We recently visited a health center in Los Banos Laguna. What is unique in the area is the combination of a health center, a herbal garden and the agricultural center. The medicinal plant garden is in between the two buildings. This setup is unique because it combines the agreement between medicinal plant use and propagation of medicinal plants. Nowadays, we seldom see herbal gardens in good condition near health centers. Since the value of medicinal plant and nutrition are better placed on the preventive aspect of health, we should appreciate that taking high value food and prevent disease would be better than getting sick and paying all those hospital bills and lifetime medications. Food supplements that are beneficial on a long term, preventive mode, also belong to class of modalities of change in life styles. To “Go Natural” and prevent disease is simply better than getting sick. 
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Boil 1/2 cup fresh chopped leaves in 2 glasses of water. You can drink 1 cup 2x daily. If you use dried leaves as tea, reduce to 1/4 cup. You can put flavor such as pandan, lemon grass or kalamansi. Make sure the leaves are clean. You can collect banaba leaves and hang them to dry at home. Air-drying is the recommended way to dry medicinal plants. Drying them under the sun will destroy the phytochemical such as antioxidants and phyto enzymes.
In a randomized controlled trial (the gold standard for scientific studies) habitual chocolate intake 
can lower blood pressure. In previous short term interventions, high doses of cocoa, as short as 2 weeks, can reduce blood pressure. This was attributable to polyphenols that improved blood vessel inner lining. In this study a low dose cocoa over 18 weeks involving 24 women and 20 men with uncomplicated Prehypertension (PB: 120-139/80-89 or Stage 1 hypertension (BP: 140-159/90-99). The participants were assigned to either dark chocolate or white chocolate group. No observable lowering of blood pressure was noted among those who received white chocolate. So this means we can get good benefits from dark chocolate. 
Gallstones are hard materials that form in the biliary tract, usually in the gallbladder. Their development is slow and may not be felt for decades. Gallstones are formed because certain substances in bile are present in concentrations that approach the limits of solubility. When there is so much of bile and the material becomes supersaturated or the material cannot be dissolved, the materials of bile form crystals which in time become stone. In the US, more than 80% of stones come from cholesterol.
Excellent source of antioxidants; good source of vitamins A, B, and C, calcium and iron; also a good source of roughage. In preparing these, just sautee lightly in oil with garlic and onions. You can combine this with other vegetables such as okra for a healthy meal.
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