Triphala Benefits & Side Effects – The Crown Jewel Of Ayurvedic Medicine

Triphala is an Ayurvedic polyherbal formulation especially used for thousands of years in the treatment of ailments related to the digestive system. It is also an amazing medicinal formulation for the detoxification of the blood and impacting the immune system positively by enhancing its functioning.  It is also praised in Ayurveda for being a Rasayana and its rejuvenating impact on the body which leads to the body functioning just like as in youthful years even in old age. In the Unani system of traditional medicine, Triphala is called Itrafal.

Triphala Powder
Triphala Ingredients – Harad, Baheda, Amla

 

Triphala Formulation

In most of the households, Triphala is consumed in powder form which can be easily prepared at home itself. Triphala is composed of a total of three herbs – Haritaki, Amla and Bibhitaka.

Name Of Herb

Botanical Name

Quantity

About

Haritaki or Chebulic Myrobalan

Terminalia chebula

1 part

Haritaki is often used as a tonic which helps in fighting chronic constipation and diarrhoea. It is a very good herb for maintaining a healthy colon. It balances Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas.

Amla or Indian Gooseberry

Emblica Officinalis

1 part

It is good for treating constipation, ulcers and haemorrhoids. It is also a very powerful antioxidant and helps in lowering cholesterol and fighting other heart disorders. Amla is most famously used because it makes the hair healthier. Amla is one of the best herbs that can help in improving immunity. It balances Pitta and Vata doshas.

Bibhitaka or Beleric Myrobalan

Terminalia bellirica

1 part

Bibhitaka is a rejuvenative herb. It helps in improving the functioning of the liver and heart and also enhances eyesight and promotes hair growth. It balances the Kapha dosha.

 

Method Of Preparation

Take the three fruits in equal amount and de-seed them. Dry the fruits and grind them well to obtain a powder. This powder then can be stored and consumed as and when required.

To make an extract, just de-seed the three fruits and grind everything in a mixer. Then strain this mixture through a thin cloth to obtain the extract.

 

Uses And Properties

The traditional uses of Triphala as mentioned in the ancient Ayurvedic texts are:

  • According to Charaka Samhita, Triphala is a rejuvenative formulation. It is thus used as a nourishing supplement.
  • It is best known for its moderate effect and its ability to balance all the three doshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
  • Triphala has been mentioned as eye and hair tonic in Ayurveda.
  • Triphala helps in improving pachana or digestion.

The medicinal properties of Triphala are:

  • Laxative
  • Mild Antacid
  • Antihypertensive
  • Antigout
  • Anti mutagenic
  • Antioxidant
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Antipyretic
  • Analgesic
  • Anti-bacterial
  • Adaptogenic
  • Anticancer
  • Carminative
  • Digestive Stimulant
  • Emmenagogue
  • Expectorant
  • Fat Burner
  • Haematinic; that is it helps in increasing haemoglobin levels
  • Hypoglycemic
  • Immunomodulator

 

Manyfold Benefits Of Triphala

Triphala Powder

Aids in Weight Loss

Obesity is on the rise considering the sedentary lifestyle of the people which involves minimal movement coupled with a diet high in sugar and very low in nutrients. Obesity does not only make a person look unattractive but brings with it a number of other disorders like heart diseases.

According to Ayurveda, obese people have weak bones and hence it can also lead to bone-related issues like osteoporosis. Consuming Triphala helps in the proper functioning of the digestive system. It helps in better absorption of nutrients and leads to a rise in bone mineral density. Thereby it doesn’t only aid in weight loss but it also helps in improving the strength of the body.

Suggested Remedy: Consume half a teaspoon Triphala churna with around 250 mg Trikatu churna along with one teaspoon honey and consume this mixture regularly with lukewarm water. Since Trikatu enhances the ability of Triphala to dissolve the body fat, it comes out as one of the best remedies for weight loss.

 

Beneficial For The Heart

Triphala churna consumption can help lower the risk of heart disease to a significant level. This is because of the presence of a high concentration of linoleic and oleic oils in Triphala. This combination helps in improving the level of HDL or good cholesterol and lowering the level of LDL or bad cholesterol. So the arteries can provide a free flow to the blood as too much of LDL can lead to the hardening of arteries which is also called atherosclerosis and this condition increases the risk of heart attack or myocardial infarction.

Only within a few weeks of intake of Triphala, one can notice a significant decrease in the level of serum cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.

 

A boon for digestive issues

Triphala is best known for its ability to work wonder on the digestive system. In fact, it is one of the most common home remedies for constipation. It works as a laxative and helps in stimulating bowel movement. The best part about consuming Triphala in the form of a laxative is that it is not habit-forming.

Consuming a spoon full of Triphala churna at night before sleeping can help provide relief from chronic constipation. When consumed early in the morning on an empty stomach, Triphala can ease diarrhoea and bloat. It even improves the strength of the rectal muscles through better absorption of nutrients.

