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Sunday, July 31, 2011

Moringa Plant

Commonly known as the Drumstick or Horseradish tree, and botanically known as Moringa olefeira the Moringa tree, is one of the most useful trees that has its roots in India. After its discovery, the Moringa plant was grown in parts of Asia, Africa, both the American continents and also Europe. Right from the roots, stalk, fruits and flowers, all parts of this tree are used in some or the other way and hence it is a true gift of nature to mankind. Other than using the pods of this tree as a daily food item, there are many medicinal and industrial applications of it. To enrich you with some more Moringa plant benefits and uses, I have put together some information about it in the following paragraphs. So take a look!

Moringa Plant
Moringa - Almost a Kalpavriksha!
The word "kalpavriksha", means a tree, every part of which is of some use. One such example is the coconut tree and the Moringa plant no less. It is also one of the most useful plants found in nature. Like the coconut tree, every part of even the Moringa plant is of some use and hence it won't be wrong to call Moringa, a kalpavriksha. There are many Moringa plant uses with respect to nutrition, soil control, agriculture, water purification, cattle feed, industrial applications, medicine for humans and livestock, etc. Mentioned below are the various benefits and uses of the Moringa.

Moringa Plant
Growing Moringa Plant
It is not a difficult task to learn how to grow the Moringa plant. Since it was found growing in the wild when it was discovered, this tree can be grown with minimum maintenance. There are many uses of this plant and thus growing Moringas is definitely beneficial. The Moringa plants are very adaptable and therefore can grow in any weather conditions, without much extra care. Moringa oleifera or Moringa stenopetala seeds can be used to grow Moringa trees. The former are brown, winged and relatively easier to obtain, while the latter are tan. Moringa oleifera plant can reach to a height of around 12m. It is advisable to grow it to a height within your reach so that harvesting the leaves and pods remains easy. And now about the uses and benefits of Moringa plants.

Medicinal Benefits of Moringa Plant
Almost every part of the Moringa plant has some or the other medicinal property. The Moringa seeds, oil, flowers, bark, sap, roots, leaves, etc. are used to heal many health problems. They are said to be effective for disorders like cancer, nervous conditions, gastric ulcers, skin diseases, fatigue, impotence, edema, cramps, diabetes, hemorrhoids, headaches, hay fever, sore gums. Extracts from the Moringa plant parts can be used to treat acne, age spots, pimples, black and white heads and patches on skin. The health benefits of Moringa also include lowering blood sugar and increasing lactation and bone density.

Nutritional Benefits of Moringa Plant
The edible parts of the Moringa plant are its pods or the fruits, known as drumsticks. There are used in various delicious food preparations. The leaves of this plant contain nutrients like vitamin C, beta carotene, iron, potassium, proteins and various essential amino acids. They are great substitutes for spinach leaves. The very well known Moringa oil is extracted from the seeds, and is used in cooking and in ointments.

Uses of Moringa Plant
The Moringa plant also has industrial applications where its various parts are used in production and treatment of commercial products. Its seeds are used in water treatment and as cleansing agents. They are powdered and used to clean turbid water. Research shows that methane gas can be produced from the leaves of Moringa plant, which is used in biogas plants as a biofuel. The dried leaves of Moringa can be used as fodder for cattle and livestock. The oil which is pressed from the seeds is used in cosmetics and perfumes, and also a lubricant in mechanical industries.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Unfolding The Realm Of Herbal Medicines

Possibly there can be innumerable ways to cure the illness or to repair the body from an ailment. Many therapies and medicinal ways are suggested, but the natural one is more embraced with grace. Herbal medicines and ayurveda therapy are one of them. So let's go today with natural herbs and explore to know what they have in them that the others don't have. Over the years medicinal herbs have been an alternative against many medicines and therapies. It is the most ancient form of health care known to humankind and has been used by most cultures throughout history. The current scenario is that most of the people are in favor of herbal medicines. Perhaps people are fed up of other stream of medicines. Now it is the time to rejuvenate & refresh your body, mind and soul with these herbal medicines. The herbal medicines are also called Herbalism and is of traditional medicine practice that have been practiced by many human civilizations all around the world. Peeping more into the concept of herbal medicines, herbalism is also referred to as herbology, botanical medicine, medical herbalism and phytotherapy.

