Detox on a Lenten Season

This Lenten season, I am planning to detoxify my body for 10 days. I will post my day-to-day diet on my healthy lifestyle tips blog.

Please read my blog entry about detoxification and read more about how detox can clean your colon.

Philippine Herbal Medicines Approved by the Department of Health

1. Akapulko (Cassia alata

2. Ampalaya (Momordica charantia).

3. Bawang (Allium sativum)

4. Bayabas (Psidium guajava

5. Lagundi (Vitex negundo)

6. Niyog-niyogan (Quisqualis indica L.)

7. Sambong (Blumea balsamifera)

8. Tsaang Gubat (Ehretia microphylla Lam

9. Ulasimang Bato | Pansit-Pansitan (Peperomia pellucida

10. Yerba Buena (Clinopodium douglasii)

Sassy Water - A Natural Way of Relieving Bloating

Have you been always bloated and feel like you're always having an uncomfortable feeling inside your tummy? Are you looking for a natural way to relieve stomach problems? Well, if you are looking for natural health solutions, you may want to try drinking sassy water.

Sassy water is actually a part of flat belly diet and mostly called a weight loss drink. I've tried drinking this for a week and it's really effective. It can relieve bloating and stomach gas. In my case, I burped a lot after about 30 minutes of drinking it and I felt like my stomach is very light in the morning. For more information regarding the sassy water, you can visit health-in-nature.com which provides healthy lifestyle tips, natural health remedies and recipes consisting of organic health foods.

Food Cravings – Mind Matter or Health Issue?

Almost all of us have our own food cravings but according to studies, women tend to crave more than men. This is because women’s food cravings have something to do with their hormones. There are some factors we need to understand why we crave for high-sugar and fatty foods. These things are important to know and figure out because if you crave for foods that are high in fats and sugar, you may have some complications regarding your health. Eating a lot of high sugar foods can cause diabetes and can be an issue if you are having weight problems. So eating the right food and eating in moderation is the way to living a healthy life.

What causes food cravings?

Most doctors and dietitians agreed that food cravings stem from a complex combination of emotional, hormonal and biochemical factors. One of the greatest factors for cravings is blood sugar imbalance. Emotional and hormonal imbalance also contributes to food cravings.

Blood Sugar Imbalance

A major trigger for food cravings is low blood sugar. This is typically caused by lack of food as a result of going too long between meals/snacks, or following very low calorie diets.

According to some studies, people with cravings often have an underlying blood sugar imbalance in which their blood sugar levels are altered because they eat too much of the wrong type of carbohydrates. These fluctuations in sugar level can cause cravings, water retention, mood swings and excessive thirst.

Hormonal Imbalance

An enormous percentage of women crave sugar, carbohydrates, or alcohol. In most cases, these food cravings are not true eating disorders, but instead are signs of hormonal imbalance caused by a lack of healthy nutrition.

The fact that the strongest food cravings occur in the week prior to menstruation, or during pregnancy, suggests that hormonal swings have an influence on this type of urge to eat. Also, it's interesting that men - who typically are less affected by hormone imbalance than women - tend to develop fewer cravings.

Emotional Imbalance

Stress, depression, and boredom are the most common triggers for food cravings. In severe cases, cravings can lead to binge eating, an eating disorder which consists of episodes on uncontrollable overeating and can be followed by compensatory behavior in which the person purge what he/she ate.

If your emotional issues remain unaddressed, your food craving will remain constant. If your emotional issues change, so will your food cravings. The only parallel between both the constant and the changing food cravings is this: There is some underlying emotional issue crying out for your attention.

“The bottom line is this: As unpleasant as it is to face a negative emotion, the alternative is even more unpleasant. Everyone gets angry, upset, or jealous at some time — there's no question about it. Sometimes life circumstances or our personal choices make it tough to stay centered in peace of mind. In fact, the only question about these emotions is whether we choose to deal with them now or later.” - Doreen Virtue, Ph.D.

Food cravings mean that the body has its signals mixed up. When we are exhausted or blue, we have low blood sugar and/or low serotonin, and the body signals the brain that it needs a pick-me-up. This signal causes a sugar craving or carbohydrate craving.

How to suppress food cravings?

1. Don’t skip meals. If you skip meals your blood sugar level will fall too low, which causes food cravings and binge eating.

2. Too much sugar and too much salt can make the cravings worse.

3. Reduce the intake of drinks that acts as stimulants like coffee, tea, and caffeinated soft drinks. These drinks can cause fluctuations in blood sugar. Drinking a lot of water can help.

