months in doses of five hundred milligram after mixing with a little butter to under-weight children, asgandh is a great nutrient. The famous ashwagandhadi churna in which asgandh is mixed with an equal quantity of vidhara is a well- known medicine for male impotency.

Asgandh is used in many classic ayurvedic preparations, foremost of them are ashwagandharishta and aswagandha ghrita. Though its use is generally safe but those who are not comfortable with the use of things having a ‘hot effect’ should consult a physician before starting with asgandh.

SPORT

Khalsa School girls do well
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Oct 31 — Girls of Khalsa School stole the limelight in the Ludhiana Zone I Inter-School Athletics Meet in Sanatam Dharam Pracharak Women’s College. Kamaljeet Kaur won a gold medal each in the under-19 800 m, 1,500 m and 3,000 m. Jasmine Kaur won a gold medal each in the under-19 100 m and 200 m events.

Kamaljeet Kaur also helped her team win a gold medal in the under-19 4x100 m relay event. Simaranjeet Kaur and Ramandeep of Khalsa Senior Secondary School won a gold medal each in the under-19 shot put and javelin throw events, respectively.

The other results are as follows: 5,000 m: Under-19 boys — Balram Yadav 1, Gaurav Kalia 2, Kanahya Singh 3; 800 m: under-19 boys — Gurbir Singh 1, Gaurav Kalia 2, Gaurav Dheeri 3; under-17 boys — Prem 1, Manjeet Singh 2, Manpreet Singh 3; under-19 girls — Kamaljeet Kaur 1, Neeshu Grover 2, Sunaina 3; under-17 girls — Parminder Kaur 1, Mandeep Kaur 2, Neha Sharma 3.

Long jump: Varinder Singh 1, Pardeep Singh 2 and Chamkoor Singh 3; 100 m: Under-19 boys — Gurbeer Singh 1, Harcharan Singh 2; under-17 boys — Jagdev Singh 1, Barinder Singh 2, Jagpreet Singh 3; under-19 girls — Jasmine Kaur 1, Jasmeet Kaur 2, Inderpreet Kaur 3; under-17 girls — Jagmeet Kaur 1, Monika Sharma 2, Neha Sani 3; 200 m: Under-19 girls — Jasmine Kaur 1, Manpreet Grewal 2, Teena Narula 3; under-17 girls — Parminder Kaur 1, Monika 2, Amandeep Kaur 3.

Shot put: under-19 boys — Amritpal Singh 1, Guneet Singh 2, Ankur 3; under-17 boys — Sarvan Singh 1, Amrik Singh 2, Jagpreet Singh 3; under-19 girls — Simaranjeet Kaur 1, Gagandeep Kaur 2, Amanpreet Kaur 3; under-17 girls — Satnam Kaur 1, Simaranjeet Kaur 2, Deepika 3.

Discus throw: Under-19 boys — Amritpal Singh 1, Guneet Singh 2, Karan Jindal 3; under-17 boys — Sarvan Singh 1, Harpreet Singh 2, Manmeet Singh 3; under-19 girls — Seema 1, Manpreet Kaur 2, Eina 3; under-17 — Deepika 1, Harleen Kaur 2; 3000 m: Under-17 boys — Harpreet Singh 1, Talwinderjit Singh 2, Manpreet Singh 3; under-17 boys — Shama Bawa 1, Amarjit Kaur 2, Supreet Kaur 3; under-19 girls — Kamaljeet Kaur 1, Supinderjeet Kaur 2, Pooja Ghai 3.

Walk (3,000 m): Under-17 boys — Gurpartap Singh 1, Karanjeet Grewal 2; 5,000 m (walk): Under-19 boys — Jagdish Sharma 1, Jai 2, Kapil Sharma 3; 4x400 m relay: Under-19 boys — Jai, Abhishek, Gaurav and Pranav (1), Jaspreet Singh, Balraj Singh, Amritpal Singh and Karanveer Singh (2), Dasondha Singh, Jagdev Singh, Parminder Singh, Gurpreet Singh (3); under-19 girls — Kamaljeet Kaur, Jasmine Kaur, Supinder Kaur and Harkamaljeet Kaur (1), Meeshu Grover, Seema Arora, Isha Narula and Sunaina (2), Jameet Kaur, Moninder Kaur, Amanpreet Kaur and Dilpreet Kaur (3).

Under-19 boys (1,500 m) — Manvinder Singh 1, Manpreet Singh 2, Pranav Krishan 3; under-17 boys — Harpreet Singh 1, Kuldeep Singh 2, Manpreet Singh 3; under-19 girls — Kamaljeet Kaur 1, Pooja Ghai 2, Meeshu Ghai 3; under-17 girls — Shama Bawa 1, Amanjeet Kaur 2, Shilpa 3.

Hammer throw: under-17 boys — Sarwan Singh 1, Shamsher Singh 2, Kulwinder 3; under-17 boys — Jagpal Singh 1, Maninder Singh 2.

Javelin throw: Under-19 boys — Lakhwinder Singh 1, Pushinder Singh 2, Ankur 3; under-17 boys — Jagjit Singh 1, Amreek Singh 2, Shamsher Singh 3; under-19 girls — Ramandeep 1, Manpreet 2; under-17 girls — Savinder Kaur 1, Shilpa 2, Deepika 3.

Meet preponed

The Ludhiana District High Schools Athletics Championship has been preponed after the advancement of the Punjab State Schools Athletics Championship. The district championship will be held from November 3 to 5 in Government High School of Gill village, according to Mr Harbans Singh, President of the District High Schools Tournament Committee.