Herbal Medicine
Briefing more in the history of medicinal herbs it can be said that these natural and alternative medicines were used thousands of years ago. From the archaeological survey it is evident that the civilizations of the bygone era used herbal plants as part of traditional medicine. The Chinese usage of herbal medicines dated back to 2800 BC. Imagine for almost 5000 years, herbal medicine was used for treating various ailments. Today the natural therapies and herbal medicines have taken giant leap to become a full fledged separate industry. People are favoring and emphasizing more on herbal medicines over synthetic medicines. So the more older & effective they are, more reliable they are.
Let's find out whether the reasons suffice for resorting to herbal medicines. Here are few reasons why people go with the medicinal herbs & natural herbs.

- Herbal medicine is cost effective and less expensive than the medicines bought from an allopathic pharmacy

- Another merit of herbal medicine is that it can be bought without a prescription. They are available in any health store

- Herbal medicine and remedies are more effective than allopathic medicine for certain ailments

- Herbal medicines are used to prevent various ailments

- Herbal medicines are everywhere

- Many herbal remedies today boost the immune system or prevent the signs of aging among maturing people.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

What Is Kanpo

What Is Kanpo? - Traditional Japanese Herbal Medicine Practice
Kanpo is a word that refers to a traditional system for herbal health science and herbal health formulas within Japan. This is actually an integral part of the way of life and the way of health throughout the country of Japan. Throughout the centuries, this has presented the Japanese people with a unique approach for using herbal formulas to improve health and well being. Originally, this science of herbal medicine was unknown outside of Japan, but now these herbal remedies and herbal teas are becoming increasingly well known throughout the rest of the world as the health benefits become glaringly apparent.

Kanpo
Kanpo is a modern system in Japan for herbal medicine practice. Scientists in Japan have spent the last fifty years working closely with doctors in order to apply modern testing methods to these medicines in order to validate their use. In this way, they have been able to determine which traditional herbal formulas are actually capable of doing the things that they were purported to do. Many different herbal formulas exist as part of this system, and the recent validations of their effectiveness have allowed their popularity to spread to other countries across the globe.

There are a wide variety of different herbs and herbal concoctions that are approved for use as part of the study and practice of Kanpo. This study of herbal medicine is essentially an adaptation of the traditional herbal medicine practiced in China. Four different herbal medicines were approved in 1967 by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan. Since then, numerous others have been approved. There are currently more than 150 different types of medicines offered as part of this traditional herbal medicine practice. As new traditional Chinese and Japanese medicines are validated, they are added to this list.

A leading creator of medicine in the Kanpo style is a company called Tsumura, which is responsible for making 128 of the currently-available medicines. The most common type of herb found in this medicine is known as Chinese liquorice root or Glycyrrhizae Radix, which is found in 94 different medicines. There are a number of other common herbs including Zingiberis Rhizoma which is ginger and Paeoniae Radix which is Chinese peony root. Each has different medicinal capabilities, and so these herbs are mixed into the medicines in different concoctions to treat a variety of different ailments ranging from the very simple to the very complex.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Medicinal Plants in the Rainforest

Medicinal Plants in the Rainforest: There are thousands of rainforest plants used for medicine

- Trumpet tree or Cecropia peltata is widely used in traditional medicine in Central and South America. Every part of the tree is useful. The plant is helpful in treating various diseases which include respiratory illnesses and rheumatism.

- Clavillia or Mirabilis jalapa, a perennial herb which is mainly used to kill viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. This plant offers many active compounds like triterpenes, proteins, flavonoids, alkaloids, and steroids.

Rainforest
- Curare or Chondrodendron tomentosum is a large poisonous vine rich in alkaloids which help in muscle relaxation. The alkaloids are also used as an arrow poison. It is used as an anesthesia and also to treat fever, bruises, edema and kidney stones.