4. Avoid artificial sweeteners.

5. Reduce your intake of processed foods that are high in additives.

6. Exercise can help to curb your food cravings. Due to the influence of mood on our eating habits, especially cravings, it is vital to take regular physical exercise on most days. Exercise significantly improves mood by releasing chemicals into the bloodstream, and will definitely help you to control your urge to eat.

Beauty Agent Cucumber

I love cucumbers. Don’t you think it’s quite a salad’s sumptuous ingredient! The taste maybe bland yet there is something in it that you feel like grabbing a slice and munch on it,--- the same thing how every woman would always want these pieces in their eyes. Oh yes speaking of, cucumber is known among others as a natural beauty agent. Cliché or what, it is a fact.

Artworks like wall paintings mostly use cucumbers as subjects. And these creations are marketed to spas and some beauty salons. This is how renowned cucumbers are to the health and beauty industry. In fact, in all beauty creams and lotions and even in soaps, toners, and astringents, cucumber is well represented .Some may fit well in the budget while the rest are just impractical to afford. If this is the case, then your nearby public market is the best beauty shop for you. All you need to make your skin radiates in beauty is all there. Remember our grade school go, glow, and grow? Then better count cucumber as your glow food filled with ascorbic and caffeic acids which are known to prevent water retention. So, for swollen skin especially the baggy skin underneath the eyes that make the eyes look puffy, cucumber is your best remedy. Why spend too much on eye creams to reduce swelling when a common vegetable can easily resolve the issue, anyway! More than what it is known for as an eyebag remover, it is also best recommended to treat dermatitis and sunburns.

Cucumber is 90 per cent water which makes this food diuretic. When taken internally, it is a good agent too for detoxification. It fights uric acid, as well, which makes arthritis patients loyal to cucumber even more. And because it is cool water, its juice when applied to skin directly gives a rejuvenating effect. So how about your favourite facial wash tried and tested to open the pores to easily remove deep seated dirt and afterwards a cool treat of sliced cucumber massaged directly on to face follows? Don’t you think it is more than a nice treat for the day!



Source:

Jocelyn Aps is the Business Development Manager at Artyii, Asia's leading community for emerging paint artists. Launched in November 2010, Artyii offers a powerful global platform to discover emerging Asian art. Over 500 artists from Singapore, Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia have trusted Artyii, thus far. Membership is by-invite only. Apart from sharing art, artists can communicate with gallery owners.

Health Benefits of Pineapple

I’ve been craving for pineapple and it made me write this article. Obviously, there are lots of pineapple benefits. Aside from the fact that this fruit has lots of fibers and vitamins, there are other health benefits that you might not know.

Pineapple contains proteolytic enzyme bromelain which helps in the digestion of protein. Pineapple can also help in preventing blood clot formation because of its bromelain content. Bromelain has been found to be a useful anti-inflammatory which is effective in supporting in the treatment of conditions like acute sinusitis, sore throat, gout and arthritis.

Anti-oxidant properties of pineapple

Pineapple is also known to be abundant in anti-oxidants. As we know, a buildup of free radicals can lead to diabetic heart disease and atherosclerosis; an increase in asthma attacks and increase the risk of developing certain cancers like colon cancer. So you better take some pineapple if you want to prevent having those diseases.

Pineapple against cancer

Australian research found that there are some beneficial molecules hidden in the stems of pineapples. These molecules have been found to have some defense mechanism against certain types of cancers like ovarian cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer and skin cancer.

Here are some other health benefits of pineapple:

1. It is regulates the gland and found to be helpful in cases of goiter(enlargement of the thyroid gland).

2. Helps in treating dyspepsia (chronic digestive disturbance).

3. Helps in treating bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchial tubes.)

4. Lowers blood pressure

5. Helps in treating arthritis (diseases of the joints)

6. Fresh pineapple juice is also used in removing intestinal worms.

7. Prevents constipation

Banaba Tea Leaf for Weight Loss

I bought banaba tea leaf today and will try it myself. I read from a health blog that banaba tea leaf can help in reducing weight, help in treating urinary tract infection, and lower blood sugar.

I once had undergone shockwave lithotripsy because I had kidney stones. Right now I'm always having UTI so I hope this can also help me with it.

I was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries and one of the causes of PCOS is insulin resistance. As much as possible I want to restrict on my sugar intake, so I hope this banaba tea leaf can really help me.

I will update this blog if the banaba tea leaf is really effected.

