Giloy also known as Guduchi is known for its medicinal properties. This herb is generally used in Ayurvedic formulations, and its parts are believed to possess several health benefits. The scientific name of Giloy is Tinospora Cordifolia. The leaves of the Giloy shrub are generally heart-shaped.
In Ayurveda, Giloy is also known as “Amrita” as it is packed with compounds possessing several health benefits. Giloy is packed up with the right amounts of terpenoids, glucosides, alkaloids, steroids and lignans, making this herb magical. Giloy is made up of the following compounds.
- Terpenoids – Tinosporide, Furanolactonediterpene, Furanoid diterpene, Tinosporaside, Ecdysteronemakisterone.
- Glucosides – Cordifolioside, Tinocordioside, Cordioside, Palmatosides.
- Alkaloids – Tinosporine, Magnoflorine, Tembetarine, Berberine, Choline, Palmatine, Jatrorrhizine, Pyrrolidine
- Steroids – Giloinsterol, Beta Sitosterol, 20 Alpha Hydroxyecdysone.
- Others – Giloin, Giloinin, Tinosporan acetate, Tinosporic acid, Tinosporal acetate, Tinosporidine, Heptacosanol, Cordifolone, Octacosanol, Tinospone
- Lignans
Giloy possesses several medicinal properties and health benefits because of the presence of these compounds in it. So today in this article we will be looking at the various health benefits of Giloy. Let’s begin.
Various Health Benefits of Giloy
Health Benefits of Giloy according to Ayurveda
According to Ayurveda, Giloy has three prime health benefits.
- Snigdha (oily) Guna, Ushna (hot) Virya, and Madhura (sweet) Vipaka are all found in the plant. Giloy is a remarkable ayurvedic plant since it balances all three doshas: Vata (air), Pitta (digestion), and Kapha (earth and water).
- Giloy is a natural antipyretic that is it can treat any kind of fever caused by anything
- Giloy also has the ability to kill any type of virus (be it dead or active) inside the body.
Health Benefits of Giloy for your brain
Giloy is considered great for your brain. It is considered great for the treatment of any mental disorders including anxiety and stress. It is a type of nootropic herb that provides a shield against muscle spasms and seizures. Giloy is also given to people who are trying to leave alcohol and facing alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Ayurvedic medicines that help in treating anxiety issues and mental stress always include Giloy in their chemical composition.
Health Benefits of Giloy for your respiratory system
Giloy is considered great for your respiratory system as it helps in the treatment and prevention of various diseases related to the respiratory system. Giloy is considered one of the best herbs in the treatment of cough, cold, seasonal cold, asthma and even tuberculosis.
Boosts your overall immunity
As mentioned previously, Giloy is rich in alkaloids, terpenoids, lignans and steroids. The perfect composition of these compounds in Giloy helps in increasing your bone marrow cellularity. Increased bone marrow cellularity results in increased production of White Blood Cells, Red Blood Cells, Plasma and Platelets. Your entire immunity system depends on these four components. So boosting the production of these four components automatically boosts your overall immunity. This is how Giloy plays a major role in boosting your immunity.
Health Benefits of Giloy for your digestive system
Giloy is considered a magical herb for increasing your appetite, ensuring proper digestion and maintaining proper metabolism. Giloy has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that help in the treatment of liver diseases caused by bacteria and fungus. Diseases caused by E.coli in your liver can be easily treated by Giloy. In allopathy, there is no treatment for diseases caused by E.coli bacteria but this is the place where Giloy comes into play. Symptoms such as excessive vomiting, excessive diarrhea and abdominal cramps caused by E.coli can be easily treated by the consumption of Giloy.
Besides this, if you have a family history of experiencing piles, fissures and fistula, you can start consuming Giloy as Giloy is highly effective in preventing these medical conditions.
Also, people with stomach ulcers are recommended to consume Giloy by doctors as it also possesses certain properties that help in the treatment of such ulcers.
Health Benefits of Giloy for liver disorders
Giloy is considered one of the best herbs for the treatment of jaundice. In fact, most medicines suggested by doctors during jaundice generally contain Giloy as their main ingredient.
Moreover, people who are into extreme drinking should definitely consume Giloy on a regular basis as it has hepatoregenerative and hepatoprotective properties. Giloy will definitely help you to recover your liver from the dangerous side effects caused due to excessive consumption of alcohol.
People who are into bodybuilding definitely consume extra protein in the form of supplements and powder. Such people should always include Giloy juice in their diet as Giloy ensures proper absorption of tripeptides, dipeptides or amino acids that takes place in the duodenum.
Consuming Giloy also helps you to develop a healthy pancreas. A healthy pancreas leads to an increase in endogenous insulin secretion which ultimately results in proper metabolism of carbohydrates (sugar). This is very essential for people who have hyperglycemia.
Giloy is also considered great for people with hyperlipidemia. People with high cholesterol levels in their blood should definitely consume Giloy on a regular basis.
People with high blood pressure should also consume Giloy as it is highly efficient in regulating your blood pressure levels by lowering your serum cholesterol levels, issue cholesterol levels, phospholipids and free fatty acids.
Health Benefits of Giloy for your integumentary system
Giloy is a natural astringent that improves your overall skin health, maintains the moisture of your skin, improves skin’s elasticity and reduces wrinkles. You can consume Giloy juice or buy Giloy juice that is readily available in the Indian markets.
You can also apply Giloy paste on your skin to enhance your skin further. Applying Giloy paste on your skin helps to protect your skin from infections and diseases like leprosy. Giloy has anti-inflammatory properties as well which help to heal wounds or minor cuts.
Health Benefits of Giloy for your reproductive system
Giloy is a natural aphrodisiac that is it helps to boost your sexual desire, pleasure and performance. It is applicable to both men and women.
Giloy when combined with Ashwagandha becomes a powerful medicinal for the treatment of seminal weakness, nightfalls and premature ejaculations among men. Also, Giloy when combined with Ashwagandha and onion juice is considered a great cure for erectile dysfunction.
When it comes to women, Giloy helps in the treatment of any sort of urinary tract infection. From vaginal dryness to hot flushes Giloy can treat it all.
Under certain circumstances, Giloy when synergized with Shatavari acts passively in the treatment of Leucorrhoea.
Rich in antioxidants
Ayurveda considers Giloy as a “Rasayana” as it is packed up with antioxidants. These antioxidants absorb free radicals and flush them out of the body which in turn prevents you from developing cancer and any other heart diseases.
Giloy has a unique feature. It helps in developing new tissues in your body gradually. This helps in the prevention of Rheumatism.
When should you consume Giloy?
The best time to consume Giloy is in the morning on an empty stomach. But if you are someone who cannot consume Giloy right after waking up, you can consume it at any time of the day. Just make sure to not consume anything 2 hours before taking Giloy.
How to consume Giloy?
You can consume Giloy in the form of juice, satva, churna, kwath or tablets. You can buy Giloy powder from Ayurvedic marketplaces. Packaged giloy juice from various brands is also readily available in the markets. If you are buying packed Giloy juice from the market, make sure to follow the instructions mentioned on the packaging.
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