According to Ayurveda, milk is considered an important part of the diet. The Astanga Sangraha, an ancient text of Ayurveda, has a complete section, Ksheer Varga, which describes milk and milk products.
Milk is a good vrishya (aphrodisiac), which means it strengthens the shukra dhatu (reproductive tissue). Milk is cooling in nature (shita virya), which means it has a cooling effect on the body.
Among the eight types of milk mentioned in Ayurveda, cow’s milk is said to be the best. Cow’s milk is rejuvenating (rasayana). It strengthens the various tissues, improves memory, and boosts immunity. It is easily digested and absorbed in the body. It is especially good for mothers who are breastfeeding their babies.Milk is a vital and precious food in Ayurveda. It nourishes all tissues right down to the Ojas, the most subtle essence of our body/mind. Milk is nourishing, cooling, balancing to Vata and Pitta, and is a great medium to take herbs with.
Despite the controversy surrounding milk in our time, Ayurveda teaches that cows milk is the most satvic and nourishing of foods, a natural food for all humans. It is an aphrodisiac and vitalizing to reproductivity so that both your sex drive and your offspring are strong. Milk is used in treatments for depression to cancer to kidney failure. It is used to satisfy hunger and thirst when correcting obesity. In fact due to its satvic quality milk leads to a sense of satisfaction and soothing useful in all sorts of dis-ease.
Generally cows milk is considered the most nourishing, though goats milk is lighter and thought to be the best to feed babies.
If you do not drink milk, you can increase your calcium intake with soy or rice milk, tofu or kale. Look for fermented soy products as certain soy products contain phytoestrogens, which can mimic the natural estrogen found in your body, leading to reproductive health difficulties. Your fertility is significantly compromised if you have too much or too little estrogen in your body.
Texts of ayurveda have recommended many simple milk recipes for men to increase their ability to be sexually active. These preparations which have milk as base help to increase hardness, duration of hard erection and prevent premature ejaculation. Milk is a known Vajikarana Dravya. It helps to increase shukra dhatu (semen). When other vajikarana herbs are added to milk , the Vajikarana properties of all the ingredients are enhanced. Milk acts as a vehicle and helps these herbs to reach tissues of male reproductive system. Thus the total male reproductive system gets rejuvenated and doshas get balanced.
Regular consumption of this preparation also help men to get young looks and stay healthy. It increases libido, helps in erectile dysfunction, low sperm count and motility.
The Vajikarana milk with long pepper can be prepared as follows.
- Long pepper – 10 in number
- Sesame Oil – 2 spoons
- Pure ghee – ¼ cup
- Milk – 1glass
- Sugar or sugar candy (misri) – 1cup
- Black gram (de husked) – 1 cup
- Honey – ¼ measure
- Cardamom (powdered) – ¼ spoon
Take a thick bottomed pan and place it on stove. Simmer the flame. Fry long pepper, Black gram separately in sesame oil. Allow this to cool down. Blend all the ingredients in a mixer to make a fine powder. Mix honey, ghee and cardamom powder to this mixture and mix well. Store it in a air tight container. Mix a spoon of this powder with a glass of milk which is little warm and consume it daily after dinner or else this can be eaten with freshly cooked rice.
According to texts of ayurveda this preparation helps in impotence. Ayurveda acharyas mention its effects as “Bhuktwaa na rattrimastabdham lingam pashayati naa ksharaat” (Persons who consume this preparation at night will never see their genital organ going soft during sexual act). Men who suffer from erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and soft erections can get immense benefits from this.
Ayurveda cannot cure Klinefelter because it is a congenital condition. However, those with Klinefelter who have oligospermia rather than azoospermia may be helped by vajikarana herbs to increase libido and sperm count. It is worth noting that Charaka recommends goats testes boiled in milk(1), i.e. treatment with exogenous testosterone. Couples with a Klineflter male are often desperate and grasping at straws. It is important to be clear and straightforward regarding what Ayurveda can and cannot do for them. There are vaidyas in India who build their reputations on Klinefelter fertility cures, often involving Rasasastra or mercury containing substances. Due caution should be advised.
Herbs traditionally used for vajikarana and shukral purposes include
- kapikacchu, which has been found to increase sperm concentration and motility
- Gokshura, which raises testosterone levels
- Ashwagandha, which enhances spermatogenesis via a presumed testosterone-like effect
- Shatavari, which appears to enhance fertility by reducing oxidative stress
- licorice, found to improve semen quality
- Pippali and Vidari should be given with milk as anupan or combined with a vajikarana diet that includes urad dal, milk, basmati rice, wheat, ghee, honey and for non vegetarians, chicken soup and fish.