Random Herb: Guduchi

Guduchi is the rejuvenating herb by excellence in Ayurveda. In Sanskrit, Guduchi means "protector of the body", although it also goes by the name of Amrita, which means immortality, as it brings life to the body even in the worst cases. Okay, maybe death is the worst case scenario- Guduchi cannot help you with that, unless you live in a world of Indian mythology where you kick it with Rama and spend your days defeating Ravana and bringing monkeys back to life. Yes- such is the power of Guduchi. But we live in the real world, where you spend your days defeating wrinkles and pass time trying to bring your ipod back to life.
While Guduchi may not grant you immortality, it can come close, as it increases longevity AND helps slow down the aging process. (it also rebuilds tissue and is great for the skin, so those wrinkles may get a kick in the butt after all).

Guduchi is a Rasanaya, which means rejuvenating tonic. It is often used in Ayurveda to enhance energy. It is a very versatile herb which penetrates and rebuilds all tissues of the body, including the liver, the skin and the brain. It also clears all the channels of the body. This is why Guduchi is considered to be a great memory enhancer, as it penetrates and detoxes the brain and allows for better mental clarity. It is also excellent for the liver and will reverse the effects of alcohol and drug poisoning, as it regenerates liver tissue. Overall, it helps detox, rejuvenate and strengthen the body. It will also purify blood, reduce blood pressure, lower blood sugar and regulate body temperature. Guduchi actually detoxes everything closely related to blood, from urinary infections to fatigue, to skin problems, to liver dysfunction. In other words, this is your go-to herb for hangovers. Although, if you're reading this, chances are you know better than poisoning your body with alcohol. Cookies are MUCH more satisfying.

But lets get serious. Guduchi's power to "bring life" should actually be taken literally, because it is an extremely powerful herb in more ways than one. First, Guduchi is an immunity booster. It improves the body's resistance to infection and disease. It also helps inhibit bacterial growth. Guduchi increases the amount of macrophages in the body, which are essential for fighting external threats. It is extremely helpful with low immunity cases, such as chemotherapy patients (it increases white blood cells) and those who have a low t-cell count due to AIDS. I find that simply amazing! But it's no wonder, as a Guduchi sprig will even continue to survive and grow when it is cut from the tree, by taking elements from its environment and producing energy. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is not Indian mythology.

Now, in relation to bioenergetics and doshas, this is the breakdown:

Rasa- Tikta (Bitter); Kashaya (Astringent)

Guna- Guru (Heavy); Snigdha (Unctuous)

Veerya- Ushna (Warm)

Vipaka- Madhura (Sweet)
(breakdown source)

For those who just want to balance their doshas, Guduchi reduces mucus (hello Kapha!) and purifies fat tissue, making it easier to break down. It calms and stabilizes Vata (nervous system), and it clears pitta toxins. It's a tridoshic herb and it never interferes negatively with the balance of the other doshas. Also, it doesn't overwork any part of the body in order to create balance. In other words, it eases and does not attack.