Sesame Home Remedies

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Although sesame seeds and sesame oil are valuable year round, January is a traditional time to enjoy Ayurvedic sesame seed home remedies. The warm and strengthening properties of sesame help fortify us during the winter months. Here is a small sampling of countless Ayurvedic home remedies using sesame seeds and sesame oil.

Use unhulled brown sesame seeds for remedies that call for seeds (unless black are specified). White sesame seeds are hulled and do not have the same health benefits as brown sesame seeds.

Remedies

1.     Receding gums: Chew a handful of sesame seeds each morning.

2.     Mouth and throat concerns: Swoosh with sesame oil each morning. You can half-fill your mouth with sesame oil and roll it around your mouth or fill your mouth completely and hold the oil there. Ideally, keep the sesame oil in your mouth for about ten minutes until it is completely mixed with saliva. It might help to destroy oral biofilm.

3.     Tinnatus: To calm the vata in the ears, apply ten drops of warm sesame oil to each ear.  Allow the oil to remain in the first ear for five or ten minutes, then clean the ear, then follow the same procedure with the other ear, lying on the other side. Repeat daily for ten days.

4.     Cough: Rub chest with warm sesame oil at night.

5.     Constipation: Take a teaspoon of sesame oil on day1, two teaspoons on day two and a tablespoon on day 3. Continue taking a tablespoon of sesame oil a day until you have smooth and easy bowel movements. Do not take enough sesame oil to give you loose bowel movements; keep it at the amount that gives a nice normal bowel movement. After about ten days try stopping the oil and see if you continue to have good motions. If not, resume the oil.

6.     Diarrhoea: Grind a few sesame seeds finely and mix with some lukewarm water and honey. Drink this mixture.

7.     Menstrual cramps: Chew a handful of sesame seeds daily, starting this practice a few days before your cycle is due

8.     Acne: Mix equal parts of sesame oil and rosewater in a spritzer. Carry this in your purse and spritz your face frequently, shaking up the mixture each time before you use it.

9.     Sleep problems: Massage the soles of the feet with warm sesame oil at bedtime. Put on some old socks so your sheets don’t get oily.

10. Hair problems: Massage scalp with sesame oil at least twenty minutes before washing the hair.

11. Bone density concerns: Eat dry sesame chutney (See recipe below)

 

Dry Sesame Chutney

Ingredients  

  • 1 cup brown sesame seeds

  • 2 tsp Chili powder

  • ¼ cup Dry coconut

  • Natural Mineral Salt to taste

Directions                                                                                                     

  • Dry roast sesame seeds in cast iron pan while stirring all the time until they sputter

  • Roast coconut on medium until you get a pleasant aroma, add chili powder and take off heat

  • Continue stirring and as you do so add salt to the above mixture.

  • When cooled dry grind to a medium coarse consistency

  • Serve with kitchari or rice and dal.

Tilagula winter rejuvenative sweetballs

Good for fatigue, low energy.

Ingredients

  • One and quarter cups sesame seeds (you can use brown sesame seeds or equal parts brown and black)

  • 1/2 cup jaggery

  • 2 tsp. ghee

  • A little oil or ghee for greasing

Directions

  • In a pan dry roast sesame seeds until light golden in colour. Remove and set aside, spread out in a plate.

  • In the same pan melt the ghee and add the jaggery.

  • Keep stirring the jaggery continuously and cook until all the jaggery melts. Immediately add the sesame seeds. (You do not want to make hard candy or toffee; therefore you should not overheat the jaggery).

  • Turn off the heat and mix all ingredients together.

  • Spread the mixture on a greased plate using help of a pair of greased spoons.

  • Let it cool until you can just handle it and then roll it into balls. It won’t roll if it’s too cold and if it’s really hot it will make a cookie shape rather than a ball. But if the latter happens you can reshape the flat ones into balls.

Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!