We all know that trees are good for the environment and consequently for our health too. Likewise, children are taught in schools that trees breathe out valuable oxygen and breathe in carbon dioxide, which in turn makes them the green lungs of the earth. However, aside from this very obvious benefit, trees have a whole load of other overriding health benefits that extends their uses well into other aspects as well. Not only do trees provide a ready harvest of food, flower and fruit bounty which we all enjoy but even a host of apparent medicinal, well being, cosmetic and therapeutic uses that continue to underline their importance in our lives.

Mother Nature has bestowed many such trees that are vital for the health and well being of the people living in the immediate surroundings besides which their presence ensures that inhabitants live in an area that’s full of green foliage along with pure air that’s worth breathing in deeply.

As a part of our series we’re exploring the many aromatic plants and trees that change our lives for the better and which selflessly work to create a better environment, for us and for our children-

The Neem

Lauded for years for its medicinal properties, the Neem tree is a ubiquitous sight in many house gardens, streets and residential societies in India. Revered for over 4500 years, the tropical evergreen tree was harvested for its roots, fruit, leaves, bark and seed oil then just as much it is today.

In fact, it is thought that in the 1st millennium BC, the neem tree was the go-to antidote for every imaginable ailment troubling mankind. Today, this tree is found in every village and it’s not uncommon to find villagers brushing their teeth with the twigs or even using the seed oil for curing illnesses of all kinds. No wonder then that the tree is rightly called as a village infirmary or a one-stop remedial clinic, if you may.

Uses- one too many

As medicine-

The Neem tree’s leaves and extract have been renowned for time immemorial for their efficacy in curing skin diseases and to date one can find many creams, soaps, shampoos, toothpastes, toiletries, tablets and other cosmetic products that harness the use of neem’s powerful chemical constituents and antiseptic/ antibacterial properties. Even herbal medicines recommend the use of neem as an active healing ingredient and its uses and concoctions can be found in ancient medicinal texts of India.

It’s hardly surprising that Neem extracts are used to

• Treat and Cure Diabetes
• Chronic Constipation
• Skin Sores
• Leprosy Cases.

In agriculture

Belonging to the mahogany family, the neem tree grows fast and is evergreen with a mature tree providing a nice shade, honey-sweet smelling flowers and a dense foliage that has a pleasant (and pure) aura to be around. However, this drought resistant tree, living for 150-200 years, is not only a highly renewable resource but also a very versatile one at that as every part of the neem tree is used either as neem oil or neem cake, which in turn uses as an effective insecticide and pesticide.

Comprising of the active ingredient- azadirachtin, Neem oil or neem cakes are extensively used for food grain storage and in agriculture as a biodegradable soil conditioner and foliar pesticide. As a fertilizer, neem has been a boon as it works dually as an enhancer and a natural (chemical free) pesticide. Most farmers have found that food grains lightly coated with neem oil stay infestation-free for up to 20 months besides which homemakers have discovered that a sprinkling of the Neem’s leaves works effectively against worms and insects in long-stored food.

Bitter medicines heal best

The Neem is a multifaceted tree that may have a distinct distasteful odour and bitter taste but its uses- they far outweigh any unpleasantness. This is why, much like life’s many varied experiences, every ugadi (the South Indian festival) a mixture of neem leaves, green mango and jaggery is consumed and given out not only as prasadam but as a lesson in life itself.