The Benefits and Uses of Neem, the "Wonder Leaf"
Neem is a very unique tree and neem leaves are the most complex leaves on the planet. The neem tree has over 130 different biologically active compounds, and the neem leaf is one of the most complex leaves you can find on the planet.
Neem has many incredible medicinal benefits, but one of the most
important things is, it kills cancerous cells. Everyone has cancerous
cells in their body, but normally, they are disorganized. However, if
you create certain situations in the body, they will get organized. As
long as these cells are loafing around by themselves, it is not an
issue. If they all gather in one place and hit it off, it becomes a
problem. This is like a shift from petty crime to organized crime. It is
a serious problem. If you consume neem every day, it keeps the number
of cancerous cells in the body within a certain limit, so that they will
not gang up against your system.
The world is full of bacteria. So is the body. There are more
microorganisms living in you than you can imagine. Most of these
bacteria are helpful. Without them, you would not be able to digest
anything. In fact, you cannot exist without them. But some bacteria can
cause you trouble. Your body constantly spends energy to manage these
bacteria. If excess levels of bacteria occur, you will feel "down"
because your defense mechanism has to spend too much energy to fight
them. By using neem internally and externally, you can manage these
bacteria in such a way that they will not overgrow, and your body will
not have to spend too much energy in fighting them. If you consume a
certain amount of neem on a daily basis, it will destroy the troublesome
bacteria in the intestinal region, and your colon will generally remain
clean and free of infection.
Also, if there is a slight smell in certain areas of the body, it
means bacteria are a little more active there. Almost everyone has some
minor skin issues but if you wash your body with neem, it becomes clean
and radiant. If you rub your body with neem paste before having a bath,
let it dry for some time, and then wash it off with water, it will act
as a good antibacterial cleanser. Alternatively, you can soak a few neem
leaves in water overnight and bathe with this water in the morning.
Above all, neem generates heat in the body. This generation of heat
is supportive for generating intense forms of energy within the system.
Different qualities can be predominant in the body – two of these are sheeta and ushna,
in traditional terms. The closest word for “sheeta” in English is
“cold,” but that is not exactly what it is. If your system moves towards
sheeta, the mucus levels in the body will go up. Excess mucus in the
system is linked to a variety of conditions, from the common cold and
sinusitis to many other issues.
For a hatha yogi,
neem is particularly important because it keeps the body slightly
oriented towards ushna. Ushna means you have some extra "fuel". For a sadhaka who explores unknown terrain,
it is safer to carry an extra can of fuel, just in case your system
needs that extra power. You want to keep the fire slightly higher than
generally needed. If the body is in a condition of sheeta, you will not
be capable of too much activity. But if you keep your body slightly on
the ushna side, even if you travel, eat outside,
or are exposed to whatever else, this extra fire in you will burn and
handle these external influences. Neem is a big support in that
direction.
If heat increases, certain changes will happen in the system – women
will notice this more than men. In case this affects the normal process
of the body, we bring the heat down to some extent, but we generally do
not want to give up neem because for people who do sadhana, some amount
of heat in the system is needed. Once they begin to have neem on a daily
basis, some women may find that their menstrual cycles become shorter.
In that case, just drink more water. If having more water alone is not
sufficient to reduce the heat, add a piece of lemon or the juice of half
a lemon to the water. If that is still not enough, have a glass of ash
gourd juice, which is very cooling. Another option is castor oil. If you
put some of it into your navel, at your anahata, at the pit of the throat, and behind the ears, it will instantly cool the system.
T
#1 Anti-cancer benefits of neem
Consuming neem every day keeps the number of cancerous cells within a certain limit
#2 Anti-bacterial benefits of neem
By using neem internally and externally, you can manage bacteria so that they will not overgrow
#3 Benefits of neem for yogic sadhana
Neem generates heat in the body. This is supportive for generating intense forms of energy
Things to keep in mind
One thing to keep in mind is, when consumed in excess, neem will kill sperm cells. In the first four to five months of pregnancy, when the fetus is developing, pregnant women should not have neem. Neem does not cause any damage to the ovaries but it causes excess heat. When a woman has just conceived and there is too much heat in the body, she may lose the fetus. If a woman is planning to conceive, she should not consume neem because there will be excess heat, and the system will treat the baby like a foreign body.
If a woman is planning to conceive, she should not consume neem because there will be excess heat
T