- Suma or Pfaffia paniculata is a large vine which spreads on ground with an extensive root system. It is considered a tonic and an adaptogen which helps the body to resist adverse influences of various factors. Suma root is recommended as an appetizer. It also enhances blood circulation, balances blood sugar levels and improves the immune system, muscular system and memory. Suma root is rich in saponin. (up to 11%). Saponins are beneficial in lowering blood cholesterol and they offer many other benefits too.

- Cocoa tree or Theobroma cacao has more than 150 chemicals in its leaves, seeds, fruit, and bark. Various parts of the tree are used to treat anxiety, fever, fatigue, and coughs. Since hundreds of years, the plant is being used to treat kidney stones and cuts and burns, etc. According to recent researches, polyphenols present in chocolate can prevent heart diseases.

- Annatto/Lipstick tree or Bixa orellana has been used for making things like insect repellent or medicines for lowering blood pressure or even for preparing love potions. Recent researches have approved its use in various medicines and beverages or other useful things. The plant is also used to treat snakebites. Bixin are the carotenoids or the plant pigments, present in the oil of the plant which protects against UV rays. The plant is found beneficial in treating heartburn.
Endangered Plants in the Rainforest: Innumerable number of plants in the rainforest are at the verge of extinction. Orchids, rafflesia, some bamboo species, triunia robusta are some of the examples. According to the statistics available, 23 species are extinct in the wild, 151 species are endangered, 274 species are vulnerable and 688 species are rare. These plants are in danger of extinction in the next 10-50 years unless strict action is taken to reverse their decline. Long-term effects of fire, weeds and pests on plants, grazing pressure from domestic stock and animals such as rabbits, changing fire patterns, the spread of weeds, loss of natural habitat through land clearing for pastoral purposes, urban development and agriculture are the main causes of decline of species.

Rainforests are virtual libraries of chemical invention where drugs like quinine, muscle relaxants, steroids and cancer drugs were found. So many new drugs are still to be discovered. Researches are going on to discover effective drugs for AIDS, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and Alzheimer's, etc. According to the expert's estimations, we are losing 137 plant, animal and insect species every single day, due to rainforest deforestation, which equates to 50,000 species a year. With the disappearance of the species of the plants in the rainforest, human beings could be deprived of many possible cures for life-threatening diseases.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Types of Plants in the Rainforest

Carnivorous Plants in the Rainforest: Plants which obtain nutrients from animal matter are known as carnivorous plants. Venus fly trap and the pitcher plant Nepenthes rafflesiana from south east Asia are the best examples of carnivorous plants. Nepenthes rafflesiana grows as high as 30 feet and has pitchers of about 12 inches in length, They have a cavity filled with either sweet or terrible smelling nectar that attracts insects and they are always overcrowded with digested insects! The biggest flower in the world is seen on the trees of Rafflesia, which grow in the Indonesian rainforests. The most amazing fact about the pitcher plants is that they also eat small mammals and reptiles who try to steal the insects from the pitcher.

Rainforest Plants
Strangler Plants in the Rainforest: Stranglers mostly come from the fig family. They are also called 'killer trees'. The seed starts growing as an epiphyte, high in the trees. Epiphytes are the trees which derive moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and usually grow on another plant. But they are not parasitic on it. The list of epiphytes includes orchids, philodendrons, ferns and bromeliads. The aerial plants have so called 'air roots' and air is the source of nourishment for them. Poison ivy vines have many small aerial roots. The seeds of these plants are borne and transported by birds and monkeys which eat the fig fruits. The seedlings develop long roots down to the ground and start surrounding the host tree. They grow quickly and the growth eventually suffocates the host, resulting in its death. The host tree leaves a huge upright strangler which has a hollow core. This is the best example of how plants adopt themselves to survive in the given specific environment. The strangler fig uses an adult tree as its host so that it doesn't have to struggle for light and nutrients at ground level.