Herbal Medicine - The Original Medicines

Can you imagine a world without bottles of aspirin and antibiotics? How would you feel if your doctor had no drugs to prescribe for serious illnesses? This was the world of our not-so-distant ancestors and, what’s more, it still exists today in Third World countries. Yet it is precisely this primitive world that we owe for all the benefits of modern medicine we enjoy.

The pharmaceutical industry has learned to harness the power of many natural substances, producing synthetic versions which have become our prescription and over-the-counter drugs. These have brought undoubted advances, but often at the cost of debilitating side effects and complications.

Meanwhile, more and more scientific research is serving to remind us of nature’s own safer, gentler packages of healing power which lie behind so many of today’s drugs. The truth is that remedies like Grandma’s elder berry wine and the Chickasaw Indians’ infusion of willow root are scientifically proven! As more and more natural remedies are tested and refined, the apparent need for expensive drugs with dangerous side effects declines. Science is showing real medical advances are in store as we learn to combine old wisdom with new.

Does Garlic Really Work with High Blood Pressure?

Does Garlic Really Work with High Blood Pressure?

Garlic has been known to help in lowering high blood pressure but many are confused if this simple bulb can really work with your BP.
Research shows that garlic may in fact reduce diastolic and systolic blood pressure!

“In a study, when people with high blood pressure were given one clove of garlic a day for 12 weeks, their diastolic blood pressure and cholesterol levels were significantly reduced. Eating quantities as small as one clove of garlic a day was found to have beneficial effects on managing hypertension.” http://www.netscape.com/fact sheet high blood pressure treatment with garlic

How does garlic work?

“Garlic dilates the muscles of blood vessels, which helps in lowering blood pressure. It consists of a compound called adenosine, which helps in vasodilation and is also a muscle relaxant. Although, both raw and cooked garlic can benefit blood pressure, raw garlic is more potent and benefits faster. Garlic also interferes with the formation of blood clots and helps in reducing cholesterol. It not only helps lower the risk of colon, gastro intestinal tract and stomach cancers but also improves immunity and prevents gas formation.” http://www.indianfoodforever.com/food-guide/hypertension.html

“It appears, according to research that the beneficial effects of garlic on blood pressure come more from the garlic sulphides than from allicin. Unlike allicin, garlic sulphides are not destroyed by cooking.” http://www.aafp.org/afp/20050701/103.html

To give a hint about high blood pressure; high blood pressure is a condition that is treated with a combination of prescription drugs, diet, daily exercise, avoiding caffeine, managing stress and, if you are willing garlic. Below is a quick definition along with a list of symptoms of high blood pressure:
“High BP, or hypertension, means a pressure above 140/90 mmHg. High blood pressure symptoms are usually absent unless hypertension is elevated above 240/120 mmHg.
Hypertension symptoms may be a combination of:
• headache, often upon awakening
• blurred vision
• ringing in the ears
• dizziness
• facial redness
• nosebleeds
• fatigue
• heart attack”

Garlic alone cannot help with your high blood pressures. You also have to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a healthy-natural-diet to prevent yourself from getting sick.

How to Peel a Potato Without a Peeler

How to Peel a Potato Without a Peeler

Health Benefits of Onions

Onions (Allium cepa) belong to the lily family, the same family as garlic, leeks, chives, scallions and shallots.There are over 600 species of Allium, distributed all over Europe, North America, Northern Africa and Asia. The plants can be used as ornamentals, vegetables, spices, or as medicine. There are over 120 different documented uses of the Alliums.

The onion has been used as an ingredient in various dishes for thousands of years by many cultures around the world. World onion production is steadily increasing so that onion is now the second most important horticultural crop after tomatoes.

Onion and other Allium vegetables are characterized by their rich content of thiosulfinates, sulfides, sulfoxides, and other odoriferous sulfur compounds. The cysteine sulfoxides are primarily responsible for the onion flavor and produce the eye-irritating compounds that induce lacrimation. The thiosulfinates exhibit antimicrobial properties. Onion is effective against many bacteria including Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella, and E. coli. Onion is not as potent as garlic since the sulfur compounds in onion are only about one-quarter the level found in garlic.

Onions have a variety of medicinal effects. Early American settlers used wild onions to treat colds, coughs, and asthma, and to repel insects. In Chinese medicine, onions have been used to treat angina, coughs, bacterial infections, and breathing problems.

Dry onions are a surprising source of fiber and a rich source of healthy sulfur compounds, similar to those found in garlic. Research on onions has lagged behind garlic research, but onions appear to have similar cardiovascular benefits, such as reducing blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, at least in the short term.

