Herbal Hub

Someone said, “Humans are passionate about health and pleasure.” We yearn for a tasty, fat-free, sugar-free chocolate bar, smoke organic tobaccos and drink Coke zero. A hedonist and health junkie what a combo! As they say, life is short, live your life the way it makes you happy. Some people find pleasure in eating a chocolate bar or visiting a chocolate factory. Though chocolates are not considered “good” snack option, do you know that chocolates comes from an herb called Theobroma cacao that contains many health benefits? The “Chocolate tree” thrive in tropical countries and it can grow up to 20 feet. The main ingredient in chocolates are the seeds or beans are fermented, dried, roasted and then ground into a paste. It becomes yummy by adding sugar.

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I’m a coffee and tea lover as well. My favorite is green tea with ginseng. But yesterday, I was lucky enough to find fresh turmeric in the local grocery. Fresh turmeric roots! I felt like I found a treasure because seldom I find it in the produce section. As soon as I got home, I made some fresh turmeric tea mixed with Apple juice. You may wonder why I added Apple juice, I decided to add a little to make it less pungent to my taste. Mixing Apple juice with tea works well, especially if its your first time to try a herb as a tea.

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Have you tried Java rice or a curry dish? Java rice is a kind of “yellow rice” that is so yummy eaten with kebabs. If you tried one of the above then you had tasted turmeric. I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about turmeric and its time to put it in spotlight. Aside from as a staple ingredient to most Asian dishes, its refreshing to know based on many studies the benefits in taking turmeric in achieving good health.

What’s hot: Aside from making dishes aromatic, warming and colorful, in a study of a team of scientists in The Center for the Prevention of Cancer at the Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel, it was found that ingestion of turmeric lowers the risk of colon cancer, pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer. They said that the curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) which strengthens the influence of the drug Celecoxib lessens the risk of the onset of the aforesaid types of cancer.

“Curcumin has been shown, for example, to stimulate the production of bile and to facilitate the emptying of the gallbladder. It has also demonstrated in animals a protective effect on the liver, anti-tumor action, and ability to reduce inflammation and fight certain infections. Also have antioxidant properties, which some claim may be as strong as vitamins C and E. “

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How many of you experienced leaving your keys, wallets, and cell phones? Or you’re answering today’s crossword puzzle but all of a sudden you forget the answer? You know darn well the correct answer, its even “on the tip of your tongue.” But for some reason you can’t remember. Worst, you forgot the names of people whom you just met a while ago. It may sound like absent-mindedness and its OK to have memory lapse once in a while with so many things that distract us, its inevitable. But what if your forgetfulness is a regular occurrence? This may not be normal memory loss after all…worst it may be symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. In the article “Memory loss: When to Seek Help,” from Mayo Clinic, they gave a good list of questions you may want to ask your doctor to sooth your worries.

Many herbal supplements came out in to the market to help combat the problem in memory loss especially in older people.  But one herb stood out from the rest, the Ginkgo. Ginkgo is often misspelled as “gingko,” a rare herb tree species and the only member in its genus. Some say its a “living fossil tree” because it predates the evolution of mammals. The leaves and seeds are the parts principally used for medicinal purposes. Now available in powdered extracts or capsules. Bonsai ginkgo’s are also available for decorative purposes.

What’s hot: The University of Maryland Medical Center gave the following list of ginkgo’s medicinal uses:

• Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease – showing evidence that ginkgo’s may help people with these conditions is promising
• Eye problems – the flavonoids in ginkgo’s is  believed to lessen or halt retinal problem
• Intermittent Claudication (pain caused by inadequate blood flow to the legs) – ginkgo’s reported function in improving blood circulation may prevent this condition
• Memory Impairment
• Tinnitus (the perception of ringing, hissing, or other sound in the ears or head when no external sound is present) – researchers investigated that ginkgo’s moderately reduce the loudness of tinnitus
• other ailments, including altitude sickness, asthma, depression, disorientation, headaches, high blood pressure, erectile dysfunction, and vertigo

“responsible for the herb’s beneficial effects in humans — flavonoids and terpenoids. Flavonoids (such as quercetin and rutin) have potent antioxidant effects. Terpenoids (such as ginkgolides) improve blood flow by dilating blood vessels and reducing the stickiness of platelets.”

The Ginkgo tree is a good decorative tree in any garden specially in Autumn.

What’s not-so-hot: Ginkgo’s seeds are readily available but may be difficult to cultivate; the fruits are inedible; reported side effects – gastrointestinal upset, headaches, skin reactions, and dizziness.

Loosing one’s memory is one of the leading problems in old age. In fact, just watching how Alzheimer’s disease come into play in the hit novel and movie, “The Notebook,” is enough to make you teary-eyed.  But don’t despair…cheer up! You can start boosting your memory with this guide from Mayo Clinic.

Photo source: Kalyx.com, wikipedia.org

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I’m a sucker for blueberry cheesecakes and blueberry muffins! When I’m out, I try to find delis that sells this scrumptious and delicious dessert plus a big mug of coffee. Just eating blueberry cheesecake put a big smile on my face. But there’s more about blueberries that I should be happy about. Check it out! Read More

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