HEALING PROPERTIES OF GINGER

Ginger is a common plant produced in large scale for commercial purpose. It was a perennial plant that has rhizomes, the underground stem used in cuisine as spice. At the same time, it was used as herbal alternative for many diseases of our time.

It has volatile oils if the rhizome was dried and pounded. The oil has chemical properties medically proven to have active constituents responsible for treating specific illness. This is where the odor and taste of the ginger has been formed. The chemical constituents of the aroma were zingiberene and bisabolene. The constituents of its pungency were shogaol and gingerols.

The healing effects of ginger have anti-nausea property. It is best to control vomiting. The troubled stomach is the result of over-production of acids. The stale taste can cause anyone to vomit.

Long distance travel through land transportation vehicle or riding in vessel for trip to other places may cause seasickness due to constant motion. With ginger on the trip its control nausea and relaxes the ill-feeling inside the stomach.

Stomach ulcers cause abdominal bloating. The manufacture of gas is painful and uncomfortable but with ginger it minimizes gas production and control the abnormal bloating to get worse.

The inflammatory condition of muscles and limbs was the proof of rheumatism and arthritis in action. It causes the joints to get inflamed. There is redness all around the affected areas. Ginger can relieve the pain due to inflammation and minimize redness.

There were many causes of diarrhea. Diarrhea occurred due to the population of bacteria in the digestive system. When bacteria and other organisms control the intestines it cause change reaction by altering the normal digestion.

 Too much water inside the stomach with high concentration of the bacteria will result to diarrhea episode. It can only be controlled by taking modern anti-diarrhea medicines effective to kill the germs inside the intestines. Herbal medicine has the same effect to treat diarrhea and ginger can give the same comfort as modern medicines do.

Due to changes in weather condition anyone can catch with colds and flu. Ginger has anti-bacterial property best for the treatment of an illness related to bacterial infection. Respiratory disease was among them. If the situation is not as grave as it should be, to use ginger to ease coughing was found to be effective.

To use ginger has certain limitation for pregnant women. It should be avoided because ginger has compound that cause mutation in the chromosomes affecting the condition of the fetus.

For individual that has moving sickness repeatedly, drinking hot water diluted with 1 gram per day will serve its purpose.

Ginger serves as tonic of the digestive tract. It has the ability to stimulate good digestion. It tones the intestinal muscles. It protects the sensitive mucus lining against all kinds of chemical irritants preventing damage to the intestinal wall especially drinking alcoholic drink that has great effect to the condition of the intestines.

It also protect the effect of taking NSAID drugs (anti-inflammatory) that will irritate the mucus lining especially taking it with empty stomach. With ginger it helps for the prevention of all kinds of ulcers.

Ginger has anti-clotting effect to the blood.  It gives the blood platelets to be less sticky that may cause obstruction of the arteries. A healthy heart is healthy life. Ginger has the ability to support the condition of the cardiovascular system.

Drinking ginger preparation should not be taken with empty stomach especially if the person has established ulcer disease. It is also not advisable to drink ginger mixture if the person has gallstone. It will aggravate the condition and worsen the situation.

Allowable level of using dried ginger powder.

HEALING PROPERTIES OF LICORICE

Licorice is a plant of many uses. The plant has many chemical constituents, one ingredient to have healing power. The two major compound are glycyrrhizin and flavonoids. The first compound contains anti-inflammatory property to control the inside and outside inflammation in the body. It is best choice for the treatment of arthritic pain and rheumatism. It inhibits the breakdown of cortisol.

Its anti-viral compound has the ability to help control bacterial and viral infection. Damaging micro-organisms can be found everywhere inside the human body. It brings diseases and makes the body sickly. Skin, lung and digestive diseases were formed due to the proliferation of bacteria in the body. It can be prevented by the use of potent drugs and other known medicines. Its flavonoid and chalcones found to be effective to heal the damaged cells in the digestive tract.

