Herbal Plant: Papaya

PAPAYA is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya which is the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae. It is commonly called pawpaw or papaw. Just like any other plants, it has numerous health benefits as follows:

• Increases quality of proteins in whole organism.
• Revitalize the human body and maintain energy and vitality.
• Encourages the renewal of muscle tissue. Supports cardiovascular system.
• Boosts up the immune system.
• Helps with the digestive system, by breaking down the proteins and supporting production of digestive enzymes.
• Papaya can be use also externally as a treatment for skin wounds that don’t heal quickly, for this you can use papaya peel or ointments made out of papaya.
• Prevents the cataract formation.
• Due to high vitamin A, it lowers the risk of emphysema in smokers and passive smokers.
• Alleviates inflammation.
• Helps with the nausea and constipation.
• Can benefit people suffering colon cancer and other forms of cancers and aliments of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems.

 

Herbal Plant: Aloe Vera

ALOE VERA is an herbal plant with common names aloe vera, aloe, burn plant, lily of the desert, elephant’s gall and scientific name of Aloe barbadensis. In the Philippines, aloe vera's clear gel is being applied to scalp to grow new hair.

There are various uses of this plant:

• It has been said to heal wounds and being applied for various skin conditions traditionally like burns, sunburns, and psoriasis. 
• Currently, people take aloe orally to treat diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, and osteoarthritis. 
• The gel can be found in many skin products like lotion and sunblocks. 
• It also serve as a natural food flavoring. 

You can check http://nccam.nih.gov/health/aloevera for more information about this plant.

 

Tawa Tawa tea (Gatas Gatas) for dengue

As I was busy with my farm @ FarmVille (Facebook app), hubby told me about a certain weed that can cure dengue. We searched on Google about it and found several articles attesting on the effectiveness of this weed. Glad hubby’s technical supervisor has this on his backyard and we are planning to have ours in a rectangular box to have it freely grow in abundance. It is better to be prepared at all times than to be sorry. Below is the Tawa Tawa (or Gatas Gatas to others) tea preparation:

• Take 5 to 6 full whole Tawa Tawa plants.
• Cut off the roots, throw it away, it is not included in the tea.
• Wash and clean
• Fill your boiling pot with clean water.
• Boil the Tawa Tawa for 1 (one) minute in a slow rolling boil.
• Pour the tawa tawa water and let cool.
• Let the dengue fever victim drink only the tawa tawa water for 24 hours.
• Sip 1 to 1.5 glasses of tawa tawa water every 1 hour

Lemongrass Tea: Herbal remedy for cancer

Here comes another informative and interesting message I got from my inbox. The message came from a friend and she shared me this study about LEMON GRASS (TANGLAD) with powerful anti-cancer properties.

I am familiar with the plant coz I used it when I make a “chicken turbo” for the family. Somebody even told me that I can put lemon grass into “chicken tinola” instead of ginger but I haven’t tried this one so far. But I never knew that the “Lemon Grass Tea” could cause cancer cells to commit suicide, as in self-destruction. This one is truly good news for everyone, sick or not. As we say prevention is better than cure. I think I’m gonna try to make a Lemon Grass Tea for my family.

I can’t post the exact content of the email because it is quite too long but here is the similar thread from the Associated Content. Check it out. Be aware and stay healthy.

Facts about "BANANA"

This was a forwarded message from hubby. Something worth sharing to you my dear readers for your reference.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people
suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is
because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts
into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make
you feel happier.

Pre-Menstrual syndrome (PMS): Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just llowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams
this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system..

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try e ating a banana for soothing relief...

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system. Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the
stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, there by reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around so maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

Medicinal value of Oregano

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Origanum
Species: O. vulgare

Binomial name: Origanum vulgare

I usually use Oregano at times my kids have coughed. My daughter, the eldest, is used to it already while my boy is kind of annoyed in the taste but still I can manage to have him drink it.

Preparation is so simple. I just wash oregano leaves first then soak it in hot water. After 2 or 3 minutes I pick the leaves and extract the juice from it either by squeezing it or pounding it. When the oregano extract is ready, I usually give my kids few of sugar after drinking it to fight the after taste of oregano. I usually give my kids oregano extract 2 to 3 times a day for 3 days as my alternative medicine for cough. I found it effective and maybe you can try it in your kids.

You can read here for more information about Oregano.