 

Triphala Against Skin Problems

According to one of the studies, Triphala is a wonderful medication for the skin. It provides protection to the epidermis and even increases the rate at which collagen is produced. The presence of strong antioxidants in Triphala help in keeping the skin moisturized, smooth and rejuvenated.

Triphala even has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. This makes it a suitable medicine to help fight the problem of acne and prevent any kind of microbial infection on the skin. It even has an emollient property which makes it very useful for people who suffer from dry and flaky skin. It even helps in fighting chronic problems like eczema.

 

Triphala For Healthy Hair

Since the medicine has emollient property, it works on providing an adequate amount of moisture to the skin and helps in removing dryness and flakiness. This makes it especially useful for people who suffer from dandruff. Dandruff not only looks bad but can cause itchiness and excessive hair fall. Triphala can even help stimulate hair growth and help in fighting the problem of premature balding.

Suggested Remedy: To get rid of dandruff, one can consider applying a Triphala hair mask. The only thing that needs to be done is to mix approximately 2 tablespoons of the powder in a little water. Apply this hair mask on your scalp while massaging it gently. Leave it for around half an hour and then wash it off your hair.

 

For Good Oral Health

Triphala has antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial action. A  2016 study in the Journal of Periodontology mentions that when Triphala mouth wash was used twice a day for 60 days, it resulted in a significant reduction in gingivitis and oral plaque as compared to those people who were given the placebo.

 

Is A Powerful Antioxidant

Free radicals can lead to the formation of cancerous tumours in the body. Triphala washes away the free radicals and even prevents their buildup and protects the body against excess oxidative stress.

 

Is Anti-Inflammatory

Triphala has anti-inflammatory properties and it is helpful in both external as well as internal inflammations. It can help provide relief from the pain and swelling.

 

Triphala Dosage

The general dosage of churna is:

  • Infants – 500 mg to 1.5 g
  • Children – 1 to 3 g
  • Adolescents – 2 to 4 g
  • Adults and elderly – 3 to 6 g

A maximum of 12 g of churna should be consumed in a day in divided doses. It can be consumed with water or honey or both.

Depending upon the disorder, Triphala is consumed complemented with different substances:

  • Kapha disorders – lukewarm water and honey
  • Vata Disorders – warm water or sesame oil
  • Pitta disorders – cool water or cow’s ghee

It is best to consume Triphala in an empty stomach to best realize its benefits. It can be consumed at night before bed or early in the morning.

 

Ways to Consume Triphala

There is no one best way to consume this amazing herbal concoction. Triphala can be consumed in a number of forms:

Triphala Tablets

Many people nowadays have a shortage of time and cannot prepare herbal decoctions. However such people need not stay devoid of the benefits that Triphala has to offer as it can be easily consumed in the form of tablets.

Triphala Tea

Triphala tea is one of the most famous ways to consume Triphala. This is because this formulation is majorly used for the treatment of digestive system disorders and according to Ayurveda, the first step for a good digestive system is taste. Since consuming as tea allows one to taste it in the best manner, it is one of the best ways to consume it for digestive issues. Half a teaspoon the powder can be boiled in water and consumed as it is or cooled and consumed.

Triphala Churna or Powder

Triphala is easily available in the market as churna or powdered form. In fact, one can easily prepare it even at home by buying the basic ingredients required to make the churna.

Triphala Extract

Triphala can also be consumed as a liquid extract which too is easily available in the market. Being liquid in form the extract is easily absorbed by the body.

In the traditional manner

One of the traditional ways to consume it is to make a paste out of the churna and apply this paste on a new iron vessel, leaving it for about 24 hours. After this, remove the paste, mix it in water with honey and consume it on an empty stomach. To prepare this decoction with around 5 to 10 g Triphala churna, take 10 to 20 g honey and 250 ml water.

 

Triphala: Side Effects and Precautions

Though Triphala is an amazing medicated concoction, it does have its own side effects if consumed more than required, at the wrong time or in combination with wrong herbs. Thus some precautions must be kept in mind while consuming it.

  • Being laxative in nature, too much consumption of Triphala can cause gastrointestinal issues like gas formation, stomach cramps and even diarrhoea. Being rich in fibre it can cause bloating and can also result in a dehydrated body.
  • Pregnant women must refrain from consuming it since it might cause a miscarriage. Even lactating mothers must avoid since it can be passed on to the infant.
  • One must always consult a registered medical practitioner especially if they are thinking of consuming this herbal formulation with allopathic medicines, other kinds of herbs or health supplements.

 

 

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Triphala Benefits & Side Effects - Crown Jewel Of Ayurvedic Medicine
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Triphala - The crown jewel of Ayurvedic Medicine - Uses, Benefits, Side Effects, Dosage, How to use? #ayurveda #ayurvedalife #medicinalherbs #healingherbs #ayurvedicmedicine #honeyfurforher
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