Lianas in the Rainforest: Ninety per cent of the world's vine species are found in tropical rainforests. Lianas are climbing vines which are present throughout tropical rainforests. The thick, woody stems of lianas are of various lengths (up to 3,000 ft) and shapes. They need sunlight for survival and so they climb upwards towards light after beginning the life on the forest floor. For this they depend on trees for support. They bind themselves to trees with sucker roots or tendrils. They climb up while growing, by winding themselves round the supporting tree's trunk. They jump to other trees or start wrapping themselves around other lianas, after arriving at the top of the canopy layer of the rainforest. In this way they create a network of vines which provides the shallow-rooted, top-heavy trees, a very strong support. This helps them to survive against strong winds. Rattan palms, philodendron and Strychnos toxifera are some examples of lianas. The deadly poison strychnine is obtained from Strychnos toxifera. Rattans from Asia have thorny stems and they grow as tall as 650 feet (200 m). Baskets, ropes and wicker furniture is made from them.

Plants with Stilt or Prop Roots: Mangroves grow in wet, muddy soil at the water's edge. They need a good support as there is always the risk of tides and flooding. They develop several aerial pitchfork-like extensions from the trunk which grow downwards. With the help of these stilt roots, they anchor themselves in the soil trapping sediment and acquire the required stability.

Plants with Buttress Roots: Rainforest trees have shallow roots as the soil has maximum nutrients left at the surface level. Therefore the tall trees develop buttressed roots to obtain the required additional support. Such roots grow out from the base of the trunk, sometimes as high as 15 ft above the ground which also help to absorb more nutrients from the soil by covering more area. Read more on Amazon rainforest plants

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Reducing Blood Pressure with Herbal Medicine - 5 Free Secrets

I am amazed at how popular alternative treatments have become in the last 2 years alone. I am not quite sure if this popularity is caused by a poor economy or the side effect laden medications. Whatever your reason, I am glad you are making the switch to better your overall health and finally taking control of your blood pressure and life!

Thousands of high blood pressure sufferers will go completely natural this week and wean themselves off of high blood pressure medication. Why the switch?

Herbal Medicine
Why a Natural Remedy May Work for You?
Natural remedies have had their pros and cons. But only in the last decade, natural remedies have become one of the fastest growing treatments in the many parts of the world. Because research has now entered the natural health realm, people are more confident to try legitimate alternative treatments.

In the case of high blood pressure (also called hypertension), natural remedies are quite possibly the best method to lower your pressure. It is proven that people who try natural treatments are more likely to have better overall health.

Here are some tips to lower your blood pressure using herbal medicine.

Reduce Blood Pressure with These Secrets
1. Along with zinc and copper, selenium may be helpful for people with high blood pressure. These 3 nutrients are often low in people with heart disease, so it makes sense that supplementing them may be helpful to people with heart problems or high blood pressure. You can probably get enough of all three of these nutrients by taking a good multivitamin capsule (twice a day). Selenium comes from meat, dark greens, wheat, walnuts and Brazil nuts.

2. Beta glucan is found in oat bran and maitake mushrooms. It is beneficial for lowering cholesterol, which can help lower blood pressure if you already have high cholesterol. Oat bran is particularly helpful for moving waste materials out of the body.

3. An amino acid that helps the body produce nitric acid, L-argine may be helpful in lowering blood pressure. It can be found in meat, peanuts, soy and wheat products. A study that involved taking 2 grams of L-argine daily reduced systolic pressure 20 points after taking the supplement for just a few days. L-argine is also helpful for lowering cholesterol.

4. Studies have shown that consuming just a tablespoon of flaxseed oil daily lowered both blood pressure numbers by about 9 points.

5. Fish oil, also known as Omega 3 fatty acid, is very helpful for the heart. If you eat fish 2 to 3 times a week, you are getting enough. However, most of us don't eat that much fish. You should get a quality fish oil capsule to supplement twice daily.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Herbal Medicine Programs Today

Find Herbal Medicine Programs in the United States and Canada. While there are several herbal medicine programs from which to choose, each one is as individual as the school that offers these healing arts courses. Ranging between introductory classes given through a holistic workshop or seminar, to more comprehensive studies entailing more than 300 training hours; herbal medicine programs may qualify students to earn professional certification in the field. These (courses) are also a welcome supplement to any established holistic practitioner's field of expertise and services.