Onions also contain phytochemicals called flavonoids, which help vitamin C in its function, improving the integrity of blood vessels and decreasing inflammation. All this spells help for your cardiovascular system. One particular flavonoid, quercetin, may inhibit tumor growth and help keep colon cancer at bay.

In addition, a newly identified compound appears to rival the prescription drug Fosamax in inhibiting bone loss in menopausal women.

Onions also contain vitamin C and chromium. Chromium is a mineral that helps cells respond to insulin, ultimately assisting with blood glucose control. Green onions, because of their bright green tops, provide a wealth of vitamin A.

Cardiovascular Help
Onions contain a number of sulfides similar to those found in garlic which may lower blood lipids and blood pressure. In India, communities that never consumed onions or garlic had blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels substantially higher, and blood clotting times shorter, than the communities that ate liberal amounts of garlic and onions. Onions are a rich source of flavonoids, substances known to provide protection against cardiovascular disease. Onions are also natural anticlotting agents since they possess substances with fibrinolytic activity and can suppress platelet-clumping. The anticlotting effect of onions closely correlates with their sulfur content.

Cancer Prevention
Onion extracts, rich in a variety of sulfides, provide some protection against tumor growth. In central Georgia where Vidalia onions are grown, mortality rates from stomach cancer are about one-half the average level for the United States. Studies in Greece have shown a high consumption of onions, garlic and other allium herbs to be protective against stomach cancer.

Chinese with the highest intake of onions, garlic, and other Allium vegetables have a risk of stomach cancer 40 percent less than those with the lowest intake. Elderly Dutch men and women with the highest onion consumption (at least one-half onion/day) had one-half the level of stomach cancer compared with those consuming no onions at all.

Western Yellow, New York Bold, and Northern Red onions have the richest concentration of flavonoids and phenolics, providing them with the greatest antioxidant and anti-proliferative activity of 10 onions tested. The mild-tasting Western White and Vidalia onions had the lowest antioxidant content and lowest anti-proliferative activity. The consumer trend to increasingly purchase the less pungent, milder onion varieties may not be the best, since the onions with a stronger flavor and higher astringency appear to have superior health-promoting properties.

Nutritive Values of Onions : Per 100 gm.
• Vitamin A : 50 I.U.
• Vitamin B :
• Vitamin C : 9 mg.
• Calcium : 32 mg.
• Phosphorus : 44 mg.
• Potassium : 300 mg.
• Carbohydrates : 10.3 gm.
• Protein : 1.4 mg.
• Calories : 45


Onion is Benenificial in the following conditions:
• Asthma
• Influenza
• Colds
• Tuberculosis
• Insomnia
• Pneumonia
• Antiallergy
• Obesity
• Reduce inflammation
• Slightly laxative
• High Blood Pressure
• Lowers cholesterol
• Prolong longevity
• Helps destroy worms and other parasites.
• Bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchial tube)
• Neuritis (inflammation of the nerves)
• Vertigo (inflammation of nerves)
• Diuretic (increases the secretion of urine)
• Diabetes mellitus - lowers blood sugar.
• Valuable for the hair, nails of the fingers and toes, and for the eyes.
• Sinus conditions - helps to drain mucus from the cavities and loosen phlegm.
• Whether fresh or cooked onions have antiplatelet, adhesiveness, thus preventing thrombosis.

Natural Cure for Toothache and Bad Breath

Toothache results from the pressure upon a dental nerve at the tooth’s center. Bacteria trapped as plaque on the teeth react with sugar in the mouth and break down the calcium salts in the tooth’s substance. Chalky tartar around the base of the teeth causes numerous problems including bad breath (halitosis) bleeding gums, infection and dental loss.


Natural Cure

Reduce sugary foods to combat mouth acid and reduce decay. Chewing nuts, apples and raw vegetables cleanses and strengthens the teeth. Teeth also need calcium found in milk and its products, mineral water, green vegetables, nut, tinned salmon, sardines and other bony fish, calcium absorption into the bloodstream is aided by vitamin D made in the skin when exposed to sunlight and found in fish liver oil, mackerel, salmon and sardines.

A mouthwash made by infusing half and a handful of rose petals, blueberry leaves, violet petals and sage in a liter of water, used daily, eases gum inflammation and helps to protect and strengthen teeth.

