Amla [Emblica officinalis, or emblic myrobalan], is called amalaki in Sanskrit. It is extensively used as a rejuvenator in ayurveda. It is also used widely in combination with other two [chebulic and belleric] myrobalans [fruit-bearing plant species] as triphala. Amla is, indeed, the key ingredient in the popular ayurvedic recipe, Chyavanaprasha. More than anything, it may be called as "King of Rasayana" [rejuvenation], owing to its multiple health benefits.

Amla in ayurveda
Ayurveda describes amla as a cooling, astringent, digestive, laxative, stomachic, and aphrodisiac medicine. It also has anti-pyretic, anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties. Due to its numerous therapeutic effects on various organs and systems, it has been found to be useful in problems ranging from chest diseases such as cough, asthma, and bronchitis, digestive ailments like dyspepsia, hyperacidity and ulcers and anaemia, jaundice, diabetes, bleeding conditions, eye diseases, allergic and other skin problems to gynaecological problems.

Health Benefits of Amla

- It is very helpful in skin diseases.

- It promotes glow on skin and delays wrinkles or loosening of skin.

- It stimulates hair follicles thus promoting hair growth and also improves texture of the hair.

- It prevents premature graying of hairs and dandruff.

- Amla act as natural hair conditioner and provides good nourishment and also helps in normalizing blood supply

- It acts as an effective natural cure for indigestion, acidity, constipation, gastric troubles, and flatulence.

- It is helpful in improving liver function.

- It helps in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar level.

- It has very good results in chronic cough, child hood and allergic asthma and tuberculosis.

- It provides nourishment to the nerves and is helpful in paralytic conditions.

- It also works as brain tonic and helps to alertness and memory.

- It helps in improving quality of sperms due to its madhur (sweet) vipaka property.

- It also acts as anti-inflammatory agent thereby suppresses pain and swelling.

- Amla finds great application in improving eyesight.

- It also improves general health weakness and makes our body’s immune system strong therefore help to fight diseases.

- It fights chronic diseases like hypertension, high Cholesterol, Diabetes, AIDS, influenza, Chronic cough and cold, Chronic infections, Chronic fatigue and Chronic inflammatory conditions

- Amla Juice is best to increase sperm count in males

Food and digestion
Amla strengthens absorption and assimilation of food. It improves digestion and stimulates our taste buds to relish food better. It can be used by everyone without fear of gastric irrita-tion, or increased acidity. It can also be used to ease "too much heat" - a popular belief - in the body. It aids in better absorption and assimilation of iron from the gut. It also acts as a laxative in large doses due to its high fibre content.

Amla is best used as an ingredient in our diet regularly. It can be used as an alternative to tamarind, lemon or such other fruits to add flavour to food. It can be used as dry powder, fresh juice; or for dressing, by grating it coarse, or fine. It can also be used to prepare chutneys [paste] to be used as an adjuvant in our meals. It can be preserved for a long time in sugar syrup or as pickle and used regularly.

Amla is one of the best sources of natural vitamin C. It contains 20 times more vitamin C than an orange. Even when it is dried, or baked, it contains tannins, which prevent loss of vitamin C. Vitamin C, an anti-oxidant, fights free radicals, which cause many chronic and grave diseases like arthritis, high blood pressure, heart problems, Alzheimer's, cancer, and so on. Vitamin C is also required for our body's natural defences and healing mechanisms.

Look good
Amla boosts absorption of calcium. Thus, it helps in the formation, maintenance, and repair of bones, teeth, nails and hair. It also helps maintain youthful hair colour and retards premature greying. In addition, it supports the strength of the hair follicles. This translates to less thinning of hair with age.

Amla enhances protein synthesis by means of which bodily tissues, especially the muscles, are strengthened and toned up. It is, therefore, very useful to athletes and those who exercise regularly for maintaining muscular health and eliminating toxic products, the result of muscle activity.

Physiological benefits
Amla is useful in reducing LDL ["bad"] cholesterol and thus preventing arterial blockages that may cause heart attack or stroke.

Amla, when consumed in its natural form, as raw fruit or dry powder, can reduce chest congestion and facilitate the removal of sputum from the respiratory tract. It can soothe and heal inflamed airways and thus, is useful in cough, bronchitis, and other problems of the respiratory system. Amla is also known to act as a very good brain and nerve tonic. It improves memory, tolerance, and nervous function.

Exposure to chemicals and consumption of chemically-treated food or drinks results in the accumulation of toxins in body tissues. This affects the functioning of the liver. Amla helps in elimination of toxins. It strengthens the liver in the process. Regular use of amla will result in an efficient defence system in the body against harmful substances. The fresh juice of amla acts as a diuretic; it also normalises acidic urine. It is helpful in burning urination and urinary infections.

It is known that amla is beneficial during chemotherapy and radiotherapy due to its adaptogenic[balancing effect on your body's systems] and rejuvenating properties.
Amla for common ailments

Dry Cough
Take half tsp amla powder mixed with a little ghee [liquefy the ghee]. Take frequently.

Piles
Take wild amla juice, or powder, with cream top of yoghurt, twice a day.
White vaginal discharge [leucorrhoea]. Take 1 gm amla powder with one tsp honey and one tsp crystal sugar mixed together, thrice a day.

Internal bleeding [Rakta Pitta]
Wild amla one gm, with one tsp honey, thrice a day.

Hiccups
Wild amla powder with long pepper [or, black pepper]. One gm amla, with 3-4 pinches of pepper.

Slow and burning urination
Juice of amla, half cup [approx 30 ml], twice a day. This should be supplemented with extra fluid intake and/or liquid diet.

Diabetes
Amla and turmeric, as juice or powder, twice a day, before food; use two tsp each for juice and half tsp each for powder.

Despite its supreme safety and therapeutic value, it is useful to consult an expert in ayurveda or herbal medicine to have a more specific and individualised prescription to suit your amla needs - especially when you have medical, or surgical, concerns.

Amla juice has twenty times more vitamin C than orange juice, and natural tannins prevent oxidation of the vitamin content in a dry condition in other words, it is heat stable. Studies indicate that the naturally occurring vitamin C is easier for the body to absorb than synthetic vitamin C. This and other studies indicate that naturally occurring vitamin C may be ten times beneficial to the body than synthetic vitamins .The vitamin C content of Amla is between 625 mg 1814 mg per 100 grams!

Other studies show that Amla increases red blood cell count and hemoglobin percentages, and patients started their anabolic phase (metabolic processes involved in protein synthesis) sooner. The dried fruit reduced cholesterol levels, indicating that Amla is safe to consume on a long term basis.

Amla reduces unwanted fat because it increases total protein levels; this is due to its ability to create a positive nitrogen balance and it also significantly reduces the levels of free fatty acids. In addition, Amla, in a raw or natural form, reduces cholesterol and cholesterol induced atherosclerosis (Obstruction of the arteries), making it a useful natural product to fight obesity. One study shows that it prevented atheroma (degeneration of the artery walls due to fat and scare tissue). Furthermore, Amla has exhibited considerable effect in inhibiting the HIV virus which ultimately results in the disease AIDS.

Therefore , one can draw the conclusion that Amla is good for almost everyone on a regular basis. It reduces or eliminates the risk of environmental pollutants, normalizes cholesterol, reduces unwanted fat, cures ulcers, reduces or prevents cancer, has the highest content of vitamin C of any natural source, detoxifies the body, regulates digestion, has inhibiting effects against the HIV virus, promotes metabolic function and can produce these results in a dried, natural, unprocessed form. The only thing that could possibly be better than Amla for a daily herbal supplement is the Triphala formula, of which Amla constitutes one third.