It gives protection to the liver cells against damaging free radicals. The notorious Helicobacter pylori found to be the culprit in the development of ulcers and inflammation in the digestive tract and the rest of the stomach.

It has soothing and coating agents in the digestive system especially the many kinds of ulcers. It helps relieve the persistent cough and soothe sore throat due to germ habitation.

Licorice found to be an ideal herbal alternative for the treatment of diabetes. It is good for respiratory disease due to long infection especially tuberculosis. Liquiritin is licorice extract. It is helpful to treat melasma known as pigmentation disorder of the skin.

Licorice was now produced worldwide into capsule and tablets for convenience. It was available in many drugstores of the country. There was topical application of liquiritin cream to be applied 2 times a day for about 4 weeks.

The chewable de-glycyarhizinated licorice tablet (DGL) can give the same effect using raw materials of licorice. Another licorice formulation is called standard licorice tablet that contains glycyrrhizin. It was normally used in the treatment of respiratory infection.

The DGL tablet was used in the treatment of ulcer especially those coming from duodenum. As anti-bacterial agents, it is best for the healing of canker sores and other gum problems. It was an effective mouthwash for bad breath.

To use licorice root capsules (6 grams per day) can give relief to chronic fatigue syndrome. If concentrated extract was used, 500 mg 3 times a day is enough.

Licorice tea was also available. To make tea, boil 14 grams of roots in 500 ml of water in the duration of 15 minutes. Drink 2 cups a day.

Herbal medicine has good and bad points. It has benefits and the risk. Side are common if application is not carried properly above the recommended dosage or the person is sensitive to the treatment or may affect his existing health conditions instead of healing them. For other people, taking licorice containing glycyrrhizin may increase blood pressure and cause water retention in the body.

 Taking 500 mg of it per day for about 1 week has effect by decreasing the serum testosterone levels of healthy individuals like men. The reaction is by blocking the enzyme important in the synthesis of testosterone.

Taking licorice has limitation especially for people that can’t tolerate such interaction inside the body. It is important to consult first with a doctor to determine  tolerance before taking any types of preparation.

Shield your body against many triggers that will cause unhealthy life. Staying healthy will depend on your initiative to consistently protect them.

HEALING PROPERTIES OF GREEN TEA

Tea is a popular healthful drink. It was distributed worldwide. You can see them almost every commercial stores, pharmacies and distribution centers. It was produced in large scale. Plantations are like mushrooms sprouting in every corners of the world. It is a profitable business aside from its healthful benefits.

Te has different varieties but they were from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The varieties were categorized as green, black and oolong, the most popular kinds of tea. There are still many of its kinds raised somewhere with the same benefit and effectiveness.

They plucked leaves that were healthy without blemish may either be fermented or to remain to its natural form during the processing. Green tea was not fermented. The active constituents remained fresh and unaltered while black and oolong tea were prepared through followed the fermentation process.

Tea was used as medicinal and social drink. It is medicinal because it has healthful benefits against many diseases. Socially, it was used in gatherings as refreshing drinks.

The chemical properties of tea contain volatile oil, caffeine, vitamins and minerals. It has primary constituents (chemical compound) of polyphenols. Catechin is polyphenols. It was the reason why tea has the ability to promote good health and better alternative to put all the body systems on the go.

It was shown that green tea can lower total cholesterol level in mild capacity. It decreases (LDL) bad cholesterol and increase (HDL) good cholesterol to higher level. It makes the platelets in the blood less sticky promoting good cardiovascular system.

It can give full protection from cholesterol damage due to oxygen. It increases the anti-oxidant activity in the blood those gives better protection against the damaging effect of free radicals. It prevents atherosclerosis as it control the oxidative damage to LDL cholesterol.

The polyphenol is responsible for anti-cancer prevention. It inhibits uncontrolled spread of cancer cells in the skin. It has the ability to prevent other types of terminal cancers.