One dose every 4-8 hours or 3-4 times per day: mercurius 6c tender, spongy gums which bleed easily, loose teeth and bad breath; chamomilla 6c for unbearable toothache, aggravated by cold air and warm food and drink and coffee at night; or coffea 6c for toothache aggravated by heat or hot food relieved by applying ice.


SOURCE: Home Remedies – A guide to symptoms and cures by Dr. Caroline Shreeve

Natural Cure for Mouth Ulcers

Common mouth ulcers are small, gray sores with an inflamed mucous membrane. They vary from size and are found on the gums, roof of the mouth, under the tongue and inside the lips and cheeks. They are triggered by infections, poor immunity, stress, and accidental damage from broken teeth.

The symptoms are; Small grey saucer-shaped sores, a surrounding red tender halo, pain on talking and eating. Large ulcers cause pain in the underlying muscle and enlarged lymph glands.

Natural Cure

Cabbage juice speeds the healing of the mouth and peptic ulcers. Sip 7-10 fl oz daily, freshly juiced with a handful of mint leaves for added healing and improved flavor. Hold each mouthful in contact with the ulcers for as long as you can before swallowing. Three major antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E work together to boost immunity and strengthen the mucous membranes. Beta-carotene from which the body manufactures vitamin A is found in brightly colored fruits.

Aloe vera can be used to make a mouthwash to combat sore mouth ulcers. Mixed the juice with boiled water and gargle.

Boil a handful of carrot leaves in 300 ml of water for 5 minutes, let it cool slightly and use as a gargle and mouthwash.

You can also dip a cotton bud in pure clove or tea tree oil and apply neat to ulcers several times a day. Add a single drop of essential oil of rose, clary sage, geranium or savory tumbler of tepid water and use as mouthwash.




SOURCE: Home Remedies – A guide to symptoms and cures by Dr. Caroline Shreeve

Health Benefits of Red Rice

The natural bran of this rice is not removed, which gives it high fiber content. It is also rich in vitamin B – thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. Red rice is popular in a diabetic diet because they have high proportion of complex carbohydrates and lower glycemic index than white rice. High fiber and high-carbohydrate foods like red rice have been shown to improve blood lipids, blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (Hemoglobin A1C), a longer-term measure of blood sugar control.

Philippines and Its Herbal Medicine

Long before the introduction of modern medicines and western curative methods, herbal medicines had been widely used in the Philippines. The curative effects of the herbs were tested by the traditional healers on their patients on a trial-and-error basis. The knowledge and skills on the curative application of any given herbal medicine has been handed down fro generation to generation.

Apart from prescribing herbal medicines, the traditional healers were known to give psychological comfort and moral support to their patients. In the old days, they were respected and enjoyed high status. Through generations of selective process, the herbs that were known to be effective were kept alive. The ineffective ones were soon forgotten.

In the days when drugs from the West just started to be used in the Philippines, they were not only too expensive but also too scarce. The rural folks and the poor continued to rely on herbal medicines available in abundance locally. Western medical care has reached a very limited number of people, mostly in urban areas. As modern drugs were increasingly available, at much cheaper prices, the popularity of herbal medicines waned considerably and faces extinction. Traditional healers and the use of herbal medicines have begun to vanish along with the knowledge about curative applications. Herbal medicines have become legacy of the past and the number of users is fast dwindling.

Hospitals that have sprouted up in the provinces and later in the districts have in no small part contributed to dying art of traditional healing. Doctors trained in western medicine have arrived to introduce new concepts almost every corner of the country. Of course, modern medicine is a wonder compared to the use of herbs. After all, there is still no herbal medicine comparable to antibiotics, vaccines, anti-inflammation, and symptomatic drug.

Health Benefits of Watermelon

Watermelon is a popular fruit here in the Philippines, especially when summer, there’s no other summer fruit like the thirst quenching watermelon. Watermelon is said to be the summer fruit because it is on its best quality when harvested during the summer season.
Watermelons can be round, oblong, or even square, as seen in Japan, they have the square watermelons. These square watermelons are not genetically modified. The Japanese figured out how to grow a square watermelon. The technique is very simple; they insert the watermelons into square glass cases or square wood cases while the fruit is still growing on the vine, so when the watermelon is ready to harvest it’s on a square shape. There are also watermelons that have yellow flesh. I think the yellow flesh is much crunchier than the red-flesh watermelon.




Health Benefits of Watermelon

Watermelon is said to help quench the inflammation that contributes to conditions like colon cancer, asthma, diabetes, and arthritis. The health benefits of watermelon are really great. No matter how it is sliced, it is packed with some of the most important antioxidants found in nature.

