In today’s times, we are constantly worried about our health and looking for solutions to keep healthy. One of the health concerns that most people face is improper digestion. General concerns like indigestion, constipation and heartburns cause utter discomfort in our daily routines. While medicines do their part, this is a reflection of the changing lifestyles. Earlier generations lived a happy, healthy life without being worried about these health concerns, and there’s a lot we can learn about sustainable living by taking a leaf from their book.
Unlike today, there was no plastic being used to store and eat food from, hence there wasn’t a risk of carcinogens getting mixed in our diets. Since early times, kansa has been a part of every Indian household. Our ancestors used kansa in their daily lives for eating, cooking and even in spiritual activities. Kansa or Bell metal is a pure alloy made with 77 percent copper and 22 percent tin metal. The purity of kansa can be identified as both the metals are heated together at up to 700 centigrade to form it into pure bronze. After this, the alloy is moulded into different handcrafted products and kansa utensils.
Testing the purity of Kansa Alloy-
The other name of kansa is “Bell metal”, as it is used to make temple bells. Hence, to check the purity of kansa alloy, check if it makes the sound similar to those made by chimes or bells in the temples. Kansa is also corrosion resistant and doesnt get tarnished easily.
Benefits of Kansa-
1) Unlike copper and brass that reacts to foods which are salty, sour or contain lemon in it, Kansa utensils can be used to cook and serve salty and sour food without worrying about the side effects.
2) According to Ayurveda, Kansa helps in improving intellect and sharpens the mind, prevents illness and enhances wellbeing.
3) For proper functioning of our digestion system, kansa helps alkalize the food and promotes healthy digestion.
4) Water stored in kansa utensils like kansa bottles or jars are positively charged in under 8 hours and help align the chakra of the body. The water never gets stale as kansa alloy kills microorganisms and prevents water borne illnesses mainly jaundice, dysentery, typhoid etc.
5) When it comes to taking care of your skin, Kansa is a natural healer. Copper is considered as one of the components that promote formation of melanin, also helps in delaying signs of ageing and keeps the skin healthy & fresh.
Environmental Benefits of Using Natural Kansa Utensils for Sustainable Living
There have been studies done on usage of plastic for food, and the results have been shocking and declared as health hazards. According to the studies, plastic containers are made with certain chemicals that can actually leach out & enter into food, and if consumed regularly can lead to depriving health, metabolic disorders, fertility issues and more.
When this came into light, a sense of awareness spread across the people and the urge to use metals, alloys, glass and wooden objects for food preparation and eating was created. This way, we can lead a life of sustainable living, maintain health and wellbeing and contribute to the ecosystem as well.