Herbal Medicine
Typical subject matter in herbal medicine programs entails practical training in anatomy and physiology, botanical medicine, identification of plants, herbal medicine formulation, anatomy and physiology, holistic nutrition and diet, herbal pharmacology, aromatherapy, essential oils and supplements, and Bach flower remedies, among other studies.

Additionally, there are unique Chinese herbal medicine programs that are offered through acupuncture and Oriental medicine schools. These certification/diploma courses include much of the aforementioned studies, in addition to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theories and philosophy, Eastern medicine philosophies, Chinese herbal formulation and diagnostics, Chinese teas, and more.

Supplementary education and electives offered through herbal medicine programs may include but are not limited to training in organic gardening, herbal plant cultivation, first aid, and organic foods and preparation, among other related topics.

As a prospective student, it is good to know that while there are many stand-alone herbal medicine programs, individuals have the opportunity to learn about herbal remedies and therapies through a number of alternative medicine schools, including naturopathic colleges, homeopathic schools, and even home-study courses for the self-healer.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Importance Of Guava Herbal Medicine

Guayaba is called in Spanish-speaking and goiaba in Brazil, guava tree or a shrub in door-yard garden in the tropics. It provides shade while the guava fruits are eaten fresh or made into drinks, ice cream and preserves. Western herbal medicine has been around and been used for ages and although it has been proven time and time again to be incredibly effective and successful in the treatment of illness and disease is important. you take the time to learn about and understand what it is here. To be presented before using it by yourself.

Guava Herbal Medicine
Guava fruit today is considered minor in terms of world trade in commercial It is widely cultivated in the tropics where the diet of hundreds of millions of people in the tropics of the world. Guava has spread widely throughout the tropics because they grow in a variety of soil that spreads easily and bears fruit relatively quickly. Fruit with many seeds that can produce mature plants bearing fruit within four years. In France is known for being one of the most popular plants in the Philippines. Bacteria used as an antiseptic and astringent. anthelminthic. And kill the fungi and amoeba. Fresh leaves of plants that are used to facilitate wound healing and cut and also very effective for toothaches.

Guava herbal medicine is only one aspect to Chinese medicine however, and there are many other options as well when it comes to herbal medicine. Besides guava herbal medicine one of the most popular herbal medicines is green tea. Green tea has been around and been used for ages but only recently has it really come into serious popularity. Green tea medicine has shown to have even more health benefits than guava herbal medicine, and this is largely due to the catechins that are found in green tea. These catechins, otherwise known as polyphenols, have been shown in recent studies to fight viruses, slow aging, and have a beneficial effect on health in general. Green tea helps to reduce high blood pressure, lower blood sugar, and even fight cancer.

There are also many powerful antioxidants found in green tea, one in particular being epigallocatechin gallate which is at least 100 more times effective than vitamin C and 25 more effective than vitamin E when it comes to protecting cells and DNA from damage linked to illness and disease. Herbal medicines are extracts from plants and flowers that are used to treat and prevent illness, and they have been used for a wide range of different conditions, including headaches, depression, PMS, and insomnia. Just make sure to remember that herbal medicine, although natural and basically completely safe, is still a form of medicine and so you have to use it with caution and follow recommended dosage instructions.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Herbal Medicines

Herbal Medicines - Most beneficial Non-traditional Solutions
Herbal medicines are accustomed in prevention and remedy for several kinds of ailments. Many kinds of herbs carry great medicinal value and are now getting used for several medicinal and therapeutic purposes.

The herbal medicines are made from the extracts which may be obtained from different plants. This treatment has became popular, while it effectively treats many different ailments. Kinds of herbs have different medicinal values and are being used many different medicinal and therapeutic purposes. Herbal medicines are called alternative medicine, herbalism, botanical medicine and therefore are utilised in prevention and treating many kinds of ailments.