It is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin A. A cup of watermelon provides 24.3% of the daily value for vitamin C, and, through its beta-carotene, 11.1% of the DV for vitamin A. Watermelons are packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature.

Watermelon is also a very concentrated source of the carotenoid, lycopene. Well known for being abundant in tomatoes and particularly well absorbed from cooked tomato products containing a little fat such as olive oil, lycopene is also present in high amounts in watermelon and mangoes. The antioxidant function of lycopene-its ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen damage-has been linked in human research to prevention of heart disease. Protection of DNA (our genetic material) inside of white blood cells has also been shown to be an antioxidant role of lycopene.

Watermelon is rich in the B vitamins necessary for energy production. Our food ranking system also qualified watermelon as a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of vitamin B1, magnesium, and potassium. Part of this high ranking was due to the higher nutrient richness of watermelon. Because this food has higher water content and lower calorie content than many other fruits (a whole cup of watermelon contains only 48 calories), it delivers more nutrients per calorie-an outstanding health benefit!

One more reason to enjoy watermelon before summer ends: this sweet, crunchy, cooling fruit is exceptionally high in citrulline, an amino acid our bodies use to make another amino acid, arginine, which is used in the urea cycle to remove ammonia from the body, and by the cells lining our blood vessels to make nitric oxide. Nitric oxide not only relaxes blood vessels, lowering high blood pressure, it is the compound whose production is enhanced by Viagra to prevent erectile dysfunction. Arginine has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in obese type 2 diabetic patients with insulin resistance.

Health Benefits of Yerba Buena

Yerba Beuna is a herb from the mint family. Its scientific name is Clinopodium Douglasii from the kingdom Plantae and takes the form of mat-forming perennial with elongated leaves and in summer, it bears small whitish or purplish flowers.

In Spanish speaking countries, the term “yerba buena” refers to the particular local species of mint. The term has been and is currently used to cover a number of aromatic mint relatives of the Clinopodium. The word Yerba Buena is Spanish for "good herb" and was the former name of the California city of San Francisco. All plants so named have medicinal properties and some have culinary value as teas or seasonings.

Yerba Buena has been known as a medicinal plant worldwide. Yerba Buena has been consumed for centuries as tea and herbal medicine as a pain reliever (analgesic). Today, this folk medicine's efficacy has been validated by scientific research. In the Philippines, Yerba Buena is one of the 10 herbs endorsed by the Department of Health (DOH) as an effective alternative medicine for aches and pains.

As an herbal medicine, a decoction (boil leaves then strain) of Yerba Buena is effective for minor ailments such as headaches, toothaches and joint pains. It can also relive stomach aches due to gas buildup and indigestion. The fresh and dried leaves can both be used for the decoction. And because Yerba Buena belongs to the mint family, soaking fresh leaves in a glass of water (30 to 45 minutes) makes for a good mouth wash for a clean, fresh smelling breath.

Benefits & Treatment of :
• Arthritis
• Head aches
• Tooth aches
• Mouth wash
• Relief of intestinal gas
• Stomach aches
• Indigestion
• Drink as tea for general good health.

Banaba Health Benefits and Side Effects

Banaba herb has been known as an herbal medicine in the Philippines. It is also known as Queen’s flower and Crepe Myrtle in India. Banaba has been used to cure diabetes in Ayurvedic medicine for a long time in India. In the Philippines, it is widely used as an herbal medicine to control blood sugar level and treatment for diabetes.

Recent studies, medical research, and laboratory tests showed that the active ingredient of this herbal plant is the corosolic acid which is a potent compound that has insulin like effect that lowers glucose in the body. Corosolic acid also showed some improvements on controlling the blood sugar of type 2 diabetics. Aside from this benefit, banaba contains high concentrations of dietary fiber and minerals such as zinc and magnesium, fights obesity, helps regulate blood pressure, aids digestive system, ease urination and it is also good for the kidneys.

At this point it is difficult to predict the blood sugar response to a banaba supplement and it is difficult to know what dosage works best and how often to take a banaba supplement or how it interacts with other supplements used for blood sugar control. There have been no findings of any negative effects when taking banaba extract, however, caution is advised against taking banaba with any diabetic drug or any other drug. It is also not known how a banaba supplement would interact with oral medicines used in diabetes and how it would interact with insulin. If you are a type II diabetic, discuss with your doctor regarding the use of a banaba supplement to see if this herbal supplement is appropriate for your particular condition.