A pinch of hing or asafoetida in your daily meal can control stomach and lung issues

Hing or asafoetida has anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects which work on controlling stomach and lung issues
Hing has anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects
Hing has anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects

Lately, many people have reached out to me with bloating or stomach issues. It is a condition that effects many people across the globe and can cause indigestion, irritation to the intestinal wall, heaviness and sometimes breathlessness as well. I observe that with the fast-paced lifestyle, many of us have easily ignored our roots in home remedies which our parents and forefathers have been using for centuries. To start with, most of us have stopped adding garam masala and other Indian spices in our meals, which were added not just to enhance the flavours of the meal but also for various health benefits. One such spice that can help us with these stomach issues and bloating is hing or asafoetida.

Back to basics

Hing is used in Indian homes to treat gas production, bloating, indigestion, constipation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (ISB) and lung-related issues. Foods like lentils, legumes, rajma (red beans) and chana (chickpeas) can cause gas because of their anti-nutritional properties and a pinch of hing can help you digest them well without feeling bloated. For some people, even sulphur-rich veggies like cauliflower, kale, broccoli and cabbage can also cause acidity and gas. I have always seen my mother using hing, particularly in all these preparations to make it a little lighter on digestion and control bloating or gas.

We must take responsibility and stop blaming outside food for our stomach issues. In many houses, the basics of cooking are not followed and at times the food isn’t prepared with additional spices that work in breaking down food for the digestive system, thus causing further issues. To start with, let’s start adding hing in food while preparing  it or use it in water (a pinch of hing in one cup water after 30 minutes of every meal) or other such concoctions to improve the digestibility of different dishes. In some cases when the gas production is too much, it is suggested to apply hing paste on the tummy. Mix two-three tsp hing in warm water and apply on the abdomen in a downward (towards the pelvic region) direction once a day. This way the gas starts moving out of the body in the form of flatulence or you can even get a frothy motion.

Breath healthy

Apart from stomach health, hing also works well for improving lung health. A person who is facing breathlessness, inflammation or other lung-related issues can consider following this remedy:

Mix one tsp of hing in warm water to make a paste and apply this externally on the chest region near the breast bone. Keep it there for two-three hours because hing has highly anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects on the body and works on controlling lung issues.

We need to move towards simplicity and back to our roots because it is all about doing simple things that do not need research and science. Things like using spices that existed in Indian cultures for years have worked well for centuries. There is no reason that we shouldn’t be getting back to it. So, use our Indian wisdom and stay healthy.

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