Herbal Medicine
Today, herbal medicines will be the classification of the ayurvedic herbalism, traditional Chinese herbalism and western herbalism. It will be among the oldest treatment options used to deal with medical concerns of all kinds. Natural medicines are favored by an increasing number of number of people, as it does not have any unwanted side effects, unlike each and every modern medications that happen to be prescribed by doctors today.

Natural medicines will be manufactured in a variety of forms. Everyone has numerous types of choices to take herbal products. These herbal solutions manufacturers are making herbal teas, essential oils, herbal tablets or extracts for simple and convenient intake in the herbal medications. There is a style of herbs who have immense medicinal values that bring about the making of natural medicines and drugs. Various parts with the plant just like root, bark, leaves, stem or perhaps the

Today, herbal medicines will be the classification of the ayurvedic herbalism, traditional Chinese herbalism and western herbalism. It will be among the oldest treatment options used to deal with medical concerns of all kinds. Natural medicines are favored by an increasing number of number of people, as it does not have any unwanted side effects, unlike each and every modern medications that happen to be prescribed by doctors today.

Natural medicines will be manufactured in a variety of forms. Everyone has numerous types of choices to take herbal products. These herbal solutions manufacturers are making herbal teas, essential oils, herbal tablets or extracts for simple and convenient intake in the herbal medications. There is a style of herbs who have immense medicinal values that bring about the making of natural medicines and drugs. Various parts with the plant just like root, bark, leaves, stem or perhaps

Friday, July 1, 2011

Cats Claw Medicinal Herb

Cats claw is a woody vine that grows in the Amazon rain forest. The vine has thorns at the base of the leaves that look like the claws of a cat, which is why the early indigenous people of the region named it so. Cats claw grows in Peru and most jungle areas of South America. Recently Peru has recognized the importance of this medicinal plant and given it protected status.

Cats claw has a long history of use that extends to over 2000 years in central Peru and other South American countries. Recent research has confirmed many traditional beliefs and uses. Traditionally Cats claw herb has been in use to treat a variety of diseases including asthma, arthritis, rheumatism, bone pain, urinary tract inflammation, gastric ulcers, hemorrhages, irregular menstrual cycles, cirrhosis, abscesses, diabetes, tumors and cancer. Cats claw herb has also been used to heal deep wounds, and to help in recovering from childbirth. Some tribes have also been known to use the Cats claw herb as a contraceptive, though this seems to require a very large dosage.

Cats Claw Medicine Herb
The use of Cats claw since the 1990s as an adjunctive treatment for cancer and AIDS shows its acceptance by modern systems of medicine as a serious contender in strengthening the immune system. In combination with AZT, Cats claw has been used in clinical studies of possible treatments for AIDS. Apart from cancer and AIDS, the herb's immune stimulating effects have made it useful in preventing strokes and heart attacks, reducing blood clots, and for treating irritable bowel syndrome.

Cats claw contains many groups of plant chemicals that account for its curative properties. These include oxidole alkaloids that are responsible for its antileukemic and immune stimulant properties. Other groups of chemicals and compounds are responsible for its anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties. A third group of compounds known as carboxyl alkyl esters contribute to its anti-cancerous and cell-repairing properties.

Medical researchers worldwide are very interested in studying Cats claw. The interest in Cats claw herb, which contains several groups of chemicals and compounds that bestow it with many curative properties, was natural, and has resulted in the preparation and marketing of several Cats claw extracts in many European countries. In the US, patent applications are pending for procedures that concern extracting immunity enhancing drugs from cats claw. With more researchers joining in from Spain, France, Japan, Germany, and Peru, the curative properties of this herb appear to have gained overwhelming acceptance by modern medical practitioners.

The inner bark and roots of Cats claw are used for the preparation of medicines. Cats claw is available to the consumer in the form of capsules and tincture. Cats claw tincture is made by extracting the vine in 45% alcohol and distilled water, it is taken under the tongue or mixed with juice or water. It is recommended to use 60 ml of tincture twice per day, or as required.

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