The benefits of Cress.

Ibn Al Qayyim (rahimuAllah) mentioned the health benefits of cress in his work 'Prophetic Medicine'. He said that cress was beneficial for, warming and softening the belly, reducing inflammation of the spleen when combined with honey, preventing hair loss, increasing appetite, asthma and clearing the lungs. He also said that if cress seeds are crushed and drunk with hot water, this is beneficial for colic and vitiligo (a chronic condition that causes pale, white patches to develop on the skin).

Cress (botanical name Lepidum sativum) is commonly known as garden cress and is closely related to mustard and watercress. It is an edible plant that, when fully grown, has a peppery flavour and aroma similar to mustard and watercress. It is typically harvested when very young, at the cotyledon leaf stage.

Garden cress contains significant amounts of iodine, iron, calcium, folic acid and vitamins A and C. It is also a source of phytochemicals and antioxidants. It's the iodine content in cress which is so valuable to the human body in today's day and age.

According to a study funded by Australia's Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), the anti cancer effects of garden cress far outweighed that of other green vegetables tested (the study was conducted on cress vs. some common species of brassicas).

Source - http://www.healwithfood.org/health-benefits/garden-cress-nutritional-benefits.php

How to Grow Cress.

Cress is very easy to grow. It can be grown all year round in any country, indoors or in the garden in Spring. When grown indoors, either seed trays or wet cotton wool in pots are usually used. It is often grown by children as their first introduction to gardening.

To grow cress in seed trays, lightly sprinkle the seeds onto wet cotton wool or a few layers of wet kitchen paper. Keep the seeds moist throughout germination and place the tray in a bright spot, like a south facing windowsill.

The seeds should begin to sprout in around 2 days. Insha'Allah in 5-7 days, the cress should be ready to harvest.

How to use cress.

Both the leaves and stems of cress can be eaten raw in salads or sandwiches, and are sometimes called cress sprouts. They are delicious and as with all sprouted seeds, they are loaded with vitamins and minerals. Eating raw garden cress is beneficial for women with irregular or suppressed menstruation. It is also very beneficial for them when cooked in soups.

According to Ibn Al Qayyim (rahimuAllah) for the treatment of hair loss, the juice of young garden cress is massaged on the scalp and hair. It can be extracted using a juicer. It is also beneficial for hair loss if it is consumed.

The crushed seeds can be steeped in boiling water for 10 mins and drunk as a hot infusion for the treatment of viscous phlegm build up in the chest and lungs (bronchitis, chest infections) by helping the patient cough it out. This decoction also benefits asthma sufferers as does eating raw cress in general.

According to Ibn Al Qayyim (rahimuAllah), patients with sciatica can make a pomade of cress leaves, barley stems and halaal vinegar (blend them to a paste in a food processor) and apply this mixture to the affected area, wrapping it with cling film so that it does not dry out. My personal advice is to leave it for an hour, then wash it off. Used with Hijaama wet cupping, Allah will bring relief insha'Allah.

Turmeric; beneficial for Skin & maybe even for Cancer.

The use of turmeric is neither from the Qur'an nor the Sunnah, but nonetheless, it is a highly beneficial spice and this is the reason for mentioning it in this post.

Turmeric is derived from the root of a subcontinental plant, where the root is dried and ground to powder to produce a bright yellow spice used mainly in South Asian cuisine. Turmeric has been used in India for over 2500 years; as a dye and an ingredient in food and beauty products. Long renowned for its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, Turmeric proves exceptionally beneficial in the treatment of a wide variety of illnesses including Alzheimer’s, arthritis and some forms of cancer. Turmeric has been used in both Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.

Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory and antiseptic which helps in healing cuts, burns, stings and bites. When combined in a dish with cauliflower, it can help sufferers of prostrate cancer. A paste made of turmeric can also help reduce skin melanoma. Turmeric is a natural liver detoxifier and has been used in Chinese Medicine as a natural treatment for depression. Sufferers of gallstones or bile obstructions and pregnant women should consult their doctor before using turmeric in natural remedies.

Turmeric is particularly beneficial in evening out skin pigmentation. It can be mixed with besan (gram flour) and cucumber juice and lemon juice to form a paste. The paste should be applied to the affected area for 15 minutes. Used frequently, you should be able to notice a more even skin tone insha’Allah. A tea made with Turmeric root is very good for fighting the bacteria which causes diarrhoea. Turmeric root powder (Haldi) should be used in cooking and can be added to stews and casseroles as well as omelettes and in marinades for meat and vegetables. 

Top 7 Amazing Health Benefits of Turmeric

Vinegar and it's uses.

Vinegar is considered as one of the key remedies from Islamic Medicine and there are a number of Sahih Hadith which the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu alayhi wassallam) has been reported as having praised it.

Jabir ibn 'Abdullah (radhi Allahu anhu) reported that Allah's Apostle (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) asked his family for condiment. They (the members of his household) said, "We have nothing with us but vinegar." He asked for it, he began to eat it, and then said, "Vinegar is a good condiment, vinegar is a good condiment."

