Some of the most powerful remedies you come across don't come from pharmacies or supplement bottles, they come straight from the kitchen. In Indian homes, healing begins not in a doctor’s clinic but around the stove, guided by generations of quiet wisdom.
There’s something profoundly beautiful about how food has always been used here, not just to nourish the body, but to nurture health. We’ve all seen it: our mothers and grandmothers stirring haldi (turmeric) into warm milk, roasting ajwain (carom seeds) to ease a baby’s colic, or boiling ginger at the first sign of a sore throat.
These aren’t just age-old customs or emotional memories, they’re evidence of real, time-tested wellness. Khushboo Jain Tibrewala, diabetes nutritionist and inflammation specialist says, "As a Nutritionist, I often find answers in these traditional practices when modern medicine falls short. These simple, powerful remedies have stood the test of time, and in many cases, they work better than any lab-formulated solution." Here are some of the remedies she shared.
1. Ajwain + Kala Namak for Period Pain
This remedy is gold. Half a teaspoon of ajwain and a quarter teaspoon of kala namak mixed in warm water can help ease menstrual cramps, reduce gas, and relieve that heavy, dragging feeling in the lower abdomen. I’ve seen it work better than pills or patches in many cases, especially for women with PCOS or digestive sensitivity. It’s safe, gentle, and deeply effective.
2. Simple Kadha for Seasonal Support
Every region has its own version of kadha, and for good reason. My go-to is a mix of haldi, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, clove, and fennel seeds. Boiled for 6–7 minutes and sweetened with a little honey, it works as both prevention and support when you're already feeling under the weather. I often suggest having around 100 ml a day, especially when there’s viral going around.
3. Kokum Sherbet for Cooling and Digestion
Kokum is one of the most underrated ingredients in Indian kitchens. It’s anti-inflammatory, digestive, and naturally cooling. A homemade kokum sherbet works beautifully for acidity, post-meal heaviness, or just general summer fatigue. Step into a Maharashtrian home during the hotter months, and there’s a good chance you’ll be welcomed with a glass of this soothing sherbet.
4. Raw Banana for Gut Repair
This humble ingredient is a gut hero. Raw banana, whether in cutlets or stir-fried, is rich in resistant starch, a type of prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria in our gut. I often include it in plans for clients recovering from antibiotics, loose motions, or sluggish digestion. It’s local, seasonal, and far more healing than most packaged gut supplements.
These remedies work because they don’t fight the body; they work with it. They support, soothe, and gently bring things back into balance. Our ancestors understood how to use food not just as fuel, but as information. Food tells the body how to function, how to repair, and how to stay well. And when we begin to use it with awareness, the shift it brings is nothing short of a miracle.
