Natural Benefits and Curative Properties
The bitter gourd has excellent medicinal virtues. It is antidotal, antipyretic tonic, appetizing, stomachic,
antibilious and laxative. The bitter gourd is also used in native medicines of Asia and Africa.
Diabetes
The bitter gourd is specifically used as a folk medicine for diabetes. Recent researches have established that it contains
a hypoglycaemic or insulin-like principle, designated as 'plant-insulin', which has been found
highly beneficial in lowering the blood and urine sugar levels. It should, therefore, be included liberally in the diet of the diabetic. For better
results, the diabetic should take the juice of about four or five fruits every morning on an empty stomach.
The seeds of bitter gourd can be added to food in the powdered form. Diabetics can also use bitter
gourd in the form of decoction by boiling the pieces in water or in the form of dry powder.
A majority of diabetics usually suffer from malnutrition as they are usually under-nourished. Bitter
gourd being rich in all the essential vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A, B1, B2, C and Iron,
its regular use prevents many complications such as hypertension, eye complications, neuritis and defective metabolism of
carbohydrates. It increases body's resistance against infection.
Piles
The juice of fresh leaves of bitter gourd is valuable in piles. Three teaspoonfuls of leaf juice mixed
with a glassful of buttermilk should be taken every morning for about a month in this condition. A paste
of the roots of bitter gourd plant can also be applied over piles with beneficial results.
Constipation and Piles
The cellulose content of the beet acts as a bulk residue, increases peristalsis. Its regular use thus prevents
habitual constipation. A decoction of the beet root is highly valuable in chronic constipation and
haemorrhoids, i.e.piles. It may be given in doses of half to one tumblerful at bed time.
Blood Disorders
Bitter gourd is highly beneficial in the treatment of blood disorders like blood boils, scabies, itching,
psoriasis, ring-worm and other fungal diseases. A cupful of fresh juice of bitter gourd mixed with a teaspoonful of lime juice
should be taken, sip by sip, on empty stomach daily for four to six months in these conditions. Its regular
use in endemic regions of leprosy acts as a preventive medicine.
Respiratory Disorders
Bitter gourd plant roots are used in folk medicine for respiratory disorders from ancient times.
A teaspoonful of the root paste mixed with equal amount of honey or basil leaf(tulsi) juice, given once every night
for a month acts as an excellent medicine for asthma, bronchitis, pharyngitis, colds and rhinitis.
Alcoholism
Leaf juice is beneficial in the treatment of alcoholism. It is an antidote for alcohol intoxication. It is also
useful in liver damage due to alcoholism.
Cholera
Fresh juice of leaves of bitter gourd is also an effective medicine in early stages of cholera and other types of
diarrhoea during summer. Two teaspoonfuls of this juice mixed with equal quantity of white onion juice and a teaspoonful of lime juice
should be given in these conditions.