Sahih Muslim Book 23, Hadith 5093

And also our Mother A'ishah (radhi Allahu anha) reported Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) as saying, "The best of condiments [or condiment] is vinegar."
Sahih Muslim Book 23, Hadith 5091

It is the opinion of Ibn Al Qayyim (rahimullah) that the Messenger said 'vinegar is a good condiment' in order to placate the one who offered it to him (i.e. his wife), rather than to say that vinegar is preferable to all other condiments, and Allah Azzawajjal knows best.
Reference to 'Provisions for the Hereafter' page 199.

The best types of vinegar to use in medicine and for food are undoubtedly those which are manufactured in accordance with Islamic Law (i.e, brewed directly from the fruit's juice rather than from wine or cider). Of these halaal vinegars, the lighter types, i.e., lighter in colour and taste, are more beneficial, preferably if they are made from apples, pomegranates, pears, grapes or dates.

The many trace minerals and other substances in raw vinegar [that which still contains the vinegar's "mother" [which is the blob of cellulose in which the bacteria responsible for converting the original liquid to the vinegar, live] is the key to vinegar's many healing properties.

Cellulose Mother from home brewed pomegranate vinegar. Photo courtesy of tibbenabawi.org

The "mother" of vinegar is usually filtered out during the manufacture of commercial table vinegars in order to make them more visually appealing and marketable. However, as a result, the commercial vinegars which we buy from the market are of no real health benefit.

Halaal Vinegar Technology.

The above term was created by our brothers at the tibbenabawi.org site to describe the process of brewing vinegar at home using aerobic fermentation.

Aerobic fermentation means that the fruit juice base does not need to be converted into wine or cider before it can be brewed into vinegar. This eliminates any risk of trace amounts of alcohol in the finished product, which is unlike commercial vinegars which are brewed from wine or cider. There is a high risk that they contain trace amounts of alcohol and there are different schools of thought regarding the permissibly of consumption.

It's worth bearing in mind the following Hadith before purchasing vinegars brewed from wine or cider;

Anas ibn Malik (radhi Allahu anhu) said, "Abu Talhah (radhi Allahu anhu) asked the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) about the orphans who had inherited wine. He replied, "Pour it out." He [Abu Talhah] asked, "May I not make vinegar of it?" The Messenger replied, "No."

Classed as Sahih from Sunan Abi Dawood Book 26, Hadith 3667

You can find out more about Halal Vinegar Technology here - 

http://www.tibbenabawi.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=239:halal-vinegar-technology&catid=3:newsflash&Itemid=77

Vinegar benefits the following ailments;

• Arthritic pains
• Blood pressure
• Uneven skin pigmentation
• Bleeding gums
• Toothache
• High Cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Weak/thin Bones
• Weight gain
• Cancer
• Yeast Infections
• Fungal infections
• Sore Throat
• Stomach upset
• Burping / passing wind due to poor digestion
• Nasal Congestion

Vinegar is primarily known to help ease indigestion by stimulating the stomach and intestines, helping them work faster. A tonic of one tablespoon of vinegar mixed in a cup of warm water and sipped slowly will help ease indigestion and bloating. Gargling with hot vinegar helps toothache, relieves pain and benefits the gums. Hot vinegar also helps the healing of fungal nail infections since it is acidic and kills bacteria in the nail and in the nail bed.

Vinegar can also be used to help even out skin pigmentation and dark spots, but it has a drying effect so it should be mixed with black cumin seed oil (in equal parts) and the applied to the skin avoiding the eye area. It also helps to exfoliate the skin. It can be left on for an hour and then gently washed off with soap and warm water.

Vinegar for medicinal usage is often prepared by adding 3 or 4 teaspoons of whole black cumin seeds into the liquid, before tightly closing the bottle and then refrigerating this mixture for at least two weeks. The seeds can then be strained out using a piece of muslin cloth and used in cooking or discarded. The resulting vinegar is darker in colour and contains all the natural minerals and goodness from the seeds.

Many heart attacks are caused by high fats and cholesterol in your blood. The fiber in raw vinegar helps to absorb fats and cholesterol by expelling them from the body as waste materials.

The dietary fibre from the skins and seeds of the original fruits used to make the raw vinegar is also helpful in controlling glucose levels in the blood.

Minerals like manganese, calcium, magnesium, silicon and iron in vinegar help develop bone mass and make them stronger.

The "mother" which remains in raw vinegar is also useful for treating yeast infections like Candida caused by the unbalance of acid levels in the body. Making a solution of the vinegar in warm water and douching can help with the symptoms.

Raw vinegar is also useful in flu or chest congestion. Applying it mixed with pepper on the chest can help relieve some of the congestion.

If you have a sore throat, gargle with a hot solution of vinegar mixed with water. 

In your digestive system hydrochloric acid and pepsin are two essential components that break down the food to be digested properly. The lack of these components can cause food poisoning amongst other problems. Raw vinegar has the ability to enhance the functionality of the stomach and digestive tract and so help prevent food poisoning.

Vinegar is useful in well functioning metabolism; Reducing cholesterol (the dangerous LDL cholesterol type); Regulating the water content in the cells and body; Reducing water retention in the body; Reducing excess sodium from the body; Helps with regulating blood pressure; Assists in preventing circulatory problems; Helps with diminishing premature calcification of the arteries; Helps increase concentration and memory; Assists in blood circulation, body temperature as well as vitality and energy.