The intelligence of the universe expresses itself through sacred and medicinal plants. India has always had the unique advantage of possessing a wide range of climatic, geographical and geological conditions wherein an infinite variety of these rare and precious herbs and trees could flourish. The medicinal, culinary, cosmetic, aromatic and sacred applications of these plants were well known to Ayurvedic practitioners, and they are still of immense benefit to us today.

Amla is one of the richest natural sources of vitamin C, its fresh juice containing nearly twenty times as much vitamin C as orange juice. A single tiny Amla is equivalent in vitamin C content to two oranges. Clinical tests on patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis have shown that this high concentrate is more quickly assimilated then the synthetic vitamin. It is an ingredient of many Ayurvedic medicines and tonics, as it removes excessive salivation, nausea, vomiting, giddiness, spermatorrhoea, internal body heat and menstrual disorders. Because it is also cooling, it increases sattwa, and is an excellent liver tonic.

Ayurveda recommends taking a tonic made from the fruit throughout the winter months. The fresh fruit is a diuretic and a laxative. A cooling and refreshing drink can be made from it.

We hope that this book will serve as a good reference, for those interested in the subject and will help them to understand more fully and possibly also to solve, the problems posed in the different uses.