Elephant yam is an excellent vegetable. Ayurveda prescribes it for many diseases such as piles, dysentery, asthma, swelling of lungs, obesity, intestinal disorders, vomiting, blood borne diseases, menstrual disorders and abdominal cramps.
The paste of the tubers is applied externally to reduce pain in arthritis and to heal the gangrenous skin lesions.
Elephant foot yam botanical name is Amorphophallus paeoniifolius or Amorphophallus campanulatus.
Common names: Stanley’s water-tub, Konjac
Elephant foot yam, also called Konjac has a rich nutritional profile. It provides appropriately 330KJ/100g energy.
Potassium, Phosphorous and Magnesium are the key minerals found in elephant yam. It also contains trace minerals like zinc, copper, calcium, zinc and selenium.
It has omega-3 fatty acids which are known to increase the good cholesterol levels in the blood;simultaneously it decreases the bad cholesterol and hence acts as a regulator of good and bad cholesterol.The scientists have is identified Diosgenin, a molecular hormone which has potential anticancer effects.
Soorana pindi, Soorana modaka, Sooranavaleha, Soorana paka etc are the few important formulations of Ayurv edic therapeutics and mosyt of then are referred in the treatment of obesity, haemorroids, fissure, constipation, fistula,blood borne disorders etc.
Few of the important simple remedies are compiled here and presented below:
1. Elephant yam (Konjac) for in Obesity and Hyper cholesterol conditions:
Obese people who cannot control hunger are advised to use this vegetable in their diet.
Suran Kand tubers are cooked well and as per ones need tamarind, turmeric powder and salt are added and kept ready. Whenever one feels hungry, 1 bowl of this sabji dish is consumed along with a cup of buttermilk. This is also useful to reduce bad cholesterol.
2. Tuber dry powder in haemorroids and fissure in ano:
Mature Suran tuber is taken, washed well and sliced. Dried under shade. It is powdered and stored in an air tight container.
This can also be soaked in turmeric water (1 tablespoon turmeric + 1 mug of water) or buttermilk, then dried.
Daily this powder can be consumed in the dose of 3-5 grams. This is very useful in relieving hemorrhoids, fissure and constipation.
Read related: Fistula In Ano – Ayurvedic Understanding And Effective Treatment
3. Tuber for prostate enlargement:
The Surana Kanda – 100 grams is boiled with 2 cups of buttermilk and 2 cups of tamarind juice along with 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder. This is consumed in a dose of 2 – 3 grams, once or twice a day, before food for 4 – 6 weeks for the treatment of BPH (prostate enlargement).
4. Elephant yam powder in in fatty liver:
In case of fatty liver, elephant foot tuber powder is administered in the dose of 3-5 gram along with honey or jaggery/palm jaggery.
Read related: Fatty Liver: Symptoms, Ayurvedic Treatment, Remedies, Tips
5. Tuber paste in boils, corn and swelling:
Matured tubers are taken and crushed well to make into fine paste. While making paste little Chuna (dehydrated calcium / lime powder) is also added. This paste is applied over the swelling and the corns and even on warts, daily for 4 – 6 weeks time.
6. In case of rheumatoid arthritis, fine paste is made with ginger juice and applied.
Precaution:
Pregnant women must avoid large amount of this tuber. Also few who experience allergic reactions after eating Surana kanda should avoid it.
By Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD (Ayu), PhD
easyayurveda.com
