02Oct
Now that dengue is on the rise, would it not be cool to drive mosquitoes away using natural means instead of fumigation which essentially does the same thing and yet introduce a hydrocarbon contaminant into the environment? Neem tree or Azadirachta indica is a popular tree, indigenous to India and Southeast Asia, fast growing, and can reach a height of 15-20 meters.
While there were reports of its medicinal use, what is peculiar to this plant is that it is a natural insect repellant. Neem derivatives, which are generally known as azadirachtin can neutralize about 500 pests known. These include insects, mites, ticks, and even round worms. The plant will not generally kill pests but repels them which in a way affects their growth and physiology. It is non-toxic to higher animals and is appropriate to plant in cities and populated areas where mosquitoes and insects.
Let’s stop fumigations but plant neem trees which would be beneficial to the environment.
10Sep
We often think of prunes as a stool softener, it contains fibers and a sugar called sorbitol a stool loosening sugar. Prunes come from plums and it is said that the semi-dried fruit contains plenty of antioxidants that is more than that of blueberries. Because of this property, prunes helps to slow aging process of the brain and body. It also helps normalize blood circulation. Prunes have a high nutrient density and for this reason is a very good source of energy and vitality. For every 100 gms of prunes (about a cup), there are 1,890 IU of Vitamin A, 10 mg of Vit B (Thiamine), 16 mg of riboflavin, 1.7 mg of niacin, and 3 mg of Vit C. It also contains minerals such calcium (11 mg) iron (: (7 mg), phosphorus (85 mg), potassium (810 mg) but be careful because it contains also 71 mg of carbohydrates. Overall 100 gm of prunes is equivalent to 268 calories. Carbohydrates alone is 71 gm while the fat and protein content are 6 gms and 2.3 gms, respectively.
For a healthy dessert or a power drink, you can combine half a cup of prunes with one plum and blended with half a glass of soya milk.
Tags: plums, Prunes
28Aug
Cinnamon is a very interesting spice, it has been used for most pastries and also flavoring for juices such as apple juice or cider. It has been reported that cinnamon can lower LDL or bad cholesterol. It can also help regulate blood sugar, act as antibiotic, helps lower risk of cardiovascular disease because it delays blood clotting. It was also reported that this spice can help reduce the risk of certain cancers. Nutritionally, it has fiber and minerals. So next time you prepare your juice or coffee, put a half teaspoon of cinnamon per glass of juice. This can also be added to coffee, just a dash.
Tags: cinnamon
19Aug
Gallstones are usually produced due excessive fat and for this reason, cholesterol stones would be the most common.  Natural ways of detoxification such taking fruits and vegetable extracts are popular because of the benefit of reducing the need to undergo surgery.  However, it should be emphasized that the size of the gallstones is important.  If we regularly detoxify without the “crash methods†or drastic measures of other forms of detox, we prevent the formation of gallstones.  One good way to detox is taking radish juice (30 cc) at least once a week or eat radish as we see raw carrots eaten.  The general effect is the good flow of bile with radish which helps reduce the risk of having gallstones.
Photo from: Google.com
Tags: radish
14Aug
Dysmenorrhea is a medical condition wherein there is pain during menstruation. This is due to severe uterine contraction. One of the causes may be a hormonal imbalance. If this is the case, foods that are rich in phytoestrogens can help. Notable are the soya food and parsley. If you want a regular supplementation of phytoestrogens, soya milk is the most practical. A very helpful herb which we often ignore is parsley. Parsley is a common garnish but one takes about half a cup during periods of menstrual discomfort, parsley can be a helpful remedy. We can either eat this with a salad or blend it as juice.
Tags: parsley, soya milk
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