It reduces formation of plaque and dental carries. It stimulates the production of new cells in the immune system. Its anti-bacterial constituent is good in the prevention of many kinds of bacterial infection.

It protects the liver from any damage due to modern lifestyle. It prevents bacteria in the gut and minimize odor of fecal waste. Tannin in tea prevents iron absorption. It minimizes headache due to stress and other emotional disturbance. Too much fatigue can cause body pains. Green tea gives relief to pains in limbs and muscles.

It promotes better digestion and calm troubled stomach due to gas production. It enhances the ability of the immune system to protect the body from many diseases. A weak immune system makes progression of certain disease fast and deadly. It has detoxification effect and removes various toxins in the body. It energizes the body to full power. It can withstand the many stresses during the day.

Constant drinking tea found to prolong life.

The recommended dosage for taking green tea:

-Take 3 cups of green tea per day (minimum).

-Take 10 cups of green tea per day (maximum).

If fresh green tea is to be used, mix it with 1 cup boiling water and steep for 3 minutes. 

There is decaffeinated green tea sold in the trade. It is good to use as it was processed to remove caffeine.

Taking tea with caffeine will cause anxiety and insomnia.

Drink tea (w/out caffeine) for healthy body and healthy life.

HEALING PROPERTIES OF ONION

Onion was one of the spices in past centuries. It was used in many parts of the world. A menu is not complete without it. It was now become part of our meal preparation dueing the day. Many farmers entered into full production to sell to the market. It is profitable in raising onion. The demand is high because of its popularity among kitchen users. 

Sometimes the price goes higher than the normal price especially if there is shortage in supply due to changes in weather condition that most farmers feared reducing their expected harvest or there is total failure in planting.

Aside from being the best spices for food production, it was found that it has herbal benefits in some common illness of men. Each plant has each unique chemical compound. The chemical properties were the reasons for healing specific disease.

Its active sulfur compounds are allyl propyl disulphide and flavonoids (quescetin). The strong scented oil was due to sulfur. The tearing sensation (tears in the eyes) during the cutting of the onion is due to the compound called thioproanal S-oxide or lacrimatory factor.

Due to its anti-oxidant ability, the onion and its oil constituents can kill many kinds of microbes. Our body was resided by many forms of bacteria it may be good or bad. Most bacteria concentration can be found in the lungs and in digestive tract (intestines). The damaging microbes caused disease. Only better and potent kinds of medicines or herbal alternatives can neutralize its population and eradicate the threat.

The severity of the diseases depends on the degree of bacterial control to the human body. It can only be protected if the shield against various threats is effective. If the immune system is weak, damaging free radicals will invade. The immune system is the only protector for the bacteria to be neutralized. It is where onion is helpful for the added protection.

Allyl Propyl disulphide has the ability to block the breakdown of insulin by the liver. It stimulates insulin production by the pancreas. Such chemical interaction increases insulin and reduce the sugar levels in the blood those controlling diabetes.

It was the same sulfur compound that contains anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the formation of thromboxanes. It also inhibit the action of platelet-activity factor.

Onion can be prepared by the following:

-Direct application to skin inflammation and other skin diseases.

-It can be prepared as syrup acted as cough suppressant.

-It can also be prepared as herbal tincture.

Onion has the ability to relieve pain from insect stings. It neutralizes the venom. As anti-inflammatory, it has healing effect on boils.

To kill the germs from dog bites, it can be used as initial treatment so that the rabies, if there’s any can be suppress to enter into the interior of the wounds until such time that the victim is brought to the hospital for final treatment.

Onion has pungent smell. It is not good to be taken fresh in the mouth. It can cuse smelly breath. The usefulness of onion was already tested. The continuing research will uncover additional benefits of onion not yet discovered.

The popularity of onion will remain in our heart. We always remember it every time we are in the kitchen because the food we prepared has the taste of the spice we can’t forget.